Once Upon a Time at the End of the World Vol. 3

Once Upon a Time at the End of the World #11-15

by Jason Aaron, Leila del Duca (artist)

In the post-apocalypse, paradise can’t last for long in… THE RISE AND FALL OF GOLGONOOZA! A secluded suburban community is the last thing Maceo and Mezzy expected to find, especially one so well-preserved and well-stocked. As more people come to reside in this settlement called Golgonooza, it flourishes, and becomes a home for Mezzy and Maceo, just as they become home to each other. However, the cracks in Maceo and Mezzy’s oasis turn to chasms as their relationship stability (and that of the community) faces its first disasters! What Maceo felt for Mezzy eventually turns to terror as he doubts if he ever knew her in the first place, and even begins to fear her. The chasm between them grows–quite literally–as Golgonooza’s foundation crumbles and bubbles with a strange poison gas… New York Times bestselling, Eisner and Harvey Award-winning writer Jason Aaron (Thor, Star Darth Vader) is joined by acclaimed artist Leila del Duca (Wonder Homecoming) in the second chapter of his ambitious post-apocalyptic original series! Collects Once Upon a Time at the End of the World #6-10.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Comic Book, Post Apocalyptic

Kindle Edition

Published August 20, 2024

About the author

Jason Aaron grew up in a small town in Alabama. His cousin, Gustav Hasford, who wrote the semi-autobiographical novel The Short-Timers, on which the feature film Full Metal Jacket was based, was a large influence on Aaron. Aaron decided he wanted to write comics as a child, and though his father was skeptical when Aaron informed him of this aspiration, his mother took Aaron to drug stores, where he would purchase books from spinner racks, some of which he still owns today.

Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.

In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.

Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.

In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.

In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.

After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.

Reviews

[Matthew Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fifteen issues of beautiful world-building, relationships between characters, absolute madness, love, and the end of the world. Jason Aaron wrapped this story up exactly how I wanted it to end, but also how I didn’t want it to end. I know that doesn’t make sense, but this book, like the characters within it, are so complex, that I’m sticking by my statement there. These last five issues in this volume finished out this story in a ridiculous, action-packed, emotional way that brings the entire story to such a satisfying and perfect end.

[Benji Glaab · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This series has had some major highs, and lows. I wasn't too keen on the laze Faire middle volume, but this volume is decent. Than those last 2 issues hit oh so hard.

I don't know Jason Aaron's relationship status or history, but it seems like he was really writing from the perspective of been there done that. This is a romance book (sort of) set in an apocalyptic setting and it's crazy to see the relationship change over the 30-40 year time span. I'm not quite at the snaggle tooth silver fox point in my life, but ai have a life partner I've been with for nearly 20 years and it's hard not to pull similarities from the story. This isn't really masterpiece level writing but dang Aaron pours his heart into this one, and I can't say there are many books like this one on the shelf.

Definitely worth a look at the series now it's complete. Like I said the start and finish of the series is so strong, and I forgot to mention there is a crazy amount of sex and probably too much violence sprinkled in here for good measure so there is that

[Valéria. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just awesome. 15 issues of pure love, madness, fights and fucking, inventing and rats.

3 books.
Each in different art made by three amazing artists.
Each one of them chosen very well for the part of the life of the couple.
Tefenkgi for their childhood and growing up, del Duca for their adulthood and Dragotta when they’re old.

It was truly beautiful and world-building was exquisite.
5/5.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very satisfying ending. I'm glad I stuck with it after feeling that volume two went in a completely random at the time direction. However this does a really good job of tying everything together and uniting the whole story as a multi-layered arc.

[Vinnie Uube · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delivered from start to finish exactly what it promised: A tale about love in a time of ruin.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the bonkers ending of the previous volume, we find Mezzy and Maceo old, grumpy, and following separate paths. Mezzy has fallen back on her fascist girl scout troop ways, while Mezzy is still inventing things (many of which end up embedded in his often-nude body). So, back to square one, really.

Until some of Mezzy's wastelanders decide to destroy the Engine, which might be the key to the whole thing. The enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies duo team back up to take down the bad guys in a pretty brutal conclusion. All told, a thrilling volume with far less goofy free love/bad mushroom trip stuff and more action, adventure, and (sorta) sweet reconciliation. Gets back to the promise of the first volume, even if none of this really went anywhere.

[Daniel Stitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished volume three—the final installment in Once Upon a Time at the End of the World—and I have some mixed feelings. On the one hand, I really appreciated seeing the characters aged, decades into the future. It was fascinating to see how time and trauma shaped them after everything that happened in volume two. There’s a heavy emotional tone throughout this volume—lots of anger, bitterness, and unhealed wounds bubbling under the surface.

That said, I felt like not much emotional growth actually happened in this final chapter. Instead, it leaned heavily into visceral violence and brutal confrontations with the remaining horrors of their post-apocalyptic world. While it was action-packed and intense, I kept waiting for a deeper emotional payoff that never quite came.

In a way, the ending left me a little disappointed. The characters were separated in volume one, found each other in love and hope in volume two, and yet by the end of volume three… they’re separated again. I’m struggling to figure out what that arc really means. What is it saying to us as readers? Is there a philosophical takeaway or just a reflection of how messy and unresolved relationships can be in real life? Maybe that is the point—this series doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It’s gritty, dark, and real, not particularly hopeful, but always grounded.

Still, I have to say: the art was consistently stunning, the storytelling strong, and the world-building rich and immersive. As a depiction of love and connection trying to survive in a brutal world, it succeeded in many ways. I just wish the ending had delivered more in terms of closure or meaning. Overall, a powerful series—I just wanted a little more emotional resonance at the end.

[Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Golgonooza is no more and an old Maceo has one last mission...
BEAT THE RAVAGERS TO THE ENGINE!

He's fought his way free of the Ravagers torture (with some surprising help from Mezzy) and flees back to his home and companions. We're caught up on what Mezzy and Maceo did after the first explosion of the Engine. With no way to reunite then, they walked separate paths and felt the thing they'd avoided for so long.

Being alone.

Now, with the Ravagers headed to the wreck of Golgonooza, can Mezzy and Maceo get over their history. Love, hate, or whatever this feeling is...has to be put aside. The Engine could destroy everything.
=====
Another great chapter in this story. Seeing them break down where there relationship could have gone wrong and who was to blame....was so true to life. I really appreciated the length of this. It didn't drag itself on forever. We have a tidy little story that is whole and amazing.
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Bonus: Fire rats are fierce as F***!

[Estibaliz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

One could argue the writing is not as good in this volume as it was in the first ones, but I don't think that's actually the issue here; but the fact that, after all, this is not a story about a love, but about the lost of it. And as such, really devastating, and slightly disappointing for me.

Then, that's exactly what makes this whole story so unique and different, and Aaron really makes a great job when conveying all the feelings that I am sure he was out to convey. I almost think this was his personal way of copying with divorce, but just guessing here...

This volume was pretty dark in a way, and a raging madness of post-apocalyptic angst and desperation; and, as such, the new artist, Nick Dragotta, was an amazingly fitting choice, even if the art here was my least favorite out of the three issues.

All in all, great series. I do recommend it.

[Joey Nardinelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

While it drags along some of the elements from issues 6-10 that I didn’t much care for regarding the emergent strife between Maceo and Mezzy, this at least offered a mostly satisfying conclusion to their ultimate telos at the end of the world. I think the art remains universally pretty solid and the differences between the chaotic Dragotta future and the lush stuff by Del Duca stood out the most to me. The final ending of this felt a little weak, with both characters in isolation amid the hope of eventually reconnecting despite their constant refusal to take the plunge again with each other. I wasn’t expecting a happy ending, but one as weirdly muted as this left me wanting something else. Glad to see some of the stuff with the Rangers brought back around, since it does a lot of heavy lifting for Mezzy’s character. Definitely a soft recommend from me.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

An OK ending to a series that to me never lived up to its full potential. After the last volume, the two have split off living a lonely existence and kept on screwing up royally. Now they have to band together again to stop the end of the world. I get what Aaron was trying to do here. I just didn't connect nearly as much as he was striving for.

[Mee Too · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this volume as the issues trickled in to hoopla, so it took a while to finish. I was bit weary of how it would be, because i was so disappointed in book 2. Well it was refreshing to see that this last volume really made up for it. what a fun rollercoaster of a love story.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was all right. Maybe a bit disappointing. Mezzy and Maceo team up to fight off some wasteland freaks and ravagers intent on destroying the Engine and the world along with it. But will they get back together?

[Adam Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt a whole lot of things, from the beginning of this series until the end. I'll only share one: I feel like Once Upon A Time At The End Of The World is one of the best comics stories I've ever read.

It'll be a yearly re-read. If I can emotionally handle it.

[Adam Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This on was better, but I hated the character arc for both protagonists. They don't communicate, don't explain what they did for 30+ years, and end the end still don't want anything to do with each other. Sad.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the present, old Maceo and Mezzy deal with a death cult while bickering over their feelings. In the past, we see what happened to them after the fall of Golgonooza. The action continues to be over-the-top.

[Andres Pasten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se alargó un poco al final, pero concluye bien

[Chr*s Browning]

A decent enough end, but also fairly Reddit. To be expected.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where things come full circle and a satisfying end. The series was a cool visualization of the stages of love and relationships.

[Julie Boudreau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolument excellent et touchant d'un bout à l'autre.

[Astrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good end to the series.

[Shawn Ingle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can Mezzy and Maceo find redemption and forgiveness while fighting to save their lives and the world? Do they even want to? It’s absolutely worth reading this series to find out.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a hiccup in volume 2, this is a great finale! Heart wrenching but pure excellence!

[Charles Eldridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always enjoy Jason Aaron’s writing, and this was quite the conclusion to his wild apocalyptic tale. Though some of the action sequences ran long and/or repetitive, this was a fitting end to this unique three-volume tale. If you enjoyed the first foray in this dying world, then continue the whole way to the end.