It wasn't that calves were evil, the evil was what the Hebrews imagined them to be, and more specifically, capable of doing - delivering them out of Egypt which was something only God could do and in fact, did.
Likewise here, the saints and angels aren't evil, but if (big emphasis on "if") a person imagines them to be capable of doing something they cannot do and most especially, actually doing something that only God could do - then they are in the same boat as Aaron and the Hebrews in that passage.
This is where the words dulia, hyperdulia and latria leave me cold. To apply such terms to ones prayers does not make it so. "A rose by any other name is still a rose..."
In sum, the evil comes from the "image" - the imagination. God searches our thoughts and minds. Thank God for doing this because if He didn't care to, there would be no such thing as justice.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. - Romans 1:21-23
Not so. Mary had a virgin birth to God. Angels predict future and fight armies. St. Elijah was directly assumed into heaven. St. Stephen the Martyr, and countless Christian Martyrs gladly accepted death while witnessing to Christ.
The saints and angels we pray to did wonderful deeds because they decided to do them and God gave them the means. We want to be saints too; that is the only way to be saved. Therefore we seek the company of saints and angels, keep their images around and pray to them: so that one day we may join them. Nothing in common with the Jews in Egypt and their calves.