I think it is safe to say many people recognise your work from the Silas stuff. How did you first become involved with the Silas (or for the trainspotters - Holmes) crew? I showed some pictures to someone at Slam City Skates and was told that I should go and show it to Sofia and Russell who at that time were starting Holmes there. We have been friends ever since. Did your illustrative style develop whilst you were at University or was it something from earlier? I have been obsessed with different ways of drawing ever since I was a kid - how different kinds of lines and marks could make drawings so different and mean such different things. Doing my M.A. I started trying to make very pure drawings with only the simplest of lines; I wanted to avoid crazy cross-hatching. The idea of simple, potato-headed beings came from not wanting to draw human beings. I wanted to do something purer and more universal. Martin, Bubba, Keith and the gang - are these based on people (and cats!) you know? Unfortunately everyone I know is possessed of a nose and ears. As are my cats. If you want to analyse them they probably represent different facets of my personality.

Who came up with the idea of the Martin figure? Did you sculpt it or did you guys employ a toy company to make it based on your designs? Silas' man in Japan suggested we make a figure. He is friends with Bounty Hunter so they helped hook us up. I sent technical drawings to a model maker for the sculpting. Have you seen how much the Silas figures are going for on online auctions? It must be quite flattering to see people are so keen to get something you created. It is amazing to me that people like what I do. I am incredibly flattered and honoured that people would like to own these things.

Tell me about the World of Pain. World of Pain was the cartoon world I created for my characters to live in. I wanted to think about all the things that might make up their society: law, religion, culture, geography etc. Recently I have realised that I want to draw Cavaliers and Roundheads as well as policemen so I am now constructing some parallel universes that will allow these drawings to prosper. Do the Juvenile Delinquents inhabit the World of Pain? Yes.

Can you tell me about Amos? Amos is a new toy company that will produce collectable figures in collaboration with various artists and designers, beginning with In-Crowd an exclusive and on-going series of 8-10 centimetre tall figures. 'Zombies' is the first six-figure set in the series, and will be available for February 2003. There are three further In-Crowd sets planned for 2003, including the 'Forever Sensible Motorcycle Club' which will be available for early summer. The two other sets will be announced in the near future. The toys should be on sale in retail outlets at less than £10 for each figure, and initial production runs will be in limited quantities. Amos toys will be distributed by Silas and Maria Ltd in the U.K. and Europe, and by One Gram in Japan. Were the Zombies the result of watching too many horror flicks? I do admire Romero's Dawn of the Dead a great deal.

I hear you like Richard Scarry and Herge...so: Lowly Worm or Snowy? Richard Scarry is the don. Probably the best draughtsman of the 20th century. Gorilla Bananas and Captain Haddock. What can James Jarvis fans look out for in 2003? More figures. More drawings. Less computers. More trees. Finally, do you expect to see the death of false metal anytime soon? Eventually we shall rise and the trends shall meet their doom; the spoils of war shall be rich and untold.

RTHQ January 2003