E.V.I.L.
(the Elite Villain's Institute of Learning) is a webcomic by Paul Powers that started in 2016. The eponymous E.V.I.L. is a university for villians, which prides itself on being "the best of the worst,” and offers majors in such sinister fields as Mad Science, Masterminding, and Supernatural Arts. Here, underhanded acts like lying, cheating, and even attacking other students are not only tolerated, they are actively encouraged. However, E.V.I.L. students are being trained for success, and so while such misdeeds are expected, one should never get caught in the act. Sloppy students can expect to be punished, swiftly and severely.
The story centers on a freshman named Trevor Savage who doesn't fit in at all, due to being a slacker with no ambition, and "honor student" Gabriel Caine, and accomplished Masterminding major. Despite not having any real talent for evildoing, Trevor somehow managed to score a full ride scholarship. Fortunately, Gabriel has taken him under his wing and makes it a point to guide and protect his new friend... albeit, probably for his own sinister reasons.
Since the entire cast is made up of villains in training, a lot of the humor comes from their ammoral actions and playing with villainous tropes.
Hasn't updated since 2017, so at high risk of being an Orphaned Series.It's now 2023 as of this writing, definitely one.
This webcomic provides examples of:
- Academy of Evil: The whole premise of the comic is a combination of this and Wacky College.
- Affably Evil: Kahn definitely qualifies, being the friendliest and nicest character despite literally majoring in Ass Kicking. Trevor also counts, if you consider him to be evil 'at all'.
- Alt Text: Usually used to make an additional joke or for meta-commentary.
- Anti-Villain: Trevor and Kahn, at very least.
- Ambiguously Brown: Shiva is shown in the cover art to have darker skin than most characters, but her race is not apparent. (Kahn, on the other hand, is pretty clearly black.)
- Apologetic Attacker: When Jezebel hires Kahn to beat up Trevor, he pretends to get offended at Trevor "checking out" his girlfriend. Right before socking him in the face, he whispers "Sorry, bruv" under his breath.
- Badass in a Nice Suit: Gabriel's standard attire is a black suit with a red tie, with the collar undone and tie loosened.
- Badass Longcoat: Shiva wears one most of the time.
- Bait-and-Switch Comment: After pulling a switchblade knife on Trevor, Jezebel laughs and says she was just joking, since "Who robs someone at knifepoint?" She then produces a gun and robs him for real.
- Big Red Button: Clearly labeled "Do Not Push," too. Unfortunately, Trevor misreads it.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Jezebel quickly establishes herself as this within the first couple of pages.
- Black-and-Gray Morality: Not surprising, given the setting, but most of the main characters are unapologetically evil. This makes Trevor look like a good guy simply by merrit of not being 'as evil' as everyone else.
- Black Comedy: Most of the humor is this.
- Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: The Three B's, who Kahn introduce at the Omega House party.
- Bloody Hilarious: Several of the earlier strips had gags that centered on copious amounts of blood.
- Blood Is the New Black: Gabriel, the first time Trevor visits him in his secret lair.
- Blood Knight: As noted in her entry on the cast page, Shiva will take her targets on head-on if she believes they will put up a good fight.
- Boss Subtitles: Every time a major character is first introduced, they are accompanied by subtitles that provide the character's name, grade, and major (or the subject they teach, in the case of professors).
- Bruiser with a Soft Center: Kahn is massive and majors in asskicking, but it generally not a bad guy. Notably, he obviuosly feels bad about beating up Trevor.
- Buffy Speak: Mostly from Trevor.
- Butt-Monkey: If someone is going to be hurt or humiliated, it's usually Trevor.
- Cheshire Cat Grin: Gabriel almost always sports one of these. Sometimes it turns into a Slasher Smile.
- Cigar Chomper: Professor Slaughter. The Alt Text even lampshades this, saying "Wait, has he been smoking the same cigar this whole time?"
- Crazy-Prepared: In his first appearance, Gabriel reveals that he has arranged for increminating pictures of Jezebel to be uploaded on tumblr if anything happens to him.
- Dark Action Girl: Shiva definitely qualifies.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: Professor Slaughter acts like this.
- Dastardly Whiplash: As his name implies, Professor Dastard is a parody of these types of villains.
- Disembodied Eyebrows: Happens occasionally.
- Evil Brit: Kahn is technically this, having a cockney accent and going to school to become a villain, but he's also the nicest character in the series.
- Evil Laugh: Gabriel is prone to these, even at inappropriate times.
- Evil Lawyer Joke: Trevor's mom mentions that his father was a lawyer, and that it isn't much different from going to school to become a villain.
- Fun with Acronyms: E.V.I.L. itself is is one, and many of the student organizations, like A.S.S. (Academic Superiority Society) and F.O.W.L. (Future Oppressors of the World at Large) do this as well.
- Funetik Aksent: Kahn's British accent is written this way, as well as Professor Murderstein's German accent.
- Gag-per-Day Webcomics: This is the format for the most part, although there is an ongoing story.
- Gentle Giant: Kahn is easily the biggest character in the series, in terms of height, weight, and strength. He is also the nicest.
- Good Scars, Evil Scars: Kahn has one of the "single line over an otherwise intact eye" variety.
- Hammerspace: Apparently where Jezebel keeps all her weapons. This is taken to eleven in a
flashback, wherein Fridge Logic implies that she somehow concealed a full length katana on her person while wearing only lingerie. - Harmless Villain: Professor Dastard would like you to steal candy from a baby, but don't kick puppies, because "we're not monsters!"
- Heroic Comedic Sociopath: Most of the cast falls into this category. Well, except for the 'heroic' part. All of their depraved, amoral behavior is Played for Laughs.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Kahn gets impaled on a piece of rebar after Omega House collapses, but hardly seems bothered by it. Shortly after, Gabriel has a flashback that implies Jezebel did this to him with a katana.
- Mad Scientist: The university has an entire department for Mad Science.
- Male Gaze: The first we see of Jezebel is a close up of her rear end.
- Ms. Fanservice: Jezebel likes to dress provocatively and takes advantage of her good looks frequently.
- Noodle Incident: Gabriel blackmails Jezebel with photos of "the waffle incident." We are given absolutely no details for context.
- Noodle People: Everyone except Kahn is drawn with very long, thin limbs and torsos.
- Odd-Shaped Panel: Panels are very frequently crooked, jagged, or warped in some way.
- Oddly Visible Eyebrows: Especially noticeable on Gabriel, whose black hair results in their being outlined in white and seeming to hover over his hair.
- Orcus on His Throne: Donovan, on the last page of the first semester.
- Perpetual Smiler: Gabriel's Cheshire Grin is his default expression.
- Red and Black and Evil All Over: To the point that these are the only two colors the comic really uses, aside from white. Notably, every character has some amount of red and black in their character designs.
- Splash of Color: The comics are primarly in black-and-white, but there are frequent splashes of bright red. Notably, every major character has a splash of red somewhere on their design, with the exception of Trevor, to signify that he does not really belong.
- Theme Naming / Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Every character is named after a villainous figure in history (Vincent KAHN), the bible (JEZEBEL Starr, Gabriel CAINE) or mythology (SHIVA Crimson, Donovan FAUST), or a villainous trait (Trevor SAVAGE, ANNE ARCHY).
- This Loser Is You: Trevor serves as the Audience Surrogate, and is a Lazy Bum who is way out of his element.
- Token Evil Teammate: Inverted. Most of the main cast are decidedly villainous, and Trevor serves as the token NON-evil teammate.
- Unfazed Everyman: Trevor is a pretty normal guy, with no special skills or powers and no real penchant for evildoing, surrounded by mad scientists, magic users, psychics, and criminal masterminds.
- Unlimited Wardrobe: While most characters have a a single outfit they are shown wearing most if not all the time, Jezebel is wearing something different every time she appears.
- Unsound Effect: Including "leave, leave" and "Speedlines!"
- The Vamp: Jezebel.
- Villain Protagonist: Every major character. Trevor is a borderline case himself, since he is going to school to be a villain, but isn't very good at it.
