This is like The Wind in the Willows meets Sunday newspaper cartoons. Jardine’s dry sense of humour is exactly what you might find on the back of the Globe and Mail, and the characters in Flatland–a series of punchline-oriented comic strips–are as likeable as any. Pockit (a gopher) and Jack (a rabbit) kind of have a Calvin and Hobbes thing going on, which is probably the most engaging aspect of these strips. Meanwhile, the rest of the characters can be tough to get a handle on, particularly Mercer and Bruce, whose similar short tempers make them difficult to differentiate. I’m not sure if such a dry and mainstream-oriented comic strip would appeal much to zinesters, but don’t be surprised if this ends up on the back of a newspaper someday. (Michael Tau)
comic, Naomi Jardine, www.flatland.ca