Did you read it as a kid or were you more of aBeanofan?
Oh, its certainly an honour, yeah.
I read most comics when I was a kid.
Yeah, I had quite an insatiable appetite for them.
What is the best way to draw a cow-pie?
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Brown lump.
Write cow pie on the side.
Thats my artistic approach.
What other British comics did you read as a kid?
I adoredOink, it was so incredibly subversive and rude.
It was a very big influence on me.
But I also liked all the main ones:Buster,Whizzer and Chips,Topperetc.
Who influenced you into getting into illustration and drawing comics?
No one really sparked off a drawing urge in me, its just something I always did.
And I always drew quite terrible comics while growing up.
Do you think that British comic artists do not get the recognition that their American counterparts do?
British readers are brilliantly friendly.
But the inflluences are in there, somewhere.
Would you still Abolish Tuesdays?
Lets call it Friday version 2.0
Were you a Whizzer Whizz-kid or a Chips Chip-ite?
Whizzer had Sids Snake didnt it, and Chipper had Shiner?
Or is my memory failing me?
Probably a Whizzer; Shiner seemed so rough to a delicate flower like me.
Is the editor ofThe Dandymore like Uncle Pigg or Tharg the Mighty?
Hes a lovely man.
Outside of UK comic publishing you are best known for Slave Labor GraphicsBearcomics.
Do you think there is still room in the comic industry for indy publishers such as SLG?
How is your animation work going?
How did you get the gig?
If you were offered a gig at Marvel or DC, what characters would you like to tackle?
Id do them all, and turn everything into a big song and dance number.
Was it cool to see plush toys made of your creations?
Of course, its brilliant!
Theyre so soft and comfortable too.
I use mine as pillows.
Its bringing your 2D creations into the real world, quite bizarre when you stop to think about it.
Do you think the Americans get your very British sense of humour?
Do jokes about bottom burps, dancing monkeys and angry robots translate well across the Atlantic?
Do you think kids should read comics or is the market really now just for 30 year olds?
Everyone should read comics.
Lets bring it to a situation like Japan, where comic books are read like newspapers!
So its such an open and infinite playground for ideas to run riot.
Will there be any moreBearcomics coming out?
What form that will take, I dont know, but watch this space.
Who would win in a fight between Robot Space Monkeys or Giant Zombie Pirates?
Jamie Smart, thank you very much!
Visit Jamie Smarts blog and portfolio atFumblog.comandFumboo.com.
