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In the End We All Die: A Graphic Novel
128 pages, Hardcover
Published June 3, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 22, 2025
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss. Content warning for sex, violence, and sexual assault/stalking.)
-- 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 where necessary --
When young lovers and aspiring criminal masterminds Claire and "Babyface" rob a food truck, they also snatch a bag from a bystander, unwittingly toppling the first domino in an orgy of violence that will lay waste to their entire apartment complex. The bag belonged to a gangster .. and contained a "vase," which in turn held the ashes of his recently departed wife. Now the man's son and his henchmen are out for revenge (and, of course, the urn).
Each chapter tells the story of a different apartment's occupants, as Eric, Paul, and Anton pinball from flat to flat in search of the purloined cremains. Everyone's doing their own crimes - from the stoners who are growing cannabis in their apartment, right on up to the landlord, who's abusing his power to creep on Claire - and nearly everyone is armed to the teeth. By story's end, they're all dead. Except maybe Kasha; I feel like the cat's fate is acceptably ambiguous.
IN THE END WE ALL DIE is a weird little graphic novel. The first chapter gives off subtle PULP FICTION vibes ("honey pie" and "babyface" did it for me), and it kind of stuck with me throughout the narrative. The violence is gratuitous, gross (someone is shot while vomiting, and dies in a puddle of puke ... but he also deserved it, so), and over-the-top; you either dig it or you don't. The synopsis suggests a larger meaning - villains become heroes; good and evil exist side by side; etc. - and, while I guess I can kind of see it, it feels a bit lofty of a description. Honestly, this is just a wild, shoot 'em up, bizarro ride.
-- 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 where necessary --
When young lovers and aspiring criminal masterminds Claire and "Babyface" rob a food truck, they also snatch a bag from a bystander, unwittingly toppling the first domino in an orgy of violence that will lay waste to their entire apartment complex. The bag belonged to a gangster .. and contained a "vase," which in turn held the ashes of his recently departed wife. Now the man's son and his henchmen are out for revenge (and, of course, the urn).
Each chapter tells the story of a different apartment's occupants, as Eric, Paul, and Anton pinball from flat to flat in search of the purloined cremains. Everyone's doing their own crimes - from the stoners who are growing cannabis in their apartment, right on up to the landlord, who's abusing his power to creep on Claire - and nearly everyone is armed to the teeth. By story's end, they're all dead. Except maybe Kasha; I feel like the cat's fate is acceptably ambiguous.
IN THE END WE ALL DIE is a weird little graphic novel. The first chapter gives off subtle PULP FICTION vibes ("honey pie" and "babyface" did it for me), and it kind of stuck with me throughout the narrative. The violence is gratuitous, gross (someone is shot while vomiting, and dies in a puddle of puke ... but he also deserved it, so), and over-the-top; you either dig it or you don't. The synopsis suggests a larger meaning - villains become heroes; good and evil exist side by side; etc. - and, while I guess I can kind of see it, it feels a bit lofty of a description. Honestly, this is just a wild, shoot 'em up, bizarro ride.
June 3, 2025
There are times when I stumble upon little gems that are amazing masterpieces. This was one of those times. A typically German humor coupled with drawings very reminiscent of Ralf König's create a sparse and exceptional graphic novel.
Ci sono delle volte in cui incappo in piccole gemme che sono dei capolavori sorprendenti. Questa é stata una di quelle volte. Uno humor tipicamente tedesco, associato a dei disegni che ricordano molto quelli di Ralf König creano una graphic novel scarna ed eccezionale.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
Ci sono delle volte in cui incappo in piccole gemme che sono dei capolavori sorprendenti. Questa é stata una di quelle volte. Uno humor tipicamente tedesco, associato a dei disegni che ricordano molto quelli di Ralf König creano una graphic novel scarna ed eccezionale.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
November 12, 2025
Sure that’s a stern reminder of the morality of life but it’s also the name Tobias Aeschbacher’s crime graphic novel that is now finally being translated for English audiences. This German Graphic Novel, of course it is German, follows sleazy Gangster on the search of stolen urn and as you would think things do not go as expected.
What separates this from other crime stories is that the events all taken place in what’s probably no longer than a fifteen to 30 minute plus or minus a flashback or two. We see this initial confrontation as these gangster burst into an apartment building demanding they get what they are looking for and quickly things devolve with bullets flying anywhere including some unexpected locations. The story then takes a step back as we traverse around the apartment complex learning about the lives of the other tenets as they slowly get intertwined into the chaos.
I know when talking about a crime story and referencing people like Quiten Tarantino and Shane Black or both over done and overtly forced but I do think it is a bit apt here. For one how this likes to play with narrative structure like Tarantino and the dialog here definitely feels akin to Shane Black dialog. Very comedic, heavy on individuals that cannot get out of their own way.
Now it is not a direct clone as the style here is quite different but those specific elements do feel perhaps inspired by or at least similar to previous work. Tobias Aeschbacher’s artistic style and sense of humor reminds me a great deal of someone like Kyle Starks so if you enjoyed his past work like Assassin Nation or more specifically Kill Them All definitely think this book will work for you.
Aeschbacher’s has a strong skill in fine tuned economic storytelling because this is a brisk read yet were get a cavalcade of characters created that feel fleshed out complete identities. The old couple for example were perhaps my personal favorite and add in some dramatic weight with all the levity that dominates much of the book. Speaking of that pace perhaps this Aeschbacher’s best skill is how well he is able to move from moment to moment in organic ways despite the fact that time is not always moving forward. Breadcrumbs are left and called back upon so your mind is ready to fill in the gaps that have been left that will further explain what exactly is going on in that next room.
In the End We All Die is a book that is true to its word. With a title like that you may get the thought this will be some dreary tale full of grit and in vinegar about the failings of a humor soul, but instead seems to look at the fact of the title as a reason to find humor in places where it doesn’t normally belong.
What separates this from other crime stories is that the events all taken place in what’s probably no longer than a fifteen to 30 minute plus or minus a flashback or two. We see this initial confrontation as these gangster burst into an apartment building demanding they get what they are looking for and quickly things devolve with bullets flying anywhere including some unexpected locations. The story then takes a step back as we traverse around the apartment complex learning about the lives of the other tenets as they slowly get intertwined into the chaos.
I know when talking about a crime story and referencing people like Quiten Tarantino and Shane Black or both over done and overtly forced but I do think it is a bit apt here. For one how this likes to play with narrative structure like Tarantino and the dialog here definitely feels akin to Shane Black dialog. Very comedic, heavy on individuals that cannot get out of their own way.
Now it is not a direct clone as the style here is quite different but those specific elements do feel perhaps inspired by or at least similar to previous work. Tobias Aeschbacher’s artistic style and sense of humor reminds me a great deal of someone like Kyle Starks so if you enjoyed his past work like Assassin Nation or more specifically Kill Them All definitely think this book will work for you.
Aeschbacher’s has a strong skill in fine tuned economic storytelling because this is a brisk read yet were get a cavalcade of characters created that feel fleshed out complete identities. The old couple for example were perhaps my personal favorite and add in some dramatic weight with all the levity that dominates much of the book. Speaking of that pace perhaps this Aeschbacher’s best skill is how well he is able to move from moment to moment in organic ways despite the fact that time is not always moving forward. Breadcrumbs are left and called back upon so your mind is ready to fill in the gaps that have been left that will further explain what exactly is going on in that next room.
In the End We All Die is a book that is true to its word. With a title like that you may get the thought this will be some dreary tale full of grit and in vinegar about the failings of a humor soul, but instead seems to look at the fact of the title as a reason to find humor in places where it doesn’t normally belong.
August 9, 2025
In the End is an exceedingly well-executed crime graphic novel, one that weaves interconnected vignettes into a portrait of more earnest-than-evil misfits living in the same building. The structure reveals surprising factual and emotional links between characters without ever feeling like a gimmick.
The plot begins with a couple who, having stolen the wrong item, return home to divvy up the loot and plan their next crime. (This is after the wife takes time to help the aging neighbor downstairs.) Naturally, the owner of the stolen item—armed and accompanied by his cohorts—comes to retrieve it. And this is where the story gets interesting.
In the End pulls in the other residents of the building, sometimes flashing back to before the day’s events: the upstairs neighbor secretly in love with the wife; the elderly couple on the verge of suicide (whom the wife helped, unknowingly, for the last time); two small-time dope dealers; and the prostitute whose client uses her for a drug experiment. There’s a lot of shooting and a lot of dying—some related to the central crime, some not.
Ultimately, the owner of the stolen vase—containing his mother’s ashes—finds it broken, a trail of bodies behind him, in a face-off with a woman he thought he’d killed. The interconnected stories never feel like a gimmick; they’re enriched by the storytelling and the subtle connections between characters.
I do wish there were some stronger central themes (yes, like Pulp Fiction), but as it stands, the story is so well executed it hardly matters. And, having listened to a podcast interview with the author for the Comix Experience Book Club, I can say this was a true labor of love. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmVzT.... It shows.
The plot begins with a couple who, having stolen the wrong item, return home to divvy up the loot and plan their next crime. (This is after the wife takes time to help the aging neighbor downstairs.) Naturally, the owner of the stolen item—armed and accompanied by his cohorts—comes to retrieve it. And this is where the story gets interesting.
In the End pulls in the other residents of the building, sometimes flashing back to before the day’s events: the upstairs neighbor secretly in love with the wife; the elderly couple on the verge of suicide (whom the wife helped, unknowingly, for the last time); two small-time dope dealers; and the prostitute whose client uses her for a drug experiment. There’s a lot of shooting and a lot of dying—some related to the central crime, some not.
Ultimately, the owner of the stolen vase—containing his mother’s ashes—finds it broken, a trail of bodies behind him, in a face-off with a woman he thought he’d killed. The interconnected stories never feel like a gimmick; they’re enriched by the storytelling and the subtle connections between characters.
I do wish there were some stronger central themes (yes, like Pulp Fiction), but as it stands, the story is so well executed it hardly matters. And, having listened to a podcast interview with the author for the Comix Experience Book Club, I can say this was a true labor of love. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmVzT.... It shows.
August 2, 2025
I grabbed this one from my library when I saw it on the new shelf and the cover spoke to me. This was not a happy book. It’s a literal domino affect but only affecting people in this apartment and everyone dies. Each chapter is based on a different apartment number. We initially have the first couple who has been robbing people and accidentally steal the urn a gangsters mother’s ashes were in and it sets this whole thing in motion as he tries to get them back. My favourite chapter was the elderly couple who murder suicided themselves, sad but very Romeo & Juliet. It was a weird read but I enjoyed it. I’m not sure that I could recommend it to many people but it still has its place.
May 4, 2025
German graphic novel translated. Lax drawing and diaologue but perhaps that is intention. THe intened style??
Dont know.
Dont know.
July 11, 2025
pitch black humor. read in one sitting.
September 8, 2025
It's true, just read the title.
This is a fun story set in a building full of psychos.
lol
This is a fun story set in a building full of psychos.
lol
September 23, 2025
Sure the title is a true statement but the contents are a bunch of people who meet their end unnecessarily.
October 17, 2025
一个挺无厘头的短篇，书名已经说明一切
November 14, 2025
I don't understand how that was supposed to be good
November 30, 2025
A wild and weird collection of interconnected stories. If you like absurd stories, give this a try.
June 3, 2025
This graphic novel is a great read for people who love cult classic 90's indies and European weird thrillers.
Each chapter follows different occupants of the same building, tracking a stolen object and as the title says…
I found it extremely enjoyable, with plot twist after plot twist, showing the humanity in everyone, particularly the people that society often likes to pretend don't have any and are completely to blame for their misery.
The art complements the story perfectly and I recommend it to everyone looking for something different or that want to dip their toes in translated works.
I couldn't stop reading until I finished it.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Helvetiq for this DRC.
Each chapter follows different occupants of the same building, tracking a stolen object and as the title says…
I found it extremely enjoyable, with plot twist after plot twist, showing the humanity in everyone, particularly the people that society often likes to pretend don't have any and are completely to blame for their misery.
The art complements the story perfectly and I recommend it to everyone looking for something different or that want to dip their toes in translated works.
I couldn't stop reading until I finished it.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Helvetiq for this DRC.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews