ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #3, from Dynamite Comics on 7/19/23, puts the “Howl” in Howling Good Time when Elvira hops through famous werewolf films to stop Vlad from filling up his kennel.
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: July 19, 2023
Is It Good?
ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #3 is by far the funniest issue of the series to date and possibly the funniest comic we’ve read this year. Kudos to David Avallone for cranking the joke meter up to eleven with witty dialog, referential jokes that poke fun at everything from Wall Street to Dr. Pepper, and a surprise villain reveal that ties it all together.
When last we left the Mistress of the Dark, she tried to prevent the kidnappings of monsters with bolts using a good swift kick to the nuts to stop Vlad from collecting Frankenstein doctors and their progeny. Now, Elvira witnesses a Bad Moon rising when she chases Vlad through a laundry list of Werewolf and Wolf Man films to collect the canine critters for a monster army, ending in the reveal of Vlad’s secret directorial partner.
What’s great about this issue? Practically everything with a twist. Up to now, Avallone relied on Elvira to insert puns, references, and wordplay to crack jokes. This time, Vlad gets in on the act by insulting the nerdy differences between werewolves, wolfmen, men with wolves, and general idiosyncrasies in the English language. Ironically, the funniest issue in a comedy series with a comedy/horror icon owes its humor to the villain.
That said, it’s not just Vlad’s struggles with English that land the humor plane in this issue. Where in all of comicdom can you find a single comic that makes fun of David Naughton’s Dr. Pepper commercial, white-collar criminals, and self-important Hollywood stars? This comic is a cinematic pop culturist’s dream come true.
What’s not so great about this issue? Not a blessed thing. It’s fun.
How’s the art? Kewber Ball upped his A-Game with actor depictions that look and emote perfectly for the films referenced. Teen Wolf, in particular, looks almost like an exact reprint of the film, and the exactness makes the joke of Vlad’s b-ball skills even better.
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]
Check out our ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #2 review to find out which Frankenstein got the worst jolt of all.
We begin with Elvira arriving on the set of An American Werewolf in London just before David’s character is attacked on the moors. Elvira figures our Vlad is intent on collecting the first werewolf, and her guess proves correct when Vlad shows up with a frisbee at the ready to play fetch.
Later, Elvira chases Vlad through The Wolf Man, Teen Wolf, The Howling, Wolf, and more to collect furry, fanged fighters wherever he can find them. When Vlad mistakenly arrives in The Wolf of Wall Street, he realizes he may have taken one jump too many, and Elvira uses the opportunity to follow Vlad back to base.
We conclude the issue with a backlot in process, the man with the plan, and a task to apprehend That Kaiju That You Do So Well.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #3 brings the monster movie and the nostalgia in the most hilarious issue of the series to date. This time, Vlad makes with the funny in a story filled with strong art, enough referential jokes to write a movie trivia book, and a Scooby-Doo reveal about the main villain you won’t see coming.
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