Skottie Young’s renowned series has reached its long-awaited double-digit trade, but alongside its traditional dark comedy humor comes a creative dilemma.
From across the hills and cozy hamlets of Fairyland to the blazing infernal wastelands of Hell and back, I Hate Fairyland has immortalized itself amongst the contemporary pillars of Image Comics as its seminal dark comedy series. This trade’s former half is no different than its preceding entries, with Gertrude and Larry on a quest to “bring life” into the world—Frankenstein style. What follows is a time-honored flurry of meta quips sure to make your head spin with delight. The story gets along well enough and just as expected, with the former half of the trade consolidating into a satisfying mini-three-issue arc.
Derek Laufman’s art has always been a wonderful addition to the creative team of I Hate Fairyland ever since his first appearance in issue #41. Laufman captures the ridiculous nature of Young’s mind at play—and perhaps even abets his more notorious ideas. And with the man that needs no introduction, Nate Piekos’ lettering is astounding as always, and a marvel to witness in any project he pursues.
But I would be remiss in this review to not mention the last two issues, and for that I will have to mention some slight spoilers, so if you prefer not to get spoiled, I will leave you with my usual sendoff/recommendation, followed by a spoiler tag.
I Hate Fairyland: Volume 10 is a steadfast addition to the Fairyland universe and a dependable series of lighthearted quips and jabs at influential media—and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
SPOILERS AHEAD
As the story progresses into issues 49 and 50, the comic takes on a meta approach, with panels showcasing Young at his desk, sitting in frustration as he vocalizes his frustrations about a creative block he’s encountered with I Hate Fairyland. What follows is a helter-skelter montage of pop culture references with Gertrude and Larry illustrated into various movies, comics, and anime. The comic itself ends with Young deciding to take a “pause” on the series, leaving Gertrude and Larry suspended in an all-white purgatory.
This decision to go on a hiatus is understandable, given just how mentally and creatively taxing making comics can be. After all, I Hate Fairyland recently celebrated its tenth anniversary last year, marking a significant milestone that many series dream of reaching. The pressure (both external and internal) to keep things fresh is immense, to say the least—and this isn’t even considering other projects Young might’ve been working on throughout the series.
Being Young’s first-ever creator-owned comic, its impact on the comics community at large cannot be overstated. From a personal perspective, it’s one of the very first comics I picked up when I walked through the door of my local comic store many years ago, and it was quick to solidify itself as a favorite of mine within its first volume. I’m more than positive Young will return in time to tackle another Gert adventure, but a well-deserved break is definitely in order.
I, for one, hope they take all the time they need to recoup their energy, guilt-free. And when Young and his creative team are ready to give I Hate Fairyland a go again, I’ll be first in line for the 51st issue.
Creative Team: Skottie Young (writer/creator, artist, 50), Derek Laufman (artist, 46-50), Jean-François Beaulieu, Nate Piekos (letterer & series designer), Eric Harburn (editor), Gustavo Duarte (logo design), Jason Young (additional development)
Publisher: Image Comics
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