Acclaimed Brand Creator Jim Benton Partners with Licensed Right International, Inc. to Debut the Newly Reimagined THE MISTERS property and Launch Big Mutts Into the Licensing Arena Worldwide

Benton’s licensed properties have generated sales of nearly a billion dollars at retail, and his exciting renewed THE MISTERS artwork and Big Mutts characters promise to be a major hit with licensors in a wide range of product categories.

Bloomfield, Michigan [February 17, 2025] — Award-winning author, illustrator, and TV/film creator Jim Benton—renowned for creating hugely successful licensed properties such as It’s Happy Bunny®, best-selling children’s book series Franny K. Stein and Dear Dumb Diary, and animated series and films – has partnered with Licensed Right International who will debut the next iteration of the THE MISTERS characters, as well as launch his newly developed Big Mutts character brand for licensing worldwide.

Industry veteran Linda Castillon, Chief Licensing Officer of Licensed Right International, Inc. is now licensing these properties and will be showcasing new THE MISTERS artwork and samples, along with Big Mutts, at The Licensing Show in Las Vegas in May 2025. The company plans to license various categories, including gift products, such as humorous Father’s Day gifts, apparel, mugs, buttons, coasters, cake decorations, key chains, stationery, and other trend products.

Benton is again introducing THE MISTERS—but not as you’ve seen it before. The artwork is brand-new yet still captures his signature humor, heart, and irresistible charm of the original characters, including Mr. New Dad, Mr. Fisherman, Mr. Golfer, and Mr. Hunter, among others. His latest creation, the lovable and funny Big Mutts, is targeted to appeal to people who own and love dogs and other pets.

Licensed Right International represents top-tier and emerging creative brands and properties, delivering innovative licensing solutions across global markets. Castillon, who has a longtime relationship working with Benton, also played an early pivotal role in licensing THE MISTERS program on numerous products, including one of the most successful t-shirt and coffee mug lines ever created.

“I’ve known Linda Castillon for many years and, she is a trusted and innovative licensing expert with extensive relationships and a track record of success. I’m happy to be working with her again to introduce the newly developed THE MISTERS artwork as well as have her develop new licensed Big Mutts products and expand both brands into new, innovative product categories,” said Benton.

“I love working with Jim, who is a creative genius with incredible talent, imagination, and humor that has resonated with audiences of all ages,” said Castillon. “The possibilities are endless, and I’m so excited to be licensing his incredible new characters and redeveloped artwork.”

Each of Benton’s properties has connected with consumers for decades and evolved with the times. His characters have made an indelible mark on pop culture and have been a consistent revenue-generating hit for licensees and major retailers. His irreverent yet lovable It’s Happy Bunny® alone generated over $750 million at retail and won five Licensing Industry Merchandise Association awards. It’s Happy Bunny® books have earned prestigious recognition and have been selected three times as top teen picks by the American Librarians Association. From Dear Dumb Diary, with over 10 million copies sold and three New York Times Bestsellers, and Franny K. Stein, with over five million books sold and a slew of literary accolades, Benton’s characters quickly evolved into evergreen licensed properties. Beyond books, his creations have also extended into diverse media, from feature films and creating content for Illumination Films, to graphic novels such as Fann Club: Batman Squad published by DC Comics.

For more information, contact Linda Castillon, Chief Licensing Officer of Licensed Right International at linda@licensedright.com, call (619) 980-4986, or visit licensedright.com.

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