Monday, August 27, 2018

REVIEW: I Hate Fairyland Vol. 4


One of my favorite finds was I Hate Fairyland by Scottie Young about a cute little girl who gets trapped in a Wonderland/Oz scenario… for thirty years. Now a disgruntled adult trapped in a little girl’s body, Gert makes her last stand in Fairyland as one of my favorite comics comes to a close this year. Check out my full review of I Hate Fairyland’s final volume after the jump.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I received advance copies of the individual issues collected in I Hate Fairyland Vol. 4 courtesy of Image Comics.
Opinions are my own.


This arc begins with hell itself as the new home for Gertrude, the 10-year-old girl who was spirited away to Fairyland and has spent the better part of three decades trying to get back to the real world. When last we visited Fairyland, Gertrude was killed and found herself in hell. When this final volume begins, we find her face to face with the Devil.

Since Gertrude has been hardened by 30 years of Fairyland, the Devil has a few tricks up his sleeve to psychologically torture her instead of using the traditional, physical stuff. The Devil creates a new, special hell just for her.

Meanwhile, Duncan, the kid in dragon pajamas, has found himself a job as a postal courier. His first assignment: deliver a package for the Devil himself. It’s kind of nice seeing Duncan again. Poor kid is just going with the flow. Doesn’t even know he’s trapped in a magical world of fairies.



After a few side adventures, we finally reunite with Gertrude. Apparently Gert has been reliving her original Fairyland adventure, possibly in a time loop? She is going through an adventure she’s already had when she runs into Duncan and Larry, her former insect sidekick. They’ve descended into her personal hell to bring her back for the battle against a surprise villain that longtime fans will be excited to see.

The final battle wraps up and Gertrude, after nearly forty years trapped in Fairyland without aging, gets the ending she truly deserves - one that is sadly never after. At least she finally seems to have learned something and gets a brief moment of catharsis before it’s all over. It’s weird seeing her grow as a character when she’s still just a mad sociopath.

I Hate Fairyland is a deviously hilarious adventure through a rainbow-colored hell. And I love it. It’s full of little details that make up a fantasy wonderland. Gnomes riding snails, pig farmers that are actual pigs, and beautifully drawn backgrounds. It’s full of sick and twisted characters and bloody violence and I can’t get enough of it.

It was a wild ride, but it’s time for us to say goodbye to Gertrude, Larry, and Fairyland. I’m so glad it came back because we really do get a satisfying ending that wraps everything up perfectly.

Click here to order Volume 4 of I Hate Fairyland.