Comics Review: "RED SONJA NOIR ONE-SHOT" - The Crone, the Thief, Her Partner and His Killer

RED SONJA NOIR ONE-SHOT (2025)

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ARTIST: Edu Menna

COLORS: Adriano Augusto

LETTERS: Jeff Eckleberry

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Lesley “Leirix” Li

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Joseph Michael Linsner; Lesley “Leirix” Li; Molly Stewart cosplay

40pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (July 2025)

Rated: Teen+

Red Sonja created by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith

Red Sonja Noir: “The Crimson Calypso

Red Sonja is female high fantasy and sword and sorcery hero.  She first appeared in Conan the Barbarian #23 (cover dated February 1973) and was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith.  Red Sonja was loosely based on “Red Sonya of Rogatino,” a female character that appeared in the 1934 short story, “The Shadow of the Vulture,” written by Conan the Cimmerian's creator, Robert E. Howard.

In 2005, Dynamite Entertainment began publishing comic books featuring the character.  One of the recent titles is Red Sonja Noir One-Shot.  It is written by David Avallone; drawn by Edu Menna; colored by Adriano Augusto; and lettered by Jeff Eckleberry.  The one-shot finds Red Sonja dealing with a murdered partner and the hunt for a priceless artifact.

Red Sonja Noir One-Shot (“The Crimson Calypso”) is one of many stories of Red Sonja, but this one is not like many others.  Red Sonja, usually a lone wolf, has a partner, Tamsin, an archer.  Together, Sonja and Tamsin form the mercenary duo, “Blade and Archer.”

Now, they have a new client, Shauna.  She wants Sonja and Tamsin to help save her sister from the slaver, Zander Thor.  However, when Tamsin is found murdered, Sonja finds herself drawn into the feverish hunt for a priceless and mystical artifact known as “the Crimson Calypso.”

THE LOWDOWN:  In July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Red Sonja Noir One-Shot, which is one of several Dynamite Red Sonja comic books that I have read.

Red Sonja Noir One-Shot is the first long-form Red Sonja story written by David Avallone that I have read, though it is not my first Avallone Sonja.  I have previously praised Avallone for being an imaginative writer, and he shows that with this story.  However, “The Crimson Calypso” (a funny title and name) is more than just sword-and-sorcery hack-and-slash designed for our prurient interests.  Avallone gives the story an emotional angle; every character here, including Sonja, has skin in the game.  There is more to lose than to gain, and the stakes and desires seem very personal.

Artist Edu Menna is an underrated storyteller.  His art is certainly stylish, but emotional content and context run throughout, which makes him perfect for translating Avallone's comic mayhem and subtle flourishes into sometimes gripping and sometimes emotional comic book storytelling.  I would like to see Avallone and Menna run through a good twelve-issue stretch of Red Sonja.

Adriano Augusto's colors give the story a powerful punch; in fact, Augusto's coloring on the pages that depict death come at me like a punch.  As always, Jeff Eckleberry's classic-style lettering and effects bring the clashing of swords and sounds of battles and duels to life.

I expected Red Sonja Noir One-Shot to be good, but I must say I got more than I expected.  Encore! Encore!

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Red Sonja comic books will want to read Red Sonja Noir One-Shot.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

A "Kindle" edition of RED SONJA NOIR ONE-SHOT is available at Amazon.

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Comics Review: "SAVAGE TALES #1" Offers a Fab Four of Tales

SAVAGE TALES #1 (2025)

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone; Kurt Busiek

ART: Hamish Cook; Eman Casallos; Mariano Benitez Chapo; Benjamin Dewey

COLORS: Jorge Sutil

LETTERS: Jeff Eckleberry; Simon Bowland

COVER: Arthur Suydam

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Liam Sharp; Rafael Kayanan; Arthur Suydam

32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (February 2025)

Rated Teen+

Savage Tales is the title of an anthology comic book series that has been used by both Dynamite Entertainment and Marvel Comics (twice).  Dynamite recently brought its version back as a series of occasionally-published one-shots.

The 2025 edition of Savage Tales #1 has four short stories.  Three of them are new stories written by David Avallone.  These stories feature Gullivar of Mars (drawn by Hamish Cook); John Carter and Dejah Thoris of Mars (drawn by Eman Casallos); and Vampirella (drawn by Mariano Benitez Chapo).  All of Avallone's stories are colored by Jorge Sutil and lettered by Jeff Eckleberry.

The fourth entry is a Red Sonja story written by Kurt Busiek; drawn by Benjamin Dewey; and lettered by Simon Bowland.  This story was originally published in Red Sonja: Black, White, Red #1 (July 2021).

I will summarize and review each story individually.

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, the marketing department at Dynamite Entertainment has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is the 2025 edition of Savage Tales #1, but this is not the first time I have read a Dynamite Savage Tales comic book.

Gullivar of Mars: “His War Chapter Three” by Avallone and Cook:

Captain Gullivar Jones is based on the character, Lt. Gulllivar Jones, who first appeared in the novel, Lieut. Gullivar Jones: His Vacation, written by Edwin Lester Arnold and published in 1905.  Writer David Avallone has been reworking the character over the past few years.

“His War” chronicles Jones' life since he first left Mars and eventually fought in “the Great War” (World War I).  Now, Jones has returned to Mars twenty years after his original time on the planet.  What he discovers is that he might be the reason for the once lush planet's sorry state, and his reunion with his beloved “Heru” (a princess of Mars) is also off to a sorry state.

Avallone has a deft touch with vintage and classic characters, and because of author Edwin Lester Arnold's influence on the science fiction sub-genre, “planetary romance,” Gullivar Jones is both vintage and classic.  This may be the best chapter of Avallone's revival yet, primarily because he immediately puts Jones in a life or death situation.  Hamish Cook's art and storytelling captures the edgy mood and tense action of the story's first person narration.  Cook makes me wish that this story could be published as a graphic novel.

John Carter and Dejah Thoris of Mars: “A Mutiny on Mars” by Avallone and Casallos:

“A Mutiny on Mars” opens in the distant past on the planet of “Barsoom” (Mars”) and finds royal couple, John Carter and Dejah Thoris, on a scientific expedition.  Instead of science, they find betrayal and a plot to kidnap John.

Avallone weaves a nice tale that will entertain those familiar with the world of Edgar Rice Burroughs' “Barsoom” series.  Eman Casallos and Jorge Sutil's art and colors give this story the kind of exotic and esoteric aesthetic that at least I expect of comic book stories set in the world of Barsoom.

Vampirella: “The Real Thing” by Avallone and Chapo:

Avallone weaves a rather surprising and delightful tale featuring Vampirella, a truly classic character that often suffers from overexposure.  Vampirella is working as a lowly assistant on the television series, “Draculette.”  Among the production crew, there are some real doubters who are about to discover the truth about vampires.  The question is whether or not Vampirella will step in to save the day or let the blood flow.

Mariano Benitez Chapo proves to be perfectly capable of turning Avallone's humorous scripts into a fun comics story that pops on the page.  Avallone is really good at blending supernatural horror comics with humor comics, and Chapo's art captures the snappiness of Avallone's banter here.  They'd make a good pairing on an Elvira series.  As he does in the other two original stories, Jeff Eckleberry adds a stylish flair with his lettering for this story.

Red Sonja: “Seeing Red” by Busiek and Dewey:

“Seeing Red” opens in a place called the “Mountains of Night” where Red Sonja will enter a crypt as part of a deal she made with an ambitious wannabe ruler.  What she's finds is certain death at the hands or claws of a creature that moves too fast for her to see.  And that's got the “She-Devil with a Sword” seeing red.

I did read the 2021 Red Sonja: Black, White, Red series – every issue except the first, so “Seeing Red” is new to me.  Kurt Busiek delivers a tale that reads as if it is a Conan the Barbarian tale from Marvel Comics' classic black and white magazine, The Savage Sword of Conan.  Benjamin Dewey's art certainly sells this story's classic Marvel vibe with rock-solid compositions that are perfect for Red Sonja's comic book brand of sword and sorcery.  As always I love the pounding vibe Simon Bowland's lettering gives this story.

If I had to reluctantly pick a favorite comics story in Savage Tales #1 (2025), it would be a difficult choice.  So, I will instead suggest you get this comic book, dear readers, and decide for yourself.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of anthology comic books will want to read Savage Tales #1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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The text is copyright © 2025 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: "ELVIRA Meets H.P. Lovecraft #5" Throws the Book at Them

ELVIRA MEETS H.P. LOVECRAFT VOLUME 1 #5

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ART: Kewber Baal

COLORS: Walter Pereyra

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Dave Acosta with Walter Pereyra

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2024)

Rated Teen+

Chapter Five: “Do You R'leyh Want to Hurt Me?”

In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment.  Elvira's latest comic book series is Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Kewber Baal; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  In this new series, Elvira joins the ghost of infamous horror and fantasy author, H.P. Lovecraft, who has returned to the mortal plane on a mission from the Elder Gods to locate the last true company of the infamous “Necronomicon.”

Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #5 (“Do You R'leyh Want to Hurt Me?”) does not open in the domain of Nodens, Lord of the Abyss, as Lovecraft had wished it.  Instead, the late great “Master of Cosmic Horror” and racist finds himself in R'leyh, the dominion of Cthulhu, along with the “Great Old One” known as Nyarlathotep... and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, of course.

Lovecraft hopes that presenting the last real copy of the Necronomicon to Cthulhu will earn him favors.  When Shoggoth joins Cthulhu, the truth will be revealed, but will these “Great Old Ones” give a f**k anymore than the other old ones?  And how will Elvira come out of this?

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #5, one of many Dynamite/David Avallone Elvira comic books that I have read and enjoyed.

In the fifth and final issue of Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft, writer David Avallone proves that he doesn't have to save his best for last.  He always has some his best for the entire narrative enterprise.  He takes the piss outta Lovecraft and the starch outta his cosmic imaginings.  Don't take everything so seriously, and you can enjoy a romp (of a sorts) with Elvira.  Otherwise, you might suffer a fate worse than death and destruction... or that is my interpretation of Avallone's humor.

Artist Kewber Baal remains pitch perfect for Avallone, and I hope they work together more in the future.  Baal's art gets prettier in style and stronger in storytelling with each chapter.  He creates the comic timing, visually and graphically, in a way that makes this entire series sparkle with humor and wit.  Walter Pereyra's colors keep everything looking nice and pretty, and Taylor Esposito's lettering brings out the hella comedy in the story.

I expected really good things from Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft, and I got it.  Now, I expect you to read Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft, dear readers, in the eventual trade paperback collection.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/DAvallone

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The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: "ELVIRA Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #4" in the Dreamlands

ELVIRA MEETS H.P. LOVECRAFT VOLUME 1 #4

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ART: Kewber Baal

COLORS: Walter Pereyra

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Dave Acosta with Walter Pereyra

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (May 2024)

Rated Teen+

Chapter Four: “Behind the Wall of Creep”

In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment.  Elvira's latest comic book series is Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Kewber Baal; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  In this new series, Elvira joins the ghost of infamous horror and fantasy author, H.P. Lovecraft, who has returned to the mortal plane on a mission from the Elder Gods to locate the last true company of the infamous “Necronomicon.”

Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #4 (“Behind the Wall of Creep”) opens in the otherworldly dimension known as Earth's “Dreamlands.”  Elvira escaped to this place in order to avoid the machinations both of her supposed partner, H.P. Lovecraft – the would-be God-King of the Universe, and of the “Great Old One” known as Nyarlathotep, who wants to restore said Great Old Ones to their dominion over time and space.

After a brief rodent problem and a cat-rescue, Elvira meets the ghost of the author Robert “Bob” Bloch, whose 1959 novel, Psycho, is the basis for Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 classic film, Psycho.  Now in possession of a true copy of the “Necronomicon,” Elvira seeks the help of one who can stop Lovecraft and Nyarlathotep's plans.  But do these gods even give a f**k?

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #4, one of many Dynamite/David Avallone Elvira comic books that I have read and enjoyed.

One of the good things about writer David Avallone's Elvira comic books is that I can repeat myself in each review of his work.  Avallone's mixture of sardonic and deadpan humor sparkles and brings Elvira to life, not quite as lively as in her television and film appearances, but lively.

Kewber Baal is pitch perfect for Avallone, and I hope the work together more in the future.  Baal art's gets prettier in style and stronger in storytelling with each chapter.  Baal spins Avallone's humorous tales into sparkling tales of comic horror and horror comedy.  Walter Pereyra's colors keep everything looking nice and pretty, and Taylor Esposito's lettering brings out the hell in the story.

I expected really good things from Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft, and I'm getting it.  I expect you to read Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft, dear readers, now or later in trade paperback form

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/DAvallone

https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics

https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/

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The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

---------------------------

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Comics Review: "DRAWING BLOOD #2" in the Land of the Dead

DRAWING BLOOD #2

IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Kevin Eastman and David Avallone

SCRIPT: David Avallone

ART: Ben Bishop

“FLASHBACKS”: Ben Bishop (layouts) and Kevin Eastman

“HALLUCINATIONS”: Ben Bishop (layouts) and Troy Little

COLORS: Brittany Peer

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

COVER: Kevin Eastman

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Ben Bishop; Troy Little

28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (May 2024)

Rated “T+/Teen Plus”

Drawing Blood created by Kevin Eastman and David Avallone

Chapter Two: “Metropolis & All That Jazz”

Kevin Eastman is a comic book writer and writer-artist best known for co-creating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) with writer-artist Peter Laird.  Born in 1962, Eastman found himself with a burgeoning worldwide pop culture sensation by the time he was 25 in 1987, as TMNT entered the world of animated television, toys, and other merchandising.  That made Eastman and Laird very rich.

In 2019, via his comic book publishing company, KES Comics, Eastman published the four-issue miniseries, Drawing Blood, which referenced his own career in comic books and media.  The original Drawing Blood returns with new issues as a 12-issue series from Image Comics.  It is written by Kevin Eastman and David Avallone; drawn by Ben Bishop, Troy Little, and Eastman, colored by Brittany Peer; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  The series depicts the life of Shane “Books” Bookman, the (co-)creator of “Radically Rearranged Ronin Ragdolls,” an invention that helped to make Shane' life more absurd than the contents of any comic book.

Drawing Blood #2 (“Metropolis & All That Jazz”) opens with Shane facing off against Lithuanian gangsters who want him to pay off the debt of his former partner, Frank Forrest.  The Lithuanians have put the debt on Shane because Frank, from whom Shane was estranged, recently took his own life.

If that's not enough for a busy day, twins Gretchen and Pierre Legere are following Shane around in order to film a documentary about him.  Then, there is the Broadway musical into which Shane in sinking what remains of his fortune, and so far, the thing seems cursed.  Plus, there are more hallucinations and flashbacks, plus, an appearance by a certain feline trio.

THE LOWDOWN:  I was able to procure a PDF review copy of Drawing Blood #2.  Thus, I decided to review it for you, dear readers.

Whatever extent Drawing Blood is based on Kevin Eastman's life is not as important as the fact that Kevin Eastman is a comic book creator.  It is always a really good thing that we have him involved in comics.

As usual, writer David Avallone infuses the script with humor and sarcasm, but I noticed something in this issue that I didn't in the first.  Shane “Books” Bookman is deep in grief, as I see it.  Avallone cleverly depicts a man living with and around things that are dead or dying.  His overnight success made it easy for him to ruin everything around him, but it has made him delusional enough to believe he can pull off another miraculous hit.  This time, however, it seems as if he's trying to raise the dead... or this could be my (mis)interpretation because of something in the moment.

Artist Ben Bishop's storytelling remains strong, especially in the way he depicts Shane as a man in crisis, a crisis that seems to define his life as series of impending dooms.  Bishop takes all that is vulnerable and emotional in Avallone's script and brings it to life, without losing the humor.

Drawing Blood is more like a Fantagraphics Books title than an Image Comics title merely because it trades in modern fiction more than it does fantasy (or fantasy-infused).  It has a lot to say, and I think you will want to hear every word of it, dear readers, so definitely give it a try.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of both Kevin Eastman and David Avallone will want to try Drawing Blood.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/kevineastman86

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https://fan.kevineastmanstudios.com/

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The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

-------------------------

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Comics Review: "ELVIRA Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #3" in a Haunted House

ELVIRA MEETS H.P. LOVECRAFT VOLUME 1 #3

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ART: Kewber Baal

COLORS: Walter Pereyra

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Dave Acosta with Walter Pereyra

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2024)

Rated Teen+

Chapter Three: “The Ms. in the Strange High House”

In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment.  Elvira's latest comic book series is Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Kewber Baal; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  In this new series, Elvira joins the ghost of infamous horror and fantasy author, H.P. Lovecraft, who has returned to the mortal plane on a mission from the Elder Gods to locate the last true company of the infamous “Necronomicon.”

Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #3 (“The Ms. in the Strange High House”) opens as Elvira and Lovecraft's quest takes them to the crumbling mansion home of October Grendel.  Lovecraft now despises Grendel, who had been a colleague.  After Lovecraft's death, Grendel, a pulp writer, made creative use of the unpublished writings Lovecraft had left behind.  Lovecraft is sure that it is Grendel who has the last true copy of the Necronomicon.

Meanwhile, the “Great Old One” known as Nyarlathotep has decided to take matters into his own hands because his trio of lackeys keeps failing to secure the Necronomicon.  He is right on Elvira and Lovecraft's trail, and nothing can stop him... except an enterprising Mistress of the Dark who sure knows how deal with nards.

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #3, one of many Dynamite/David Avallone Elvira comic books that I have read and enjoyed.

Writer David Avallone and artist Kewber Baal have turned out to be quite a team.  Baal art's gets prettier in style and stronger in storytelling with each chapter.  Baal spins Avallone's humorous tales into sparkling tales of comic horror and horror comedy.  Meanwhile, Avallone takes advantage of Baal's solid storytelling chops to run through the comic possibilities of the dour H.P. Lovecraft.

Walter Pereyra's colors keep everything looking nice and pretty, and Taylor Esposito's lettering brings out the hell in the story.  I expected really good things from Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft, and I'm getting it.  I expect you to read Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/DAvallone

https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics

https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/

https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

Comics Review: "DRAWING BLOOD #1" - Fame Attracts Lunatics

DRAWING BLOOD #1

IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Kevin Eastman and David Avallone

SCRIPT: David Avallone

ART: Ben Bishop

“FLASHBACKS”: Ben Bishop (layouts) and Kevin Eastman

“HALLUCINATIONS”: Ben Bishop (layouts) and Troy Little

COLORS: Brittany Peer

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

COVER: Kevin Eastman

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Ben Bishop; Ben Bishop, Kevin Eastman, and Robert Rodriguez

28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (April 2024)

Rated “T+/Teen Plus”

Drawing Blood created by Kevin Eastman and David Avallone

Chapter One: “Drawn Blood”

Kevin Eastman is a comic book writer and writer-artist best known for co-creating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) with writer-artist Peter Laird.  Born in 1962, Eastman found himself with a burgeoning worldwide pop culture sensation by the time he was 25 in 1987, as TMNT entered the world of animated television, toys, and other merchandising.  That made Eastman and Laird very rich.

In 2019, via his comic book publishing company, KES Comics, Eastman published the four-issue miniseries, Drawing Blood.  Referencing his own career in comic books and media, Drawing Blood depicted the roller coaster life of a successful comics creator whose real life has become more absurd than any comic book.

The original Drawing Blood returns with new issues as a 12-issue series from Image Comics.  It is written by Kevin Eastman and David Avallone; drawn by Ben Bishop, Troy Little, and Eastman, colored by Brittany Peer; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.

Drawing Blood #1 (“Blood Drawn”) opens in the present day.  Shane “Books” Bookman and his friend, Nigel “Beastly” Boswell, are about to have a meeting with Lithuanian hoods at the local docks.  It is also all about to go bad.

Once upon a time, Shane was in the middle of success.  He was a star thanks to the comic book characters he co-created with Frank Forrest, a comic book creator he idolized as a child.  However, the glory days are over, and Frank was not who Shane thought he was, although he was apparently everything everyone else knew he was.  Now, desperate, Shane's life is about to become more absurd than his comics creations ever were.

THE LOWDOWN:  I was able to procure a PDF review copy of Drawing Blood #1.  Thus, I decided to review it for you, dear readers.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of the most unique comic books ever created and the Turtles themselves are a genius creation of popular culture.  The Turtles co-creator, Kevin Eastman, revealed some of his trials and tribulations as a businessman, comic book publisher, and media figure in an extensive interview published in The Comics Journal #202 (cover dated: March 1998) and conducted by magazine's co-founder, Gary Groth.

To what extent Drawing Blood is based on a true story is a mystery to me.  Eastman has an excellent co-conspirator and collaborator in writer David Avallone.  Through his many Elvira comic book series and his 2016 surreal throw down, The Twilight Zone: The Shadow, Avallone has displayed a penchant for executing the most engaging comic book tales of the absurd, the surreal, and the real-adjacent.  On its own, this opening chapter, “Blood Drawn,” is engaging and intriguing just focusing on Shane Bookman.  Wondering what is exaggerated and what is fictional is only half the fun in this series.

Artist Ben Bishop's storytelling here recalls the early art of Kevin Eastman in the TMNT comic books.  There was an independent spirit in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, but Eastman and Laird's art had a handmade quality that mainstream comic books of the mid-1980s were gradually abandoning.  Bishop's visual and graphical storytelling style resembles that and is perfect for this story of an Eastman-like comics creator.  Bishop captures the emotional underpinnings of the Avallone's script and emphasizes just how vulnerable Bookman is.  Also, having Eastman draw a segment of this first issue is a delightful bonus of which I want more.

Like Howard Chaykin's Hey Kids! Comics! (Image Comics, 2018), Drawing Blood is a much-needed allegory (of sorts) about comic book creators inside and outside their work.  Drawing Blood has a lot to say, and it will have fun saying it.  I think you will want to hear every word of it, dear readers, so definitely give it a try.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of both Kevin Eastman and David Avallone will want to try Drawing Blood.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/kevineastman86

https://twitter.com/DAvallone

https://fan.kevineastmanstudios.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://imagecomics.com/

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: "ELVIRA Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #2" Goes Back to School

ELVIRA MEETS H.P. LOVECRAFT VOLUME 1 #2

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ART: Kewber Baal

COLORS: Walter Pereyra

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Dave Acosta with Walter Pereyra

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Kewber Baal; Robert Hack; Dave Acosta

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (March 2024)

Rated Teen+

Chapter Two: “The Fun Witch Horror”

In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment.  Elvira's latest comic book series is Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Kewber Baal; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  In this new series, Elvira joins the ghost of infamous horror and fantasy author, H.P. Lovecraft, who has returned to the mortal plane on a mission from the Elder Gods to locate the last true company of the infamous “Necronomicon.”

Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #2 (“The Fun Witch Horror”) opens as Elvira and Lovecraft arrive at Miskatonic University.  Deep in its bowels is supposed to be the last true copy of that archetypal book of forbidden knowledge, the Necronomicon.

What the duo finds instead is a pair of chatty librarians.  Also, Elvira and Lovecraft don't realize that one of the librarians has a direct connection to Lovecraft's bibliography and past.  Meanwhile, the “Sons of Nyarlathotep” are close on Elvira and Lovecraft's heels for the Necronomicon.

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #2, one of many Dynamite/David Avallone Elvira comic books that I have read and enjoyed.

“Miskatonic is where the wealthy landed gentry send their clownish progeny to be inaugurated into the cult of power... regardless of their ability to wield it in a manner which is useful, or even sane.”

The above line is why I enjoy writer David Avallone's Elvira comic books so much.  Avallone uses “snide asides” and Elvira's self-effacing humor as a magic carpet that carries readers to a magical kingdom of comedy gold.  And I never want an issue of Avallone's Elvira to end, and this issue in particular left me panting and giggling on the floor.

Artist Kewber Baal continues to be an excellent match for Avallone's humor in this series as he was in the other recent Elvira comic book miniseries, Elvira in Monsterland.  Here, Baal turns Avallone script into swell comedy, while he creates a supernatural, dark fantasy world that feels genuine.  Walter Pereyra's colors convey this interplay of comedy and scary that keeps the story moving.

I expect really good things from Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft, and I'm getting it.  I expect you to read Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/DAvallone

https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics

https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/

https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: "ELVIRA Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #1" Calls You to Cthulhu

ELVIRA MEETS H.P. LOVECRAFT VOLUME 1 #1

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ART: Kewber Baal

COLORS: Walter Pereya

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Dave Acosta with Walter Pereyra

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Robert Hack

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2024)

Rated Teen+

Chapter One: “The Collect Call of Cthulhu”

In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment.  Elvira's latest comic book series is Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Kewber Baal; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.

Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #1 (“The Collect Call of Cthulhu”) opens with Elvira about to enjoy some dreamy boot-knocking when she is mystically cock-blocked.  Infamous horror and fantasy author, H.P. Lovecraft, has returned from his sweet hereafter, the Abyss.  It seems that one of the “Elder Gods,” the Lord of the Abyss has a mission for Howard Phillips Lovecraft.

He must find the last true copy of the ancient tome of dark magic, “the Necronomicon.”  Completing this task will free Lovecraft from his miserable eternity.  Lovecraft's first problem is that he needs Elvira to join him because she has a reputation in many mystical realms of being the one who turns back all manner of supernatural threats.  His second problem is that Elvira is not interested, even if it means the return of Cthulhu.

However, the threat may be bigger and more familiar than she realizes...

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1 #1, one of many Dynamite/David Avallone Elvira comic books that I have read and enjoyed.

I really enjoyed writer David Avallone and artist Juan Samu's sexy, ghostly romp, Elvira Meets Vincent Price, a five-issue miniseries published in 2021.  Avallone offers another tasty... coupling, this time pairing the Mistress of the Dark with a ghost of American arts and culture who is not nearly as delightful as Vincent Price, the renowned fantasy and horror author, H.P. Lovecraft.  Avallone sprinkles the script for this first issue with references to Lovecraft's reputation, including a sly, near slip of the tongue regarding Lovecraft's racism and bigotry.  Whereas Elvira Meets Vincent Price reads like a comic book version of a Bob Hope romp, however, Elvira Meets Vincent Price seems to be dark and maybe scarier.  At least, that is my take on it this early in the series.

Artist Kewber Baal proved to an excellent match for Avallone's humor in the most recent Elvira comic book miniseries, Elvira in Monsterland.  Here, Baal turns Avallone script into a swell comedy, but his graphical storytelling surrounds the repartee with a swirling mass of darkness and horror comic book energy.  Walter Pereyra's colors convey this interplay of comedy and scary that keep the story moving.

I'm being conservative with my grade for this first issue of Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft, but I am very excited about it.  I expect great things, and dear readers, I expect you to read Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft #1.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira Meets H.P. Lovecraft Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/DAvallone

https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics

https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/

https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

----------------------

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

Comics Review: "ELVIRA in Monsterland Volume 1 #5" Assembles an Raucous Endgame

ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND VOLUME 1 #5

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ART: Kewber Baal

COLORS: Walter Pereya

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Dave Acosta with Walter Pereya

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: John Royle; Kewber Baal

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2023)

Rated Teen+

Chapter Five: “The Monster Mash”

In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment.  Elvira's latest comic book series is Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Kewber Baal; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  The series finds Elvira returning to the Multiverse of Movies (a bunch of “pocket dimensions” created by the existence of movies), where she joins the “Space-Time Cops” in order to stop Vlad the Impaler from creating a monster army.

Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #5 (“The Monster Mash”) opens with the Mistress of the Dark putting a writer pal in check.  Then, it's on to the big confrontation with Vlad and his benefactor, the disgraced film director, Stanley Salivia.  And they're both out for sweet revenge against Elvira, so what will she do when she loses Agent Grant?  Call in reinforcements?

Here, comes the “Revengers” and the “Justice Guild,” two superhero teams straight out of the multiverse of movies and ready to brawl.  So is this the endgame or is there more madness of the Multiverse of Movies to come?

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #5, one of many Dynamite/David Avallone Elvira comic books that I have read and enjoyed.

As much as I've enjoyed Elvira in Monsterland (and I have), I never knew what to expect of it.  Even when I suspected that writer David Avallone was going to spoof werewolf movies, including of the classic early 1980s horror flick, An American Werewolf in London (1981), I did not know what was coming.  That was a good thing.

I totally didn't see his epic finale for this series going down the way “The Monster Mash” does.  Avallone's riff on Disney/Marvel's saga-ending Avengers: Endgame is the vehicle by which he is drives Elvira through her current dilemma.  If some of “The Monster Mash” resembles the 1987 cult film, The Monster Squad, that's because Elvira has a squad of monsters that needs to be dealt with by another another, friendlier Monster Squad.

Artist Kewber Baal is an excellent match for Avallone's humor.  Baal's storytelling has a breezy pace and is quite good at capturing the essences of American cinema and its obvious soft spots, which are ripe for spoofing.  Colorist Walter Pereya replicates the garish colors of traditional superhero comic books, and letterer Taylor Esposito provides a kind of end-of-the-saga soundtrack.

Elvira in Monsterland is a delightful romp, and I'm going to miss Felini's magic remote.  But H.P. Lovecraft is coming soon.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/DAvallone

https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics

https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/

https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

------------------------

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Comics Review: "ELVIRA in Monsterland Volume 1 #4"

ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND VOLUME 1 #4

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ART: Kewber Baal

COLORS: Walter Pereya

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Dave Acosta with Walter Pereya

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (August 2023)

Rated Teen+

Chapter Four: “You Don't Look Kaiju-ish”

In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment.  Elvira's latest comic book series is Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Kewber Baal; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  The series finds Elvira returning to the Multiverse of Movies (a bunch of “pocket dimensions” created by the existence of movies) in order to stop Vlad the Impaler and the creation of a monster army.

Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #4 (“You Don't Look Kaiju-ish”) opens at that pivotal moment when the Mistress of the Dark discovers that she has arrived in “Monsterland.”  Of course, it's filled with the giant monsters that have come to define the Japanese genre known as “kaiju.”

Elvira stands no chance against such big baddies as “Kingzilla” (a surrogate for Godzilla), “Crowdan” (Rodan), and “Maripothra” (Mothra), to name a few.  But what about “Mecha-Elvira?”  Can she rise up and k-o the kaiju? 

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #4, one of many Dynamite/David Avallone Elvira comic books that I have read and enjoyed.

I am a huge fan of werewolf movies, so I looked forward to Elvira in Monsterland #3.  I'm not that big of a fan of Japanese kaiju movies (although I am a big fan of kaiju comic books like the ones produced by writer-artist, Carter Allen, including the Ectyron Omnibus Vol. 1).  However, I am a big fan of writer David Avallone's sparkling dialogue, so I knew he would make big monsters big fun.  My favorite wit in this issue is the following bit, “Going down! And not in the fun way...”  Avallone's witty repartee has made his various Elvira comic books series some of the best humor comic books of the past decade, and Monsterland is not the exception.

Artist Kewber Baal is an excellent match for Avallone's humor.  Baal's storytelling has a breezy pace, as if the story were dancing across the pop culture and entertainment space-time continuum and finding all the humorous soft spots.  Walter Pereya's colors ground the story so that it doesn't become fanciful.  Avallone's Elvira stories punch and kick, so Elvira in Monsterland should not look like a colorful kids' humor comic. Thus, Pereya's colors set the proper surreal tone.

Elvira in Monsterland is a romp through monster movie history, and because we aren't getting an Elvira television or streaming series, this comic book is perfect.  Don't call it a substitute, however; it's the real deal in comic book comedy.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/DAvallone

https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics

https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/

https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

----------------------------

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Comics Review: "ELVIRA in Monsterland Volume 1 #3" Howls at the Moon

ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND VOLUME 1 #3

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ART: Kewber Baal

COLORS: Walter Pereya

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Dave Acosta with Walter Pereya

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2023)

Rated Teen+

Chapter Three: “Howl”

In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment.  Elvira's latest comic book series is Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Kewber Baal; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  The series finds Elvira returning to the Multiverse of Movies (a bunch of “pocket dimensions” created by the existence of movies) in order to stop Vlad the Impaler and the creation of a monster army.

Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #3 (“Howl”) opens in that pivotal moment in the 1981 film, An American Werewolf in London, when two young American backpackers experience a life-changing event with a werewolf.  However, Elvira has been inserted into the scenario, and the werewolf is just the latest recruit of Vlad the Impaler.

Having cleaned up on vampires and Frankenstein monsters, it's time to gather the lycanthropy unit of Vlad's monster army.  Now, it's a race through kooky werewolf and wolf man movie history, but Elvira is still wondering if Vlad is the true mastermind behind this hairy recruitment drive.

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #3, one of many Dynamite/David Avallone Elvira comic books that I have read and enjoyed.

I am a huge fan of werewolf movies.  Add that genre to David Avallone's Elvira comic books, and you have a horror porn – at least for me.  I have seen many werewolf movies, and I have even reviewed some of them.  Classics of the genre that Avallone references in this issue are The Wolf Man (1941), An American Werewolf in London (1981), The Howling (1981), and Teen Wolf (1985).  Avallone even throws in some indirect, for-fun references to other movies, for instance, the based-on-a-true-story, The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), and the faux-documentary, 2000 Mules (2022).

Artist Kewber Baal's art perfectly captures the were-fun in Avallone's script.  Just as Avallone does in his script writing, Baal has a knack for finding the spoof-a-panel gold in some well known films.  With Walter Pereya's colors, Baal makes his parody of An American Werewolf in London look like that pivotal moment in the actual film.

Elvira in Monsterland is perfectly designed to be a romp through monster movie history.  Fans of monster fiction will like this, and werewolf movie fans need this third issue.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/DAvallone

https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics

https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/

https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

-------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Comics Review: "ELVIRA in Monsterland Volume 1 #2" and Frankie Goes to Hollywood

ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND VOLUME 1 #2

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ART: Kewber Baal

COLORS: Walter Pereya

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Dave Acosta with Walter Pereya

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2023)

Rated Teen+

Chapter Two: “Frankie Goes to Hollywood”

In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment.  Elvira's latest comic book series is Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Kewber Baal; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  The series finds Elvira returning to the Multiverse of Movies (a bunch of “pocket dimensions” created by the existence of movies) in order to stop Vlad the Impaler and the creation of a monster army.

Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #2 (“Frankie Goes to Hollywood”) opens in the universe of director Carl Laemmle, Jr.'s 1931 film, Frankenstein.  And Elvira finds the hands of the title character around her neck, but she has bigger problems – believe it or not.

Elvira's arch-enemy, Vlad the Impaler – the original Count Dracula – is raiding the Multiverse of Movies in order to convince a bevy of famous film monsters into joining him in the creation of a monster army.  He is also willing to kidnap and snatch-up.  Can Elvira stop Vlad – this time – before he makes off with actor Boris Karloff as Frankenstein.  Meanwhile, Elvira begins to wonder if Vlad is really the mastermind behind this.

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #2, one of many Dynamite/David Avallone Elvira comic books that I have read and enjoyed.

I like black and white horror movies, especially of the variety known as “Universal Monsters,” so I find myself delightfully entertained by “Frankie Goes to Hollywood.”  I also like how writer David Avallone makes even Vlad the Impaler a funny guy.  Obviously, he's the villain, but there is a dexterity in the way Avallone depicts him.  He's isn't just bad muscle.

Artist Kewber Baal's art perfectly captures the humor of Elvira, the witty dialogue of Elvira, and the cleavage of Elvira.  Avallone's Elvira's comic books are a high-spirited affair, and Baal's storytelling hits the heights.  Colorist Walter Pereyra and letterer Taylor Esposito also contribute to the liveliness of this funky chapter.

Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #2 offers a passing reference to Return of the Jedi (1983) in addition to the Universal references.  There is even a setup reference via An American Werewolf in London (1981).  So let's return for some more fun, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/DAvallone

https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics

https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/

https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

--------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Comics Review: "ELVIRA in Monsterland Volume 1 #1" - B*tch Better Have My Vampire

ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND VOLUME 1 #1

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ART: Kewber Baal

COLORS: Walter Pereya

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Dave Acosta with Walter Pereya

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (May 2023)

Rated Teen+

Chapter One: “It's a Vlad, Vlad, Vlad, Vlad World”

In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment.  Elvira's latest comic book series is Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Kewber Baal; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  The series finds Elvira returning to the Multiverse of Movies (a bunch of “pocket dimensions” created by the existence of movies) in order to stop the creation of a monster army.

Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #1 (“It's a Vlad, Vlad, Vlad, Vlad World”) opens at Elvira's home on the outskirts of Hollywood.  Inside, Elvira is enjoying a respite from her recent misadventures in the “Multiverse of Movies,” though it turns out to be a brief break.  While watching director Tod Browning's 1931 horror classic, Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi, a strange thing happens.

Vlad the Impaler is back!  He is raiding the Multiverse of Movies in order to build a monster army by plucking up some of cinema and television's greatest, most famous, and most infamous vampires and bloodsuckers.  Of course, it's up to Elvira, the Mistress of the Dark and bane of Vlad's existence, to stop his evil plan.

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #1, one of many Dynamite/David Avallone Elvira comic books that I have read and enjoyed.

I have lost track of how many times I written in a review how much I enjoy writer David Avallone's Elvira comic books.  Hopefully, Avallone will continue to chronicle Elvira adventures long enough into the future that I will also forget this instance of praise.  Elvira in Monsterland #1 is a delightful, tongue-in-cheek romp, filled with sparkling cameos and pleasing references to both cinematic and real-world people, places, and things.  This first issue is such a joy to read, and I needed that.  Avallone's Elvira comic books are not only some of the best humor comic books published over the last decade, but they are also the consistent cure for the anytime and comic book reading blues.

Artist Kewber Baal's art perfectly captures the spirited chase through this “Multiverse of Movies,” and in his figure drawing, Baal makes it look like the characters are having a blast.  Colorist Walter Pereyra and letterer Taylor Esposito make the story hop around like a maniacal musical comedy, which is just the kind of crazy entertainment we probably all need right now.

I had high hopes for Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #1.  I had been waiting for Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #1.  It was worth it, and I think you should not deny yourself this fun, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: "Kolchak: The Night Stalker – 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel" is a Great Tribute, Great Read

KOLCHAK THE NIGHT STALKER 50TH ANNIVERSARY SOFTCOVER

MOONSTONE BOOKS

STORY: David Avallone; Jonathan Maberry; Peter David; R.C. Matheson; Kim Newman; Tim Waggoner; Steve Niles; Rodney Barnes; Gabriel Hardman; James Aquilone; Nancy A. Collins; James Chambers

ART: Julius Ohta; Marco Finnegan; J.K. Woodward; Paul McCaffrey; Clara Meath; Szymon Kudranski; Jonathan Marks Barravecchia; Gabriel Hardman; Colton Worley; Warwick Caldwell-Johnson;

COLORS: Zac Atkinson; Szymon Kudranski; Colton Worley; Warwick Caldwell-Johnson;

LETTERS: Tom Napolitano; Tom Napolitano with DC Hopkins

EDITOR: James Aquilone

COVER: Colton Worley

MISC. ART: Jerry Ordway with Zac Atkinson; J.K. Woodward; Dan Brereton

ISBN: 978-1-946346-14-8; paperback (October 21, 2022)

188pp, Color, $24.99 U.S.

Kolchak: The Night Stalker – 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel is a 188-page comic book anthology that celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the former ABC television series, “Kolchak: The Night Stalker.”  This graphic novel is edited by James Aquilone and published by Moonstone Books.

“Kolchak: The Night Stalker” was a television series that blended horror, fantasy, and science fiction.  It aired on ABC during the 1974–1975 season for a total of 20 episodes.  The series was preceded by two ABC television movies, The Night Stalker (1972) and The Night Strangler (1973).

The TV series and two movies followed wire service reporter named Carl Kolchak, who was played by the late actor Darren McGavin (1922-2006).  Kolchak worked for the Chicago branch of the Independent News Service (INS), a small news wire service.  He often investigated mysterious crimes and events and they were usually caused by forces, creatures, monsters, entities, etc. that were of supernatural, science fiction, and/or fantastic origins.  Carl Kolchak was created by the late writer, Jeff Rice (1944-2015).

2022 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the debut of “The Night Stalker” TV movie (specifically January 18, 1972).  To commemorate that anniversary, editor and publisher, James Aquilone, launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for an anthology graphic novel telling all-new comics stories that would span Carl Kolchak's entire career as a reporter of the supernatural and as TV’s greatest monster-hunting reporter.

The result was a hugely successful campaign and the eventual release of Kolchak: The Night Stalker – 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel.  This special 188-page graphic novel is comprised of 12 all-new stories that chronicle the adventures of the intrepid Carl Kolchak from the 1930s to the early 2000s.

The stories are written by a stellar line-up of novelists, television writers, and comic book scribes.  The list includes David Avallone, Rodney Barnes, James Chambers, Nancy A. Collins, Peter David, Jonathan Maberry, and Steve Niles, to name a few.  The artists include Jonathan Marks Barravecchia, Szymon Kudranski, Paul McCaffrey, Julius Ohta, J.K. Woodard, and Colton Worley, to name a few.

THE LOWDOWN:  There is more than one edition of Kolchak: The Night Stalker – 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel, including one that will contain a series of prose stories featuring Carl Kolchak.  My review will be of the 188-page “Cover A” paperback edition that contains the 12 stories and a short illustration gallery of variant cover art.

First, allow me to gush, dear readers.  If Kolchak: The Night Stalker – 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel is not the best horror comics anthology of the 21st century that I have read, it is definitely in the top three.  I can't think of a better one that I've encountered over the last twenty-plus years.

It is bracketed by a fine opening story and a pitch-perfect closing story.  The opening tale, writer David Avallone and artist Julius Ohta's “The Funny Place,” introduces a young Carl Kolchak who is coming into his own.  Avallone does not make the mistake of doing what the film, Solo: A Star Wars Story,” did and show us the origins of every single habit for which television viewers and fans would come to know Kolchak.  I'd like to see Avallone and Ohta produce a YA graphic novel expansion of their take on young Carl Kolchak.  I know it likely won't happen, but a fanboy can dream...

The closing story, writer James Chambers and artist Paul McCaffrey's “The Last Byline,” is masterstroke as a concluding story in an anthology.  It recalls Kolchak's debut, The Night Stalker; is a summation of his work and motivation; and is a fitting end … with his boots on.

In between, the writers and artists introduce new spins on the adventures of Carl Kolchak, such as Nancy A. Collins' and Warwick Caldwell-Johnson's “The Sin Feeder” and Jonathan Maberry and Marco Finnegan's “The White Lady.”  Writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jonathan Marks Barravecchia summon the spirit of original “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” episode, “The Zombie,” with the superb “Voodoo Child.”  It is a timely rumination on the pervasive poverty of black and brown inner city neighborhoods and also police violence, with a seeding of George A. Romero's “Dead” films.

I actually cannot pick a personal favorite story from Kolchak: The Night Stalker – 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel because they are all so damn good.  “The Nest” by Tim Waggoner and Clara Meath may be the sweetest.  I unequivocally endorse Kolchak: The Night Stalker – 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel.  I think the version that I am reviewing costs $32 to purchase from James Aquilone's Monstrous Books website.  I am sure, dear readers, that some of you have spent much more on reading material that is not nearly as good as this book.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Carl Kolchak and of “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” will very much want Kolchak: The Night Stalker – 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel.

[This volume includes introductions by R.C. Matheson and James Rice.]

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/jamesaquilone

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The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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