BIG BELLY BURGER, art by George Pérez

HISTORY: The Big Belly Burger restraunt chain was mostly likely based on the real world's Bob's Big Boy, which feature a giant statue of Bob's big boy, holding a hamburger on his right hand. According to John "Mikishawm" Wells BBB was based on John Byrne, and ES reports that Kevin Maguire told him that "Big Belly Burger Boy was Editor Andrew Helfer."

NOTES: Data from Hellstone, John "Mikishawm" Wells, and Vu

September 21, 2003 | Busiek's Cameo in JLA/A Rumor

From Silver Bullet Comics

ALL THE RAGE: Return of the King
Sunday, September 21
By Markisan Naso

Pub Scrawls

Kurt’s eating preferences ironically led to a small discussion on his rotund appearance and the rumor of a cameo in JLA/Avengers. He wrote, “After a week of people assuming that I'm the Big Belly Burger Boy in JLA/AVENGERS (a character created in 1987, based on Andy Helfer, I think), I've just come to the conclusion that comics fans can't tell fat bearded guys with glasses apart.

Naturally, this often leads to confusion amongst themselves...”

Here is the word from an expert...
Posted by Hellstone on Tuesday, July 15 2003 at 15:28:27 GMT

Unofficial DC guru John "Mikishawm" Wells had this to say about Big Belly Burger when he made his superb annotations for POWER COMPANY #1:

"Based on the Big Boy hamburger franchise, Big Belly Burger has a more hirsute, vision-challenged cartoon mascot, one who resembles John Byrne. Founded in Coast City (1993’s NEWSTIME facsimile), Big Belly Food Stuffs, Inc. even survived the destruction of its corporate headquarters when the metropolis was destroyed in SUPERMAN #80. Though Byrne scripted Big Belly’s first appearance (ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #441’s Mister Mxyzptlk adventure), it may have originated with co-plotter and artist Jerry Ordway as a gag. Joke or not, Big Belly has gone on to be one of the most ubiquitous fast food joints in the DCU, rivaled only by Chuck Dixon’s McDonalds simulacrum O’Shaunessy’s (beginning in GREEN ARROW #94-95). As its slogan says, the burgers are “belly belly good.”

So it seems TBA was right about Adventures of Superman #441 being its first apperance. But according to this version, it was John Byrne, not Andy Helfer, on whom the visuals were based.

Skyrocket of the Power Company and L-Ron of Formerly Known as the Justice League have both worked here.

/ola