Wist: A Graphic Novel

by Steve M. Robertson

In a world ruled by strange and terrible gods, Wist’s life as an angel is a fate worse than death… Until a young witch offers him a chance to escape his dark master once and for all. This fantasy graphic novel by Steve M. Robertson contains a hybrid of digitally-drawn and AI-generated art with strong elements of horror.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Horror, Comics, Fantasy

240 pages, Paperback

Published August 2, 2023

About the author

Steve M. Robertson (@stevemrobertson) is a writer, actor, and game designer based in New York City. Since graduating from Juilliard, he's worked across a variety of mediums. You can catch him onscreen as Matt Caldwell in Showtime's 'Dexter: New Blood' and as Ian Hope in SYFY's 'Channel Zero: The Dream Door.'

When he's not writing, he's playing music around the city, jumping up and down as fast as he can, and running a slew of D&D homebrews with his friends :)

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this one via TikTok on payday so I went for it. Had I known that the author used AI (with slight human-made adjustments afterward) for all of the art, I would not have bought and read it. I wish I could see a list of artists that Midjourney plagiarized for this one since I really enjoyed the art before I knew it was AI-generated.

The story's clunky, especially character interactions and motivations, but the world-building is just enticing enough for me to want to return. It's like Sandman in a medieval setting not dissimilar from Gareth Hanrahan's Black Iron Legacy with a pinch of Lovecraft the slightest bit of Dune's savior complex.

I want to like this. I cannot in good conscience like this.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather enjoyable dark-fantasy/horror graphic novel that was created, in part, thanks to AI. The creator used MidJourney, an AI art creation tool, to create the art, he then tweaked it with photoshop and a drawing application to create the finished product. The premise hooked me (using AI generated art to create a graphic novel) and the work itself is excellent (an angel bound to a dark god looking for a way out and the unlikely source of his salvation). A fascinating world and history coupled with engaging characters makes me eager for the next installment. The creator has posted 40 pages of the work to preview, so check it out.

[Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

enjoyable story and I really like the premise, I just felt like it moved pretty quick. it also didn’t feel very… deep? it was missing something. the art was cool but i can’t say that knowing it was partially ai didn’t effect how i felt about it

[Tracy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good story but I was very disappointed when I got this and there’s a disclaimer in front about the art: “the art you’ll find in this project is a hybrid of digital drawing and AI-generated images- especially heavy on the AI side of things.” Very disappointed that this uses AI for art- art that has been sampled and stolen from other artists without permission. Yes the author is responsible for the story but write a book then, don’t make a graphic novel. Or pay an artist.

[Kelli Chimchirian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

A REALLY cool concept with creepy awesome artwork but the story feels like it needs to be more fleshed out.

I added a star to my initial rating because there will be a sequel (which makes me a tad hopeful for what's missing in this book).

Overall, a cool read that you can breeze through in a sitting with awesome visuals!

[Holly Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wist is illustrated mostly using AI and I feel slightly mislead by the author about that fact.

I found out about Wist on TikTok. I was immediately drawn to the art. When I purchase graphic novels/comics, for me the art is paramount. That’s what makes them different from regular novels! So I was really kind of irked when I received the book, and the foreword explains it’s illustrated using AI. I went back and double checked and the particular TikTok ad I saw advertising the graphic novel NEVER mentioned it’s AI illustrated. I will say, in the TikTok shop it’s mentioned, but on slide 5 of 5 in the product pictures. I had already been convinced to buy it by the TikTok ad, so I didn’t do a deep dive on the shop. I just clicked the link and made the purchase. That is my fault for not doing my due diligence as a consumer. But I feel like the author intentionally buried the lede when it came to the fact that it’s mostly AI illustrated.

So yeah, I feel a little deceived as a customer. If he had been upfront I wouldn’t have been bothered but it feels pretty disingenuous to not mention it upfront in all of his TikTok ads, or on the cover of the book itself.

The story was interesting but it could have been fleshed out more. It needed more depth, and more time spent on the lore. Things happened so quickly that the plot felt shallow- which is a shame because there are some really interesting ideas in the story! There is already a part 2 in the works, so I’m hoping that the second book takes its time a bit more.

I think there is a place for this new AI technology when it comes to art, and I think that its integration is going to be inevitable. I just think it’s important to be more transparent in its usage.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this quick and creepy read and the art was equally creepy and beautiful. A witchy little girl summons an avenging angel, but things take a turn and it’s action packed. I hope this is book one of a series because I truly want to know where this will go.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I shy away from anything AI generated, it's just the art and the story is gripping and interesting.

[Elizabeth Eldritch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incredibly interestin. I will definitely look into future installments, but it could have used some more editing. Overall, I enjoyed it!

[Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5

i love the dark gothic style and it sets up well for the next one but AI artwork...

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly interesting because the art is AI-generated. The story was ok and I found the art a little bland.

[Ally Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read a comic book or graphic novel before so this was interesting! I loved the art threw out the book I hope with the next book maybe it could be less AI generated but it is very gorgeous though. The plot itself is very interesting in my opinion I do really like clover and excited to see what Steve has planned for her!Excited for the next to be released!

[Jake Pritchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great graphic novel! Very interesting story, fascinating characters, and dark atmosphere. I wish the art wasn't AI generated, but for an indie published GN, I'll let it slide (the art was undeniably beautiful).

[Justin Glennon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute fucking rip off. I’m furious I spent $30 on this.

AI or not you can tell how many images were “enhanced” by the author that were sourced by the same original image. There are no less than 6 instances of this with like 10 different subsequent images. I got angry counting them up.

The writing is just The Sandman with extra comic book tropes thrown in but if it was written by a fanfic writer.

This will go down as my most hated read of 2025.

[Mungbean Oohhaha · Rating 1 out of 5]

People are really out here shelling out their hard-earned duckets for ai generated images and a few text blurbs ?? 🤭

[Freddie Kentish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was awesome! Read in one sitting. My girlfriend bought me this as my one and only Christmas present because she saw it on TikTok. I gotta say, I do like to think myself a cool dude with a keen eye for niche indie comics but never in a million years would I have heard about this by myself.

The foreword by the author gives the lowdown on how they created the artwork using AI. I don't think my gf knew about this when she bought it and I'm not sure she would've done so if she did. But this was the best bit! Love me some human-generated artwork, but I'm no AI hater either; having tinkered around with some image generators myself late at night and being legitimately spooked, I was no doubt excited about the application here. And man does it pay off. As is clear from its growing body online, AI artwork is eerily nonhuman. Robertson takes full advantage of this with the depictions of evil Gods. These are unnerving to say the least (see the many faces of Thousand). There is also some heavy-hitting visual story telling here. One scene that really sticks with me is when Robertson inverses the black and white tones to show Wist's perception of the chains binding him whenever he closes his eyes. Powerful stuff!

In regards to storytelling more generally it's fair to say that Robertson only knows one gear and that's GO. Yes I stole that from Charlie Sheen talking about his drug use. Although it's surprisingly easy to keep up with, it wouldn't hurt to slow the pace now and then and develop the characters a bit more. I don't remember the names of any of the characters except Wist and the main evil God. And I only remember Wist's name because it's titular. That said, personally I didn't mind the fixed speed as it feels typical of mythological storytelling traditions. I will say that some of the characters and the protagonist in particular were incredibly corny and cliche. But who doesn't love a cliche??

The most interesting part of the book for me was the young girl who Wist becomes reluctantly involved with. When she first popped up I was absolutely mortified that the story was heading in the done-to-death direction of jaded-male-develops-unlikely-bond-with-helpless-minor a la Leon: The Professional , Logan and Ice Age. Okay, Logan and Ice Age were dope but still. But the girl whose name escapes me now is no helpless minor. Her backstory and indebtedness to our evil god turns out to be way cooler than Wist's own, her future potential even more promising. The hive mind thing feels stolen straight out of Dune (if you haven't read it, watch in Part 2), but it's still a great concept regardless.

In spite of its crap title, Wist is a strong debut graphic novel and first volume in what I hope to be a lengthy series. Ideally, Robertson will develop his writing skills enough to slow the story down in vol. 2 so we get to know some of his characters better. But I absolutely loved all the angel-for-hire lore and even if a few of the concepts felt a little familiar they are still stitched together creatively. The biggest success here though is the AI collab. Maybe there are more instances of this than I am aware of, but in using characteristics of AI generation to his advantage Robertson proves that with a little software anyone can create a dope comic at home without any real illustration skills. I definitely don't think this would work in any old comic and I wouldn't want it to either, but Wist looks great. I can't wait to read more about the god war and meet more scary gods.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book and the follow-up book from the TikTok shop, eager to support a new author and artist. I was excited to read them because the graphic novel style and dark fantasy story seemed right up my alley. Imagine my disappointment when I read the author’s note at the beginning saying that he used AI to create the art. I have to finish them because I did buy them, but I wouldn’t have if I’d known the art was created by AI. AI plagiarizes the art of real people and takes away from true artists. I can’t in good conscience knowingly support that. Knowing what I know now, I will finish the two books I already bought, but I wont buy any further works by this author as long as he continues to use AI for the art work.

That said, the story itself was written by this author, so I will base the rest of my review on that. I thought the storyline was good and kept me invested. The character interactions were clunky and half formed, but I was hooked to the story and I do want to find out what happens in book two. It’s really too bad about the AI, because if he had done the art himself or hired another artist to do it for him, the books would have rated much higher for me. He does have good ideas and a talent for writing graphic novels. I hope to see him continue writing and ditch the AI in the future

[J Eastwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book which the author claims is a graphic novel took one month to create and publish and it is evident.

The artwork is entirely AI, which becomes apparent to readers after they receive the book as the author failed to mention this in any of his ads. He has paid commission to several readers on Tiktok and pedalled signed copies in this cash grab. It is now clearly stated on his page that his work uses AI however he will block anyone who mentions it or criticises it in his comments, so make of that what you will. He also claims that the art is AI assisted and that he draws over it with his tablet to allow for easy consistency, but the editing seems to be upping exposure and adding an excessive vignette to each page to hide the details AI art struggles with such as hands. Not to mention many of the pages are in an entirely different art style, ranging from manga-like to photorealism.

There is no panels, minimal dialogue, a lackluster plot and the price of the book is far more than many other much more fleshed out and hand drawn novels.

If you wish for a compelling, creepy tale with beautiful illustration, I urge you to read literally anything else.

[Tobius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like a few others mentioned, this is a very good (part one) graphic novel, with really interesting and cool art and characters. Also like a few others have mentioned, it is a very quick read and does lack a lot of depth to give it a proper review. It started off pretty fast and did not have enough time to establish much about the lore and universe it is set in. I give this a 4 stars because I still enjoyed what I read, and makes me feel hopeful that the next part to this graphic novel is even better and goes more in-depth with the lore, which is one thing I find it was lacking.

Overall , though, I do recommend it for people to give it a try. Especially since it is a pretty fair price and it is an ongoing series. The second book should hopefully be out by the end of the year , or early January (which is what the author told me on Tiktok, so that is subject to change).

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The AI art had me apprehensive, but it’s easy to look past. (in my opinon) I hardly buy anything because of TikTok, but something about the story I liked..

Regardless, I think the world-building has potential and I actually enjoyed it a good amount.

There are little things that bothered me, just simply an inconsistent art style, and weird delivery of dialogue. However, I like Wist's personality, even if it seems to be bland, or just honestly non-existent. And, it's not like this is a very long read, I finished it in about an hour, so..

Overall, the story ultimately fell bland in some areas, but I would still keep reading. If you’re not an elitist, and you could see the past the AI art, and perhaps even keep in mind there was some human work (along with the story being human made) you’ll enjoy this book. So, I recommend it.

[Melly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this graphic novel on TikTok :-) it appeared so intriguing because of the dark artwork and the storyline. “ A world ruled by strange and terrible gods, Wist's life as an angel is a fate worse than death… Until a young witch offers him a chance to escape his dark master once and for all.” I wanted to give it 5 stars but I think there were so many really great themes that I just wanted more discussion.. more detail .. I think because I flew through this graphic novel so quickly I just wanted more from it because I really loved it. I guess I wanted more character conversations to flush the story out a little bit more but overall I highly enjoyed this and I can’t wait for the series to expand because I will be picking it up.

[tyler fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

The dark fantasy series I did not know I was looking for. This is the first graphic novel in what I hope will be a long series.

Lately some of my reads like the Dresden Files, though I adore, have been feeling somewhat stale. This graphic novel was a breath of fresh air. It reminds me of Castlevania, Supernatural, and the lore appears to be inspired by D&D. Graphic novel was the perfect medium for this story.

This first novel was fast paced and just a taste of a fantasy universe to come.

My only disappointment, which may come from my lack of experience with graphic novels, was that I picked up the paperback edition and figured I would leisurely enjoy it over the Christmas end of year break. Not the case. I read it in an hour, tops.

[Maxwell Minka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not an avid reader of graphic novels, but this was dope. The images were uncomfortable and set the tone and world of the story. All of the eyes were really fascinating, like you're being watched through the novel. Or your facing the demons yourself.

Wist the main character was pretty standard. And he kept saying "I know what I have to do" like a hero would. Anti hero I suppose. He was bad ass though and his design was awesome.

The story was good, it was lacking in terms of the world building and more of the God's that existed. This first one focuses on the God Thousand. Which is terrifying in imagery. But I'd love to know more of the history of the other gods.

Curious to see where it goes.


It's a quick read, so I highly recommend it.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did I read this book from start to finish in one sitting? Absolutely. I thought the art was stunning - super cool that the author used both AI and his own style to create the visuals. The story line was really good, I think I was just expecting it to go into a little more detail. It was overall a really quick, fast paced read and I couldn’t put it down. I liked the concept that angels and gods aren’t actually the good guys and the ending was such a great twist that added more depth to the story. I’m really glad that there’s going to be a sequel because I would not have been happy leaving on such a huge cliffhanger. Overall, it’s definitely a book I’d come back and read again.

[Ed Sical · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know a lot of people are divided on the author using AI to illustrate this novel. It's neither here nor there for me. I feel like the story itself suffered from relying on AI to provide the graphic part of this novel. There aren't any panels, so each scene takes place on a single page thus creating a loss of depth in the story itself. The characters were fun to follow, and the world itself was cool at face value, it just was the short actual world-building again to appease the plot. I would like to see this story redone with an actual human illustrator to see how much the actual story would benefit and perhaps not let this story end on a cliffhanger. From what we get in these pages, this could've easily been a one-shot, but I applaud the author for the self-pub and for using social media to get this project out.

[Mason · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saw the imagery and blurbs on TikTok and it sounded interesting. Most of the story feels like rising tension for a sequel ideas are introduced that feel like it has the seeds of promise, but don’t pay off in this volume. The author mentions that they blended their own work with AI images and that was neat, but I think this graphic novel leaned too much on the graphic and didn’t land enough of the novel.

I hope the author does well in their future endeavors, but I don’t think I will return for any sequels. Best of luck

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing concept and artwork - the AI generated foundation with tweaks from the artist with his own work is what drew me in. The story is intriguing - a morally gray angel fighting an evil god with witches and magick in the midst. The only reason for not 5 stars is that I wish there was more world building - it takes the entire book to understand the lore and significance of the events in the story which adds to allure to learn what’s happening but also detracts from the impact while reading. I honestly can’t wait for the next book and more from this author!!

[Matthew Andersson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I might be a little harsh on a first volume but Wist was not doing it for me. The writing seemed very blunt with the narrator just saying things to himself for like 90% of the book. Characters are very tropey so far and the protagonist/narrator is so gloomy and unlikeable.
Art while dripping with style suffers from AI consistency problems. Ex clover looks wildly different ages from panel to panel. I think its important for artists to experiment with new tools but I would say this is not the best example.
Might be worth a read if the later volumes increase in quality but not on its own.

[Alexandra Lowrance · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only reason this gets 3 stars is because the story is dope. The art is basic at best. I know it’s AI generated but it has no movement or emotion in it. It’s a cool idea but in reality I feel like it doesn’t work. It just doesn’t set the tone like actual artwork does. It felt a little disjointed, like it was meant to be stand alone pictures in a full book that depicted one minor scene to enhance the story versus carrying a story along.

[Yishmael Bewry · Rating 4 out of 5]

In all honesty, I have a soft spot for this book. It reminds me of something that I'd write back in high school, and seeing it in my hands is lovely, don't get me wrong, but the storytelling isn't amazing. The illustrations, however, are. I will be buying the next one.

By the way, this is not a horror book. At all. It has some disturbing imagery, but that's as far as it's okay.