Fiends Beans

Real Name: Fred

Identity/Class: Human transformed by chemical means

Occupation: School boy

Affiliations: Percy (pet mouse), Joey (pet budgie), Goldie (pet goldfish), Billy the Kid, Pongo, Slojak, Jimmy Kelly and his Wonder Wellies, Rip Van Tinkle

Enemies: Little 'Orror

Known Relatives: Unidentified mother and father, Frederika (sister)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: His parents' home

First Appearance: Cracker#25 (D.C.Thomson, 5th July 1975)

Powers/Abilities: Anyone (not just Fred) who is exposed to Fiends Beans is temporarily transformed into a monster, often possessing superhuman strength and durability. The user doesn't even need to eat the beans - just being doused in them will do. Even plants and inanimate objects can be transformed if exposed to the beans. The transformations are different each time, but generally seem somehow appropriate to the situation - when facing a rampaging bull, Fred became a minotaur, while he became a sea monster when he took the beans while visiting a swimming baths. They do the reverse to monsters and fiends, turning them into nicer versions of themselves, as Little 'Orror discovered when he stole a tin and fed it to his bat, Beastly.

History: Fred's love of baked beans made it difficult for his mother to keep him supplied, as he even ate them with his cornflakes. Thus when she saw a newspaper advert offering "Fiends Beans Going Cheap! A Product of Transylvania" she seized the opportunity and ordered an entire crate, apparently oblivious to the subtle warnings provided by the product name and point of origin. Even when the somewhat Frankenstein-monster-like delivery man arrived a few days later, Fred's mum remained blissfully unconcerned, giving Fred a couple of cans to take with him when he went camping that weekend. However, after setting up his tent in a farmer's field, Fred was attacked by a territorial bull just as he was opening a can. Knocked flying, he crash landed to be covered by the contents of the can. Fred barely had time to note the new beans were delicious before a strange transformation came over him, turning him into a minotaur, which instinctively headbutted the bull right back. With the bull suitably stunned, a surprised Fred changed back to his human self a few seconds later.

Fred continued to use his beans to become a monster at opportune moments, and others, including his father, mother and sister Frederika were occasionally transformed too.

Comments: Created by Gordon Bell. Fiends Beans ran in Cracker from issue 25 until the final issue, #87, dated 11th September 1976. During his run other stars of Cracker occasionally turned up in the Fiends Beans strip, and he in turn made guest appearances in some of their strips.

Between this and Full O'Beans, no wonder the French insist that Britain's food supplies are tainted. And just like the Fred who ate those beans, this Fred guzzles them down raw. Bleugh.

Mildly interesting is the fact that Fred's can of beans seems to pop open when he tugs at the lid - ring-pull tins of beans in 1975?

CLARIFICATIONS: Not to be confused with

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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