New Art & Events

trenton punk rock flea market flyer september 2023 mrkessell

Just over two weeks from now I will appearing at the Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market, Rock of Ages show! Saturday and Sunday, September 9th and 10th, 2023.

Check out the full list of awesome vendors here: https://www.trentonprfm.com/vendors-1


I will have some new dark art paintings available, as seen below.

acrylic painting by m. r. kessell in white, black, and orange of a zombie mouth
Just a sneak peak of this work in progress painting…

And I will have new limited edition prints available as well. Can you guess who this creep is below?

sneak peek of new horror art by m. r. kessell

As usual I will have all of my books, stickers, and prints and pins on hand. Stop by and chat!


HAVE YOU RECIEVED YOUR FREE MINI BATBOY COMIC YET?

JUST SIGN UP FOR MY MAILING LIST!


My Problem with Instant Gratification

Give it to me now. I need it yesterday. I just can’t wait.

Batboy presses the streaming device remote anxiously, as the "Loading" symbols reflect and revolve in his eyes. The caption reads: Sometimes instant gratification just ain't fast enough.

I’m not the first person to identify a problem with instant gratification. Maybe there isn’t really a problem. Maybe it’s good to have your wants and needs met immediately and constantly. Life should be pretty perfect then. But maybe you begin to feel entitled to it. You lose patience. You get anxious or angry if something stands between you and your pleasures. You need to eliminate the obstacles. Cut out the middleman. 

But, maybe we’re cutting out more than just the man in the middle. Maybe now that you can order a new book without leaving your couch or your bedroom, and have it delivered, without even dealing with a delivery person for that matter, you’re missing out on some actual, real life experiences. 

Even walking to the bookstore could expose you to some idea, an image, a scene, or a weird snippet of conversation from passersby. At the store you might flip through a bin of used books and discover some unknown classic that has never been and never will be digitized. The clerk might have some recommendations that the Algorithm couldn’t possibly deliver. They might be wearing a cool T-shirt with one of your favorite bands or an obscure 1980s cult horror film. This could be your new best friend. Or maybe they’re rude and awkward and it’ll result in a good anecdote someday.

But now with instant, next-day, prime delivery, you’d never know.


Speaking of bookstores

Three Batboy books on display

If you want to grab some Batboy books and get out of the house, you can head on over to East Side Mags in Montclair, NJ or Desert Island Comics in Brooklyn, NY. Both stores are extremely cool and worth the trek.

Tell ’em Batboy sen ya!

FREE BATBOY MINI COMIC WHEN YOU SIGN UP TO MY MAILING LIST

One last thing before you go, have you gotten your FREE BATBOY MINI COMIC yet?

Just click here to sign up for my incredible mailing list and you’ll get it, in addition to some other BONUS MATERIALS and FREEBIES sent out periodically throughout the year!

Meet Batboy This Weekend!

Just two days to go!

Come by and say hi to Batboy (and me) at East Side Mags in Montclair on Saturday May 13th!

CLICK HERE FOR FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE

Bask in the glow of Batboy’s awkwardness and chat with us about your favorite comics, monsters, and junk foods.

All Batboy books will be available, plus an assortment of other goodies, like prints, pins, and stickers.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON THE EVENT FROM EAST SIDE MAGS’ WEBSITE

Batboy and the Art of Self-Sabotage book by M. R. Kessell used comically to chop a carrot

You must provide your own vegetables though.

FREE BATBOY COMIC ALERT!

Cover image for the free Batboy comic "Neverything Nowhere All at the Same Time" written by Peter Hammarberg and illustrated by M. R. Kessell. Showing Batboy hitchiking on the roadside with a sign that reads "Existential Clarity or Bust...Probably bust."

FREE COMIC ALERT! 

WOOP! WOOP! WOOP!

I’ve been collaborating with my friend, the impressive wordsmith, Peter Hammarberg for a few weeks now on an all new Batboy mini comic.

Neverything Nowhere All at the Same Time

He wrote the words, I squiggled the doodles. 

As usual there are some bonus materials jammed in there, I think you’re gonna enjoy it.

To get the free comic, one must face three arduous trials by the glow of the waxing gibbous Moon adjacent to the Cave of the Crepuscular Hermit Wizard known to some as “Larry.”

Or just go to this link and SUBSCRIBE TO MY MAILING LIST! 

I will periodically announce events, send updates, and give you more exclusive bonus stuff.

I’ve set up the mailing list just in case any of these social media platforms go down, we can still keep in touch.

Just a heads up, this mailing list is separate from my blog, in case you’re subscribed to my blog via email.

Please let us know what you think of our little experiment! Leave a comment!

Thanks you guys, talk to you soon!

Dirt Behind the Day Dream

I’ve been in the studio painting up a storm for the past few months. Experimenting with acrylic paint and exploring some weird, dark areas.

The painting above “Dirt Behind the Day Dream # 1” is one result of these explorations.

I’ve opened up a new online store if you would like to purchase any of my original paintings, click the link below to check it out.

https://www.saatchiart.com/mrkessell


In other news, Batboy is still putting himself out there.

You can catch up on his adventures by purchasing any of these three books below! And/or follow along on my various social media accounts to see new comics as they are released.

CHECK OUT MY BOOKS PAGE FOR MORE INFO

#BatboyComplains

Batboy Is Going Places?

Despite the fact that his latest book is titled: Getting Nowhere Fast, Batboy is still trying to flap those wings, move those little yellow shoes, and actually get somewhere.

Getting Nowhere Fast: Another Batboy Comic Collection by M. R. Kessell Book Cover showing Batboy sweating as he pedals a stationary bike with a dill pickle hanging in front of him as motivation

I just wanted to do a quick roundup of some Batboy-related news.

Firstly, I’m excited to announce that Batboy is listed over on Indie Comics Zone, a great resource for those who are interested in independent comics. Head over and peruse the many creators featured there.

If you find yourself in the North Jersey area and are in need of comics and collectibles, please stop in at East Side Mags in Montclair. You’ll be able to find the first two Batboy books there.

In addition to Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, I am now on Reddit where I hope to share new Batboy comics in the near future.

And as the first copies of Getting Nowhere Fast: Another Batboy Comic Collection start landing in the hands of friends, family and fans, I want to say thank you all!

Getting Nowhere Fast

Getting Nowhere Fast: Another Batboy Comic Collection by M. R. Kessell Book Cover showing Batboy sweating as he pedals a stationary bike with a dill pickle hanging in front of him as motivation

Batboy is back! In comic form!

Getting Nowhere Fast: Another Batboy Comic Collection

I’m very excited to share this with you, it’s the second printed collection of Batboy Comics! Available now on Amazon.

Here’s the description from Amazon:

Batboy doesn’t know when to stop. He’s still flapping those anxious wings, drinking from the cup of pessimism, and wearing the sweatpants of awkwardness.

This collection comprises the second year of Batboy comics, originally released into the void of the internet from January through October 2022.

Also contained herein are brand new, never-before-seen panels,
some extra goodies, and the short horror story Death Creeps on Paws of Plush!

Batboy is an indie comic, which originated at the height of stress and anxiety in the year 2021. Batboy deals with everyday issues, mental health and self-improvement with wit, humor, and goofiness. For fans of classic Sunday funnies or underground comix, Batboy is everyone and is for everyone.

But don’t just take my word for it, below are a few reviews for the previous Batboy collection:

“Batboy is all of us. Self-sabotage and all. Lovely artwork and color, with a unique voice. There’s even callouts to Gorey! And as a bonus there is a sketchbook of Batboy at the end. I loved it.”

– Andrew Bellware

“M.R. Kessell has done it again! Within these pages lies a lovable and tragic representation of self-induced deprecation named Batboy.”

– Peter Hammarberg

“I absolutely ADORE Batboy and anxiously anticipate his next moves.”

– Katherine Kessell

“The next great Sunday comic character is Batboy!”

– Shawn Flanagan

CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINT BOOK ON AMAZON!

Please visit my books page for the previous Batboy publications!

Highland Park Comic-Con!

Highland Park Comic-Con

Hey everybody! I will be appearing at the Highland Park Comic-Con this Saturday December 3rd! It’s all ages and FREE ENTRY! See you there at Pino’s, 13 N 4th Ave, Highland Park, NJ!

Stop by if you need any holiday gifts for the comic lovers in your life. I will have my usual assortment of Batboy books and zines, plus prints, pins and stickers!

If you can’t make it, why not check out my BOOKS page and my online STORE page for those last-minute weird gifts.


Plus I’ve got something BIG in the works, and as you can see below, Batboy is sweating!

rough sketch of Batboy face closeup sweating as if riding a bike

I hope to reveal more soon about this project, so stay tuned! As usual you can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Slasher!