ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #1, from Dynamite Comics on 5/17/23, sends the titular character (*heh*) through the multiverse of movies again to stop the original Dracula from amassing an army of cinematic bloodsuckers.
The Details
- Written by: David Avallone
- Art by: Kewber Baal
- Colors by: Walter Pereyra
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: Dave Acosta (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: May 17, 2023
Is It Good?
Darn that magic remote and all the trouble it causes (shakes fist at the sky). David Avallone returns the wellspring of endless entertainment in ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #1 as Elvira is drafted to stop Vlad, the “real” Dracula, from using Felinni’s magic remote control to gather an army of every Dracula from the big and little screen for a dastardly plan. Does this issue recapture that ol’ Black Magic we love so well? Yep.
Avallone’s script hits all the right notes for a pristine Elvira adventure through the multiverse of cinema. Elvira’s snappy banter with every character she encounters is as sharp as a vampire’s fang after a dental cleaning. Avallone mixes in brief stops in more than enough famous vampire scenes to make a horror hound happy. And Avallone’s comedic timing/tone knows just when to poke fun at a classic film without tipping too far into irreverence. The jokes take playful jabs without tipping into disrespect, which is a sign of a creator who loves the works being referenced.
Better still, there are one or two spots where Vlad’s kidnapping attempts fail with great comedic results. Who knew the greatest of vampires has a deadly fear of puppets?
Is this comic perfect? No, no comic is ever perfect, but the flaws here barely rise to the level of a nitpick, and when the overall entertainment factor is this high, you don’t notice the nitpicks at all. Comic writers, take note. Fun hides flaws.
How’s the art? Kewber Baal takes over art duties from Dave Acosta, who worked on the majority of the previous arcs. We won’t dwell on comparisons too much except to say Acosta’s work had a more polished presentation, especially with the actor’s likenesses. That said, Baal does a fine job capturing the essence of actors you’ll recognize and love in their respective vampiric roles. Gary Oldman looks like Gary Oldman. Darren McGavin looks like Darren McGavin. For the jokes to work, the scenes have to look instantly recognizable from the source material, and Baal pulls it off admirably.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Elvira enjoying a relaxing evening at home while watching Dracula (1931). Suddenly, the Count is interrupted by a familiar voice – Vlad escaped Hell, and he has the magic Felinni remote, which allows him to travel through the multiverse of movies. Before you can say “Tommyknockers,” Agent Grant arrives at Elvira’s doorstep with an important mission – stop Vlad.
After a brief recap of Elvira’s previous adventures, Agent Grant convinces the Mistress of the Dark that she is the hero the multiverse will always need. Elvira accepts her destiny, and with the help of a magic necklace that can track Vlad’s movements, she hops from one famous Dracula movie and show to another as Vlad lures each Dracula with the enticement of power.
We conclude the issue with a fear of puppets, uncomfortable wigs, and a different kind of Universal monster.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #1 hits the nail on the head with a reference-laden, hilarious adventure through the Movie Multiverse to stop the original Dracula from amassing an army. Almost all the jokes land, the movie and actor references could fill a dozen baskets with Easter Eggs, and the caricature art does the actors justice.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.