Those familiar with New Yorker Neil's work might think it is he that needs rehabilitating. The Catholic League For Religious And Civil Rights certainly do. They were a little upset by a strip he ran where Mr Wiggles is contemplating kicking a cat and asks "What Would Jesus Do?" (Jesus urges, "Make that fucker bleed.")
In reality, Mr Swabb seems a very nice and relaxed guy, with a proper job as senior designer at Harper Collins. He does, however, see his comicbook as a cathartic release, and warns that Wiggles' human counterpart, who also happens to be named Neil, can be viewed as "an exaggeration of myself."
Rehabilitating Mr Wiggles first appeared in 1999, and was soon syndicated in various weekly papers in the US. Neil self-published his first collected volume of the strip in 2002.
This year has been fruitful for Neil and his surly bear. The 300th strip was published; Vol 2 is on the shelves; and we may soon see a Mr Wiggles TV show. "That is my priority for this year," says Neil. "A show where I can up the ante on my content matter; something even rawer."
Perhaps it is then that we'll even find out the origins of Mr Wiggles. Rumour has it he may have been born out of some "orgy with Smokey the Bear, Winnie the Pooh, Snuggles the fabric-softener Bear (later murdered by Wiggles, see Vol 1) and a loose female Build-A-Bear." DNA results are still pending. Erik O'Brien
For more on Mr Wiggles and Neil's other work, including I Got Pregnant Off A Pity Fuck And Now My Child Looks Like Jerry Springer - A Book About Kids, visit Neilswaab.com
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