ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #5, from Dynamite Comics on 9/27/23, brings the uproarious adventure to a close when Elvira confronts Vlad and Stanley Saliva’s army of monsters… with a little help from her cinematic friends.
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: September 27, 2023
Is ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #5 Good?
Sometimes you just need to sit back and let the fun happen. ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #5 brings Elvira to the brink of oblivion just in time for the mother of all monster battles for the fate of Earth. David Avallone wastes no time giving Elvira fans exactly what they want – madcap mayhem.
When last we left Elvira, Vlad, and Stanley Saliva completed the assembly of their multiversal movie monster army (say that five times fast), in preparation for invading the Earth to rule over all. Hoping the Novazone cops would finish their coffee & donut break to arrive with a deus ex machina, Elvira had one option left -stall. Now, David Avallone tries, fails, and succeeds in inserting a flashback to explain how Vlad and Saliva became a dastardly duo, buying Elvira enough time to enter the Endgame. Oy! Now Avallone has us talking in references!
If you didn’t catch the clues, the issue breaks down into two parts – the flashback to explain it all and a massive battle to end it all. If you’re an MCU fan, you’ll get the hint. If you’re not, let’s just say Elvira leaves no Infinity stone unturned to Avenge the folks Vlad and Saliva have hurt. (wink)
What’s great about ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #5? Avallone’s final issue (Don’t worry. Another arc’s on the way.) is all about movie reference fun. You get tongue-in-cheek versions of the Avengers, the Justice League (Yes, the Snyderverse version.), and every do-gooder available for a massive battle to save the Earth. Avallone mixes and matches the strengths and weaknesses of characters against their opponents to create thrilling action, a modest amount of slapstick, and jokes aplenty. It’s schlocky silly fun, but it’s still fun, and that’s all a comic needs to be worth your time.
What’s not so great about ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #5? Admittedly, a reader would need to be well-versed in most of the pop culture being referenced to get some of the jokes. For example, if you’ve never seen the HBO remake of Westworld, one or two lines will have no meaning. We get it, but it’s fair to say some readers won’t.
How’s the art? Kewber Bal hits the nail on the head with the character depiction in decidedly unusual situations. We all know what Elsa Lanchester looks like as the Bride of Frankenstein, but could you picture what Elsa Lanchester as the Bride of Frankenstein looks like fighting a Kaiju? On pure imagination, Baal earns top marks.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #5 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND #4 review to learn how the final pieces of Vlad and Saliva’s army were acquired on Monster Island.
We begin with writer David Avallne in the issue trying to start with a flashback. Elvira wants none of that nonsense, so she interrupts the flashback to get back to the cliffhanger. Elvira needs to stall for time, so she does the only thing she can – ask Vlad and Saliva how they hooked up. Cue the flashback.
Vlad and Saliva found each other in Hell through their mutual hatred of Elvira. Thanks to the help of a mad scientist (Emiilio), they snuck out of Hell and into the Novazone store room to steal Fellini’s magic remote.
With the flashback out of the way and enough time stalled, magic portals open with all the allies, versions of the Avengers and the Justice League, and more to the rescue.
And then they fight.
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 #5 ends the monstrously fun adventure with a flashback, heroes to the rescue, and a battle to end all battles. Avallone’s pop culture magnum opus is a monster movie fans dream, and Kewber Baal’s art is fantastic.
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