MrBallen gets graphic with a “strange, dark, and mysterious” book

MrBallen is adding another entry to his true crime empire. The storyteller known for his long-form YouTube videos (which reach more than 9.3 million subscribers) has authored a graphic novel filled with spooky, larger-than-life tales.

John Allen, the former U.S. Navy SEAL who goes by the MrBallen moniker on YouTube, often refers to his videos as strange, dark, and mysterious stories, and he has applied that description to his brand as he has expanded beyond his main channel. The “strange, dark, and mysterious” label applied to a podcast Allen launched in 2022 and a 15-city tour he embarked on earlier this year.

The latest piece of media carry Allen’s signature title is a graphic novel called MrBallen Presents: Strange, Dark, and Mysterious. The book, published by Penguin Random House‘s Ten Speed Graphic imprint, includes nine illustrated stories delivered in Allen’s signature style. Novelist Robert Venditti co-authored the book and Andrea Mutti provided the illustrations.

Two of the tales will draw on Allen’s own personal life. “When I was in the military, my nickname was Shakespeare,” Allen told USA Today. “I constantly was yapping.”

Allen is not the first creator to venture into the world of graphic novels. Artistic influencers like Tony Weaver, Jr. and GameToons have used that medium to further their work, while effusive stars like Ninja and Moist Cr1TiKaL have authored graphic novels to express their big personalities. Allen falls into the latter of those groups, though he also comes from an artistic family. His sister Evan Allen is the Head of Creative at his firm Ballen Studios.

MrBallen Presents: Strange, Dark, and Mysterious will serve as Allen’s latest expression of his artistic talent. It makes for a good gift during spooky season, though Allen has a warning for his fans: “I wouldn’t read this book in a dark room alone.”