Writer: David Avallone
Art: Kewber Baal
Colors: Walter Pereyra
Letters: Taylor Esposito
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Price: $3.99
Release Date: May 17th, 2023
You crazy kids and your multiverses. You’re not satisfied with destroying just one Earth, are you? Now you’ve got to destroy a million of’em! Poor Elvira just wants to relax and binge rusty old vampire flicks…err, I mean “classic films”…on Deathflix ™, but now she’s got to save the multiverse from Vlad the Impaler, who’s jumping from universe to universe, popping into vampire films throughout history and collecting every version of cinematic vampire for a hideous plot he has devised. So once again, it’s Elvira to the rescue! Hang on tight, she jumps through so many universes in Elvira in Monsterland #1 your head will spin like that girl in “The Exorcist”. Wait a minute, that didn’t have vampires in it, did it? While I think of a Dracula film with head spinnin’, just hop on down to read my full review.
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Elvira in Monsterland #1 Review.
The Story
If you’re a film geek, especially a horror film geek, you’re going to love Elvira in Monsterland #1. As Elvira bounces through different universes, wielding a mystical knife and popping into various vampire films throughout history, interacting with the characters in those films, it’s so much fun and the ultimate dream of any movie nerd. Imagine being able to jump inside any movie you wanted and talk with the characters.
Even if you’re not a walking IMDB database of old vampire films, you’ll find a lot to love here.
The thing I enjoyed most about the book was that it avoided (for the most part) Elvira’s usual Borscht Belt-style jokes and sexual innuendo. Instead, all the humor comes from how she relates to the people she’s with and the surroundings she’s in. In one scene, she teleports into an old Hammer vampire film (it looks like “Horror of Dracula” from 1958) with Peter Cushing’s Van Helsing battling Christopher Lee’s Dracula, and as soon as she realizes where she’s at she yells “Stop, Hammer Time!”. Yeah, it’s corny, but I found it hilarious, especially when you see Van Helsing’s befuddled reaction to her.
None of the dialogue feels out of character for Elvira. You can easily imagine Cassandra Peterson drolly slamming a film character with the lines in the book, or subtly flirting with Agent Grant in her usual purring way. There are also a couple of great surprise scenes in the book that I loved (hint: Elvira doesn’t just jump into old theatrical films, but into old TV films and shows too). Overall, this was a spectacular first issue and I look forward to seeing what happens next.
The Art
Kewber Baal’s art on Elvira in Monsterland #1 is amazing. He manages to capture the seemingly infinite number of Elvira’s expressions perfectly. My favorite moment of the book is when she tells Agent Grant that she accepts the mission to save the multiverse and shoots him a sexy smirk. It’s a sexy fun moment and Baal’s art perfectly captures her expression. Even though the book jumps from black and white to color (depending on what film Elvira’s popping into) the art remains beautiful throughout and there’s even a bit of atmosphere to each scene reminiscent of the original films. Brilliant work.
Final Thoughts
Elvira in Monsterland #1 is a fantastic debut issue for what promises to be a hilarious rollercoaster ride of a miniseries. It will warm any horror film buff’s heart. If you’re not a film buff, you’ll still find a lot to love here, with lots of surprises and hilarious scenes throughout. Highly recommended.