BLOG TOUR: Steve L. McEvil by Lucas Turnbloom

Hi all! I'm pleased to be hosting a stop on the TBR and Beyond Tours Blog Tour for Steve L. McEvil by Lucas Turnbloom. In addition to sharing my review of the book, I've also shared some of my favorite quotes. Please note - while I have multiple favorite quotes from the book, I've done my best to only share those that are not a spoiler risk. 

Be sure to check out the other tour host's page as well and show them some love. The link to the schedule is below. 

Steve L. McEvil by Lucas Turnbloom Tour Schedule (TBR and Beyond Tours)

About the Book

Genre: Middle-Grade Graphic Novel
Release Date: May 24, 2022

Lean into your wicked side in this full-color graphic novel series about a middle-school super villain (in training) who must choose between saving his town and doing the most horrific thing of all–teaming up with the good guys.

Hi! My name is Steve L. McEvil, and I am THE GREATEST SUPERVILLAIN IN THE WORLD! Or…I will be. It’s hard to take over the planet when you still have a bedtime.

Right now, my grandpa Tiberius McEvil is teaching me how to pull off my nefarious schemes. Though lately someone has been doing the job for me. These weird stones have appeared in town. Professor Stinger won’t stop droning on about wormholes. And no one is more villainous than my new neighbor Vic Turry. That guy is just so…NICE! Barf. Even Sierra, who rarely looks up from her geology books, is impressed by his good guy routine. But I’ll show them all. No one can outsmart Steve L. McEvil! (Yeah, yeah, I know it rhymes.)

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REVIEW of Steve L. McEvil by Lucas Turnbloom

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: eARC

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

Steve L. McEvil by Lucas Turnbloom is perfect for those looking for a graphic novel that’s reminiscent of Despicable Me, Dexter’s Laboratory, or Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It’s a story filled with adventure, mischievous plans, and lots of humor that’s sure to delight young readers around the world. 

The art style for this graphic novel is awesome. I absolutely love the way things were organized, and how Mr. Turnbloom captured the character’s emotions in each panel. I primarily read much longer traditional fantasy novels, so I think the use of chapter dividers helped me with the transition in styles. In the past, some of the graphic novels I’ve read have been plagued by poor use of humorous moments and lack of character building in an attempt to fit as much into the page as possible, but that was never an issue with this book. 

I have a couple of favorite quotes from the book, but my favorite that doesn’t pose any spoiler risk is this: “It’s kind of hard to take over the world when you still have a bedtime.” There’s also a moment when I let out an amused snicker because Steve asks his mother, “Do henchmen count as friends?” It’s always entertaining to me when the plans of budding evil geniuses are foiled by things like getting grounded, unhelpful parents who ban the presence of death rays at the dinner table, and the presence of nosy “do-gooders” in their life.   

One thing I wanted to applaud (outside of the main content of the book) was the inclusion of drawing guides. If you want to learn how to draw Dorkus (I love that name for a robot) or create your own comic strip, the directions are laid out in easy-to-follow steps for you to do so. A perfect inclusion for readers who are budding comic book or graphic novel artists in their own right!  

Altogether, this was an entertaining read. I can see it appealing to young fans of Artemis Fowl or the Despicable Me/Minions franchise. It’ll be hit or miss with adult readers though, as some adults may not find the childish jokes in the book as funny as I do (I’m well aware that I have a very childish sense of humor). After finishing this graphic novel, I’m excited to read the second installment in the Steve L. McEvil storyline as well as whatever Lucas Turnbloom may publish in the future. 

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and the team at TBR and Beyond Tours for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review Steve L. McEvil immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own, and not influenced in any way. 

About the Author

Lucas Turnbloom is a cartoonist from Southern California. In 2017, he and his wife rescued a sweet yet rambunctious little cat who inspired Lucas to write a comic as an inside joke for his wife. But when his wife insisted he put the comic on the internet, the joke grew, and “How to Cat” now has over 196k followers. In addition to capturing his pet’s most feline antics, Lucas is also the illustrator of the Dream Jumper series.

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