animation

Scroll and Scroll and Scroll

batboy sits and ponders with a pencil in hand
| Mister Kessell

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.

Comic in which Batboy sits at desk with pencil and blank paper caption reads: "Hmmm ... Maybe I should look at my phone for some inspiration."
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.

BOOKS

“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…

Comic in which Batboy is drawn sketchy in pencil and ink, he looks flustered as he holds his phone. The caption reads: "Been scrolling for hours and somehow I'm not better."
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.

comic in which a cartoon boy angrily takes a bowl of matzo ball soup away from a monstrous hand with teeth

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.

BOOKS
I’m a Social Media Junkie

How The Grinch Stole Christmas -Museum of the Moving Image

| Mister Kessell

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.

This post is a follow up to the one I wrote about Thurl Ravenscroft, the previously uncredited singer of the You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.

grinch animation cel 1966 stealing christmas tree star

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!

TV Guide ad for How The Grinch Stole Christmas 1966
Original Grinch TV Guide ad from December 17th, 1966
Dr Seuss Boris Karloff and Chuck Jones in the studio

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.

black and white acrylic painting of Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster, behind the scenes holding a cup of tea
Just don’t call him Frankie
two grinch pencil sketches
Fantastic rough pencil sketches
grinch in santa hat pencil sketch
maquette sculpture of the grinch in santa claus costume 1966
Looks like there’s gonna be rumble in Whoville tonight!
four framed Grinch animation cels
A wonderful sequence of animation cels
Animation Cel of The Grinch with evil grin
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!

About A Thurl (Ravenscroft, that is)

| Mister Kessell

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…

The name "Thurl Ravenscroft" designed like a heavy metal band logo. White text on a black background, very sketchy and rough, with the V forming the bottom point of a pentagram.
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:

Black text in a Dr. Seuss Font over yellow background: It was Thurl who sang the Grinch. Sing, Sang, Sung it quite sweetly. To think Karloff pulled it off, you'd be flumdoozled completely."

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.

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M. R. Kessell is a dark artist and a writer and illustrator of Batboy comics.

Batboy wearing a dino floaty at the beach

One last thing before I set off on the sea of swirly-twirly gum drops...

In the spirit of the season, I want to share with you a special little animated gif that I created.

Please feel free to share!

Especially if you have ever been wrongly labeled a Grinch.

Animated gif of a caricature mashup of Richard Nixon and the Grinch who stole Christmas. Waving double peace signs with his hands and text that reads: I AM NOT A GRINCH.

CLICK HERE FOR A PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES OF HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS!

Click here for more about Thurl.

CHECK OUT MY HOLIDAY MONSTER GIF COLLECTION HERE!

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.

A Lowbrow Haiku

| Mister Kessell

I’m trying something a little different today. Some of you may recall the first version of this from a few months back on the blog, it existed only as a pencil drawing in my sketchbook. But today I bring it to you in full color with sound and motion. Or at least the illusion of motion. I hope you enjoy!