Review by Frank Plowright

When Gabby inherits her Aunt’s farm way out in the country, she and partner Trudy decide it’s time for a change of lifestyle. Just as well Trudy has survivalist inclinations, because not only is the farmhouse haunted, but the whole area is also. Once there, you can’t leave. There are other complications as well. Somewhere on the land the proceeds of an armed robbery are buried, which a killer’s looking for, and there are monsters in the woods. Throw in a TV ghost hunter and that about fills the main cast, but there’s also a UFO hanging around. Oh, and the dreaded horned man, but let’s not consider him.

Kyle Starks ensures that rather than this extraordinary combination of horror themes being preposterous, it all slots together tidily as a compelling frightener with bells on. One threat leads to the next, yet as well as defying expectation with his mash-up, Starks has most of the cast as capable and resourceful rather than identifiable victims.

The horror is slightly diminished by Artyom Topilin employing an effective form of cartooning rather than opting for a bloody form of reality, but when it counts the stomach churns.

To be honest, you’ve got the premise, and I Hate This Place is best experienced without knowing much more. Starks is consistently creative in moving from one threat to the next, and Topilin presents your most demented nightmares. Just in case you think there may be a few items missing from Starks’ horror checklist, the final few pages introduce some new matters to be worried about. Pick up on them in Volume 2’s conclusion.