JEFF SPOONER

Based on actor Marc Warren. I envisaged Jeff to be an everyman, kind of like myself but less courageous and more impulsive. The surname Spooner is based on my own surname, when some school ‘friends’ thought it would be a jolly good wheeze to dub me ‘spoon’, etc. It’s also a very slightly comedic name, like ‘Dent’ as in Arthur Dent.

BARBARAY SPRAMBLADACK FASSTALON-SCUMP (RAY)

Based on Comedian Bill Bailey, but inspired by my real-life barber, also named Ray. He's always referred to as Ray the Barber, hence the job and the name. But there the similarity ends and Bill Bailey's look and oddly surreal persona take over. Bill Bailey has this amazing surreal quality to him and I refuse to believe he's from this planet. I can just see him on a hawaiian shirt and sandals on the ball-bearing beaches of Kangazang!

QUEEN SHELLEY

Cockney Queen Shelley was loosely based on actress Martine McCutcheon, who has the looks of an angel and the voice of an east end gal. She's a pretty good comedic actress too. Tough (and Hot!) as they come. I also have a good friend from London called Shelli, but she’s not bald or insane. Well, definitely not bald, at any rate. Also, my childhood sweetheart was named Shelly, so three different spellings into one character. I guess I have a fetish about strong, gorgeous –and slightly mad - women…

SARAH

Loosely based on actress Sarah Alexander. But I’ve known one or two truly evil women in my time and most of my memories and fears were distilled into the character of Sarah. Oh, and should a sequel to Kangazang come to fruition, (it's in the pipeline!) she’ll return to bring a chilling revenge on her former fiancé… You read it here first!

PON-PON

Named after the first sit-on bouncer toy originated in Italy. Kind of inspired by my youngest daughter Mia, who’s a mad ball of energy and cute as a button. I wanted a character tiny and brave, something like Wicket the Ewok in Return Of The Jedi. Only cuter and less flea-ridden.

LORD RANCYDD OF SKRAGG

Based on actor Bill Nighy. I just liked the idea of a once fearsome tyrant who dreads the prospect of leaving his mighty empire to his utterly feeble son. And BIll Nighy's roles in 'Shaun Of The Dead' and 'Underworld' are both hilarious and creaky. He's a legend.

OVERLORD KELVIN

Based on actor Mark Heap, Kelvin’s personality comes from someone I used to know who was righteous and determined in his own mind, while being a complete wet lettuce in reality. I thought that this is the exact kind of role that Mark Heap plays perfectly. A mummy's boy, with noble (albeit evil) intentions, but none of the true strength of personality to really commit to acts of unspeakable badness.

BARVLEFROG & BLUTEKABLAB

Two sort of ‘Slartibartfast’ characters, at least while they’re in their elderly state. As regards actors, I’d love to see top Irish comics Dylan Moran and Ardal O’Hanlon play these two eejits. The names came from two of my friends, Hannah De Spon and Michael Keens respectively, when I ran a ‘name the character’ competition on the Deviant Art website. Perfick!

M4 (GRIDLOCK) & M25 (TAILBACK)

Originally, M4 was going to be obsessed by double entendres, but I realised it would become a bit tiresome. I imagine the robots looking like walking Apple Macs, or the chrome robots depicted by legendary Japanese Artist Hajime Sorayama. Also I wanted to play with the notion of falling in love with what is technically a non-organic object. That’s how emotionally desperate Jeff Spooner is. M4 provides the levity while M25 provides the emotional confusion. Together they add another layer of complex surreality to Jeff's journey.