Dynamite; $17.99

In 2019, Dynamite reintroduced Elvira, Mistress of the Dark to comic audiences with an ongoing series (which has since concluded) and several miniseries. The first issue opened with Elvira filming what appears to be a B-movie schlock-fest. Frustrated by the terrible writing, Elvira heads to her trailer for a break but is instead transported back in time through a coffin. That’s when things really get good. Crawling from the coffin, Elvira is met by three strangers, including Mary Shelley, the famous author of the beloved horror classic, Frankenstein. From there, she meets more real and fictitious characters from horror legend.

Writer David Avallone, artist Dave Acosta, and colorist Andrew Covalt clearly had fun creating this comic. It’s very clever with several nods to what made Elvira famous while simultaneously poking fun at it. There’s some naughty humor, a fourth wall break, and plenty of good jokes that are lost in translation.

The settings are perfect, producing that old horror movie feel with candlelight, deep shadows, lightning strikes, and tunnels. You can practically hear the floor creak and smell the musty basement. Though Elvira’s attributes are significantly on display, the art is never obnoxiously gratuitous.

It’s a fun read for anyone who loves horror with a bit of humor and appreciates Elvira for her wit as well as – you know.

-Amanda Sheriff