ARTICLE IN INNIS HERALD (U of T paper) "I don't get it. It's not funny," my friend says, handing me back the latest issue of m@b. "It's not supposed to be that kind of funny," I try to explain for a few minutes, but give up. Like all things, responses to the comic vary: some readers laugh out loud, some nod in agreement, and others, like my friend, don't get it. I've come to conclude you either like m@b or you don't. No two ways about it.
The comic is set in Toronto, and natives of the city will immediately recognize certain shops, neighbourhoods and other quirks that make this city unique. m@b isn't completely rooted in Toronto, however, evidenced by the U.S. road trip he takes with his pal Marion in issue 12. "As for the readers outside of the city," Matt explains, "I think most of the comics are universal in appeal." Then again, "I've had readers who used to live in this city say the comic really captures the feel of T.O. I have no problem with any of this." Clearly, neither do his fans. As a local comic, Matt has gone a long way. The comic is available throughout Canada, the US and even selected spots in the UK and New Zealand, proving m@b's enduring role as the guy everyone can relate to.
m@b works in complete contradiction the traditional comic which serves an escapist fantasy. The moments are real, but are presented in such a manner that they make you think twice about your own life. The situations are genuine and honest, and not in a cheesy "chicken-soup-for-the-soul" kind of way. Although the comic may be touching, only after it's been everything from depressing to bizarre do you really get a feel for what Matt is trying to get across. Matt approaches it this way: "There are moments in the comic where I'm certainly trying to capture the feeling and emotion that I experienced in real life. It never ceases to amaze me when someone really connects with a certain strip. It's quite validating when I get feedback like that."
Although so much of the material is taken from Matt's own life, he admits that, though sometimes difficult, he's not always thinking of his comic. There's a fine line, it seems, between thinking 'this would make a good comic,' and constantly wondering how every little moment could be turned into a 'm@b moment.' "I try not to take myself or the comic too seriously," he says, "that's when you get into weird headspaces -- if I start seeing myself as a cartoon character rather than the real me, then I'm done for. Art imitates Life, and I'd like to keep it that way." Some incidents in his life, however, can't be ignored. "There are the moments that just scream make this into a comic!" Matt admits. "I was watching my friend's band play the other night, when a couple with a Polaroid camera walked by and handed me a taxidermied squirrel -- they took my picture with it and moved on to someone else. And I was already having a great evening at that point." We'll just have to wait for the next issue to experience it.
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© 2002 Matthew Blackett
m@b, pronounced Matt B, is the
comic by Toronto artist Matthew Blackett, and if some readers "just
don't get it," it's fine by him. He's been at it for three years, and
in that time has produced 13 issues of work. More often than not, the strips
are three panels long and have little continuity from one to the next. But
reading sequential issues gives one a fuzzy picture of the people going
in and out of m@b's life and the changes that come with time. The strip
does, in fact, star the author himself, and the colourful cast of supporting
characters are all drawn from his own life and surroundings. As he notes
on his website, "the events that take place in m@b are all inspired
by my experiences. But at the same time, I take some artistic liberty with
the comic." 
m@b is a careful observer; a modern tourist who moves
with his senses finely tuned to the oddities of everyday life. Readers frequently
see their own thoughts or observations depicted in Matt's simple drawings.
It's the sheer simplicity of the captured moments that makes the comic so
addictive. The observations he makes and the idiosyncrasies that he experiences
are never drawn out or exaggerated. They are left in their original 'blip'
format, where the moment is recreated for the reader, albeit through the
artist's eyes. The audience has the freedom to interpret things as they
like, while at the same time given the chance to see m@b's own reaction.
It's hard to read the comic without being reminded of occurrences in your
own life where you've seen, for example, your neighbours practising tae-bo
moves, or encountered someone who carries a briefcase because it makes them
'feel important'. 
Matt is fully aware of what works and
what doesn't. "I have a simple philosophy behind the comic: make it
feel real. Even though there are numerous crazy moments in the comic, they
feel honest. I think the 'sense of recognition' comes from the narrative
of m@b -- the word "I" is in almost every strip. So when people
start reading "I" repeatedly, there are bound to place themselves
within the m@b character. That's the first hook of getting a reader into
the comic."