mr. beat

MR. BEAT MUSEUM

Welcome to the MR. BEAT MUSEUM! In addition to his appearance in numerous comic books and trade paperbacks, the leader of the Caffeine Cult Society has managed to pop up on numerous tie-in products. This is the stuff that drives hardcore collectors crazy trying to find! In this section of the Mr. Beat site, we are going to take you through a visual journey of ice cool items that every fan should aspire to possess at any cost. You'll find some real rarities here as well as some long-standing favorites in the mix. Many of these products were limited-edition creations and have sold out long ago. Hopefully, this information will help you recognize them when you see them so your joy can be complete. To the informed victor go the spoils.
We've tried like mad to include descriptions and images for every known item, but nobody is perfect. So, if you find an odd Mr. Beat item that isn't here in our museum, then let us know about it; and if it proves to authentic, we'll add it in (and reward you with some swag for being such an astute observer!). We've also tried to categorize items and list them in order of market appearance. Please forgive and correct us if you know better. Thanks and enjoy!

COMIC BOOKS AND PAPERBACKS: These items can be found in our COMICS section, where each book is listed by the year in which it was issued.

COFFEE MUGS: If there was ever a more appropriate product to have Mr. Beat adorn, we don't know about it...yet! Way back in 1994 CHRIS YAMBAR joined forces with Ad Specialist MARIANNE EARNEST and formed a small mug company called TWO FUN! The company was created to capitalize on the incredible growth of the coffeehouse boom that was sweeping across the western section of civilization. In addition to planning a line of all-access novelty mugs, the two decided to create a line of coffee mugs just for the mainstream coffee drinker. Thus, the then unnamed Mr. Beat was born. It was a full year later when he received his proper title and yet another before he appeared in the historic MR. BEAT ADVENTURES #0 ashcan.
TWO FUN! debuted their original line of mugs and clothing with an exclusive signing and underwriting by the PEABERRY'S COFFEE AND ICE CREAM COMPANY in Boardman, Ohio, in February 1995. Within 6 months that single outlet sold through the first 3 grosses of gold-rimmed coffee mugs. Instant collector's items! (Oddly enough, Mr. Beat was created in a completely different coffeehouse-on the second floor of the infamously infamous THE BEAT COFFEEHOUSE in the heart of Youngstown, Ohio, where he would appear on their products a few years later.)
Grosses of TWO FUN! "beatnik" mugs were produced and sold to retailers, but soon the bottom fell out of the boom and the coffeehouse movement topped off and bottomed out. It was a rocket ship rise and fall in industry over-expansion. Even powerful niche magazines like CAFÉ OLE bit the dust. In a whirlwind reading of the upcoming implosion, TWO FUN! quickly dissolved and Chris went walking off with the balance of the physical mug stock and complete ownership of his soon-to- be-famous mug star.
Chris hit the comic convention scene in 1996 and quickly made his way through a warehouse load of microwave safe gold-rimmed Mr. Beat mugs which he peddled across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Since then, he has issued several different styles of Mr. Beat mugs and plans to keep this trend going as long as the brew needs a cauldron to be sipped from, y'dig?!
The original gold rimmed TWO FUN! mugs came in 3 styles:
The first gold-rimmed mug had a wraparound BEATNIK CONGA LINE design with the words "CAFFEINE CULT SOCIETY!" beneath it.
The second gold-rimmed design featured the famous "WILL CONFORM FOR COFFEE" pose with the same image on both sides. This design was sold heavily at COFFEEFEST '95 in Boston, MA, and is considered by many collectors to be the first REAL Mr. Beat mug due to the appearance of his image on the covers of the #0 ASHCAN EDITION and on the very first cover of MR. BEAT ADVENTURES in 1996.
The third gold-rimmed mug featured a wraparound design with 3 naked coffee angels holding dripping coffee pots with the words "IN BEAN WE TRUST."(This design was retired in 1995, but the little coffee angel,'Caffeinna,' went on do a cameo appearance in MR. BEAT ADVENTURES #1 and play a pivotal part in BAMBEANO BOY #1, where she helped give birth to Dippy the Biscotti Dog!)
Just for spite, and in honor of the nagging vexation for a sense of completion, we're even going to include a set of images from the gold-rimmed first-day TWO FUN! logo mug. It was, after all, the company that birthed the image of the mighty beat. (Limited to 144 mugs)
As the gold-rimmed editions began to sell out in 1996, Chris issued an unbanded mug with the original "BEATNIK CONGA LINE" image but with the added text - "JOIN THE CULT!" These sold out by the end of that year.
The demand for more Mr. Beat muggage prompted Chris to rework and reissue the original "WILL CONFORM" image in 1997. The figure image was enlarged and had wraparound verbage that covered all the bases - "CAFFEINE CULT SOCIETY CHARTER MEMBER! OBEY THE BEAN! JOIN THE CULT!" and the Mr. Beat logo. A strange thing happened as these mugs were being produced in that someone at the mug factory somehow felt compelled to substitute the word "brain" for the word "bean". Only 144 of these misprints were created, but they went to good use by helping to raise funds "to promote literacy."
In 1998 Chris teamed up with THE BEAT COFFEEHOUSE and put out a purple-on-white image of Mr. Beat playing his bongos and holding out the official "house-logo cup of coffee" for the viewer. The mug features a wraparound design which also included the coffeehouse logo, address, and the copy "The Birth Place of Mr. Beat! Obey the Bean!" This design was strictly limited to 144 mugs and was sold out by year's end. Only 72 of these mugs made it out of Youngstown, Ohio, and onto the comic convention floor! Sometimes referred to as the "MR. BEAT BIRTHDAY MUG."
The 1999 mug design featured a walking Mr. Beat image with the letters "W.W.M.B.D." beneath his feet on one side and the words "WHAT WOULD MR BEAT DO? OBEY THE BEAN. JUST BREW IT!" on the other. This was an obvious play on the "What Would Jesus Do?" (WWJD) wristband craze of that year. From the look of it, Jesus would have bought several of these mugs, because they were gone by the end of 2000!
In 200, Mr. Beat celebrated his 10th anniversary and received high honors by being showcased on the KEROUAC FEST '04 event mug! The mug featured the walking Mr. Beat image in the official "MR. BEAT. 1994 - 2004. CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF TOTAL COOLNESS!" logo circle above the words "KEROUAC FEST '04: A BEAT ODYSSEY. GRAND MIDWAY HOTEL. SPECIAL GUEST DAVID AMRAM." Only 300 mugs were created for this special beat weekend. These are rare and wonderful items indeed and must-have items for any true fan and follower of authentic beat culture!

BUTTONS:

MR. BEAT TWO FUN! BUTTON - 1995. Created for the test marketing of the original TWO FUN! beatnik coffee mugs. A smiling Mr. Beat walks with his mug held high next to the words "TWO FUN!" Black and white. Limited to 288 buttons.
MR. BEAT / PEABERRY'S COFFEE BUTTON - 1995. This premium button was created as a fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association to build awareness in the fight to defeat MD. Mr. Beat is featured with the PEABERRY'S COFFEE AND ICE CREAM logo. Black and white. Limited to 144 buttons.
TEX-MEX TOUR BUTTON - 1998. This button features the busts of Mr. Beat and Ding Bat Cat and was created to commemorate the first-day release signing of MAGIC INKWELL COMIC BOOK THEATRE #1 and a joint art exhibition in Austin, Texas, with Chris Yambar and Cayetano Garza. Black ink on various colored backgrounds. Limited to 120 buttons.
MR. BEAT WORLD TOUR BUTTON - 1999. This full-color button was created for the crowds at SMALL PRESS EXPO (SPX) in Bethesda, Maryland. It features the "new look" walking Mr. Beat and the words "MR. BEAT WORLD TOUR. 1994-1999. FIVE VERY CAFFEINATED YEARS!" Limited to 100 buttons.
MR.BEAT 10th ANNIVERSARY BUTTON - 2004. Available in each BUZZ BOX ordered. Limited to 100 buttons.

T-SHIRTS:

MR. BEAT TWO FUN! SHIRT -1995. Created for PEABERRY'S COFFEEHOUSE in Boardman, Ohio, and worn by employees as official uniform gear. This was one of 2 designs used during the initial coffee mug ceremony. It featured a ful- figured Mr. Beat with a coffee mug saying, "DRINK UP!" while standing above the words "TWO FUN!" The PEABERRY'S logo is on the back. Very rare!
CAFFEINE CULT SOCIETY CONGA LINE SHIRT - 1995. Also created for the premiere mug event at PEABERRY'S, this design was the same one found on the gold-rimmed, wraparound mug design.
BEAT COFFEEHOUSE SHIRT - 1996. Sports Mr. Beat in the classic "WILL CONFORM" pose on the sleeve and the words "SHE THOUGHT IT WAS LOVE BUT IT WAS JUST THE CAFFEINE" across the front. THE BEAT COFFEEHOUSE appears on the back. Co-designed by FaGaGaGa!
MR.BEAT VS. ROSWELL SHIRT - 1997. Created to promote the release of Mr. Beat's second comic book from Moordam Comics: MR. BEAT'S TWO-FISTED ATOMIC ACTION SUPER SPECIAL. This special premium shirt was given to comic reviewers, comic creators, promoters, and entertainment press people. It featured Mr. Beat and co-designer Bill Morrison's ROSWELL - LITTLE GREEN MAN character in boxing gear about to duke it out.
WILL CONFORM FOR COFFEE SHIRT - 1997. This version features a faded blue image of Mr. Beat in his "WILL CONFORM" pose on the front with a red Mr. Beat logo on the back. Sold at conventions everywhere.
WILL CONFORM FOR COFFEE SHIRT - 1998. This version features the same front image in red with a Mr. Beat MOORDAM COMICS logo on the back. Available for several years on the tour circuit.
MR. BEAT / MUDDY BLUES SHIRT - 1998. A full-color promotional design promoting Mr. Beat's appearance from the cover of the comic ROOTER. Shows Mr. Beat playing bongos with Muddy's band. This image also appeared on the convention circuit in a black and white line art version. Produced as a limited-edition shirt by CUSTOM COMICS OF AMERICA.
ACME 5 SHIRT - 2001. This staff-only shirt featured Mr. Beat with the famous ACME 5 logo on the left breast side. Created by the fine folks at CAPTAIN BLUE HEN COMICS in Newark, Delaware.
IN BEAN WE TRUST SHIRT - 2001. Featured the classic new-look "WILL CONFORM" Mr. Beat pose with the words "CAFFEINE CULT SOCIETY" above him and "IN BEAN WE TRUST" below. The verso sports a large Mr. Beat logo and the words "BONGOS FOR THE BEAN!" Licensed by LUNAR LIZARD PRINTING and sold everywhere.

OTHER COLLECTABLE ODDITIES:

BEANAHOLICS UNANIMOUS CEL ART - 1995. Chris used his original 3 TWO FUN! beatnik mug designs and created a show of hand-painted cels which he placed over prints of fine art masterpieces to create humorous situations. These were matted, signed, numbered and taken on the road after they were shown at PEABERRY'S COFFEEHOUSE. Their original price was $25.00 each.
MR. BEAT TRADING CARD - 1996. Card #47 in the 1996 INDEPENDENT UNIVERSE COLLECTOR CARD SET (SERIES TWO). This card was drawn in 1995. It had a character description on the back and was available in the original set issued by DILEMMA PRODUCTIONS. Chris gave out these cards with mug purchases and in copies of the #0 ASHCAN EDITION when he just got started promoting Mr. Beat.
GIANT COSMIC COFFEE STRAWS - 1997. Ultra limited to 36 units, these large glittery tubes were poly bagged with yellow header cards telling you how to use them. We hope to God that no one ever did!
MR. BEAT ALL WEATHER STICKERS - 1997. Features an image of Mr. Beat giving the peace sign with the words "2 COOL!" Designed to hold up in any weather. Limited to 700.
WILL CONFORM COMMEMORATIVE CELS - 1997. These hand-painted cels were created to commemorate the first issue of MR. BEAT ADVENTURES #1. Each was produced using archival matting and backing and came signed and numbered by the artist. Limited to 36 (+) 1 artist proof. Their original price was $50.00 each.
PRIMAL BLINKK CD COVER - 1997. This Christian rock act featured Mr. Beat big time on the back of their "PRIMAL BLINKK - 714" music CD. Limited to 1000 copies worldwide.
SMALL PRESS STICKERS AND YO YOS - 1998. Sheets of little round stickers were created with small press characters on them and were given out to fans and put on everything, including some wild-colored yo-yos. Included in the batch were images of Mr. Beat and Bambeano Boy. Created by RICK and CAT SANTIMAN at the MOTOR CITY CON in Detroit, Michigan.
MR. BEAT INACTION FIGURES - 1998. As a tongue-in-cheek backlash against the then- booming action figure craze, Mr. Beat was licensed by ELECTRIC MILK and TV COMICS for ART BALTAZAR'S humorous CRAYBABY INACTION FIGURE line. Each figure was hand- made and painted and came glued and bubble packed to its own display card. If you removed the figure from the packaging, it was ruined! The Mr. Beat figures were available as DIAMOND COMICS direct market items, but a few did make their way onto the convention selling floors around the country. The 'DIRECT MARKET EDITION' had Mr. Beat flanked by a giant yellow coffee mug and conga on a green card with hearts and stars. This was limited to 120 pieces. The 'SAN DIEGO EDITION' featured Mr. Beat with an umbrella, an instant coffee pot, and an ice cooler under a blazing sun on the beach image behind him on the packing card. This was limited to 75 pieces.
MR. BEAT SCULPTURE - 1998. Sculpted by SAM SWOGGER with the intention of being shopped the following year for sculpture casting. The project was sadly scrapped due to high production costs. Only 4 prototype sculptures were ever made. One got sold ($75), one got destroyed in transit to the MID-OHIO CON, one is in the possession of creator Chris Yambar, and one got stolen at the event. The images were fashioned after the cover image of our hero on MR. BEAT ADVENTURES #1.
MR. BEAT UNIVERSAL LOVE DONUT - 1999. Handmade Christmas ornament which was given to diehard fans at the Mid-Ohio Con. Limited to 36 ornaments.
THE MR. BEAT EXPERIENCE CD - 2002. Available only in THE COMPLETE MR. BEAT (VOL. 3) published by COMIC LIBRARY INTERNATIONAL. Captures an actual live 'Mr. Beat Experience' performance inspired by the Mr. Beat character. Stellar performances by JOHN J. BLAIR, YAMBAR, MARC PLANET, TIM CORRIGAN, STEVE KEETER, and others. Recorded at the famous BULLFROG BREWERY in beautiful Williamsport, PA. OUT OF PRINT!

MR. BEAT TRIVIA DEPT. CAN YOU ANSWER THE SEXY 60?

So you think you're an expert on the world of Mr. Beat? Think you're hip enough to score big time when it comes to all things funky fresh and groovy cool? Well here's your opportunity to strut your knowledge about the hippest cat to ever swig a brew in the comic book zoo! How many of the 'sexy 60' can you answer off the top of your head ? Compare your answers to the ones provided below. What you do and don't know may surprise even you! Have fun, peeps!

QUESTIONS:

1)What is Mr. Beat's real name?
2)What comic cover was first to be spoofed by Mr. Beat on the inside of his title?
3)Who gave Mr. Beat his famous black boots?
4)True or False: Mr. Beat's nephew, Bambeano Boy, is really a space alien.
5)Mr. Beat's arch enemy used to have an evil sidekick. What was his name and his hidden occupational desire?
6)What is the FULL name of Bambeano Boy's pet and what is he?
7)What is the first song that Mr. Bitter ever sang for our readers, and who originally recorded it?
8)What symbol always appears on Edna's coffee pot?
9)What sound usually comes out of Platt's butt?
10)What kind of animal is Platt?
11)Did Edna the waitress ever show her face? What was she wearing when she did?
12)Who was the first deity to have coffee with Mr. Beat?
13)Before Platt ever appeared in Mr. Beat's comic book, he appeared in what two comic strips?
14)According to Mr. Beat, what is the most horrible art form ever created?
15)Platt once took a job at what art and sign shop?
16)Mr. Beat witnessed first hand the death and rebirth of what popular DC Comics character?
17)How many times has Mr. Beat died? How?
18)Who gave Mr. Beat his wildly famous coffee bean blend?
19)What device makes traveling throughout the multiverse a breeze for Mr. Beat?
20)Where is this device located?
21)Bambeano Boy was a failed experiment because his creator forgot to add what to his test tube?
22)When Mr. Beat ended up back in 1938, he got a car ride from whom?
23)Name the single Warhol film that starred Mr. Beat.
24)What is the name of Bambeano Boy's guardian angel?
25)Bambeano Boy 'hulked out' once to save Mr. Beat from getting 'this' done to him?
26)Whose spirit was set free when Mr. Beat defeated the Ben Day Dots?
27)Who was the 'star maker' who turned Mr. Beat, Bambeano Boy, and Platt into overnight international rock idols?
28)What was the name of their band?
29)What independent characters were first to do an inter-company crossover with Mr.Beat?
30)Who shot Mr. Beat?
31)What Mr. Beat cover came with a free dot on it?
32)What menace did Mr. Beat defeat by drinking out of his head?
33)How can you tell an 'alien Mr. Beat clone' from the real Mr. Beat?
34)What is the title of the most reprinted Mr. Beat story ever?
35)What title did Edna the waitress hold in 1943?
36)What did Edna wrestle prior to becoming a professional waitress?
37)How much weight can Edna benchpress?
38)Who is SNIKT?
39)By tricking Death, Mr. Beat has made it possible for Platt to do what unnatural act?
40)When Cray Baby Baby and Bambeano Boy touched their fingers together what creature came to life by hatching from their 'love egg'?
41)Mr. Beat received a 'magic' marker from the citizens of what dimension?
42)What powerful item almost destroyed three dimensions when it was misused by Mr. Bitter?
43)What retailer team took all of Bambeano Boy's birthday money?
44)What tiny creature helped Mr. Beat get a giant hammer from Scott Roberts' Patty Cake so he could defeat Mr. Bitter and free the Cray Babies?
45)What George Broderick, Jr., character spanked Mr. Bitter's bottom so bad that he cried like a little girl and became a dishwasher with Platt as his boss in the back of Mr. Beat's coffeehouse?
46)What was the name of the first band to play at 'Mr. Beat's House of Burning Jazz Love'?
47)Who was the first 'Moordam Comics' character that Mr. Beat met in his own title?
48)Who was the first 'Moordam Comics' character that Mr. Beat met outside his own title?
49)What famous singer's writing is Bambeano Boy known to recite during open mic night?
50)What did Mr. Beat tell the Fire-Breathing Pope that he was giving up for Lent?
51)In what historic Dark Horse Comics title did Mr. Beat almost make a cameo appearance before the project got shelved?
52)What famous comic cover did Mr. Beat and Bill Morrison's character, Roswell-Little Green Man, team up to spoof with 'Mr. Beat's Two-Fisted Atomic Action Super Special'?
53)When Bambeano Boy gets REALLY happy, he can do what?
54)What infamous cheesecake photographer shares the same last name as Edna and is, in fact, her own brother?
55)How much was the first cup of coffee that Edna ever sold Mr. Beat before he bought the business?
56)Who was the only woman to ever break Mr. Beat's heart?
57)What Mike Bocianowski character made his original debut in the pages of Mr. Beat before moving on to his own line of books over at 'Comic Library International'?
58)When Bambeano Boy and Jamie Cosley's Toby the Pony get together to watch videos, they love to watch what super hero's adventures?
59)What company tried to put Clowny's out of business before Mr. Beat showed up to save the day?
60)True or False: Mr. Beat was almost Pope.

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ANSWERS:

Not as easy as you thought, huh?! Let's see how well you did, babe. 1) Mr. Beat. 2) Whiz Comics #1. 3) Ringo Starr. 4) True! 5) Skipper always wanted to become a hair stylist and eventually he did! 6) Baron Von Dippy McCabe is a biscotti dog. 7) The Rolling Stones recorded 'Sympathy for The Devil.' 8) The black lightning bolt. 9) POOT! 10) A bright pink duck billed platypus. 11)Yes and no. She was wearing her pro-wrestling mask. 12) Jesus Christ. 13) Pond Pals (1983) and Wilbur (1985). 14) Mime.15) Bud's Art and Sign. 16) The Spectre. 17) Once. He was killed by the mob two weeks before he was to die from natural causes. He was drowned in a cement barrel. 18) God Himself, as a reward for being His agent of cool in the multiverse. 19) His own interdimensional doorway. 20) In the back broom closet of Mr. Beat's coffeehouse. 21) The Miracle-Gro Plant Food. 22) Ma and Pa Kent. 23) Sip! 24) Caffeina the coffee angel. 25) Nobody likes an alien rectal probe! 26) Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. 27) Preston Monouex aka-Shadey Daze. 28) Grist For Da Mill. 29) Wendi and Richard Pini's 'Elfquest' trolls. 30) Platt. 31) 'Mr. Beat Superstar.' 32) Too Much Corporate Coffee Man. 33) The alien clone Mr. Beats have 4 fingers and a thumb. Mr. Beat and all good and trustworthy characters have 3 fingers and a thumb. 34) Mr. Beat Counts the Cost. 35) Miss Flap Jack 1943. 36) Alligators. 37) 820 pounds. 38) The alien scientist that created Bambeano Boy and sent him to Earth.39) Live forever. 40) Cray Beano Baby-Baby. 41) Levi's World. 42) The Cray Stick of Joy. 43) Clem and Ray - Retailers at Large. 44) A single Space Flea. 45) Wet-Towelicus. 46) Boondoggle's Wookie Chesthair. 47) A doat from Levi's World. 48) The Felonius Monk from 'Courageous Man #1.' 49) Marvin Gaye. 50) Being Catholic. 51) The Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" adapted by Bill Morrison. 52) 'DC Showcase' #61 (1966). 53) He can fly, of course. 54) Irving Klaw. 55) Five cents. 56) The ever beautiful Bettie Page. 57) Chuck - The Ugly American. 58) Bolt Jenkins. 59) Sundollars Coffee. 60) Absolutely true! Honest to God!