REVIEW: I HATE FAIRYLAND, VOL. 2 #4

3.6/5.0 Stars
Rating if the Book Were a Movie: PG-13

Creative Team:

Writer: Skottie Young
Artist: Brett Bean
Colors: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Letters: Nate Piekos
Cover: Skottie Young
Editor: Joel Enos
Publisher: Image Comics 

Ratings:

Story: 3.4 Stars 
Artwork: 3.7 Stars 
Cover Artwork: 3.9 Stars 
Dialogue: 3.4 Stars 
Mechanics: 3.7 Stars 
Editing: 3.5 Stars 

About the Book:

In the second volume of I Hate Fairyland we’ve seen how much trouble Gertie is having adjusting to being back home after nearly four decades in Fairyland. She has a drinking problem. She can’t hold down a job. She can’t play well with others. Then the perfect job for her comes along. She is needed to get someone else out of Fairyland. With the amount of money at stake, Gertrude is happy to take the job.

Things aren’t going well for Gertrude when she gets back to Fairyland. It’s not long before she’s drinking heavily again. Issue 4 of this tale begins with Gertie in a pub and drowning her sorrows. That’s when the intervention begins. It’s not about Gertie’s drinking. It’s about how desperately she needs a bath.

Surprisingly, Gertie takes it in stride. She asks where the nearest lake is so she can wash. A local points her in the right direction. After Gertie leaves the local comments how it’s late in the season and the creature in the lake needs to feed.

Reader’s Notes:

I Hate Fairyland is fast becoming one of my favorite titles. I can always count on Gertie’s antics for a laugh. Over the course of this issue there are several times when you’ll find yourself asking, “Did she just….?”. Yes. Yes she did.

I enjoyed the recap that brought the reader up to speed. One can see that this creative team is having fun. That is a big part of what makes I Hate Fairyland so great. The creative team doesn’t seem to take themselves too seriously. They are having fun, even at their own expense, which makes the book that much more enjoyable.

I like this cover. The uniqueness of it makes it stand out. At a glance it makes one wonder what in the world is happening in this book. Being able to create that intrigue is exactly what a cover is supposed to do.

The artwork on the interior pages is a bit cartoonish. That’s part of the magic of I Hate Fairyland. This artwork meshes perfectly with the story. It makes our journey whimsical and fun.

This series isn’t the “Great American Novel”. It doesn’t have to be to enjoy it. To enjoy a story you need a compelling plot and relatable characters. This title checks those boxes. As a geek on a budget, I highly recommend I Hate Fairyland. It’s highly entertaining and gives the reader plenty of laughs along the way.