I Hate Fairyland #6
Review
Writer: Skottie Young
Artist: Brett Bean
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: June 20, 2023
Format: Comic
The latest story arc of "I Hate Fairyland" kicks things off in a fun and crazy way that you can expect from such a hilarious series.
I Hate Fairyland #6
ReviewWriter: Skottie Young
Artist: Brett Bean
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: June 20, 2023
Format: Comic
The latest story arc of "I Hate Fairyland" kicks things off in a fun and crazy way that you can expect from such a hilarious series.
Very few comic books can match the insane energy and creativity of “I Hate Fairyland” by Skottie Young (Socials: IG, Twitter). It’s bloody, gross, vulgar, and infectiously hilarious. Being a story about an axe-wielding, green-haired, six-year-old maniac rampaging her way through a bubbly fantasy world, it was a short but crazy ride for its original twenty-issue run from Image Comics. Perhaps the best way to describe it is it’s as if a Saturday morning cartoon got a hold of some strong edibles.
To the delight of readers, Young returned to Fairyland in 2022, bringing artist Brett Bean (Socials: IG, Twitter) along with him. It’s now on its sixth issue and has wasted no time throwing readers back into its chaotic world covered in blood and bubblegum. Let’s dive right into my review of “I Hate Fairyland” #6.
Image: Image ComicsThe Story So Far
Part two of “I Hate Fairyland” introduced readers to a very different Gertrude. Having finally gotten out of Fairyland after thirty years of slashing and killing her way to escape, Gert’s having trouble adjusting to adult life in the real world. She can’t hold down a job longer than a week despite her best efforts. It might have something to do with her being a raging alcoholic with a short temper, just don’t tell her that.
After getting kicked out of her favorite bar, Gert gets kidnapped by billionaire businessman William Wiggins who has an interesting proposition. He offers Gert a chance for all the money she’s dreamed of if she can track down his missing son. The problem is little Wesley is trapped inside Fairyland. As much as she hates Fairyland, Gert hates being poor even more.
With the help of Wiggin’s technology and her new sidekick Rotwald, Gert finds her way back into the place she hates most. But she doesn’t realize yet that Fairyland is a different place with a new ruler in change. Her stay may end up being even longer than the last. That is if she can survive the carnage coming her way!
Image: Image ComicsReview
After Gert’s bloody journey through Inferno in this series' first five issues, we have finally arrived at the bright and bubbly world of Fairyland. While Gert herself is in shambles for being back, fans of the original series will be delighted to see some old places and friendly faces again. But as familiar as things are, there’s also a lot that’s changed this time around. The ruler of Fairyland is now King Cloudeus, the brother of Dark Cloudia from the original series. As you’d expect, he is not happy to find out that the green-haired warrior that rampaged through Fairyland and terrorized his sister found her way back into town. With fear and panic in his eyes, he devises a plan to take out Gert that’s just as hilariously insane as you’d expect from this series.
The issue’s finale encapsulates everything fun about the series. It’s silly and self-referential while still being creative with its storyline. I remember the announcement of part two caught some readers by surprise because the original series had hit its natural conclusion. While this new series does some retreading to get the story going, Young and Bean have shown they have a lot of creative juices fueling the craziness of Gert’s strange adventures. If there’s one thing to remember about “I Hate Fairyland,” it’s to expect some of the most outrageous things to happen throughout every step of its story. This issue’s great cliffhanger sets up what is sure to be a fun and bloody ride for the story arc to come.
Brett Bean’s art has been fantastic throughout this entire series. It captures the same energy that made the original series with Skottie Young’s art so popular while also standing out on its own. As iconic as Young’s chibi-inspired style is, Bean’s cartoony art style is the perfect fit now that Gert is much older and more unhinged than ever. Even when blood and gore are splattering across entire pages, you can’t help but smile and giggle at all the insanity.
Image: Image ComicsFinal Thoughts
Readers with reservations about the new series can smush those feelings into a bloody pulp. Part two of “I Hate Fairyland” has everything that made the original series such a fun ride with some new twists to its storytelling. With its chaotic and often gross sense of humor, “I Hate Fairyland” is a series that continues to embrace its insanity regardless if you love it or not. You can’t deny that the creators are having a ball with such a bonkers comic book.
Why You Should Read I Hate Fairyland
- It’s as hilariously chaotic as the original series but with a fresh coat of paint from artist Brett Bean
- It’s never afraid of poking fun at how over-the-top it is
- Fans of the original series will get a kick out of seeing the world of Fairyland drawn by another incredible artist
- This new arc is going in a fun direction that fits the silliness of the series perfectly