Steve L. McEvil (Steve L. McEvil #1)

As the heir to a long line of evildoers, Steve L. McEvil, portrayed with white skin and red hair, strives to meet the expectations of his grandfather Tiberius, "the world's greatest supervillain," who has retired from active villainy. Steve's big plan is to take over his school (the operation remains a work in progress) and woo his academically inclined crush, Sierra Flores, but Steve's blue-haired do-gooder new neighbor Vic Turry repeatedly foils his schemes with his consistent friendliness. When Steve, Sierra, and Vic are grouped together for a school science project, they decide to investigate the new rock structure in town. Citizens assume it's an art installation, but Tiberius believes its appearance heralds something far more sinister. Turnbloom's (Curse of the Harvester) vibrant full-color art is rendered with thick line and stark highlights that evoke a mad-scientist aura, and while the central mystery's resolution is tidy, Steve's reticence to heroics and characters' comic-strip-esque cutaway reactions provide dry humor. This plot-driven graphic novel ably synthesizes tried-and-true school drama with familiar science fiction tropes. Instructions on how to create a three-panel comic strip and more conclude. Ages 8-12. Agent: Judy Hansen, Hansen Literary Management. (May)

Gr 3-6--"It's hard to take over the planet when you still have a bedtime." While that is true, Steve L. McEvil has bigger problems than bedtime. Middle school is always tough, but knowing that your ancestor stole Atlantis is a hard family tradition to uphold, even if you have a Death Bot named DORKUS (Drone Of Remarkable Knowledge, Usefulness, and Skill). Among other trials, Steve has to deal with the crush he can't talk to, a goodie-goodie new kid, a sister who is better at evil than he is, and being given "old lady" frames for his new glasses. He seems to be a middle grade version of Judith Viorst's Alexander minus the desire to move to Australia. Plenty of humor will appeal to middle grade readers and their parents, such as Steve's horror at being assigned to two weeks on the Buddy Bench at recess. "Can't you, like, expel me instead? Please?!" he begs the principal. References to "Star Wars," "Short Circuit," and "Highlander," show some of Turnbloom's influences. Bold comic book illustrations capture all the action, use facial expressions to give more depth to the dialogue, and showcase the epic hairstyles of Steve and Vic (whose pompadour could rival Fabian's). Added features include instructions for making a three-panel comic strip and how to draw Steve and DORKUS. VERDICT Sure to be a crowd-pleaser with fans of Lincoln Peirce's "Big Nate" or Scott Seegert's "Vordak the Incomprehensible." Readers will eagerly await further adventures from Steve and his classmates. --Suzanne Costner