Ladies and gents across the Springleap universe, we’ve got something special for you today here on the blog - nothing less than an interview with Butcher Billy, one of the most notoriously talented designers out there. He’s the man with a knack for taking pop icons, political and historical figures and chopping them up to create fresh cuts of truly poptastic parody. Ready to go a few rounds with the butcher? Here we go! Who are you? I’m a pop culture butcher obsessed for the perfect cut. Where do you live? Born, raised and current in south Brazil, with a few years spent in England. Did you plan to become an artist, and did you study to become an illustrator? I’m graduated in graphic design, but only because I was practically raised by television and all that came plugged to it, like VCRs, videogames and alienation. Favourite graphic novel? Hard to say, but I’m in between Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns and Mark Waid/Alex Ross’ Kingdom Come. Favourite movie? Right now it would be 24 Hour Party People, a 2002 indie movie about Tony Wilson and the Manchester music scene from the 70’s to 90’s. Describe yourself - likes/ dislikes. I believe my picture of happiness would be me lying down in a comfortable couch eating a whole supersize bacon pizza with a Coke, in front of a huge TV with infinite cable channels, classic videogames plugged to it and furious internet connection, of course. Sadly that’s a pretty spot-on definition of who I am. What inspires you? I’m basically inspired by the retro feel of 70’s, 80’s and 90’s design-related pop culture, including comics, movies, TV, music, videogames, magazines and everything visual. Not coincidentally the pre-digital/pre-web eras, I just love the imperfections of the early creative process. Mainly I like the fact I’m using digital creation tools and social media trends to emulate and promote such vintage visual concepts. That contrast is a mashup itself.     You work often features icons of popular culture - but how would you describe your design style? I would say it’s a blend of everything I absorbed during all my life - street art, vinyl album covers, comics, cheap tabloid newspapers, exploitation movies, historic cultural movements, cartoons, outsider artists, pop music. I like to study everything in those references from typography to creative concepts, and I believe all that ends up reflecting in my style in one way or another. Name some of your favourite designers and illustrators. Funnily enough I’m not inspired by designers, but actual creators and producers of all genres, like Steve Ditko, Banksy, Tarantino, Jack Kirby, Tony Wilson, Salvador Dali, Robert Crumb, Shigeru Miyamoto, David Bowie, Tim Burton, Malcom McLaren, Andy Warhol, Stanley Kubrick, Hanksy, D*Face.   There it is folks - words of graphic pop wisdom from the man himself. To see more of his graphic graphic cut-ups and culture jamming, take a walk on the wild side and check out his Behance. (all images ©Butcher Billy)