Jake Tapper Makes Graphic Novel Debut

LOS ANGELES, CA (October 21, 2026) — Stepping away from the newsroom to the creator’s chair, award-winning journalist and NewYork Times best-selling author, Jake Tapper, tackles the hunt for one of the most terrifying war criminals of the 20th century with his debut graphic novel, The Butcher: The Decades-Long Hunt for Klaus Barbie, One of the World’s Most Notorious Killers, publishing June 1, 2027 via Top Shelf Productions. The Butcher is the compelling true story of Klaus Barbie, the mass murderer who escaped justice and thrived for decades, the Nazi hunters and journalists who tracked him down, and the shocking investigation that revealed who helped him escape to begin with. Using his investigative skills and researching from source material in four different languages — German, English, Spanish, and French — Tapper has chronicled the shocking pursuit of one of the world’s most sought after war criminals in excruciating detail, as writer AND illustrator!

“Jake Tapper combines his passions for investigative journalism and literary comics in his debut graphic novel, which he both wrote and illustrated,” says​ Chris Staros, Editor-in-Chief, Top Shelf Productions. “What sets this book apart is its powerful revelation of those who assisted in helping a notorious Nazi evade justice, contrasted with the relentless, uncompromising efforts of those who fought to ensure accountability.”

The Butcher: The Decades-Long Hunt for Klaus Barbie, One of the World’s Most Notorious Killerswill be available as a full-color graphic novel on June 1, 2027 in two editions. The softcover edition (ISBN: 978-1-60309-615-7) will be available wherever books are sold for a list price of $19.99. There will be a limited, signed and numbered hardcover edition (ISBN: 978-1-60309-626-3) available exclusively at the IDW Publishing online store for a list price of $49.99.