CAL MCDONALD: PLAGUE OF EVIL AND OTHER STORIES Interview with Steve Niles – Daily Dead
“TO SAVE HIM, THEY HAD TO DAMN HIM!” – ARCHIE IN HELL Interview with Tyler Crook, Plus a Process Art PreviewARCHIE IN HELL
Fantastic Fest 2026 Review: VICTORIAN PSYCHO is Maika Monroe at Her Best and BloodiestVICTORIAN PSYCHO Review- Fantastic Fest 2026 Review: GHOST IN THE CELL is an Exemplary Horror ComedyGHOST IN THE CELL Review
Fantastic Fest 2026 Review: THE HERETIKS is a Fun and Gory RideTHE HERETIKS Review
CAL MCDONALD: PLAGUE OF EVIL AND OTHER STORIES Interview with Steve Niles
2026/09/23 18:55:49 +00:00 | Jonathan James
Steve Niles’s iconic paranormal detective Cal McDonald returns in Cal McDonald:Plague of Evil and Other Stories, a 216-page hardcover collection featuring ten brand-new stories, each with an illustration by a different comic book artist. Now on Kickstarter, I caught up with Steve for a brief Q&A to learn more about the latest adventures of Cal McDonald:
How did the new Cal McDonald collection, Plague of Evil and Other Stories, come about? Were these stories you’ve been writing over numerous years or was this something you worked on as a single project?
Steve Niles: Whenever I’m in between projects I usually write Cal McDonald stories just for fun without any real goal in mind.
With ten brand-new stories, there’s a lot for new and longtime fans to dig into. Can you tease the threats and/or supernatural cases Cal will be taking on?
Steve Niles: I have the usual baddy threats like vampires and werewolves but I’ve also created a handful of new monsters. He’s taking a risk this time around and lets love into his life. That always brings trouble.
The book features an all-star lineup of artists. Can you talk about your <a href="https://comicvibe.com/fortnite-x-madison-beer-collaboration-release-date-skins-and-more/” title=”Fortnite x Madison Beer collaboration: Release date, skins, and more”>collaboration with them on illustrations for these stories?
Steve Niles: I contacted many of my talented friends and asked them to be involved. I picked the stories based on what I’d like to see the most… Liam Sharp werewolf? Yes, please.
You’ve partnered with Clover Press’ new imprint, The Fourth Leaf, on a Kickstarter campaign for this book. You’ve also had success with other recent crowdfunding campaigns. What have you enjoyed about crowdfunding campaigns compared to a traditional release?
Steve Niles: I go way back with the Clover Press guys and I love working with them. I enjoy crowdfunding because you deal directly with the reader. It’s very different from traditional releases but I like the personal level of it.
Cal McDonald has been part of your life for nearly four decades. How has your approach to writing him evolved over the years? And what about Cal and this world keeps bringing you back to tell more stories?
Steve Niles: Over the years Cal has grown in many ways. He’s a hell of a lot better to himself. He still has bad habits, things he needs to cope with, but he’s better about it as he gets older. I keep coming back to Cal because I love his voice and his world view. He deals with horrible stuff all the time but there’s always a little hope and some humor.
To learn more and support the campaign on Kickstarter, visit: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cloverpress/cal-mcdonald-plague-of-evil-and-other-stories-by-steve-niles?ref=ds6ow5
“Legendary horror writer and 30 Days of Night co-creator Steve Niles’s iconic paranormal detective Cal McDonald’s hard boiled adventures have captivated fans since his first appearance in the 1990 story “Big Head.” Cal McDonald has seen it all. Vampires, werewolves, ghouls, demons, mutants, maniacs, and every other thing that crawls out of the dark. Throughout his celebrated career, Niles has returned to McDonald in novels, short fiction, and the acclaimed comic series Criminal Macabre. Now, he is revisiting his gruesome gumshoe in CAL McDONALD: PLAGUE OF EVIL AND OTHER STORIES, a collection of short stories featuring a foreword by acclaimed actor and horror creator David Dastmalchian (Count Crowley), and a stunning painted cover by master illustrator Joe Jusko. Published by Clover Press’s The Fourth Leaf, a new imprint for creator-owned comics, books and graphic novels, this 216-page hardcover will collect ten brand-new Cal McDonald stories, each with an illustration by a different beloved comic artist. Fans can support the project on Kickstarter now.
In the tradition of Mickey Spillane and Rymond Chandler, Niles sends Cal and his undead sidekick on a strange journey through a Los Angeles populated by monsters, freaks, ghouls, and all kinds of new creatures hell-bent on causing chaos.
“It’s hard to believe but I’ve been writing Cal McDonald in one form or another for almost forty years now.” Said Steve Niles. “The last short story collection came out almost 20 years ago, so I am excited to have PLAGUE OF EVIL coming out through Clover Press. Cal has always been my favorite character to write and it feels good to be back in the saddle again. I am especially thrilled with this volume because I have so many friends along for the ride; some of my favorite artists in the industry have added their talents. I hope readers enjoy this collection because I’m aching to do more.”
CAL McDONALD: PLAGUE OF EVIL AND OTHER STORIES will feature gorgeous chapter illustrations by an incredible lineup of artists, including Cat Staggs (John Carpenter’s Tales of Halloween Night), Liam Sharp (Star Henge), Scott Morse (Soulwind), Christopher Mitten (Hellboy and the BPRD), Gyula Nemeth (Criminal Macabre), Steven Russell Black (Magic The Gathering), Francesco Francavilla (The Black Beetle), Alison Sampson (Werewolf By Night), and Damien Worm (October Faction), each adding their own signature style to Cal McDonald’s world of hard-boiled horror.
“In this collection, Cal McDonald returns to prose for ten new hard-boiled tales filled with occult threats, vicious creatures, and the kind of trouble he and Mo’Lock are reckless enough to confront.” said Clover Press publisher Hank Kanalz. “It’s supernatural crime horror in the classic Cal McDonald tradition, full of blood, grit, dark humor, and noir only Steve Niles can deliver.”
In addition to the illustrated hardcover book, the Kickstarter campaign for CAL McDONALD: PLAGUE OF EVIL AND OTHER STORIES will also include prints, lithographs, stickers, buttons, and a slipcase upgrade. Fans can support CAL McDONALD: PLAGUE OF EVIL AND OTHER STORIES on Kickstarter now.”
- About the Author – Jonathan James
After more than a decade as a consultant in the entertainment industry, Jonathan James launched Daily Dead in 2010 to share his passion for horror. He takes immense pride in Daily Dead’s talented team of writers, who passionately explore and celebrate horror as a respected art form capable of telling complex, character-driven stories with deep emotional and cultural impact.
Over the course of his career, Jonathan has written more than 10,000 articles and hosted panels at major conventions, including New York Comic Con and San Diego Comic-Con. He is also consulted with as an expert on horror and pop culture, offering insights on horror history and the latest trends through media outlets, film festivals, and conventions.
Read Jonathan’s Articles
-
After more than a decade as a consultant in the entertainment industry, Jonathan James launched Daily Dead in 2010 to share his passion for horror. He takes immense pride in Daily Dead’s talented team of writers, who passionately explore and celebrate horror as a respected art form capable of telling complex, character-driven stories with deep emotional and cultural impact.
Over the course of his career, Jonathan has written more than 10,000 articles and hosted panels at major conventions, including New York Comic Con and San Diego Comic-Con. He is also consulted with as an expert on horror and pop culture, offering insights on horror history and the latest trends through media outlets, film festivals, and conventions.
Read Jonathan’s Articles
