| Last Gert Standing | |
| Publisher: | Image Comics |
| Issues: | 5 |
| Origpublication: | I Hate Fairyland |
| Origisbn: | 978-1-5343-9785-9 |
| Writers: | Skottie Young[1] [2] |
| Artists: | Brett Bean[3] |
| Editors: | Joel Enos |
| Colourists: | Jean-Francois Beaulieu[4] |
| Letterers: | Nate Piekos of Blambot |
| Creators: | Skottie Young Jason Howard[5] |
| Previssue: | Gert's Inferno |
| Nextissue: | In the Mean Time |
Last Gert Standing is a graphic novel written by Skottie Young and illustrated by Brett Bean that was released in five parts throughout 2023 by Image Comics, as the second volume of the 2022 revival of Young's 2015–2018 isekai comic book series I Hate Fairyland, set in the Image Universe, and the sixth volume overall. Part 1, We Need To Talk About Gertrude, was released on June 21, 2023, Part 2, Seven Gerts Enter, One Gert Leaves!, was released on July 19, 2023, Part 3, Here Or There Be Dragons, was released on August 16, 2023, Part 4, How To Train Your Gert…Or Not, was released on September 13, 2023, and Part 5, A Storm Full Of Pain, was released on October 25, 2023. An omnibus edition was released on January 17, 2024.
After being abandoned in Fairyland once more by her boss at the conclusion of the previous volume, Gertrude "Gert" reunites with Larry and seeks to return to Earth, while on learning of her return, new Fairyland King Cloudeus makes a deal with the Gerts of alternate timelines (from during the events of Fluff My Life, Good Girl, Sadly Never After, and Untold Tales) to take out Gert and allow them to return to Earth themselves.[6] Preceded by Gert's Inferno, it is followed by In the Mean Time.
The series has received a universally positive critical reception.
Following the events of Gert's Inferno, the grown up Gert is stuck in Fairylannd once again. Reuniting with Larry, she seeks to find a way to escape, as the new Fairyland King Cloudeus hires the time traveller Judd "The One Who Rides The Last Wagon" to recruit Gerts from alternate timelines to face off against her, in particular one from during the climax of Sadly Never After.[7] [8] [9] [10]
The title is a reference to the 2003 psychological thriller novel We Need to Talk About Kevin and its 2011 film adaptation.
On recruiting Sadly Never After Gert, the time traveller also recruits Gerts from Gert's vision of the future in Fluff My Life, Gert's redeemed Good Girl self, and two wholly alternate Gerts from The Unbelievable, Unfortunately Mostly Unreadable, and Nearly Unpublishable Untold Tales of I Hate Fairyland!, as Gert's Inferno Gert herself seeks to find a new way out of Fairyland.[11] [12] [13]
On defeating her adult Gert's Inferno self, the still-young Sadly Never After Gert embraces her status as O.G. (Original Gert) and prepares to accept her route back to Earth, only to accidentally give up her new exit.[14] [15]
The title is a reference to "Here be dragons", a phrase used on maps as an indication of unexplored and potentially dangerous territories.
In the future of Fairyland, O.G. Gert realises that since the Duncan Dragon never formally embarked on his quest, he should still have a Key allowing him to exit, and seek to track him down. On finding him in his adulthood, Gert explains the situation, and he once more joins Gert on her quest to get home.[16] [17]
The title is a reference to the 2003–2015 novel series How to Train Your Dragon and the resulting franchise.
Realising she will need help of the former Queen Cloudia (imprisoned since her resurrection and defeat as Dark Cloudia), Gert breaks her out of prison, and the two and Duncan track down Duncan's key. After Duncan decides to stay in Fairyland and let Gert use his key, Cloudia suddenly steals the key for herself and finds herself on Earth, leaving the two humans behind.[18] [19]
| Issue # | Publication date | Critic rating | Critic reviews | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 2023 | 8.5/10 | 4 | [20] | |
| 2 | July 2023 | 7.7/10 | 3 | [21] | |
| 3 | August 2023 | 7.5/10 | 2 | [22] | |
| 4 | September 2023 | 7.5/10 | 2 | [23] | |
| 5 | October 2023 | 6.7/10 | 2 | [24] | |
| Overall | 7.6/10 | 13 | [25] |
| Title | Material collected | Published date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| I Hate Fairyland: Last Gert Standing | I Hate Fairyland (vol. 2) #6–10 | January 17, 2024[26] | |
| I Hate Fairyland Compendium Two | I Hate Fairyland (vol. 2) #1–20 and The Unbelievable, Unfortunately Mostly Unreadable, and Nearly Unpublishable Untold Tales of I Hate Fairyland! | ||