Specs
Text & Images: Mikael Ross
344 pages, black and white
softcover, 17 x 24 cm,
Book Production: Thomas Gilke
Graphic Design and Screentones: Inês Gomes Ferreira
Der verkehrte Himmel
What a heat! In the midst of Berlin's sweltering summer, siblings Tâm and Dennis make a disturbing discovery. In some bushes on the edge of their sleepy neighborhood in Berlin-Lichtenberg, they find a single severed finger. In the course of their investigations, they have a disturbing encounter with a mysterious girl: the “girl from the parking lot” is Hoa Binh, two years older than them, and she is on the run. But running from whom? Without realizing what she is getting herself into, Tâm decides to help her.
With its black-and-white visuals, the graphic novel draws on the best traditions of film noir and utilizes the aesthetics of Japanese manga. A heated thriller that begins between Berlin's high rises and allotment gardens, but points far beyond them into the wider world.
Press reviews
“Der verkehrte Himmel” (Nirvana is here) by Mikael Ross is an incredibly multi-layered comic in which all characters are portrayed with great respect—which is typical for Ross. At the same time, it is incredibly funny, exciting, and fast-paced. It is Mikael Ross's best comic to date.
If Der Umfall (The Thud), published six years ago, was a promising first story by the illustrator, Der verkehrte Himmel (Nirvana is here) now confirms that we are dealing with a skilled and knowledgeable artist who exploits the possibilities of his craft with unparalleled dexterity.
“Der verkehrte Himmel” (Nirvana is here) is the 40-year-old's sixth comic book. It is a work of constant development and a seemingly limitless range of topics. And now we have a preliminary highlight that owes much to this constant curiosity about a wide variety of subjects.
This immersion into Berlin's Vietnamese community is enhanced by powerful graphics and exceptional scenery that make this work addictive. The black and white accentuates the urgency and oxymoronic aspect, both dark and luminous.
Awards
Peng Award
for Best German-Language Comic 2025, Comicfest Munich
Premio Boscarto
for best foreign-language comic 2025, Treviso Comic Book Festival
Nominations
Prix Lycéen, Festival de BD Colomiers 2025
Prix Ouest-France, Quai des bulles Saint-Malo 2025
Part of the White Ravens Selection 2025
LIVE READING
You can also book a live, audio-visual reading of Der verkehrte Himmel. The reading lasts about 60 minutes and is held in German. A comic book reading is similar to a regular literature reading, with the sole difference that while the author reads, the comic panels are shown on a projector.
If you are interested get in touch. contact
The Polish edition was published in 2025 by Timof under the title Nirwana jest tu.
Translation: Arkadiusz Łuba
The Italian edition was published by Bao Publishing under the title Il nirvana è qui.
Translation: Giordana Rossetti
Editions
The book has been translated into five languages: Spanish, French, Polish, Czech, and Italian. An English edition is planned for 2026 by Fantagraphics.
The Spanish edition was published in 2024 by Astiberri under the title El nirvana está aquí.
Translation: Itziar Hernández Rodilla
