MB: Yeah, actually, I do. And I don't mean for that to sound arrogant, it's just that they seem to think that there's only room for one type of bubbling in the world, and I don't know where they get that impression. I've never been about attacking anyone else's way of doing things, I just wanna do my thing my way.
ITB: Kurt Hansen told High-technique that he thought "the sooner (Buckley) crawls back into his hole, the better. That'll be a happy day for all of us." How does that kind of personal attack make you feel?
MB: He said that? Man... it's typical. You don't know who you can trust in this business. I met Kurt at a Con in... I can't remember where, but we spent, like, an hour just talking about exactly what we're talking about now, how there can be more than just one style of speech bubbling. I mean, this isn't Highlander, y'know? (imitates Christopher Lambert) "There can be only one!" (both laugh). But seriously, now to see he's attacking me in the press - and for what? Some publicity? - It just makes me furious. But it's cool in a way, because I put all that anger and frustration back into my work.
ITB: I was going to say, I've noticed a move toward a more aggressive, no-holds-barred style of bubbling in your more recent work.
MB: Yeah, it's funny, my dad, who is a big Ninja Aquarius fan, he called me up the other week and asked me, "Is everything alright?'. And I said "Yeah, why would you ask?" And he told me that he'd noticed the speech bubbling getting more and more violent, and he was worried about me (laughs).
ITB: What do your parents think of what you do for a living?
MB: Well, like I said, my dad's great about it, but my mum... Don't get me wrong, she's very supportive, but I think she still doesn't quite believe that I turned this into a full time job. I mean, bubbling wasn't exactly a lucrative industry in her day. It isn't now either, but hopefully it's getting there.
ITB: Who were your favourite bubblers growing up? What about today?
MB: Oh, that's a tough one... Terry Faust, God rest his soul, you can't go past him. He, I think, deserves a piece of the credit for everything that's happening today, no matter who you are, he was just such a trailblazer. Keith E., also, is one of the greats. I actually got to meet him recently, he's a really great guy, and he gave me some advice. He just said, "Don't let it get to you. The same thing happened to me in the 70's when the first template bubbles started being used, but I just kept my head down and focused on the work. Do that, and all the other crap will just pass you by." And he's right. I mean, where is template bubbling today? The same place dig bubbling will be in twenty years, I'd predict. In the past.
ITB: The gloves are off...
MB: (laughs) Yeah, I'm gonna regret saying that, aren't I? (laughs) Well, anyway. One other bubbler I should mention, even though he might kill me for it, is Michael Toumazou (co-writer of Ninja Aquarius). I know, you wouldn't think it, and no one knows, but Michael's actually a really brilliant bubbler. I keep telling him he has to do an issue for us - if only to give me a break - but he doesn't think he's good enough. But I'm gonna keep working on it, so... We'll see what happens.
Rock 'n' Roll Ninja Aquarius is out monthly through J.A.R. Comics.
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