How to Survive the End of the World: A Graphic Exploration of How to (Maybe) Avoid Extinction coming March 31st, 2026 from MITeen Press; 256 pages
Content Warning: Death
About the Author & Illustrator: “Katy is a California-born, Texas-bred, New-England-educated illustrator with a special place in her heart for nonfiction comics. She holds a BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MPH from Boston University School of Public Health, and was the Associates of the Boston Public Library’s Writer-in-Residence in 2021-2022. She lives in Boston with her family” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Katy Doughty on the following platforms:
Because of humans, many forms of life have become extinct; yet someday, we too will share this fate. This morbid thinking begs the question: what exactly would this extinction look like? Using expert interviews, facts, and a keen sense of humor, Doughty paints us detailed pictures of this cataclysmic reality. This graphic novel takes the reader on a journey through time, showcasing all the possible—and impossible—doomsday scenarios for the world we call home. From pandemics to volcanoes, nuclear blasts, climate calamities, artificial intelligence, falling space rocks, or the universe’s total collapse, this graphic novel captures all the various ways we can meet our end. Even so, humanity’s ending isn’t set in stone. Doughty’s novel remains resiliently hopeful: a call to action for what we can do about what happens next.
While we’ve all personally experienced the signs of this end-of-the-world future with climate change and the tragedy of COVID-19, our imagining of this reality remains ever-shifting and uncertain. Understandably, this can be overwhelming; I know it has been for me these past couple of years. So what Doughty does in this graphic novel is illuminate all these different possibilities through insightful research as well as compassionate wisdom. It’s evident throughout the novel that Doughty has a deep love for humanity, whether it’s our shared history or the legacy we leave behind. Despite the existential dread this particular subject matter inspires, I appreciated how the novel reinforces the ways in which we can positively change or come to terms with these endings. It illustrates how powerful hope, courage, and resolve are when facing these doomsday futures, but also that some concerns are, frankly, inevitable. In this respect, Doughty deftly balances care with seriousness. Not only does she explain scientific concepts and histories in an accessible way for the curious layman, but she also captivates readers with bold, colorful illustrations to supplement the nonfiction. Ultimately, this graphic novel was an enlightening read—perfect for anyone who’s anxious about the end of the world.
How to Survive the End of the World: A Graphic Exploration of How to (Maybe) Avoid Extinction releases on March 31st, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and MITeen Press for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Danielle Hartshorn, Pine Reads Review Writer & Editor