REVIEW: ‘I Hate This Place,’ Issue #9

With Gabby back from the future and the world-ending device found, I Hate This Place #9 sees the origin of both the device and The Horned Man revealed. There is little time to ponder these new discoveries as Joseph is back with troops from the future who are looking to kill the women and confiscate the device in this issue published by Image Comics, written by Kyle Starks, art by Artyom Topilin, colors by Lee Loughridge, and letters by Pat Brosseau.

It’s the mark of a truly special kind of villain when, no matter how despicable they seem to be, they’re shown to be  capable of going lower. Joseph once more showcases that he is definitely one of those villains in I Hate This Place #9. How Joseph continues to hound Gabby and Trudy, as well as how he treats the troops that have accompanied him back from the future isn’t surprising and only makes it so we dislike the man even more. The final panels of this issue are owned by him, leaving the book on a note that is both angering and shocking, as he once again finds a way to get even worse in the one way I didn’t expect him to.

But while villain has a fair share of memorable moments in I Hate This Place #9, the good guys get their piece of the limelight as well. Beyond Gabby and Trudy simply continuing to be true couple’s goals, Dante and his ghost posse help the ladies in their attempts to evade Joseph. That the ghoulish horde that brought so much terror into the early chapters of this book has become allies of the duo thanks to Dante’s intervention is one of the best plot twists ever. Getting to cheer as Topilin’s art capture the ghostly horrors unleashed to protect our protagonists makes the brutal kills cheer-worthy, if no less shocking. Topilin’s lines are once more combined with Loughridge’s colors to add the ever-present sense of unearthliness to the specters that have accompanied them on the page since they first appeared.

The final element that brings I Hate This Place #9 to life is another strong showing by letterer Brosseau. Some great sound design throughout this book gives many of the unique kills brought on by the ghost horde just the right amount of flavor to enhance the moments they happen in.

The action takes up much of this issue but there are also some big reveals in this story, specifically around the device and The Horned Man. While I won’t spoil these for anyone, they are rather creative. Starks continues to show his willingness to take every horror theme and concept and throw it at the wall that is I Hate This Place, while somehow managing to make everything stick. It often feels like the story should’ve devolved into a chaotic mess issues ago, yet somehow, it all continues to run like a well-oiled machine.

I Hate This Place #9 delivers more action and thrills along with more reveals. What comes next promises more of the same, and given what we have seen time and again from Stakrs’s narrative, we’ll get a few things we could never see coming.

I Hate This Place #9 is available now wherever comics are sold.