The latest chapter of the adventures of Elvira, sees the Mistress of the Dark team up with the Master of the Mythos, old Howard Phillips himself, to prevent the Great Old Ones from laying waste to Earth, subjugating humanity, and grinding life as we know it to dust.  Having been cast out of limbo to seek the help of the only person who can help him stop the forthcoming apocalypse, Lovecraft is forced to confront his loathsome transgressions by Elvira, who isn’t afraid to share her opinions about her partner in salvation with him, before reluctantly agreeing to aid Howard in his quest. 

Far from shying away or ignoring the more disgusting aspects of Lovecraft’s character, Elvira Meets… deals with them straight out of the box and having laid those cards on the table, ensures that its readers don’t forget, for a single moment, that one of the “heroes” of the hour would have almost certainly had a white hood in his wardrobe had he not been afraid of his own shadow, sexuality and the world at large. That said, one of the central themes of the tale is Howard trying to redeem himself after having spent nearly a century in limbo as a spiritual punishment. While I’m of the mindset that his social and cultural philosophy should warrant an eternity being roasted in the fires of hell, the remorse he displays in these pages is welcome, if not quite believable yet, but time and the next couple of issues will tell if his contrition is real.

As for the rest of the story, as Elvira herself jokes in the book, it’s a little obvious and could have been lifted from a sixties cinematic shocker, but that’s what makes it so much fun. Yes, it’s hokey, and yes it’s predictable, but the interaction between the oddest of couples tasked with saving the world drives it forward at a breakneck pace and ensures that the tale is everything an Elvira book should be. Funny, entertaining, and packed full of references to the literary universe created by Lovecraft.

The dialogue and characterisation are razor-sharp, and Avallone’s narrative is on point from the first panel to the last, while Baal’s art is wonderfully detailed and retro, and includes enough tentacled and eldritch horror to ensnare the interest and capture the imagination of even most devoted and ardent mythos fans. Indulge your inner horror hound, and spend some time with Elvira, Howard, and the Necronomicon before Cthulhu rises from his eternal slumber in R’lyeh and snuffs out what little light remains in the world. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did. Ia, Ia, Elvira fhtagn!  Tim Cundle