MrBallen, Ballen Studios, and Ten Speed Graphic to publish first graphic novel - Strange, Dark & Mysterious

MrBallen, Ballen Studios and Ten Speed Graphic announced today the upcoming publication of the graphic novel MrBallen Presents: Strange, Dark & Mysterious. This is the first book by MrBallen and Ballen Studios, and it will contain graphic adaptations of the mysterious stories based on true events from their incredibly popular podcast and YouTube channel, as well as additional new, exclusive stories. MrBallen Presents will be published simultaneously in hardcover, paperback, and e-book on October 1st, 2024.

John Allen, known globally as “MrBallen,” has been enthralling audiences for years with his unique brand of storytelling, covering strange and mysterious phenomena ranging from the unexplained screaming heard in parts of Nahanni Valley, the Kandahar Giant found in Afghanistan, and Allen’s own brush with the paranormal. Deeply researched and seriously compelling, the hit MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories rapidly gained a devoted fanbase for the raconteur himself and for the rarely-before-covered unsettling occurrences and true crimes that have taken place throughout the world.

“I’ve been drawn to books and storytelling my whole life,” said Allen. “But the one thing I felt was missing was the ability to show the SDM community, in a more visual format than YouTube— I want my audience to be able to see exactly what I see when I tell these stories. I could not be happier with the finished product.”

Now in MrBallen Presents: Strange, Dark & Mysterious, Allen reveals the creepy underbelly of the human experience, charting bizarre and downright terrifying instances of the paranormal, horrors of the natural world, and the danger of our own minds. Created in collaboration with New York Times bestselling graphic novelist Robert Venditti and acclaimed comic book artist Andrea Mutti, and featuring original cover art from renowned artist Rob Prior, this is a haunting collection filled with twists and surprises that will leave readers thoroughly spooked.

About Ballen Studios and MrBallen

Ballen Studios is a global, multi-platform content company developing and producing projects spanning film, television, publishing, live touring, merchandising, audio, and digital-first platforms. Founded by top podcast host and one of the internet’s biggest storytellers, John B. Allen—better known to fans globally as MrBallen—Ballen Studios was established to propel the art of storytelling to new heights and connect audiences globally through authentic, engaging storytelling across mediums. MrBallen, a former US Navy SEAL turned prolific content creator, had a meteoric rise to fame in 2020, first on TikTok and YouTube, and most recently in audio when he launched the hit show, MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories, a true crime-focused series that also explores strange and mysterious occurrences and continues to fascinate new and established audiences globally. Allen uses his platform to give back and founded the MrBallen Foundation with the mission to honor victims and support families of heinous crimes through education, training, and financial support. Allen resides in Austin, Texas, with his wife and three children.

Robert Venditti is a New York Times bestselling author of more than three hundred comic books and graphic novels. Some of his works include the monthly comic book series Justice League and Superman, his own graphic novel Six Days, the adaptation of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and more. His graphic novel The Surrogates was adapted into a feature film by Touchstone Pictures. Venditti lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Andrea Mutti began his career illustrating the superheroes comic 'DNAction’ for Xenia Edizioni. Since then he’s worked with Fenix, Star Comics, DC/Vertigo, Marvel, Mad Cave Studios, and IDW.