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Strobbins, John. John Strobbins was created by the French author José Moselli (Browning and Co., Marcel Dunot, M. Dupont, Jean Flair, Iko Térouka, Fédor Ivanovitch Sarraskine, Baron Cesare Stromboli, Jack Temple, Wasili Tchorok, Andreas Vollmer) and appeared in over 1100 stories in L’Épatant and Collection d’Aventures from 1911 to 1933, beginning with L’Épatant #168 (June 22, 1911).

John Strobbins is a Lupin. He is a patriotic American who lives in San Francisco. He is also an accomplished thief who has fooled the San Francisco police on several occasions. Strobbins is “young, elegant, and likable,” and is a “virtuoso of burglary” and a master of disguise. Initially simply a genial burglar, he soon becomes more focused on righting wrongs, with whatever he steals being returned or offered to charities. While he does not kill, he can be ruthless, and when dealing with spies he will inject them with leprosy and then abandon them on a deserted island. Most of the time, however, Strobbins is a playful and chivalrous sort, willing to tip off the police as to where he will strike next.

Strobbins' police nemeses are James Molescott, the inept, corrupt Chief of the S.F.P.D., and Peter Crainsby, Molescott's assistant. Strobbins is helped by his butler/assistant Reno.

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