This Review is Rated ‘R’ - A Review of Skottie Young’s “I Hate Fairyland"

I saw the title “I Hate Fairyland” on the Image Comics website (www.imagecomics.com) and immediately went to my local comic shop and asked them to order it.  What was odd was when I went to pick up the “regular” copy and the variant.  The variant was turned backward in the bag and the words “I Hate Fairyland #1 Swearing Var Cvr” were written in Sharpie on the bag.  When I pulled it out and looked at the cover I knew I was going to like this series.

It turned out I got a triple bonus.

First, I always order any variants that come with a comic on my “pull” list.  So, I got the “cursing” variant with my purchase (more on this variant in a minute).  Second, the content reminded me of “Fractured Fairy Tales” that I used to watch as a kid (yes, I’m old, Google it if you don’t know what it is).  Third, in the back of the comic, Skottie was kind enough to write a little ditty about his background and how he got into comics and wound up at Image.  The funny thing is that I had a VERY similar background but without the talent, my own characters and comic rights, and...well...OK, maybe it wasn’t that similar.

On with the review! (a final warning, this is Rated ‘R’, proceed with caution)

The review can be summed up in two words, “Holy Shit”.  The characters, plot line, writing and variant covers are just flat out awesome.  Seriously, flat out awesome.  To be more pleased I would have had to have read it while having sex.

“I Hate Fairyland” has two main characters, Gertrude and Larry, along with a great cast of supporting characters.

The premise is that Gertrude is a happy go-lucky kid who always dreamed of unicorns, rainbows, fairies and the like who one day gets sucked into Fairyland.  In pure shock of what happened Gert asks how she can get home.  She is told by Queen Cloudia that it is simple, all she needs to do is find a key to unlock her way home.  In order to help her find the key she is given two things to help her:  a bug-like thing named Larrington Wentworth III to be her guide and a map to all the known lands.  There was one eensy-weensy little problem.  The map showed dozens of lands and she had no idea which land the key was in or where, in the select land, the key would reside.

The comic then leaps 27 years into the future to find Gert with the same youth of body but a very...well....let’s just say ‘angry’ state of mind...and no key.

Let’s just say that the moon was a little snarky and didn’t last too long in the story.

And the stars didn’t last very long either.

Since Image Comics and Skottie would prefer that you buy the book instead of reading it for free in this blog, let’s skip ahead a bit.

Gert and Larry run into all kinds of trouble including the Slug Lord (who has ‘Slug Life’ written on his Jabba-The-Hut-like body), the Shroom Patrol (mushroom-like policemen who are edible) and Bruud the Brutal.

In all honesty it’s difficult to determine which is better; the writing, the artwork, or the boundaries they crossed.  For example, here is the “Swearing” variant I spoke of earlier (I couldn’t find it online so I had to take a picture of mine.  Told you this review was Rated ‘R’!)

I can hear what you’re saying in your head right now, “OK, so what makes this smutty comic different than any other smutty comic?”  

Since you asked, let me address your question.  I can even do it in one sentence:

It’s a little girl with green hair who transforms from a normal green haired girl into a haggard mentally 30-something green haired girl who physically looks the same, throws the finger, is bad-ass violent and fears no one, and a bug who has gone from a well-intentioned helper to a sarcastic, cigar smoking, antagonist who rags her at every turn, to say nothing of the fact that you have cursing, ultra graphic violence, a strong set of characters, writing that made me belly laugh several times, and has an autobiography written by Skottie Young himself....all with the help of Jean-Francois Beaulieu.

See I told you I could do it in one sentence.

The improvements that could be made to this comic are nonexistent.  I can’t think of a single reason to besmirch this literary marvel.  I don’t say this about many comics but I am actually anxious to get #2 and I sincerely hope that Skottie doesn’t let up on the “Swearing” variants.  I will take them all.

The Comic Whisperer’s Ratings:

Concept and Characters:         2 middle fingers way up

Recommendations:                     Buy this comic (even if it’s only the clean version)!

                                                    Although I can’t see this comic increasing in value much

                                                    beyond it’s cover price, collecting this comic is sure to

                                                    make any collector proficient in sarcasm and profanity.

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Image Comics Puts Out Another Quality Title - AXCEND #1 - A Review

As I said in my last blog there are so few new things coming out from the “Big Two” that it’s getting harder to justify reading, or collecting, any but first and special editions.  The good news is that new things are being released by them under a different name or by other publishers.  That brings me to Image Comics and their newest release, AXCEND.

As a quick background Image Comics currently stands as the 3rd largest publisher of comics.  The thing that makes Image Comics special is one of their founding principles (not sure if it still is in effect, but it was in the beginning) that artists were allowed to retain the rights to the characters they developed.  The reason this is so smart?  The artists have more skin in the game.  If you don’t retain the rights you are an artist for someone else (no offense meant to any artist reading this).  This means if the character explodes or is relegated to the back shelf the artist continues to draw what they are asked.  If they retain the rights to their work they are tied to the success.  The character is their “child” and what happens to it has a major impact on them.

But I digress.

Let’s talk about AXCEND #1 from Image Comics by Shane Davis, Michelle Delecki, and Morry Hollowell.

I was fortunate enough to find two covers.  One with what appears to be the focal point of the story, Eric, and the other with a character he “plays with” in the story (I’ll explain later) whose name is Ruin (he’s on the left).  There is a third character, which may be on a cover I didn’t see, called Rayne.  Then there is the character which appears to be the one who runs the virtual world in which they travel, Dog (again, I’ll explain later).  You got it right...Eric...Rayne....Ruin....and Dog.

So, the premise is one that is somewhat of a takeoff from ‘Tron’.  Eric, still hurting from the loss of his brother Erin (which isn’t explained in any detail in the comic, I assume we’ll know more as things play out), sits down to play the video game AXCEND (i’m not shouting this, the title is all caps).  The twist here is that when the TV screen comes on so Eric can play you see Dog and he tells Eric he is one of only three chosen to beta test the online world of AXCEND.  That’s when things get out of hand.

Eric is then sucked into the video game where he comes face to face with Dog, Rayne and Ruin.  He also finds himself sporting a new outfit (seen in the images above).  Without ruining the comic for you, let’s just say that Dog puts all three of them through the paces with Eric being the “newbie”.

The thing that I like about this storyline is the way Eric gets his powers in the game...they’re downloaded.  Then, as in most fighting games, he will get more abilities and “level up” as he wins the little games that Dog puts all three of them through.  Eric starts with the ability to make portals and he feels that his “beta has a core, but it’s small, it...I want to grow.  I think I wanna...upgrade”.  On some level it makes me wonder if a character I play with online is some kid in another part of the country.  The interesting thing is that he knows what needs to happen to grow.   As you will read in the comic, however, he gets hazed pretty badly by Rayne and Ruin.  To the reader’s delight they show no remorse and target him mercilessly.  This shows Eric as human...he doesn’t just get powers and 15 minutes later he’s saving the planet.  He makes mistakes and tries hard to learn from them.

What you should know is that in Eric’s real life he is a teenager in high school with problems of his own.  As a matter of fact, right before he goes home, and is sucked into AXCEND, he has a confrontation with the school bully.  Well, it was a little more than a confrontation, the bully knocked him on his ass.  To add insult to injury, the bully tells Eric how he knew his dead brother, Erin, since 5th grade and the difference between the two of them was that “Erin knew how to hit back”.  So, Eric doesn’t exactly have a dream life outside of AXCEND.

The premise of this comic leaves the storyline open to hundreds of different directions.  The reader will probably see Eric gain new powers/stronger powers as he “levels up”.  My guess is that what happens in the game will condition him for real life and vice versa.  I have a couple of guesses as to what’s going to happen next in his real, and virtual, life but I won’t say them for two reasons;  I don’t want to spoil it for you if I’m right and I hate admitting when I’m wrong.

The flip side of the coin is that it would have been nice to see more of Eric’s escape into other video games as a coping mechanism and build his character a little.  I found Dog immediately coming on the screen and telling Eric he was “chosen” was a little sudden.  It made me go back and read the previous pages again to see if I missed something.  The comic could have left out some of the beatings that Eric took and substituted more of his background.  As it’s Eric’s “origin” it should have built up a little more.  Frankly, if that’s the only issue (pun intended) then this comic may be a keeper.

Before finishing, let me add that a new title from Image is no real surprise.  This company has put out fantastic titles such as Invincible, Savage Dragon, and the big one The Walking Dead.  They are also releasing one that I look forward to, I Hate Fairyland.  I plan to review that once it’s released.  For more information on their titles go to www.imagecomics.com.  You won’t be sorry that you did.

The Comic Whisperer’s Ratings:

Concept and Characters:          Appraised at a 7.5 out of 10
Recommendation:                     Buy this issue, continue if it tickles your fancy.
                                                    I don’t see this issue going up much in value, 
                                                    collect at your discretion.


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