Stories by: Jack Ketchum, Joe McKinney, William F. Nolan, Jonathan Maberry

Adaptations by: Taylor Grant, Aric Sundquist

Art by: Beni Lobel, Esteve Polls, Salva Navarro, Nacho Arranz

Colors by: Beni Lobel, Esther Sanz, Ester Salguero

Letters by: Infinitoons

Published by: Evil Jester Comics

Reviewed by: Ian Scheller

Evil Jester Presents #1 is the Premiere issue from Evil Jester Comics, which grew out of Evil Jester Press, a Horror Book Publisher. I’ve read a few Stephen King books in my time, but typically I don’t associate those reading experiences with my rituals of reading a comics.  Horror tends to scare the crap out of me (I know that some of that is the point.) and I usually don’t go for stuff like that.  I usually read super hero books, and while I am always interested in finding new books to read, I usually stay in my comfort zone.

Evil Jester Presents is an anthology book featuring adaptations by some of Horror’s greatest writers.  If you are completely ignorant to who these people are, like I was, let me fill you in.

Jack Ketchum is a Bram Stoker Award winner for his story, The Box.  As you might imagine, you have to be good to win the Bram Stoker Award.  Joe McKinney is also a Bram Stoker Award winner for his book “Flesh Eaters.”  His story “Swallowed” is featured in Evil Jester Presents #1.  William F. Nolan might be best known for writing “Logan’s Run.”  His story “Small World” was adapted and is featured.

Finally, Jonathan Maberry’s “Like Part of the Family” is included here.  Jonathan Maberry is also a Bram Stoker Award Winner.

The stories are adapted by Taylor Grant and Aric Sundquist and as you may imagine, when starting with such high quality content you really can’t go wrong.

Evil Jester Presents was worth every minute of my time.  After putting it down, I felt like I was given a pass to peer into a world I do not know.  I really enjoyed what I saw, and each story left me with something to think about.  While the stories were definitely part of the genre of Horror, they each touched on elements of sci-fi and noir.  If I had any critique it was that I was left wanting more.

I would really love to see something long form from Evil Jester Presents on their next go round.

The bar has been set very high by the Evil Jester Comics team, and I am looking forward to whatever they decide to release next.  They might make me a horror fan yet.