It’s that time again, folks! We’re out of ideas down here at Batboy HQ, and we need your help. It’s the Second, Ever (and possibly last) Batboy Caption Contest!!! Now with 2x the winning!
Just comment below with your funniest captions for Comic A and/or B and reblog this post. It’s so simple! This contest is also running on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky, follow me there!
The contest will run until December 18th after which a panel of expert funny judges will choose the two laugh-inducingest captions and winners will be revealed.
I’ve talked about the perils of social media before and my addiction to it, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…also here on my blog in 2018.
And I don’t know if this makes me a hypocrite or what, but I continue my love-hate relationship with it. As an artist, or writer, or any other creative person in 2024, you need to have some level of social media presence. It’s really how I’ve made the handful of good connections that keep me going. But, sometimes social media use gets out of hand, it becomes addictive and so much easier to scroll forever, until your eyeballs dry up and your tongue lolls out of your mouth, than doing the creative work that needs to be done.
Batboy knows the struggle.
Some of my Batboy comics from the past couple of years have dealt with this phenomenon. As pictured above, Batboy sits at a dangerously blank piece of paper, pencil in hand, needing some inspiration, and he has the most unhelpful thought: Maybe I should look at my phone.
“DON’T DO IT!” I say, as you are more than likely already reading my words on your little pocket computer screen right now. Otherwise you will end up like Batboy in my short animated PSA below:
SCROLL AND SCROLL AND SCROLL…
Do you ever feel like this after a TikTok binge?
Again, this may seem like I am biting the hand that feeds me, because in reality my Batboy character wouldn’t even exist without the prodding and support of a few friends on social media.
But sometimes it feels like I’m feeding the hand that bites me.
So, until all us indie artists get the attention and support we deserve from the mainstream pop culture institutions, I guess we just have to find a balance, set some limits on our screen time and try to get back to our creative pursuits as much as humanly possible. Before brain death sets in.
I try to hide my phone when working, or to put it in a completely different room.
How do you deal with the addictions of the internet and social media?/
If you happen to be scrolling, you can find my fantastic content on Instagram. And as an antidote to Scrolling Fever you can find my physical books on my books page, they’re a lot easier on the eyes.
It’s late August and there’s a slight chill to the air, one of a few signs that my favorite season is near.
I’m speaking about Fall of course, it’s the best, most spooky season and a time when I really come alive.
This is how I roll
One of the other indications of Autumn’s approach is the return of Pumpkinspice Everything!
Pumpkinspice is back! Again. And again and again.
I made this funny illustration five years ago poking fun at this phenomenon. I call it “The Return of Pumpkinspice.” I posted about it here on my blog.
It was both a critique of our consumer culture and an homage to Pumpkinhead, one of my favorite horror films of the 1980s. My illustration had a brief, nearly viral couple of weeks, which was exciting. Seeing something that I thought was funny also being liked and shared by hundreds of other strangers on the internet! Wowzers.
So why am I going on again about this Pumpkinspice thing? Word on the street is that Starbucks has released their Pumpkinspice creations earlier than usual this year. And I am here to continue to ridicule it while also enjoying the trendy flavor of the season.
What are your thoughts? Are you a fan of the spice?
In the years since, I’ve revived Pumpkinspice from time to time, most recently in this Batboy comic from last Fall.
Additionally, I have one signed and numbered, limited edition “Return of Pumpkinspice” 11×14 Print available in my Etsy Shop. Grab it now before it’s gone FOREVER!
Batboy is back in yet another collection of comics!
Shvitzin’ to the Small Stuff finds Batboy battling failure, reframing rejection, enjoying obsolete art forms and imparting his usual off-kilter words of wisdom. This is the third collection of Batboy Comics.
Who’s that at the door? Is it the Sausage Man? Is he dropping off or picking up? You’d better watch out!
I’m very excited to share this short horror comic with you guys! It feels like it had been in the works forever, but now it’s here, knocking at your door. And it’s totally free to read or download as a PDF.
A quick warning, this comic might not be for everyone, it has some gore and some extremely creepy elements. Definitely not meant for kids!
The story was conceived by Tim Vargulish, he’s a funny dude who makes comics, you should follow him on Twitter.
Being that the holidays are right around the corner, I will continue in my yearslong quest to prove that I’m not really a Grinch by sharing with you some photos of a trip I took to the Grinch exhibit (Ironic, isn’t it?) at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, NY.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas! is a 1966 animated TV special directed by legendary animator Chuck Jones. You might know that I am a huge fan of animation and cartooning (I dabble in it myself) so getting to see behind-the-scenes of this production by the co-creator of Bugs Bunny was not to be missed!
Original Grinch TV Guide ad from December 17th, 1966
The animated special was based on the 1957 children’s book of the same title by Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss.) pictured above with director Chuck Jones and Boris Karloff, the voice actor who portrayed the Grinch and also did the narration. You might recognize Karloff from his most famous role, as the creature in the 1931 film Frankenstein.
Just don’t call him Frankie
Fantastic rough pencil sketches
Looks like there’s gonna be rumble in Whoville tonight!
A wonderful sequence of animation cels
He might look evil, but the Grinch hopes you have a wonderful holiday!
So there you have it! I think you should put this animated special on your watch list this holiday season, I promise it’ll make your heart grow with Christmas spirit!
“And what happened, then? Well, in Whoville they say – that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day. And then – the true meaning of Christmas came through, and the Grinch found the strength of ten Grinches, plus two!”
Hey there! I’m Mike, an indie artist and writer. Check out my books or my store! Or just peruse my portfolio. Thanks for hanging out!
Continuing in my efforts to be less Grinchy and more Holly Jolly this month, I wanted to talk to you briefly about Thurl Ravenscroft.
“What or who is Thurl Ravenscroft?” I can hear you saying, “He’s from Lord of the Rings, right? No wait, Game of Thrones! Is it Game of Thrones?”
Nope!
“Is it some sort of Nordic death metal band?”
Negative. Although…
You might be on to something there.
The Thurl Ravenscroft I’m referring to was a singer and a voice actor who might best be known(or maybe not) for singing the classic “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” from the 1966 TV special How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
This song really hit me, because I too have garlic in my soul. I should probably have that checked out.
After a recent viewing, I was shocked to learn that Thurl wasn’t credited in the animated special.
Did they expect us to believe that the narrator, Boris Karloff, provided the vocals?
Dr. Seuss himself felt terrible about the situation and later tried to remedy it with a letter-writing campaign to various influencers of the day, giving credit to Thurl.
I imagine it went something like this:
While doing my brief bit of research I’ve found that people have been asking Google this question: “Did James Earl Jones sing the Grinch?”
That’s a pretty good guess. But no, James Earl Jones did not sing the Grinch, it was Thurl Ravenscroft.
If only there was some way this confusion could have been avoided from the start.
While you’re still here, let’s take a quick look at the lyrics to “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch”
Verse 1
You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch, you really are a heel
You’re as cuddly as a cactus, as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch! You’re a bad banana with a greasy black peel!
Verse 2
You’re a monster, Mr. Grinch, your heart’s an empty hole Your brain is full of spiders, you’ve got garlic in your soul Mr. Grinch.
I wouldn’t touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half-foot pole
Verse 3
You’re a vile one, Mr. Grinch. You have termites in your smile You have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, Mr. Grinch! Given a choice between the two of you… I’d take the seasick crocodile!
Verse 4
You’re a foul one, Mr. Grinch, you’re a nasty wasty skunk Your heart is full of unwashed socks, your soul is full of gunk Mr. Grinch! The three words that best describe you are as follows, and I quote:
“Stink, stank, stunk!”
Verse 5
You’re a rotter, Mr. Grinch, you’re the king of sinful sots Your heart’s a dead tomato splotched with moldy purple spots Mr. Grinch! Your soul is an appalling dump heap overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable… Mangled up in tangled up knots!
Verse 6
You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch, with a nauseous super “naus”! You’re a crooked dirty jockey and you drive a crooked hoss, Mr. Grinch! You’re a three-decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich… With arsenic sauce!
I love that line about the “three-decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce”
James Earl Jones grinch. James Earl Jones Mr Grinch. Chuck Jones the Grinch. Doctor Seuss Art. Dr Seuss Artwork. You re a mean one mr grinch lyrics thurl ravenscroft.
Please take a look and give me a follow. I have my usual assortment of paintings, prints, pins, books and more, just in time for the holiday season. Finally I can offer you worldwide shipping.
Below are some of the pieces available for purchase:
That’s all for now, I need to go work on my Halloween costume! Until Next time!
M. R. KESSELL 