DeadEndia: The Divine Order

Deadendia #3

by Hamish Steele

Eisner Award–winning creator Hamish Steele’s DeadEndia series is Steven Universe meets Adventure Time for fans of Scott Pilgrim, Rick and Morty , Adventure Time , and Pumpkinheads .

In this diverse YA graphic novel, third in the DeadEndia trilogy, Barney, Norma, and friends team up with unlikely heroes to fight a battle for the fate of the universe, all while dealing with their greatest challenge of their love lives.

The battle between angels and demons rages on, and Courtney finds themselves restored to former glory in the realm of the angels with a new bring about a new Divine Order and create a fourteenth plane of existence to keep the demons at bay. On the seventh plane, known to us as Earth, Norma Khan and Barney Guttman have allied with the demons in a search for both freedom and peace. There’s just one thing standing in their the Guttman family reunion. Badyah has joined the resistance as well, honing her martial arts skills and getting ready to protect Norma in battle.

But Pael, the Divine’s lead angel, has tricks up their sleeve that throw everything into chaos as Norma, Barney, and Badyah learn the truth behind everything. The three friends struggle to stop Pael before their lives are changed forever, and a familiar friend returns with a power that just might save them all in this stunning conclusion to the DeadEndia series.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, LGBT, Young Adult, Queer, Paranormal, Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2024

Reviews

[McKenzy Hupke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE QUEER GRAPHIC NOVELS

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

DEADENDIA: THE DIVINE ORDER is a thrilling conclusion to a graphic novel series with plenty of humor and heart. In this final story, the characters are about to wage their war on the angels to stop the divisions of people and demons. While they know theoretically they are on the right side, things are complicated. They become even more as the war wages on with Pael having new tricks up his sleeve.

What I loved: This was such a consuming and interesting story. While it is the third book and conclusion to the series, important information is recapped smoothly throughout, so it is easy to follow even if it has been a while. The images really tell most of the story, which works really well in the graphic novel format. Text is kept to what is necessary and manages to tell the story with plenty of humor and character along the way. It was easy to follow and easy to tell who was speaking when, making it read very smoothly.

This conclusion was quite satisfying and brought new elements to the story with thought-provoking themes around found family, morality and divisiveness, happiness, the importance of the truth, the value of belief, and the way power can magnify problems. The main characters have really formed a critical found family that can be messy at times, but holds all the importance in the world. It was great to see the relationships grow and evolve during the story with some great LGBT romances along the way. As they uncover the truths behind the facade, there are some really great themes about divisiveness, small-mindedness, and belief that merit discussion - it would be a great one to talk about with a book group.

The characters themselves are highly compelling and each felt like their own. The way the book is written, it easily feels like they are friends whose lives the reader cares about. They really came to life in the story, which is not always easy with so many main characters and the graphic novel format.

This was quite a ride with plenty of action and adventure along the way as well as a touch of romance and plenty of humor. There were several times I found myself laughing along with the story. With a smooth and consuming plotline, this was a fast and unputdownable read.

Final verdict: DEADENDIA: THE DIVINE ORDER is a thrilling and satisfying graphic novel conclusion with compelling characters, thought-provoking themes, surprising twists, and plenty of humor. Highly recommend for older YA readers!

Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gotta admit, I was a little bored with the first half as it worked its way through the old cliche of reality changing and the only person who remembers what it was like before has to get the band back together.

The unity from division theme of the ending sorta suggests that we need to reclaim Make America Great Again by focusing on ten years ago, y'know, before Donald Trump entered the national stage as a presidential contender. Marriage equality. Abortion rights. Facts recognized as facts. Good times. Let's get 'em back.

[Marcos “MSMDragon” · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the artwork. This story was really fun and heartwarming. And the characters were hilarious and relatable. Overall a great conclusion to the story!

[Eliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Divine Order
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (5/5) or 9.42/10 overall

Characters - 9

Atmosphere - 10

Writing - 9

Plot - 10

Intrigue - 10

Logic - 9

Enjoyment - 9

Overall Thoughts: WOW! What an amazing ending to the series. I absolutely adored this book and how everything was brought together in the end. :D

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unabashed celebration of queer joy. I ugly cried for the last 50 pages because I love these characters so much.

[CiCi | bookameme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining & Appropriate For Adults and Kids

Quote:📖
💬"Nope. Just the eerie nothingness of eternity. Cool."

💬“Want me to take the potato salad?” “No, No. It’s my defense mechanism.”

💬"Fine. I'm googling rousing speeches. You missed your chance."

💬““So what do you think these "Angels" are, then?”
“I don't know. But twisting the language of religion to push people down? To lie and manipulate and sow division?”
"They sound like humans to me..."

💬"To be fair, I don't think most exes fight using cannons."

Thoughts: 💡
This book is funny and insightful with obvious criticisms of religious zealotry and the control people try to enforce on others to fit into an archaic system.
I personally love comics and graphic novels and really enjoy ribald cartoons like Disenchantment, Big Mouth, and South Park. This series packed the same sort of punch but in a kid appropriate format. Which is why I can understand and am pretty excited about Netflix picking this series up to create their show Dead End: Paranormal Park.

Age:🎂
Amazon suggests this for a 9-12 year old. I think that would work for most, but I honestly think it would mostly depend on the kid.
There isn’t any cursing or innuendo or anything like that, however there is a lot of talk about good and evil. It calls out the God figure flipping the script for angels and demons, challenging the reader and the MCs to question what right and wrong is so they can make a decision for themselves. So some families may not appreciate their younger children reading it.
There’s also very mild violence, but a big push for a peaceful alternative. So generally I would say yes, but some very conservative religious families may not appreciate it.

✨Note✨This is book 3, but the whole series is available now.

Stats:📊
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Character: 💙💙💙💙💙
YA Fantasy (Graphic Novel) : End of the World, Broken Systems (kinda), Angels and Demons, Rag Tag Team, Supernatural, Horror, Adventure, Comedy, with Gay, Muslim, South Asian, and East Asian representation📒
⚠️ mild fantasy violence

[Air · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m such a big fan of graphic novels and anything in this type of format! I’ve now read all three of these in the series and I’m honestly SO IN LOVE with how the author takes these and the way they’re written. There were so many funny little moments and honestly some stellar quotes. If you’re into a ragtag team, comedy adventure, horror-esq, and YA fantasy in illustrated form, LOOK NO FURTHER. This brought me back to Steven Universe and Adventure Time which I love so fondly. It’s great for the age range intended while still being perfect for those who are older. I need to go watch the Netflix show immediately now!!

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful and compelling ending to this wonderful trilogy. I couldn't pull myself away once I started reading, and I'm so excited to reread the whole trilogy knowing how it ends. It puts such a wild and unexpected spin on literally everything. Hamish Steele is an incredible storyteller and he maintains such a sense of intensity and movement through to the very end of this book, which left me in tears and full of joy. It's a gloriously queer and trans story. It absolutely sings with love - love of itself and love of its readers. I'm so so excited to see what Steele does next.

[Ashleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing end to the series that makes me wish the show was able to finish, even though the show was vastly different.

I loved the messaging of the book, about how hate divides but unity can give strength.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg I was so sad when this TV show got canceled. I know as a reader that I'm supposed to read the book first, but I didn't know about the books. I found it at the library like 1 week ago and I was so happy.
Cause the TV show ending before it got ended was crazy. And the way it said "to anyone who has bad their favorite TV show canceled got me so hyped. I love this book so much, and Hamish Steele if you see this you are by far the best author ever I loved the series and the books why did it get canceled on Netflix though? :)

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why is this the best book in the whole fucking series. The first was OK, the second was terrible, and I was so worried about this one but HOLY FUCK, this one finally had all the things in order nothing felt confusing or rushed or weirdly out of place, everything clicked. I absolutely loved every moment and I am still crying. This was just wonderful. Everything was just WOW. I loved the start, I loved the middle, and the ending and the epilogue were just *chef kiss*.

[Dawn Henrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked and disliked it? Glad to see an ending for the characters Ive grown to love between the graphic novel and the TV show however I did feel like this one was a downgrade from the first two books in the series. The art style /quality feels lower and the time jump leaves some information out. Otherwise I’m glad to see the ending that they got

Side note my original poly ship came true so that’s a win!

[alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely sobbing over the palpable joy radiating from the finale of this series, wow.
Happiness exists at the hardest of times, love prevails through sorrow, unity above all else ❤️

I loved everything about this and honestly just cannot wait to see what Steele does next.

[moggithy mogginson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt it was a bit confusing at times, but overall a great ending to the series and I loved the inclusion of the behind-the-scenes/extra art at the end :)

[Flo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic finish to the trilogy: out-of-this-world designs, insane twists, and a substantial message about queer survival in a hostile world.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

weeping 😭😭😭

[Juice · Rating 5 out of 5]

LITERALLY THE BEST WHAT AN AMAZING FINISH TO THE SERIES!!!!! I have always loved the show and I have loved the books as well, so when the show was cancelled, I was pissed to say the least. This book was exactly what I needed. Hamish did a spectacular job of creating tension and conflict and excitement but then wrapping everything up with a nice, neat, perfect bow. I think they knew that we all needed that after not getting an end to the show. This is literally one of my favorite series ever. The characters and relationships are amazing. Also, the queer representation is exceptional! So glad Norma and Badyah got together in the end. AND BARNEY, LOGS, AND AZ BEING A THROUPLE????? I AM OFFICIALLY OBSESSED. Also, I was so glad that Pugsley was okay in the end cause I was scared he would go crazy apocalyptic assassin for the second time. Overall, this book and the entire trilogy were absolute amazing. 100/10, would definitely recommend!!

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love to see a completed vision! It was such a delight to see the layers of world building all come together for this final arc in the series.

I didn't expect the direction the plot went this time and I'm so glad it took me by surprise - it allowed for some truly interesting twists and turns as it all come together. The world building became absolutely fascinating to think about and there are so many little hints that allow you to expand it in your mind, but even just what we see is intriguing enough on its own.

Loved the ending. It completely carries the thematic heart of the series right through to the end, and it was very fun to see the final versions of the cast that they grew into along the way. It leaves me wanting to just read the whole thing over right from the start.

I gotta say, Netflix is really missing out by leaving their adaptation unfinished!

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barney, Norma, and their friends must begin their final fight to save the world. Their friend Courtney has returned to the angels and is trying to restore Divine Order to try to keep the demons away. Pael, the Divine’s lead angel, throws twists their way that causes chaos in the world, so Barney and Norma have a huge fight on their hands.

This is a great finale to the DeadEndia series. There were unexpected twists, but I really liked how everything came together at the end. This story has great inclusivity, with characters of different gender and sexual identities and cultural backgrounds. I’m excited to go check out the Netflix series that accompanies this series!

I highly recommend checking out the DeadEndia graphic novel series!

Thank you Union Square and Co for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, violence

[Jame_EReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

👦🏻 reviews: this is really funny and the entire series is out of this world. I enjoyed the part when the characters’ main objective is to figure and fight against the evil—the good vs evil. It is a page-turner, and easy to read and follow. There were mentions of South Asians in the story and I like reading stories with cultural references because I get to know and learn about their traditions and cultures. This graphic novel’s series is perfect for my age because the violence is pretty mild, there aren’t really many obnoxious curses, the characters have the goals to save lives and love was their main theme. Overall, it is so funny that this was the reason why I am recommending this to you.

[Abigail Pankau · Rating 4 out of 5]

They stopped the end of the world, but the angels and demons are still fighting. Courtney has been restored to his angel form, and has been given the opportunity to help the Divine Order separate the planes again. But Barney and Norma have rallied the demons together to fight for a peaceful existence. When Courtney divides the planes again, it will be up to Pugsley, returned as a paradox, to bring them together again to stop the angels. To do so, they will need to find out the truth about who the angels really are.

A fun queer graphic novel about angels and demons and friendship. This went in a surprising direction, but was better for it. Enjoyed the ending, and enjoyed the character arcs. Really solid ending to this trilogy. (And did not end the same way the TV show did).

[Supersal Thawesome · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! From the very first page, I was completely engaged in the story and couldn't put it down. The characters were so well-developed and relatable (Courtney is still my favorite ☺) and I found myself rooting for them throughout the entire book.
The plot was fast-paced and kept me on the edge of my seat, with plenty of twists and turns that I never saw coming. The art was awesome, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the world that the author created.
Overall, this book was a fantastic read and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a gripping and emotional story. It definitely deserves a 5-star rating!

[Zumie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh so I got into this via the tv show - I absolutely adored the show, and was gutted when it was cancelled. I had heard it was a comic before but was unfinished so I hadn't picked it up until I heard! That it was being finished woo.

Obviously there are changes from the show - i think the show was the same story at heart but a little more polished. But it was really cool to see where it evolved from, how the last season(s) might have gone, and of course get a solid real ending for the characters. I recommend both! Watch the show and read the comics. All the characters are awesome, it's got ghoulies and monsters and fucked up religion and false gods and other fabulous things.

[John Avorh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead End: Paranormal Park meant the world to me. The day its cancellation was announced was the worst Friday the 13th of my life. I'll never give up hope that it will one day return for a proper conclusion. Until then, we have The Divine Order, a satisfying conclusion to the story of DeadEndia. It granted my wish of hearing Norma say she's autistic, gave a great end to Badyah's arc, and did a bunch of amazing stuff I won't get into in this review. Thank you, Hamish Steele, and everyone else who got us here. Each and every one of you is My Frankenstein, now and forever. I love you guys.

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle

A satisfying conclusion to a fantastic series. In true DeadEndia fashion, this volume takes things from weird to weirder and I loved every moment of it.

As always, the artwork is wonderful. It's been really fun to see how the characters have evolved and grown throughout the series.

A perfect blend of humor, horror, adventure, and sci-fi.

Heartwarming and adorable. Such a wonderful series.

[Jester · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t even remember what happened in the first two books, but I did remember that I enjoyed them so much I bought my own copies.

There were a lot of messages and allegories. The characters' determination to fight for what they believe in during systemic hardship, while also dealing with personal issues like friendship and romance makes them even more relatable.

Overall, I enjoyed this book series, I’ve even watched the Netflix adaptation.

Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.

[Evie Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me wayyyy too long to get my hands on this book, but it was SO worth it. I'll never forgive the show being cancelled 😭😭😭

The first two books in the series were very different from the show in a lot of ways, but I can definitely see what Steele was saying in the author's note when they said that this one took a lot from the show. I loved it so much, and it was definitely a super strong conclusion to the trilogy.

I'm glad to finally have closure for the show too, but I wish there was more for both because I'm not ready to let this story go 😭

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is just insane. It's got a lot of Adventure Time and Rick and Morty in it without the meanness of Rick and Morty. Just the insanity and fun. The world has been divided into 13 worlds with the demons being the good guys that the humans are helping and the angels continue to separate planes of existence. All the while the good guys are trying to finally fix this world. Just embrace the insanity and you'll be fine.

[Thomas Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third and final volume of the supernatural adventure, and the final conflict between angels and demons. It's packed with fun and adventure, and Steele manages to wrap things up neatly and sweetly by the end. The art is bright and stylish and colourful, and Steele's writing is at its best when his characters are looking for emotional closure. It's a real feel-good victory lap, and it's a great send-off for the characters, as sad as it is that the story never got to finish onscreen.