Inside the Next Chapter of Evil Inc: Writing, Plot Twists, and a Few Secrets from the Studio (Patreon)

It’s hard to believe it’s already November — but here we are, racing toward the end of the year with a ton of exciting updates. A new Evil Inc chapter is about to launch, Evil Inc After Dark is rolling off the presses, and there’s a whole new batch of micro fictions about to drop. So grab your coffee (or something stronger) and let’s dig in.

Evil Inc

The new chapter of Evil Inc is right around the corner, and I have a spicy little powder keg in store for you. The relationship between Captain Heroic and Miss Match is going to get its first real test, and Dr. Muskiday steps to the forefront of the action with an invention that will affect every member of the Fairmount branch of Evil Inc! Here’s a little teaser of what’s coming up…

Evil Inc eComics

The previous chapter — Double Crossed — is now available as an eComic. It’s available in both SFW and NSFW versions, and each eComic comes in full-page and vertical-scroll formats! My Patreon backers got them as part of their membership, but you can still get yours!

Evil Inc eComic #58 (SFW)

DriveThruComics

Evil Inc After Dark #58 (NSFW)

DriveThruComics (must be signed in)

Patreon Shop

WeChange

Kickstarter update

The new Evil Inc After Dark graphic novel is being printed as we speak. I’m expecting to accept delivery of the books in early December. Some of the Stretch Goals have already been delivered, and there’s another to come… this collection of micro fictions!

A MicroFic combines the visual punch of a full-page illustration with the storytelling depth of prose. Each one zooms in on a single moment — a look, a gesture, a spark — and expands it into a complete story. Think of them as the comic equivalent of flash fiction: short, sexy, and satisfying in just one page. Small format, big payoff.

The rest of the digital rewards will be delivered when I send out the surveys for final delivery!

FAQs

Q.: How far ahead do you plan the storyline? How much of Evil Inc is improvised vs. planned years in advance?

A.: I always have a big-picture idea of where Evil Inc is headed — the long game, the general arcs — but I don’t plan years ahead in detail. I take things one chapter at a time.

For example, I just finished outlining the next chapter. It’s got an A-story and a B-story, and I know the major beats I want to hit along the way. But I haven’t written the actual scenes yet — no dialogue, no panel-by-panel scripting. When I sit down to draw, I’m writing that page in real time, figuring out the best way to get from one story beat to the next.

Once that page is written, I add the lettering, pencil it, ink it, and send it off to Alex Heberling for color. Then I start writing the next one. That process — outlining first, then discovering the story page by page — keeps the work fresh and flexible. It lets me surprise myself while still keeping everything on track.

Honestly, it’s the only way I know how to keep a long-running comic alive and fun — for me and for my readers — year after year after year.

NCS memories

One of the best things about attending the annual conferences of the National Cartoonists Society is seeing old friends and making new ones. Dee Fish is one of the former. I’ve known her for years now, and I’m constantly in awe of her skills as a cartoonist — as well as her warmth and generosity as a human being. Here’s Dave and me with Dee at the Reuben Awards, and below that, a wonderful sketch Dee executed in mere minutes on the last day of the event. 

It’s been a wild year for Evil Inc, and things are only getting hotter from here. Between the new chapter, the upcoming After Dark graphic novel, and those micro fictions waiting in the wings, there’s a lot to look forward to. Thanks for being part of this journey — your support makes every page possible. Stay tuned for updates as the books ship and the stories unfold!