Plate 018 · Figure 1
Fig. 1 — “Just a chill guy”, ticker $CHILLGUY, 2024.
Entry No. 018
Just a chill guy
$CHILLGUY
An anthropomorphic dog in a sweater. The energy traders aspired to mid-bear.
“Chill Guy is the patron saint of holding through chop. Hands in pockets, no plans, no problems. The vibe coin of the cycle.”
I. Origin
Original art by illustrator Phillip Banks (@PhillipBankss), posted October 2023. Went viral in late 2024 as a reaction meme, and $CHILLGUY was deployed on pump.fun in November 2024. Quickly hit a $500M+ cap. The artist later spoke out about not consenting to the coin — a recurring pattern in the pump.fun era.
II. Chronicle
Oct 2023
Phillip Banks posts the original 'just a chill guy' illustration.
Nov 2024
$CHILLGUY deployed on pump.fun; rips on vibe alone.
Nov 2024
Original artist publicly criticizes the unauthorized token.
III. Cultural Impact
Made the consent question unavoidable: who owns the upside when a meme becomes money?
IV. Honest Audit
In favour
- Universally readable energy
- Strong sticker culture
Against
- Artist did not consent
- Vibe coins fade fast without infra