Tales of the Beanworld is an independently published comic book created by Larry Marder. Beanworld features stories about the life and times of the Beans, minimalistic characters which Marder has been drawing since childhood. The stories borrow concepts from various world mythologies, popular concepts of ecology, and pop culture. Publication history The first issue was published in 1985, and the series ran 21 issues until 1993. The first four issues were printed independently (under the imprint The Beanworld Press). Starting with issue five, the title was released by Eclipse Comics, and ended when Eclipse went bankrupt. A total of four book collections were released, reprinting issues #1–16. In 2009 Dark Horse Comics republished the contents of the original series in two hardcover volumes, and then published a third hardcover volume with all new material. (A one-shot comic book had been published in 2008.) Marder says that this completes the "Springtime" cycle of Beanworld stories. In 2012, Dark Horse published a very short volume (vol. "3.5") that collected various short one-shot stories published over the years. This book is called "Tales of the Beanworld." Dark Horse published Beanworld Volume 4: Hoka Hoka, Burb'l Burb'l! in July 2017. Characters Beanish: an artist bean, who creates the "Fabulous Look•See•Show", artwork for the other beans to appreciate Mr. Spook: the Beanworld hero initially rejected by Gran’Ma’Pa, who leads the Chow Sol'jer Army and performs heroic deeds. In addition, he is the leader of the Gunk'l'Dunk Gang. Professor Garbanzo: an inventor/scientist bean who also functions as the Beans' primary manufacturer and supplier of tools and weapons. Hoi-Polloi Ring Herd: inveterate gamblers, who use "chow" as money. During attacks by the Chow Sol’jer Army, the Hoi-Polloi shove their individual stores of chow into collective piles, then link arms with their neighbors in a circular formation to defend the chow. The Chow Sol'jer Army steals whatever portion of one ring herd's chow they can carry, and leave behind a "sprout-butt." The Hoi-Polloi turn the sprout-butt into more chow, which they divide among themselves. The beans take the supply of chow back to their part of the Beanworld and consume it. Gran’Ma’Pa: a large, mute, mostly immobile being resembling a tree which is the beans’ spiritual guardian and physical parent. Among other things, Gran'ma'pa produces sprout-butts for the beans to take on Hoi-Polloi chow raids. Boom’R Band: three musician beans, who play tunes for the other beans to