Gauntlet Gallery
What is KAWS’s piece called “Chum vs Astro Boy (First Edition)”?
Summary
This screenprint sets KAWS's CHUM character against the silhouette of Astro Boy. CHUM is KAWS's reworking of the Michelin Man (Bibendum), rendered with his trademark X eyes and rounded, stacked-tire body. Here that bulbous figure is overlaid with the unmistakable form of Osamu Tezuka's robot boy, a touchstone of Japanese manga and anime. Executed as a bold, flat graphic with crisp outlines and a limited palette, the 'First Edition' print exemplifies KAWS's strategy of fusing two mass-culture mascots into a single hybrid image, layering his own invented characters over icons of postwar pop culture.
Why It Matters
CHUM is one of KAWS's most important early characters, a direct appropriation of an advertising mascot that he claimed and transformed into a recurring figure across paintings, prints, and vinyl toys. Pairing CHUM with Astro Boy doubles down on KAWS's core method: both figures are borrowed icons — one from Western advertising, one from Japanese animation — recombined through his X-eyed idiom. The mashup speaks to KAWS's deep ties to Japan, where his early collaborations with Tokyo toy and streetwear brands established his collector base. For collectors, CHUM works carry significance as a foundational chapter of his vocabulary alongside Companion, and a 'versus Astro Boy' edition links street art, designer-toy culture, and gallery printmaking in one image. It demonstrates how KAWS treats commercial mascots as a shared language to be remixed rather than merely referenced.
Collector Perspective
This print draws collectors focused on KAWS's CHUM character and his appropriation of advertising and cartoon mascots. It complements both CHUM editions and the broader Companion universe, making it attractive to buyers assembling a survey of KAWS's invented characters. The 'versus Astro Boy' concept gives it added narrative appeal and ties it to his Japanese collector roots. As a flat, high-contrast graphic it displays boldly and pairs naturally with Running Chum prints and other CHUM works. Condition, signature, and authentication should be verified, as these factors drive value in the KAWS editions market.
Historical Context
CHUM emerged in KAWS's late-1990s and early-2000s practice, the period when he was moving from subway and graffiti interventions into appropriated-mascot paintings and the designer-toy world. His relationship with Japan — through Bounty Hunter, OriginalFake, and Tokyo's toy scene — made characters like CHUM and Companion enormously popular there. Overlaying CHUM with Astro Boy continues the appropriation strategy that defined his rise, in which familiar commercial and cartoon figures are absorbed into his X-eyed symbology. The work reflects the maturation of KAWS's character roster, when his own mascots had become recognizable enough to stage dialogues with the pop icons that inspired them.
FAQ
Who or what is CHUM?
CHUM is KAWS's reworking of the Michelin Man (Bibendum), given X eyes and his signature styling — one of his foundational appropriated characters alongside Companion.
What does the Astro Boy reference add?
It overlays CHUM with Osamu Tezuka's classic robot-boy silhouette, pairing a Western advertising mascot with a Japanese animation icon in a single hybrid image.
Is this a signed limited edition?
It is presented as a limited screenprint edition. Verify the signature, edition number, and authentication paperwork directly before any purchase.
How does CHUM relate to KAWS's other characters?
CHUM is part of KAWS's roster of remixed mascots; it appears across paintings, prints, and toys and recurs in series such as the Running Chum prints.
Related Works
About the Artist
KAWS is the working name of Brian Donnelly (b. 1974, Jersey City). He began in the 1990s subverting bus-shelter and phone-booth advertisements, then built a singular visual language around the Companion — a Mickey-Mouse-descended figure with crossed-out X eyes — alongside Chum, BFF, Accomplice and a cast of appropriated cartoon characters. His practice spans paintings, screenprints, vinyl and bronze sculpture, and the monumental KAWS:Holiday installations shown in cities worldwide. His work is held by the Brooklyn Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and major private collections, and he is among the most collected artists of his generation.