The woman behind the icon known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, the undisputed Queen of Halloween, reveals her full story filled with intimate bombshells—told by the bombshell herself. On Good Friday in 1953, at only 18 months old, 25 miles from the nearest hospital in Manhattan, Kansas, Cassandra Peterson reached for a pot on the stove and doused herself in boiling water. Third-degree burns covered 35% of her body, and the prognosis wasn't good. But she survived. Burned and scarred, the impact stayed with her and became an obstacle she was determined to overcome. Feeling like a misfit led to her love of horror. While her sisters played with Barbie dolls, Cassandra built model kits of Frankenstein and Dracula, and idolized Vincent Price. Due to a complicated relationship with her mother, Cassandra left home at 14, and by age 17 she was performing at the famed Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas. Run-ins with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Tom Jones helped her grow up fast. Then a chance encounter with her idol Elvis Presley, changed the course of her life forever, and led her to Europe where she worked in film and traveled Italy as lead singer of an Italian pop band. She eventually made her way to Los Angeles, where she joined the famed comedy improv group, The Groundlings, and worked alongside Phil Hartman and Paul "Pee-wee" Reubens, honing her comedic skills. Nearing age 30, a struggling actress considered past her prime, she auditioned at local LA channel KHJ as hostess for the late night vintage horror movies. Cassandra improvised, made the role her own, and got the job on the spot. Yours Cruelly, Elvira is an unforgettably wild memoir. Cassandra doesn't shy away from revealing exactly who she is and how she overcame seemingly insurmountable odds. Always original and sometimes outrageous, her story is loaded with twists, travails, revelry, and downright shocking experiences. It is the candid, often funny, and sometimes heart-breaking tale of a Midwest farm girl's long strange trip to become the world's sexiest, sassiest Halloween icon. Instant New York Times Bestseller, Los Angeles Times Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, Publishers Weekly Bestseller A New York Times Best Books to Give This Season selection

Meet Abigail Barnum. She's new in town, eager to make it big in New York. Hers is the darker side of the city. Her friends are strippers and drag queens, and she works as a waitress in a tourist bar with a back room that's definitely for adults only. Her private life includes drugs and bizarre sex. But the most important thing about Abigail is she's deadly. Abigail has gone insane. Voices and hallucinations are drawing her deeper and deeper into her own world, a world of obsession and pain, seduction and murder. Few suspect just how dangerous Abigail is, but one woman knows her grisly secret. As Abigail descends into madness, can anyone she touches ever hope to be safe? ****** "Mistress of the Dark is an interesting exploration into the mind of a dangerous woman" – HorrorWorld "Norman Bates has got nothing on Abigail Barnum." – Horror Reader "... writes in a first-person narrative prose that actually dances poetically and descriptively." – DownWarden.com "The sex is bizarre at times, but I think how she obsesses over the Johnny Depp look-alike is creepier." – Disturbing Books.com Abigail has gone insane. Voices and hallucinations are drawing her deeper and deeper into her own world, a world of obsession and pain, seduction and murder. Few suspect just how dangerous Abigail is, but one woman knows her grisly secret. As Abigail descends into madness, can anyone she touches ever hope to be safe?

The Elvira Mistress of the Dark Classic Years Omnibus is the first volume reprinting the highly sought-after tales originally published by Claypool Comics. With this deluxe volume, fans can turn back the clock to 1993. Bill Clinton was president, Jurassic Park ruled the box office, and just like today, Elvira was her legendary horror host self. In these beloved adventures Elvira must contend with teen werewolves, killer clowns, aliens, a high school reunion, pro wrestling, and more! Plus, special Halloween, Christmas, and Easter stories. The book covers 26 issues, rounding out to a massive 600-page tome and Dynamite is sneaking in extra bonuses amounting to .666 of an issue. That's right gals and ghouls, 26.666 comics in one massive book! Spooky! A bountiful bevy of talented creators contributed to these adventures. Known for his love of the macabre and the flirty, Paul Dini of Batman fame lent his hand. While this first volume also compiles all of the plentiful pages written by Kurt Busiek (Avengers, Astro City). Claypool head honcho Richard Howell (Vision & the Scarlet Witch) and Frank Strom also contributed writing. While on the art side, Tom Simonton is beloved by Elvira fans for his early contributions to the series, as well as John Heebink. X-Men fans will thrill to the lines of Dave Cockrum on stories, and Dynamite's Vampirella fans will love to see Louis LaChance. Other stars inside include Dan Spiegle, Fred Hembeck, and Neil Vokes. Collecting ELVIRA MISTRESS OF THE DARK (1993) #1-27.

Elvira’s traveled through time and been to Hell and back…but does she get to take a breath and recover from her travels? Not in this comic book, friends. Back from Hell, Elvira falls in with a coven of modern-day witches and takes a hot rod broom out for a spin in the sky! Sit down for a spell, and for more thrills, chills and bad puns, as David Avallone (Bettie Page) and Dave Acosta (Twelve Devils Dancing) bring you the Horror Hostess with the Mostest in the next thrilling issue of ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK!

Everyone's favorite Mistress of the Macabre, Elvira is spinning her wheels hostessing horror film festivals at the local drive-in when she discovers the opportunity to get in good with George Rottmero, producer of the greatest, grittiest, most realistic horror movies ever. The Dark Damsel uses all of her charms to impress the mysterious movie mogul and she is immediately cast in his latest scream-inducing spectacles, his masterpieces of murder and mayhem featuring the most realistic zombies anyone ever saw this side of an open casket! When she discovers the grave secret behind Rottmero's success, her dreams of super stardom might become deader than her undead co-stars! Will all of her efforts just be one big bust... because Elvira knows all about big busts!

The Witch Cult Saga concludes, and a surprise villain returns from Elvira’s past! (At least… it’s a surprise if you don’t look at John Royle’s variant cover...) The Mistress of the Dark can deliver you a climax like no other, and here it comes, in the twelfth and final issue of Elvira’s ribald romp, brought to you with joy, laughter and terrible puns.

Elvira comes face to face with Satan himself, as her odyssey through the underworld reaches its thrilling and ridiculous conclusion. Will she escape the ninth circle of Hell, or end up the Horror Hostess of the Damned for all Eternity? David Avallone (Bettie Page) and Dave Acosta (Twelve Devils Dancing) bring you the hottest lady in Hades, in the next thrilling issue of ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK.

Elvira has had it up to here (well, you can guess where) with this coven cult nonsense, and she’s bringing the fight to their home base. She’ll show them what’s what, and which is witch, in the wickedest way possible. Writer David Avallone (Bettie Page) and artist Dave Acosta (Twelve Devils Dancing) bring you the chills, the thrills and the terrible puns, in the eleventh issue of ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK!

Elvira’s eldritch adventures continue, as her wild ride winds up at a horror-haunted hospital. A crazy cult is playing doctor (and not in a good way)… but Elvira is ready to operate as only she can, in her latest absurd escapade!

The Mistress of the Dark has become unstuck in time! Elvira crashes Mary Shelley’s monster weekend, beginning an epic journey through horror history, stalked by the most terrifying nightmare to ever walk the Earth. (No spoilers!) Writer David Avallone (Bettie Page, Doc Savage, Twilight Zone) and Dave Acosta (Doc Savage) bring you the thrills, chills and double-entendres in the first chapter of this four-issue miniseries! Played by actress-writer Cassandra Peterson, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark has carved out a niche in popular American culture that is sure to endure for decades to come. Elvira's reign as 'Queen of Halloween' has now spanned thirty-five years and includes two nationally syndicated television series, two feature films (Elvira, Mistress of the Dark and Elvira’s Haunted Hills), an IMAX movie and two motion control rides. She has appeared in National ad campaigns for Pepsi and Coors, recorded five music CDs, written four books and licensed over Four Hundred products including pinball machines, action figures, guitars, three comic book series, a beer, wine, soda pop, perfume, slot machines and the best-selling female costume of all time.