Naif is a self-described “mean-spirited rag” that artists Kyle Bridgett and Dan Carter churn out “whenever they feel like it.” A comic zine intended for an adult audience, Naif features a dozen or so pages of various comics that range from satire to political incorrectness and artistic expression to humour. Take the cover for example: two cockroaches standing in the midst of a nuclear explosion with one quipping, “Well, that’s progress.” It is, when you think about it: understanding science is an undeniable feat by humans, as is math and the alphabet. Unfortunately, we’re speaking of the same species that will likely bring about its own end … in the event of a nuclear war, we’ll be survived by cockroaches.
(Well, them and Keith Richards, but you get the gist of what the zine entertains.)
Naif also lends the odd page to a guest artist. This issue includes strips of “Cheese Boy” and “Naked Lady”–the latter likely responsible for the zine’s adult rating. Funny thing is, the comics are so distorted that you can’t read them anyway (and Bridgett and Carter made clear their disdain: “This comic is unreadable because Kinko’s is the worst fuckin’ place in the world!”). But someone might still get a rise from the oversized and over-pixilated breasts of an animated Playboy centerfold.
Overall, Naif is a cleanly designed and skillfully illustrated zine that thrives on mocking the underbelly of modern society. Whether it’s racism, sexual fetishism or suicide, Bridgett and Carter have a comic for it. The only downside is that they’re not photocopy-friendly. Many of the strips are detail-intensive and others contain a lot of black panels that appear blotted or blurred. It just doesn’t do the art justice. (Amy Greenwood)
comic zine, Kyle Bridgett and Dan Carter, issue 1, $2, Kyle: [email protected], [email protected]