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I Hate This Place #6-10
I Hate this Place Volume 2
“Check this series out. You won't regret it." - SKTCHD The breakout hit horror series returns! Trudy’s past comes back to haunt her, which wouldn’t be so bad if she and Gabby weren’t already literally haunted by unimaginable forces of evil on a daily basis. Can’t a gal catch a break? The critically acclaimed team of Kyle Starks (Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton, Assassin Nation) and Artyom Toplin (Ice Cream Man Presents Quarantine Comix Special) conclude the horror series in a way you’ll never see coming! Collects I HATE THIS PLACE #6-10
112 pages, Paperback
Published October 10, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
July 13, 2023
Wow, this series took a surprise turn as the origin of the ghosts/monsters is revealed.
To say anything would honestly be a spoiler. Definitely worth reading for fans of the first volume, I thought this elevated the series although its still not my favourite.
To say anything would honestly be a spoiler. Definitely worth reading for fans of the first volume, I thought this elevated the series although its still not my favourite.
October 15, 2023
2.5 stars. I really had hope for the end of this series and unfortunately it fell very short. The horror elements in this series were the strongest through the first volume and this one. Unfortunately, this one became way too busy with sci-fi action and that overshadowed the horror elements that I had been enjoying. This one probably does down as my least favorite story from one of my favorite comic book creators.
August 8, 2023
Everything Kyle Starks does is my favorite thing ever
February 15, 2024
The crazy adventures of Trudy and Gabby continue. Here we get some background on the relationship of Trudy and her father. Damn, that was rough. Plus there are some brutal violent deaths in here. I can’t remember if it was going down like that in the last volume. We also learned who the horned man was and where he comes from and why all the stuff was going on around the house. Interesting ideas there. We also get a little time travel element thrown in there for good measure. This story overall was just decent but it was a bit of a wild and crazy ride.
August 19, 2024
I think if I had read this shortly after the first volume that I'd like it more but I had too much of a lull between volumes so I was slightly lost (aka forgetting how volume 1 ended).
Still, a Kyle Starks book is guaranteed to be a solid book for the most part.
Still, a Kyle Starks book is guaranteed to be a solid book for the most part.
January 17, 2026
Mooooo! 🐄
Recommended by Kang.
Recommended by Kang.
March 26, 2025
Story twist featured something I'm not much of a fan of, so it's more of a 'me' issue here, still great art and scary visuals though!
November 30, 2023
An excellent mix of horror and science fiction with a perfect balance of black humor and deeply moving moments.
March 5, 2024
Doesn't necessarily nail the ending, but this second I Hate This Place volume gets points for really going there. There are still horror elements, but, uh, also there's a whole Terminator thing? Trudy's fundamentalist/survivalist father arrives on the scene with his goons, so affairs are already pretty outrageous before Gabby time travels.
Safe to say that this conclusion will be decisive. It's certainly overly busy and wayyy out of left field, but I kept having a fun time with the book. "A" for effort.
Safe to say that this conclusion will be decisive. It's certainly overly busy and wayyy out of left field, but I kept having a fun time with the book. "A" for effort.
July 12, 2025
The conclusion feels rushed and ridiculously overpacked with concepts and action, but amidst all the frenzy I still found myself attached to the main characters and eager for them to survive all their convoluted travails.
Fun.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contains material originally published in single magazine form as I Hate This Place #6-10.
Fun.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contains material originally published in single magazine form as I Hate This Place #6-10.
August 10, 2023
Trudy and Gabby have managed to quell the supernatural horrors plaguing their ranch - but here comes Trudy’s god-fearing ex-military fascistic father Joseph and his sadistic goons to drag back his long-lost daughter from her wicked ways! Ah yes, what’s more horrifying than ghosts and monsters? Intolerant, overbearing religious zealots.
The second and final volume of Kyle Starks and Artyom Topilin’s short-lived series is a disappointing closer to a very strong first book. This title mixes both horror and sci-fi liberally, which wasn’t a huge problem in the first volume, but the balance is way off in this second book so the sci-fi overwhelms what little horror there is - and it’s not good sci-fi either, it’s all overused tropes.
The opening chapter is good with Joseph and his goons tracking down Trudy and Gabby. The series shines when the scale of the story and stakes are both relatively small. I also don’t mind not explaining the supernatural elements - they can simply be just ghosts, etc. because that’s the kind of story being told.
And then Kyle Starks goes and spoils it allby saying something stupid like I love you by upping the stakes to an absurd level (the “end of the world” cliche) and then going overboard on the sci-fi to explain everything weird happening at the ranch. It’s all the worst elements of superhero comics jammed awkwardly into an indie: aliens and time-travel. Ugh. The book reads like a third-rate X-Men comic.
Things get wrapped up too conveniently and then it’s all over. A very underwhelming and uninteresting final book.
Lee Loughridge’s consistently fantastic and eye-catching colours remain one of the highlights of this title and the opening act of the story is entertaining, but unfortunately the story becomes a convoluted mish-mash of hackneyed tropes and dull, predictable action.
I still recommend the first volume of the series - it’s a fun, fresh and compelling horror comic - but, if you’re gonna pick this one up, don’t expect the same high level of quality in I Hate This Place, Volume 2.
The second and final volume of Kyle Starks and Artyom Topilin’s short-lived series is a disappointing closer to a very strong first book. This title mixes both horror and sci-fi liberally, which wasn’t a huge problem in the first volume, but the balance is way off in this second book so the sci-fi overwhelms what little horror there is - and it’s not good sci-fi either, it’s all overused tropes.
The opening chapter is good with Joseph and his goons tracking down Trudy and Gabby. The series shines when the scale of the story and stakes are both relatively small. I also don’t mind not explaining the supernatural elements - they can simply be just ghosts, etc. because that’s the kind of story being told.
And then Kyle Starks goes and spoils it all
Things get wrapped up too conveniently and then it’s all over. A very underwhelming and uninteresting final book.
Lee Loughridge’s consistently fantastic and eye-catching colours remain one of the highlights of this title and the opening act of the story is entertaining, but unfortunately the story becomes a convoluted mish-mash of hackneyed tropes and dull, predictable action.
I still recommend the first volume of the series - it’s a fun, fresh and compelling horror comic - but, if you’re gonna pick this one up, don’t expect the same high level of quality in I Hate This Place, Volume 2.
January 12, 2026
The second story arc leaves the horror territory behind and heads into a wild sci-fi ride with light time-travel elements. It’s a shame that character development takes a bit of a back seat here. Yes, characters from the past return, but in my opinion they could have been given much more space.
I was also a bit disappointed that the ghost of Brodie, who initially helps the characters, is never properly developed and just kind of fades away halfway through the volume, feeling more like a convenient narrative device than a fully realized character. That’s a shame, because the beginning of the volume hinted at a more psychological and dramatic direction, especially with the introduction of the fanatically religious father — but that potential is never fully explored.
That said, I still had a lot of fun. The pacing is brisk, there’s more humor, the characters remain as likable as before, and the whole sci-fi chaos feels appropriately over-the-top — just sometimes at the expense of deeper immersion into the characters.
Because of that, I have to lower my rating a bit to 7/10, but I still enjoyed it a lot. The artwork is great once again, with excellent coloring doing a lot of heavy lifting. It just really could have benefited from slowing down and expanding some of its ideas.
I was also a bit disappointed that the ghost of Brodie, who initially helps the characters, is never properly developed and just kind of fades away halfway through the volume, feeling more like a convenient narrative device than a fully realized character. That’s a shame, because the beginning of the volume hinted at a more psychological and dramatic direction, especially with the introduction of the fanatically religious father — but that potential is never fully explored.
That said, I still had a lot of fun. The pacing is brisk, there’s more humor, the characters remain as likable as before, and the whole sci-fi chaos feels appropriately over-the-top — just sometimes at the expense of deeper immersion into the characters.
Because of that, I have to lower my rating a bit to 7/10, but I still enjoyed it a lot. The artwork is great once again, with excellent coloring doing a lot of heavy lifting. It just really could have benefited from slowing down and expanding some of its ideas.
March 18, 2025
F*ck this place.
This story wrapped up in a way that I wasn’t expecting. Gabby gets a glimpse into the future and is trying to figure it if it could be changed, or maybe even if it should be. With an army and Trudy’s dad right on their tail, the two are bickering on what their next few steps should be. I really liked how this book ended, until the ending. The last few scenes in the climax took a moment to break down and understand the movements between the characters. I thought the build up until then was good. The book had a decent pacing. While it was rushed, it didn’t feel as obvious as the first volume did. I’m glad we actually got to learn more about the farm ghost in this volume. The baby cave was scary and you may even miss it if you get caught up in all the other drama. With all that said, the last two pages were a sweet closure on a very brutal story.
This story wrapped up in a way that I wasn’t expecting. Gabby gets a glimpse into the future and is trying to figure it if it could be changed, or maybe even if it should be. With an army and Trudy’s dad right on their tail, the two are bickering on what their next few steps should be. I really liked how this book ended, until the ending. The last few scenes in the climax took a moment to break down and understand the movements between the characters. I thought the build up until then was good. The book had a decent pacing. While it was rushed, it didn’t feel as obvious as the first volume did. I’m glad we actually got to learn more about the farm ghost in this volume. The baby cave was scary and you may even miss it if you get caught up in all the other drama. With all that said, the last two pages were a sweet closure on a very brutal story.
October 25, 2024
I enjoyed volume one more. The story here felt incredibly hectic.
I still adore the art for this series. It has a much more classic comic feel with some vivid colour work and a gritty feel to it.
I’m enjoying the eeriness too but I do feel like the story is getting so muddied with too much going on without little explanation or exploration. You don’t really get a moment to digest a plot point before being thrown into more questions.
Rep// WLW White MC, WLW Black Butch MC, central relationship is sapphic / WLW.
TW’s listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
TW// homophobia, death, abuse, gun violence, murder, gore.
I still adore the art for this series. It has a much more classic comic feel with some vivid colour work and a gritty feel to it.
I’m enjoying the eeriness too but I do feel like the story is getting so muddied with too much going on without little explanation or exploration. You don’t really get a moment to digest a plot point before being thrown into more questions.
Rep// WLW White MC, WLW Black Butch MC, central relationship is sapphic / WLW.
TW’s listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
TW// homophobia, death, abuse, gun violence, murder, gore.
October 15, 2023
I think I've decided that my least favourite trope is 'thing that looks like magic is actually just technology'. Let things be magic, damn it!
That said, I Hate This Place's final five issues brings the story to a satisfying close with some cathartic moments for our two main characters, and a suitable explanation for all the weird goings-on (even if it's not my favourite way of explaining things!). I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this creative team going forward to see what they're up to next.
That said, I Hate This Place's final five issues brings the story to a satisfying close with some cathartic moments for our two main characters, and a suitable explanation for all the weird goings-on (even if it's not my favourite way of explaining things!). I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this creative team going forward to see what they're up to next.
December 17, 2023
6.1
[opinia za całą serię]
O ile pierwszy tom tworzy naprawdę zgrabną historię z gatunku comedy-horroru, karmiącego czytelników swoim uroczym absurdem, tak rozwinięcie w tomie drugim woła o pomstę do nieba. Jest jeszcze dziwniej, akcja przyspiesza, a ton nadają elementy sci-fi. Sprawia to jednak, że z możliwie prostej do poprowadzenia opowieści "I Hate This Place" staje się zgubnym misz-maszem wszystkiego (słaby wątek rodzinny, podróże w czasie), co akurat udało się twórcy wykorzystać. Przy volume 1 bawiłem się bardzo dobrze, przy 2 już niestety mało co mnie obchodziło. Bummer.
[opinia za całą serię]
O ile pierwszy tom tworzy naprawdę zgrabną historię z gatunku comedy-horroru, karmiącego czytelników swoim uroczym absurdem, tak rozwinięcie w tomie drugim woła o pomstę do nieba. Jest jeszcze dziwniej, akcja przyspiesza, a ton nadają elementy sci-fi. Sprawia to jednak, że z możliwie prostej do poprowadzenia opowieści "I Hate This Place" staje się zgubnym misz-maszem wszystkiego (słaby wątek rodzinny, podróże w czasie), co akurat udało się twórcy wykorzystać. Przy volume 1 bawiłem się bardzo dobrze, przy 2 już niestety mało co mnie obchodziło. Bummer.
June 27, 2024
What a fun book. I'm gonna miss it. I do commend this series for coming up with something wild obscure and interesting. The action is non-stop and I love the ominous moments with the horned man and how he moves throughout the story right up to the final moments. Considering what Trudy and Gabby have already been through, theres a lot of potential in future issues if Starks is willing to return to their adventures. Despite this weaker arc, the series was still good and I’d highly recommend it to anyone.
January 23, 2026
I don't remember what happened in the first volume, and I still don't know what's going on. Were the creators high? It seems like all that could go wrong went wrong for this couple. Is it science fiction or paranormal horror? I don't know.
Like the first volume, things felt rushed. Too much was happening. It was still an enjoyable read, but I'm glad it's over.
Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.
July 24, 2023
Gabby and Trudy are great. Starks little comics at the end are great. This weird little nugget was sure a surprise to me. Some grue, lots of weird, and then a surprise twist toward the end. I need to read it all in one go now that I have all the single issues. But I utterly enjoyed the quirky characters, the WTF?!, the side characters. I could use more of all of it.
March 6, 2024
Plus points for revealing what was going on, and the explanation being a good one; but ultimately I didn’t feel completely engaged by the cast of characters.
I also think as a horror book this would have benefited from a less cartoony style of artist, to ramp that element up, as it does have decent moments of horror, albeit more effectively in the first volume.
I also think as a horror book this would have benefited from a less cartoony style of artist, to ramp that element up, as it does have decent moments of horror, albeit more effectively in the first volume.
March 27, 2024
Rounding up from 3.5 stars
This is a different type of book from Kyle Starks and I admit I struggled with it at times. Might have been too much stuffed into the plot for me and I had a hard time really holding on to all the characters. Still, the art was strong and there was enough to keep me interested.
This is a different type of book from Kyle Starks and I admit I struggled with it at times. Might have been too much stuffed into the plot for me and I had a hard time really holding on to all the characters. Still, the art was strong and there was enough to keep me interested.
Read
September 15, 2024What could make for an escalation of awfulness after the first volume's ghosts, aliens and monsters? The devout, of course. I can't say this series wasn't good, but it's definitely the least fun thing I've ever read from Kyle Starks, which makes me a little sad that, according to his afterword, it's the biggest seller of his career.
November 7, 2023
The second volume of 'I hate this place' has some serious ground to cover in regards to explanations, jumping around in time now as well as space. Yet while this may not be Starks best work, it is still pleasingly manic with some fun, likable characters to get behind.
November 11, 2023
I was happy to be back with Gabby and Trudy! I'm also sad this is the end of their story. Time travel makes my head hurt but there wasn't so much that it took away from the story. I'm glad that maybe they could come to love the place.
January 1, 2024
the ranch is still swarming with otherworldly and supernatural monsters when a few human monsters arrive and make things much, much worse. this was great, the end made me cry, if you liked the first volume i think you'll find this to be a satisfying end to trudy & gabby's story. 4/5.
March 26, 2024
This whole volume felt rushed and a lot of questions were left unanswered. Did the series get canceled or was it planned out this way? Maybe if I had read it as the monthlies came out, it would have seemed more reasonably paced. But I don't really have that problem with other trades.
July 23, 2024
This was a nice series to keep me entertained for a short period. I liked the idea going on in volume 1, but once the story moved on to volume 2 things seemed rushed and out of place. Once again, the artwork was very captivating - I just wished the story could've grabbed me equally as much.
December 14, 2024
This book takes a TURN pretty quickly into it and at first I thought, "nah, this is too much." Then I kept going and thought, "Nah, this is great. Why not? I'm in." And now I'm looking for all the Kyle Starks I can find.
February 7, 2025
I definitely liked the first volume more & I was a little disappointed that this was the END end of this story. This volume seemed rushed, I feel like the story wrapped itself up too quickly, BUT I gave it 4 stars for the overall story.
October 20, 2023
The ending is a bit rushed, and it feels like a lot of information dumped in a short order, but the team largely sticks the landing
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews