Becky Barnicoat

Tell us about the cover… what’s it all about?
It started out as a tube load of people packed in together. But when I looked it afterwards, it was all too cutesy. I wanted it to be more ominous and absurd. So I drew a bus scene, but this time the people were flanked by hairy beasts. The monsters were the best thing about it, so took them out and created a face-off between two families. They are on the bus, and there is a some sort of frisson of tension between them.

It seems fair to say that you’re pretty obsessed with animals…what’s the best animal to draw?
When I was younger my entire identity was based on being obsessed with animals, but I thought I’d grown up and moved on. Now you mention it, though, I realise I do barely draw anything without some sort of animal presence. I don’t think I could pick out one animal. I’m quite into birds at the moment, hairy beasts and invented reptiles. When I was younger I mostly drew dogs.

You have a comic strip where Hitler comes back as a dolphin… what would would you choose to be reincarnated as? A dog. I think I have a dog-like personality anyway, and they seem to strike a good balance between friendliness, enthusiasm, running around and extreme laziness.

See more of Becky’s work here.