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Book of Evil #1-4
Book of Evil
Imagine that from tomorrow morning onward, nearly every baby born into this world is a future psychopath. There is no answer as to why the change is happening. Is this human evolution? Devolution? An uncurable virus of some kind? Regardless, just like that, the new normal is psychopathy.
Fifty years later, four friends must set off on a journey that will take them down the roads and rivers of this transformed America in hope of finding a place where goodness still lives.
Blending prose and multiple kinds of illustration, SCOTT SNYDER and JOCK (Batman, Wytches) weave a tale about growing up in a world far more harrowing than our own.
Part of the Comixology Originals line of exclusive digital content only available on Comixology and Kindle. Read for free as part of your subscription to Comixology Unlimited, Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime. Also available for purchase via Comixology, Kindle and in print via Dark Horse Books.
Fifty years later, four friends must set off on a journey that will take them down the roads and rivers of this transformed America in hope of finding a place where goodness still lives.
Blending prose and multiple kinds of illustration, SCOTT SNYDER and JOCK (Batman, Wytches) weave a tale about growing up in a world far more harrowing than our own.
Part of the Comixology Originals line of exclusive digital content only available on Comixology and Kindle. Read for free as part of your subscription to Comixology Unlimited, Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime. Also available for purchase via Comixology, Kindle and in print via Dark Horse Books.
167 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 3, 2023
68 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Scott Snyder
1,779 books5,121 followersScott Snyder is the Eisner and Harvey Award winning writer on DC Comics Batman, Swamp Thing, and his original series for Vertigo, American Vampire. He is also the author of the short story collection, Voodoo Heart, published by the Dial Press in 2006. The paperback version was published in the summer of 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 15, 2025
In a future where the norm is turning into a psychopath in your teens, and everyone who isn’t is treated like an animal, a group of kids try to find a cure.
This “comic” is more like a somewhat badly illustrated journal. I don’t know how you can make a story with this synopsis boring and lame, but Snyder manages to exceed in this regard.
The ending was a let down too. It felt like it was wrapped up too quickly when it took so long to actually get going with the action.
This “comic” is more like a somewhat badly illustrated journal. I don’t know how you can make a story with this synopsis boring and lame, but Snyder manages to exceed in this regard.
The ending was a let down too. It felt like it was wrapped up too quickly when it took so long to actually get going with the action.
September 5, 2023
I may have mentioned – though only a few dozen times – that I wish Scott Snyder would stop churning out new horror comics and get on with the ludicrously delayed second volume of his best work in that genre, Wytches. And now he's just taking the piss because he's even working with that series' artist, Jock. Though perhaps this one is less of a time commitment because, despite being a Comixology Original and thus one might assume a comic, it's really more illustrated prose, a child's account of a world somewhere around the end of this century, decades after something changed and 92% of people started becoming psychopaths at puberty*. Certainly things have changed less than you might think, and not always for the worse, except as regards the young and the 8%, who are considered 'animals' as against the 'human' majority, and only protected so long as they carefully stay within certain parameters. But there are a few tasks where 'animals' can still prosper, such as the arts, where empathy helps. An angle I'm not sure bears much consideration, when you consider the behaviour of an awful lot of creative types, or that Graham Greene line about needing a splinter of ice in the heart. But that's the set-up, most significantly the bit where there's a popular cartoon called The Book Of Evil** in which modern 'humans' travel back through the times before the change, fucking shit up, which apparently celebrates the new society, but which is created by an 'animal' and rumoured to hold clues to a place his kind can live free. The protagonists are a bunch of kids hoping to find this haven, even while they know there's a significant risk they'll age into its worst enemies; supposedly they've taken their names from great artists of the old days, though the opening issue was the second comic I read to spell TS Eliot 'Elliot' during the centenary year of The Waste Land, which occasioned some distinctly 'human' responses in this reader. The final issue managed to defuse some of my exasperation with the concept by - SPOILER - having historical atrocities that the kids assume must have been perpetrated by the new breed of psychos only to point out that no, that's just how humans always were. But after the initial 'aaaah', even that only serves to remind the reader that the journey was as pointless for us as for the characters.
*Do your own punchline about this being a decrease either from the current ratio or from the proportion of psychopath kids.
**Still waiting on that term for a work of art which shares its name with a work of art that only exists within itself.
*Do your own punchline about this being a decrease either from the current ratio or from the proportion of psychopath kids.
**Still waiting on that term for a work of art which shares its name with a work of art that only exists within itself.
October 21, 2025
If you have read a lot of Scott Snyder, you start to notice these recurring themes from a fascination of history to a strong emphasis on horror which really shows through his collaboration with artist Jock, as previously seen in Batman: The Black Mirror and Wytches. As part of his eight-title digital first deal with Comixology Originals, published through his creator-owned imprint Best Jackett Press, Snyder reunites with Jock for Book of Evil, which has been published as a physical trade by Dark Horse.
Set fifty years in the future, the dystopian world is populated by humanity, 92% of whom grow up to become psychopaths. No answer as to why this change occurs, but we centre on four children on a journey that will take them down the roads and rivers of this transformed America in hope of finding a place where goodness still lives, based on a map left behind by the older brother of one of the children, Homer.
What initially stands out about Book of Evil is its mixture of illustrated prose and comic, which is obviously not ground-breaking and in fact, Snyder have previously done this with A.D.: After Death with artist Jeff Lemire. Although it is unclear who is doing the lettering as it might be Jock or the book designer Emma Price, it stands out from how it uses font size, placement, and how it is broken up over the page.
Your mileage may vary on this form of storytelling, which really relies more on Snyder’s prose than Jock’s striking illustrations, which uses a monochrome presentation to establish its dystopian future and its habitants with the occasional use of colour that pops. I particularly like the comic-within-a-comic that is also titled "Book of Evil" which explores the time-travelling adventures of the Goode Brothers, where they go around killing historical figures for the sake of their evil ways, and it is here where Jock shows a loose sketch form to his art-style.
As for the world itself where the child protagonists travel to escape from the horror that really comes from growing up, there is an element of Stephen King sprinkled throughout, even down to exploring an America that once was, evoking the post-apocalyptic surroundings of The Stand. However, this is arguably Stand by Me with a dark sci-fi twist as the story is told through Homer’s journal, who recounts the good and bad times he had with his older brother Poe to the other three children that became his family.
Given their horror credentials, Snyder and Jock do not hesitate in delivering some scary set-pieces, most notably the beginning that features a creepy old woman wielding scissors, which sets the tone throughout this book. Given the insanity of our current real-world situations, no doubt that Snyder wanted to say something through his methods of horror storytelling and although this comic’s unconventional and rather bleak narrative, Book of Evil is not for the faint of heart, but those who are long-time fans of the two creators, it is a must-read.
Set fifty years in the future, the dystopian world is populated by humanity, 92% of whom grow up to become psychopaths. No answer as to why this change occurs, but we centre on four children on a journey that will take them down the roads and rivers of this transformed America in hope of finding a place where goodness still lives, based on a map left behind by the older brother of one of the children, Homer.
What initially stands out about Book of Evil is its mixture of illustrated prose and comic, which is obviously not ground-breaking and in fact, Snyder have previously done this with A.D.: After Death with artist Jeff Lemire. Although it is unclear who is doing the lettering as it might be Jock or the book designer Emma Price, it stands out from how it uses font size, placement, and how it is broken up over the page.
Your mileage may vary on this form of storytelling, which really relies more on Snyder’s prose than Jock’s striking illustrations, which uses a monochrome presentation to establish its dystopian future and its habitants with the occasional use of colour that pops. I particularly like the comic-within-a-comic that is also titled "Book of Evil" which explores the time-travelling adventures of the Goode Brothers, where they go around killing historical figures for the sake of their evil ways, and it is here where Jock shows a loose sketch form to his art-style.
As for the world itself where the child protagonists travel to escape from the horror that really comes from growing up, there is an element of Stephen King sprinkled throughout, even down to exploring an America that once was, evoking the post-apocalyptic surroundings of The Stand. However, this is arguably Stand by Me with a dark sci-fi twist as the story is told through Homer’s journal, who recounts the good and bad times he had with his older brother Poe to the other three children that became his family.
Given their horror credentials, Snyder and Jock do not hesitate in delivering some scary set-pieces, most notably the beginning that features a creepy old woman wielding scissors, which sets the tone throughout this book. Given the insanity of our current real-world situations, no doubt that Snyder wanted to say something through his methods of horror storytelling and although this comic’s unconventional and rather bleak narrative, Book of Evil is not for the faint of heart, but those who are long-time fans of the two creators, it is a must-read.
January 11, 2025
In the closing note to this collection, Snyder indicates that this was the toughest story for him to write, because the message is so important to him.
Well, then he either bobbled the delivery or I'm stupid and missed the point (most like the latter is the correct one). But this was, to me, a story that tried too hard to make its point, despite burying it deep in the last quarter of the story. And the point wasn't really all that revelatory, to be honest. I mean...um...Scott...have you LOOKED outside at the world lately?
Instead, we're treated to a very long introduction to the world and the main characters—who tend to come across whiny and boring more than anything—then two sections of them getting ready to travel, and traveling. Apparently this is important because, in the history of this world, no one's ever succeeded before (probably the part I had the hardest time believing, to be honest). Then, finally the destination and The Big Secret.
Very much a by-the-numbers Huckleberry Finn/Logan's Run crossover, but nowhere near as good as either.
The writing is...okay. There's a lot of it, so it should be a pleasure to read, not a chore, but I feel like Snyder relied more on creative font usage and colour to get his points across, rather than taking pains with the actual words.
And the art. Hmmm. I love Jock's art. Always have. But this was art with minimal effort. There's so many reused images, including big moments (Homer and Blake kissing the second time is Homer and Blake kissing the first time, just mirror-imaged). So, instead of enjoying it and the art enhancing the words, the repetitive use of the same images came across as lazy.
Much like the story.
For me, this ended up being less BOOK OF EVIL and more BOOK OF BANAL.
Well, then he either bobbled the delivery or I'm stupid and missed the point (most like the latter is the correct one). But this was, to me, a story that tried too hard to make its point, despite burying it deep in the last quarter of the story. And the point wasn't really all that revelatory, to be honest. I mean...um...Scott...have you LOOKED outside at the world lately?
Instead, we're treated to a very long introduction to the world and the main characters—who tend to come across whiny and boring more than anything—then two sections of them getting ready to travel, and traveling. Apparently this is important because, in the history of this world, no one's ever succeeded before (probably the part I had the hardest time believing, to be honest). Then, finally the destination and The Big Secret.
Very much a by-the-numbers Huckleberry Finn/Logan's Run crossover, but nowhere near as good as either.
The writing is...okay. There's a lot of it, so it should be a pleasure to read, not a chore, but I feel like Snyder relied more on creative font usage and colour to get his points across, rather than taking pains with the actual words.
And the art. Hmmm. I love Jock's art. Always have. But this was art with minimal effort. There's so many reused images, including big moments (Homer and Blake kissing the second time is Homer and Blake kissing the first time, just mirror-imaged). So, instead of enjoying it and the art enhancing the words, the repetitive use of the same images came across as lazy.
Much like the story.
For me, this ended up being less BOOK OF EVIL and more BOOK OF BANAL.
January 26, 2025
Well this was...unexpected. I grabbed this because it was free with my Comixology Unlimited subscription. I assumed it was horror bit didn't read the synopsis. Assumed it was a graphic novel...because that's what I get with Comixology Unlimited. Thought it would be a fast read and needed something quick and easy while waiting for my kid at a birthday party. I had NO idea what I was getting into.
First...it's not really your typical graphic novel. It's written out in prose but it's fully illustrated...kind of a hybrid. Absolutely stunning. Read this on my Colorsoft and now I NEED a physical copy. The illustrations are Haunting and absolutely perfect for this story.
It IS horror...set in a dystopian world where the majority of people are psychopaths now and non-psychopaths are considered animals, kept in zoos, bred, etc...it's WILD. Kids can go either way...will they be new "humans" or animals? This story follows a group of these kids.
I was completely captivated and didn't want to put it down. Would definitely recommend giving it a try...especially if you like horror and have Comixology Unlimited.
First...it's not really your typical graphic novel. It's written out in prose but it's fully illustrated...kind of a hybrid. Absolutely stunning. Read this on my Colorsoft and now I NEED a physical copy. The illustrations are Haunting and absolutely perfect for this story.
It IS horror...set in a dystopian world where the majority of people are psychopaths now and non-psychopaths are considered animals, kept in zoos, bred, etc...it's WILD. Kids can go either way...will they be new "humans" or animals? This story follows a group of these kids.
I was completely captivated and didn't want to put it down. Would definitely recommend giving it a try...especially if you like horror and have Comixology Unlimited.
July 17, 2024
Have you ever heard someone say of classic fiction “The author didn’t use proper grammar, but he’s making a point of it”? I finally understood that comment.
This book is very different. First of all, this isn’t a comic. This is an illustrated novel (and not the last one I’ll be reading within a month or two, funny enough), and I take great offense at the attempted erasure of said medium. But in all seriousness, this is incredibly effective, even when it isn’t consistent or perfect. I’m happy I read it, but it’s not for everyone, and even those for whom it is for may find it lacking in a few areas despite its positives.
This would greatly benefit from a second pass. Now that it’s all written, let’s give it a second draft, yeah? There are certain things that just don’t line up, like the comments about potentially dropping the book early on, despite it being clear by the end that the journal wasn’t written until later. Things like that, things I’m sure arose because of the monthly release schedule.
Also suffering from that is the pacing of the book. The book has moments that I’m starting to doze a bit because nothing has happened for so long. It’s not much longer until it picks back up, but it does have that issue when collected all together. I imagine each issue on its own might feel differently.
But nevertheless, the world this shows is a fascinating one. A dark one. God, it’s bleak. But it also feels familiar, and I think that’s what’s so haunting about it. Do I wish we could explore the world without a first person narrator…? Eh, yeah, I do. I’m not personally a fan. I wish it weren’t in journal format, but for the sake of the character arc, it almost has to be.
I appreciate how experimental this is, I like how daring it gets, the main character is compelling enough, and the art is always striking. It’s a solid book that doesn’t come together just right but is worthwhile nonetheless.
This book is very different. First of all, this isn’t a comic. This is an illustrated novel (and not the last one I’ll be reading within a month or two, funny enough), and I take great offense at the attempted erasure of said medium. But in all seriousness, this is incredibly effective, even when it isn’t consistent or perfect. I’m happy I read it, but it’s not for everyone, and even those for whom it is for may find it lacking in a few areas despite its positives.
This would greatly benefit from a second pass. Now that it’s all written, let’s give it a second draft, yeah? There are certain things that just don’t line up, like the comments about potentially dropping the book early on, despite it being clear by the end that the journal wasn’t written until later. Things like that, things I’m sure arose because of the monthly release schedule.
Also suffering from that is the pacing of the book. The book has moments that I’m starting to doze a bit because nothing has happened for so long. It’s not much longer until it picks back up, but it does have that issue when collected all together. I imagine each issue on its own might feel differently.
But nevertheless, the world this shows is a fascinating one. A dark one. God, it’s bleak. But it also feels familiar, and I think that’s what’s so haunting about it. Do I wish we could explore the world without a first person narrator…? Eh, yeah, I do. I’m not personally a fan. I wish it weren’t in journal format, but for the sake of the character arc, it almost has to be.
I appreciate how experimental this is, I like how daring it gets, the main character is compelling enough, and the art is always striking. It’s a solid book that doesn’t come together just right but is worthwhile nonetheless.
August 26, 2025
This is something of an extremely Dystopian 84
A different take on a dystopian future by Scott Snyder who specialises in these dark tales. The story is about evolution of man and more importantly it shows a future which is the anti-thesis of the world today.
What if humans evolved further into cold psychopaths? A world divided by a different kind of ethnicity, reflecting divides today.
Loved the dark style.
What did not work for me was that this was not a graphic novel more a book with illustrations. Reading it was a little cumbersome but the result was a darker feeling.
Reading further on this dystopian take we meet Poe's friends, the rest of the children now working along for an escape from their prison and the story progresses into fresh territory outside the prison. The big question - Are people who disappear turning.
The adventures of the friends continue after their great escape from the city.
The team gets separated and the continuous amping up of the tension with full credit to Snyder who keeps showcasing his story telling strength in these short novels.
I have been raving about Scott's collaborations with Comixology and the quality of the output is stratospheric. And all of the madness packed tightly into 4-6 short books is sometimes a difficult pill to swallow.
This short series of 4 books is longer because of the style which is more novel rather than a graphic novel, illustrated edition would be more accurate. The format is dark and gloomy to go with the storyline. Reading is a chore with the various coloured backgrounds.
The 5 children, protagonists led by Homer who is the writer of this story, go through different shades of dystopian adventure before finishing of with what was for me an insufficient end.
But overall an experience.
A different take on a dystopian future by Scott Snyder who specialises in these dark tales. The story is about evolution of man and more importantly it shows a future which is the anti-thesis of the world today.
What if humans evolved further into cold psychopaths? A world divided by a different kind of ethnicity, reflecting divides today.
Loved the dark style.
What did not work for me was that this was not a graphic novel more a book with illustrations. Reading it was a little cumbersome but the result was a darker feeling.
Reading further on this dystopian take we meet Poe's friends, the rest of the children now working along for an escape from their prison and the story progresses into fresh territory outside the prison. The big question - Are people who disappear turning.
The adventures of the friends continue after their great escape from the city.
The team gets separated and the continuous amping up of the tension with full credit to Snyder who keeps showcasing his story telling strength in these short novels.
I have been raving about Scott's collaborations with Comixology and the quality of the output is stratospheric. And all of the madness packed tightly into 4-6 short books is sometimes a difficult pill to swallow.
This short series of 4 books is longer because of the style which is more novel rather than a graphic novel, illustrated edition would be more accurate. The format is dark and gloomy to go with the storyline. Reading is a chore with the various coloured backgrounds.
The 5 children, protagonists led by Homer who is the writer of this story, go through different shades of dystopian adventure before finishing of with what was for me an insufficient end.
But overall an experience.
November 4, 2024
When I saw Scott Snyder and Jock were working together again, I thought "Great, we're finally getting that long delayed sequel to Wytches." It's even put out by a comic book company, first on Comixology, then in print from Dark Horse. But nope. This isn't even a comic. It's prose, written like a journal, with illustrations from Jock.
It's about a dystopian future where 92% of people turn into psychopaths when they hit puberty. All of the kids work in a special part of the city that's cordoned off until they become "adults" and join the rest of the population. There's a group of 5 kids who yearn to escape and join a mythical place where there is a cure. The 2nd half of this the pacing feels off. Every time they get somewhere something immediately happens and they have to run again. Plus I didn't think the ending was very good. Again it felt very rushed without a real ending at all. Still, if you're a Scott Snyder fan it's not a bad read.
It's about a dystopian future where 92% of people turn into psychopaths when they hit puberty. All of the kids work in a special part of the city that's cordoned off until they become "adults" and join the rest of the population. There's a group of 5 kids who yearn to escape and join a mythical place where there is a cure. The 2nd half of this the pacing feels off. Every time they get somewhere something immediately happens and they have to run again. Plus I didn't think the ending was very good. Again it felt very rushed without a real ending at all. Still, if you're a Scott Snyder fan it's not a bad read.
December 17, 2025
This creative, mostly prose novel, by Scott Snyder is incredibly compelling. In a post apocalyptic future where teens turn into psychopaths, four friends embark on a journey to make things better. This gave my Stand By Me vibes in the best way as the kids all have plenty of personality. This world is violent and strange and the story is told through the lens of a preteen's journal so the POV is interesting. This book won't be for everyone as its not a traditional comic (panels) but Jock's illustrations are great and the coloring is effective. Overall, Snyder creates something that is new and compelling.
Read
October 4, 2024Actually not as spooky as Dungeon, I think? But unsettling and really good. Probably my favorite of my little Scott Snyder October marathon. Love this man’s prose and you don’t get it that often, so glad this is out there.
February 17, 2024
Must Read!
In journal form, this comic makes for a fast-paced thriller about friendships, loss, and love in an extremely dark era.
In journal form, this comic makes for a fast-paced thriller about friendships, loss, and love in an extremely dark era.
February 24, 2024
Such a clever story. Unexpectedly forces the reader to think in ways that they maybe weren’t taught to.
August 27, 2024
Really strong start to the book but didn’t care for the ending.
December 27, 2024
Haunting and uncomfortable throughout. There are a few descriptions in this one that I will never be able to unsee. Worth the read if you like slow-moving horror.
July 16, 2025
highly recommend
The best horror story I’ve read in a well 10 stars!
Read it now one two three four five six
The best horror story I’ve read in a well 10 stars!
Read it now one two three four five six
October 2, 2025
This was bleak. Like a zombie apocalypse but scarier. Reminded me of Tender Is The Flesh too.
Really good
Really good
January 27, 2025
This is perhaps my favorite and certainly the most disturbing of the Scott Snyder and Jock collaborations (so far, lets see how You Won't Feel A Thing turns out). Set in a future where almost every adult is a psychopath and told through the journal of a pre-teen, be prepared to be shocked, horrified, and brought to tears.
Scott Snyder has always been a good writer, but stuff like this and Darkspaces has shown just how much he's grown since the early 2010s.
Scott Snyder has always been a good writer, but stuff like this and Darkspaces has shown just how much he's grown since the early 2010s.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews