Evil Cast

by Kyle Stück, Noah Baslé

“After stumbling upon a secret organization, two podcasters obsessed with the supernatural find themselves caught up in a horror adventure filled with all the monsters and evil they previously thought to just be stories.”

Genres: Horror, Comics, Graphic Novels

22 pages

Published February 24, 2020

About the author

Kyle was born in the jungles of Ecuador, a magical land laden with mystical and wise jaguars, empanadas, and a cool air that has yet to be matched. After graduating college with a B.S. in Digital Cinema, Kyle found a new home in the Ozark Mountains and began his journey as an author: publishing Weird horror and sci-fi stories, along with some angsty poetry. When he's not writing, hosting podcasts on Ominous Media, or describing himself in the third-person, Kyle busies himself with absorbing all forms of media (mainly spooky stuff) or eating and drinking with family, friends, and other creators.

Reviews

[on storygraph (macclown) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok I honestly wasn't expecting much from this but I was pleasantly surprised! It's funny, it's exciting, it's spooky. It felt like a more adult version of Scooby Doo, and doesn't everyone love Scooby Doo?

The cast of characters were great fun too, there's enough differences between them that causes a lot of tension and humor. Overall the plot was interesting, it's definitely set a great foundation for future volumes.

I'd say this was a fantastic start to the series and I honestly think I'd like to read more of this in the future!

Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC!

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evil Cast was a book I have seen floating around on social media for some time and I was glad that I eventually picked it up.

The story is based around two friends who have a podcast investigating weird and horrible events. Little do they know that they are going to be thrust into that world more than they would have liked.

This is a great mix of comedy and horror which is very reminiscent of the great Scooby-Doo! The cast of characters is interesting and the horror references in the text are excellent.

My favourite thing about this book is the movie poster tributes that cover the issues/chapters. The artwork is fantastic.

I am looking forward to volume 2 and seeing how this develops.

[C.F. Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Fellow Introvert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evil Cast - Volume 1 authored by Kyle Stück, illustrated by Enrico Orlandi, edited/lettered by Noah Baslé, executive produced by Jimmy Hubert, and published by Markosia Enterprises Ltd was a comic book that set out to be a love letter to horror, which I would say it did a pretty great job at.

Pretty much the story is this: Kyle and Noah are the creators of a podcast called The Evil Cast where they talk about everything supernatural. Eventually, Kyle starts having nightmares that he can't seem to understand and that just cause more confusion and fear than anything. He doesn't think much of it, just something unusual, until a fire puts his story into motion. Kind of slow motion at first since it's not all revealed at first, but a kind of motion. When the unexplained starts happening, all he can do is try to survive, maybe throw up, and survive a bit more. Will he be able to uncover the reasons for his nightmares, or will his nightmares be the least of his worries?

Thoughts:

° The cover: the cover is awesome, and it was the first thing that sucked me into wanting to read the comic book. Everything in the cover goes so well together from the coloring to the details.

° The illustrations: the cover was just the beginning as the illustrations in the comic were obviously illustrated by a professional. And the chapter illustrations were so cool, even more detailed than the cover. The chapter 4 illustration was one of my favorites.

° The plot: everything in the story caused questions like why was this happening, what was happening, how did that happen, but as the story went on the questions began to get answered and it all seemed to flow together so neatly even in the chaos of the story. That doesn't mean there aren't questions at the end of the comic, but a lot of questions were answered, and the next comic will have to answer the rest.

° Humor: the story has humor mixed in with the chaos of the plot, and it meshes really well with the story.

° Gore: lots of blood and gore, so if you're not a gore fan, be wary of that.

° Length: the comic is 163 pages so it should be able to be read in about a few hours or less depending on how quickly you read.

If you're a horror fan, a comic book fan, and a gore fan, I would recommend you read this comic book because it will not disappoint.

Some quotes from the comic to leave you with:
"I had a good thing going in Fayfield and I would've gotten away with it too if it weren't for you and your meddling radio show." - Ruby (page 43)
"Move, Ya Dough-Heads!" - Mountie Ben (page 123)
"A nun and a cop smoking pot... Theres a joke in there somewhere." - Noah (page 134)

I give this comic book 4.5/5 Kyle throw ups 💥

* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily *

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume is a collection of six issues of the Evil Cast comic book. It focuses on two men who run a podcast which they use to discuss spooky topics and in one case out a fraudulent psychic. When one of their homes is destroyed by arson and they set out to find out who is responsible. Answer—it must be the fraudulent psychic seeking revenge upon them. The fact that he was already cleared by the official investigation does not deter them. And, it turns out that while his psychic routine was fraudulent, he is actually tapped into the supernatural and it's scary and wants to kill all of them.

One of the supernatural problems is a woman who is a living inferno. Another is the psychic's not-very-human looking wife. There's a rather humorously written section in which the psychic's monstrous wife runs into the kkk and it doesn't go well for the guys in the hoods but the story takes a turn for the less strong when the size of the cast is suddenly greatly expanded. This is clearly a setup for the rest of the series, but I liked the tone better when it was just the two guys and the psychic.

The explanation for the psychic's wife was superb. Very creepy and avoids the big mainstream supernatural monsters.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to read EVERYTHING that has to do with Evil Cast now.

The Evil Cast is a quick comic touching on podcasts/radio and supernatural. The main characters provide entertaining banter and the comic itself has an eloquent way of keeping you on your toes throughout the entirety of this wild wild ride.

I was invested by the description and cover art of this comic— now, I am invested because the plot is hilarious, the art style is quirky and kind of catchy, and OH GOD the banter, the spooky music references… everything.

Thank you, guys, keep up the good work!

5/5 WOULD RECOMMEND!

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Woowott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love horror, and I love comics, so I was excited to read this one. It was a very fun romp with fun, cartoony art. The art actually worked very well for the tone, which is a slapstick buddy story that turns into a roadtrip adventure with an ensemble cast. It's silly and fun, with some grue. There are a couple elements I'm reserving judgment on (use of Indigenous mythology, comedic insertion of the KKK, although they deserve what they got), but on the whole, a good time was had by all. 3.5 stars.

[petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Comic books are never my first choice. In fact, I have read none, and to be honest, I didn't notice that this was a comic book when I requested to have this advanced review copy. That being said, this book pleasantly surprised me. Read in one sitting, the banter, the (for me) over the top plot and the parody of it all made it really enjoyable to go through it, and I plan on reading more projects from the creators.

[Ky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll be eagerly awaiting volume 2!

I thought this horror comedy comic book was a ton of fun, the illustrations were well done and really creepy. I’m definitely wanting some more backstory so I’m hoping volume 2 has some explanations. This one describes itself as Scooby-Doo meets Evil Dead, I got the Evil Dead part of it for sure.

It was a short and easy read, the art was fantastic and I’m looking forward to seeing more of the story- this one does end on a cliffhanger.

Thank you Booksirens for the ARC opportunity, I received this copy for free and my review is voluntary.

[Alexia McCabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic example of what comedy and horror should be. The characters are interesting and the story really draws you in. I even had a few laugh out loud moments. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the movie Tucker and Dale versus Evil. Or anyone else who loves their horror with a dash of humor.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Trinity Waddell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review through Voracious Readers Only

This was way cooler than I had expected. It was fun, gory, cool quirky characters and overall a great graphic novel. There were some funny moments and as the first comic I have read in years, thoroughly enjoyed it.

An adult Scooby Doo with our two main characters running a podcast and end up in the middle of their own horror story.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the art and flow of the panels in this graphic novel. I do wish we got more background information about some of the characters as there was a lot hinted at without being fully explored. It was a fun, quick read. I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Joel Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never really been into illustrated books or comics or whatever you would categorize this as, but this is 100% the perfect way to get into it. I loved the comedy, the references, the artwork and the general plot of this first volume, and I cannot wait for more!

[Jaclyn Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this promising first volume of Evil Cast. It’s a funny, anxiety inducing, acid trip of a horror comic, and I found myself excitedly telling my boyfriend about the plot every step of the way in the hopes he’d read it next. Do yourself a favor and read this.

[Books Over People · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is Evil Cast the greatest Horror Comedy Graphic Novel of all time?

Maybe? You know how you can find out?
Buy it.

[Chuck Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks so much Book Sirens for the arc of Evil Cast, this was a very fun horror/comedy romp! I really enjoyed the story, characters, and humor a lot. Can't wait for volume 2!

[Josh Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful twenty-first century foray into the supernatural, cleverly poised at the junction of horror and comedy.

[Kevin Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evil Cast is a fun and blood-soaked love letter to classic horror. Noah and Kyle shine as the podcasting protagonists whose lives are disrupted when they are thrust into a bonafide mystery.

Comics are (obviously) a visual medium but many graphic novels underwhelm with panel after panel of talking heads. Thankfully, artist Enrico Orlandi makes a real effort to craft a dynamic visual aesthetic -one with a real cinematic look and feel. As such, Evil Cast seems very much at home with the pulpy horror from which it takes its inspiration.

The plotting and pacing are good and each chapter ratchets up the tension and mystery. The chapter breaks continue the homage to horror by riffing on classic artwork from films like A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Evil Dead.

The dialogue is fun and snappy- particularly the bromancey back and forth between Noah and Kyle. There were one or two occasions when the exposition felt a little heavy-handed but this didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the story.

If you like horror, podcasts, or just appreciate lovely art and good writing then you will find much to admire in Evil Cast.

[Rutvi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Rating: 3/5

Hotchpotch of Cool Horror Tropes:

Good starting, It has an interesting hook as well as likeable main characters.

Loved the design of the comic. Illustrator has done a fine job.

The plot jumps from one horror trope to another

We have scooby do esque old mansion, that has creepy cult members, a zombie and a fire lady

People who love horror for the sake of it will enjoy it, but the plot needs to be connected from one trope to another.

I preferred if there were only one or two tropes but a more detailed and connected story.

I hope Vol. 2 will be a much more fleshed-out story.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this from Voracious Readers.

Basically, 2 podcasters/friends get caught up in supernatural shenanigans that they had previously not believed in. It was a fun read, and the mix of comedy and horror worked well. There, of course, are a lot of questions that need to be answered. Some things are revealed in this volume, but I really want to know what happens next!

[Asha Moss Straw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fast paced, entertaining graphic novel which is difficult to put down.

[Chloe Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little obsessed with this?! I read it in one sitting and need Vol2.

[A Broken Zebra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a surprising (as in "oh-my-stars-and-garters" and "oh-what's-this?") bit of fun, and if I hadn't perused through my custom feeds on Reddit, it's very likely I wouldn't have seen/heard/read this at all. So, thank you random Redditor for asking for horror book recommendations, and then further thanks to u/The_White_Ecuadorian plugging his own work. The artwork is chipper and the characters likeable (I get a real Gus Johnson & Eddy Burback vibe, which is delightful because they're so g-dang wonderful).

Per their website: “After stumbling upon a secret organization, two podcasters obsessed with the supernatural find themselves caught up in a horror adventure filled with all the monsters and evil they previously thought to just be stories.”

[A Broken Zebra · Rating 4 out of 5]

More quick fun as things pick up, taking a step in the spookier, wtf, side.

[Ryan Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was all in when I read the line, "Think Evil Dead meets Scooby-Doo!" in the blurb description for Kyle Stück's Evil Cast: Volume 1. I'm a sucker for imaginative, striking cover artwork, and this one definitely caught my eye. The playful nature of the cover's imagery conveys that nostalgic PG-13 80s horror feel but in graphic novel style.

Enrico Orlandi's illustrations are fantastic: colourful, bold, and comedic when apropos. They're detailed when the scene calls for it, but the use of colour-blocked backgrounds is cleverly applied when the action isn't overt, and the conversational part of the story takes the forefront. The illustrative, creatively humourous homage to classic horror movie posters peppered throughout Evil Cast: Volume 1 is a fabulous addition.

Using the best horror tropes, Stück’s story is engaging and entertaining occult fair, not overly complicated and done with a YA approach, which, as I stated previously, makes it broadly accessible. There are flesh-eating undead, dark magic users, religious warrior zealots, a supernatural-fighting Canadian Mountie, and much more! The banter between our two main protagonists, best friends Kyle and Noah, and between them and frenemy, "psychic" Ruby Spears is hella enjoyable; a credit to Stück's gift of writing conversational wit.

Kyle Stück's Evil Cast: Volume 1. with illustrations by Enrico Orlandi, is a fantastic start to a new horror/humour series, and I look forward to reading the further adventures of Kyle and Noah.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Miguel Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy.

I laughed out loud multiple times, and I applaud the author for having a good sense of humor.

At first, this story seemed modern, but then it transformed into something eccentric. I enjoyed the background information on Ruby's wife; it added depth to this horror chronicle.

The book cover is phenomenal, the illustrations are superb, and the text is easy-to-see. This book is engrossing, and the illustrations heighten reading engagement.

The only thing that I didn't like in this book was the amount of blaspheming. It hampered my reading experience. I wish the author strayed away from it altogether, or minimized it as much as possible. I stopped counting after twenty blasphemies. There is profanity as well, but it is not as widespread as the former; it didn't hinder me like the blaspheming did. I would have finished this tale sooner if the wordsmith didn't make it so prevalent in the narrative. It's because of this that I cannot award this book a five-star rating.

While the scriptwriter cannot eliminate the blaspheming now, due to it being a part of the series, he can minimize it to a degree where it will not impede a book lover's reading experience. I recommend that he do this for volume two.

Overall, the Evil Cast team is very talented, and I look forward to reading their next work.

I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jay Kulpa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have several friends who are podcasters and they all love horror, so this was a perfect read for me - it's fun, fast-paced, and has killer dialogue throughout that feels funny and very real. The art has a buoyant simplicity that keeps the proceedings fun without undercutting when violence breaks out. This story cooks, and I'm all ready for the next episode of the Evil Cast (and would totally subscribe to their Patreon to get it sooner)!
(I was offered an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review, but I'm clumsy and accidently deleted it, so I picked one up on my own - really glad I did!)

[indyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had an absolute BLAST with it! What an amazing graphic novel it turned out to be; definitely surpassing my initial expectations too! The characters are memorable and very well-written. The plot is excellent, and will leave you wanting for more. The humor is top notch, and the horror/thriller elements are pretty good as well. Honestly, LOVED it, and ENJOYED it to the fullest. Can’t wait for Volume 2, seriously. HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you check it out!

Rating: – 9.6/10 (AWESOME!)

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Check out the full, spoiler-free review at my blog - indycritic.com

[Curious Madra · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was actually an interesting mystery drama with the two lads figuring out how to stop the human torch lady from getting out of control. Now I will say, there were some few scenes that confused me in regards to who is who along with the two lads. I felt they were just on top of them but at the same time, it didn’t put me totally off from reading the first chapter and definitely see this being one of the most decent supernatural mystery stories out there!

[Cara Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This comic was definitely fun, and once you get past the confusing beginning you don't want to put it down! It's action-packed and full of comedy, but be ready for the absurd- in a good way. If you enjoy movies like "Shaun of the Dead" or "Special Dead", then this comic series is definitely for you!

Great characters, and the artwork draws you in as much as the storyline. Can't wait to read the next one!