Review: Homobody

Artist(s): Rio Safari, Robert Kirby.

So, perfect setup: a guy with a cool name creates a zine with a cool title, and even cooler content. Really, how could one resist this Homobody, the work of someone named “Rio Safari”? But lest you fear I’m all style over content today, well, don’t: Mr Safari has a point of view, and he presents it with gusto and a surprisingly gentle humor.

Of the six issues of Homobody already published1, I’ve only read #2 and 4 to 6, but it’s enough to make me realize I’d completely overlooked some very good comics. For example, in #2, we get a day in the life of Darren, a recurring character, who’s far from the average gay guy often seen in fiction: he doesn’t work in Hollywood, nor does he spend hours at an end getting an Action Man physique, but rather takes the subway to his job after a reheated breakfast, works in a garage…and yeah, there’s an unexpected sexy bit. It’s this mix of everyday life and humorous view of sex that I found very engaging, as well as the “fuck you” attitude towards mainstream society. Let’s just say I can’t see any strip by Rio Safari fighting for gays in the army, or putting on a pedestal the buff bodies of porn actors.
But at the same time, the Homobody strips are not of the kind of teenage angst and furor that can be invigorating coming from a real teenager but sounds rather phony otherwise. In fact, there’s a lot of tenderness and a sense of enjoyment of the common man (as opposed to the Porn man) that I loved.

For the latest and sixth issue, Safari has invited other artists, including Robert Kirby, and has interviewed Robert Triptow, one of the editors of the Gay Comix series. There’s also a really cute strip with Darren, who meets a younger punky guy. In other hands, it would have become a (possibly hot) erotic scenario, but here, Safari gives us an affectionate look at a somewhat shy guy who obviously doesn’t want to take advantage of a younger one.

Rio Safari’s art is also more solid than what I usually see in zines. This doesn’t look amateur, with the well-defined bodies and faces present throughout, and obvious care is paid to things like clothes and hair styles. Safari draws people and not sexual fantasies—of course, one does not preclude the other.

I hope we’ll soon see more of this cool-named artist with his cool-titled fanzine. Works like that are labors of love, and there’s still a lot to be said for artists who work on their stuff without being concerned about publishers, editors, or even potential audiences (though these zines definitely deserve to find their audience).


Notes:
  1. The new one was published a couple of months ago, and you can find these zines at the author’s site.

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