Elvira’s not dead, she just got misrouted to Hell accidentally and now has to find her way home. What new perils await her? Find out in Elvira Mistress of the Dark #6!

ELVIRA MISTRESS OF THE DARK #6

Writer: David Avallone
Artist: Dave Acosta
Colorist: Ellie Wright
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: June 12, 2019

Previously in Elvira Mistress of the Dark: After a chaotic romp through time, courtesy of Dr. Faust, Elvira finds herself caught up in the backwash when Mephistopheles comes to collects Faust’s soul. At first she thinks it’s just more time travel, but the fiery landscape sort of gives it away. She politely asks Mephistopheles to send her back home, but he cannot help. Souls only travel one way here. She needs to keep going down and talk with Lucifer himself. Hell, as we know, is other people, and Elvira manages to cross paths with Edgar Allen Poe and Vlad Tepes before coming face to face with Minos.

A PRETTY FACE, A SHARP TONGUE AND…AHEM…

In Elvira Mistress of the Dark #6, she is face to face with Minos, a major demon, and he is amazed to find her being snarky. (It’s in her nature; and besides, it’s always worked so far.) She gives him a brief recap and he agrees to pass her down to the next circle.

This take on Hell amuses me. It has a lot of the classic imagery (devils, flames, punishment, and suffering), but adds some modern twists that we can identify with. The supervisor on this level has horns, glowing eyes, and a whip. He also has a clipboard, shirt, and tie. Yes, middle management is Hell. Or vice versa. Again, she gives him the short version of her story and trying to get to the lowest circle. (This is getting a little repetitive, but it is kept mercifully short and they do try to change it up.)

Next, Elvira meets Cerberus and calls to mind all the dog training tips she knows (name dropping Elayne Boosler). I loved this bit, seeing Cerberus basically acting like a big dog. Her survival in this encounter surprises Glenn, a balding guy in a toga. He claims to be a fan, and that he knows she’s not really dead. But will he actually help her? Sisyphus rolls by, and there’s a Camus reference, before Elvira breaks the fourth wall complaining to the writer. These are some of the best gems in the writing, and coming from Elvira, they fit the story so well.

The next level of Hell is a mall. This is more visual than verbal, so more about this in the next section. But it is another pretty clever take on what Hell could be like to our modern senses. How many small, annoying things about malls could be packed together all in one place? Not to mention being a rather sly commentary about consumer culture. But Glenn leads her through all this to that ultimate annoyance – the escalator that doesn’t run – going down to the next level.

FROM CLASSICAL TO WACKY

Let’s face it, with the plot of Elvira Mistress of the Dark #6, there is a lot of room for the artist to have some fun. The middle management demon with his flaming clipboard, reading glasses, and pens in his shirt pocket is perfectly amusing. There are some cool nods to Escher, which I loved. Cerberus’s transition from snarling monster to relatively friendly, floppy eared dog is cute too.

But it’s the mall scene where the references keep getting funnier. Take a look at the names of the stores and other signage, such as the “Head Piercing” kiosk. The Rent-a-Demons (not the smartest of the bunch by any stretch) are known for being dumb and are supremely so in great style.

BOTTOM LINE: ELVIRA MEETS THE CLASSICS

It was one thing to see her meeting horror writers, but Elvira Mistress of the Dark #6 takes on Dante’s Inferno with gusto plus a bit of the sexy. It’s completely ridiculous but also honestly funny and pretty imaginative.