Why it's essential
Cartoonist and writer Alison Bechdel created a staple of lesbian culture with her long-running comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For. The strip, which featured a tight-knit lesbian friend group, ran for 25 years and was syndicated in queer newspapers across the country.
Featured in The top 100 LGBTQIA+ listens of all time.
What is Dykes to Watch Out For about?
Dykes to Watch Out For is a comic strip created by lesbian cartoonist Alison Bechdel in 1983, which stars politically active and chronically single lesbian Mo and her diverse group of queer friends. Over the enduring lifespan of the strip, we see Mo and her friends attend political rallies and pride parades, debate tactics for queer liberation, and share the joys and drama of their love lives.
Editor's Review
I have a vivid memory of the first time I met the characters in Alison Bechdel's Dykes to Watch Out For. I was in grad school at the George Washington University taking a Lesbian History and Culture class with Dr. Bonnie J. Morris—an iconic dyke to watch out for herself. Dr. Morris assigned The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For as one of our class readings. Running more than 400 pages, it's an almost complete collection of over two decades' worth of the beloved comic strip. Dr. Morris suggested we flip through the book and get a sense of the comics. But from page one, I was hooked. I stayed up late into the night to take in every last pane.
Growing up as a lesbian in Arkansas and Oklahoma, queer community wasn't exactly out there. It took me years to find my people, politically active and passionate folks who weren't afraid to go against the norms. But in Dykes to Watch Out For, my friends were right there on the page. I recognized the inside jokes we make coming from the mouths of Bechdel's characters, saw a familiar passion for changing the world, felt the same heartbreak when a relationship goes sour. I was still early in my own queer journey when the comic strip ended in 2008, but even the jokes from its early days in the '80s feel incredibly fresh and relevant today. The whole series showcases the timeless joys and challenges of lesbian love—not just romantic but also queer friendships and community.
As a fan of the comics, I was delighted to hear they were getting a new release as an audiobook. And any questions I had about how the illustrated format would come across on audio vanished the moment I read the names of the all-star cast. Jane Lynch! Roxane Gay! Carrie Brownstein! Roberta Colindrez! Some of my favorite queer performers! But as anyone with an emotional attachment to a book being adapted into a new format might feel, I felt a little nervous. Would the new version convey the comics' charm and big heart? Would I be able to experience the nuances of the characters without seeing Bechdel's signature drawings?
From the first words of Jane Lynch's introduction, I immediately knew the story was in good hands. Lynch lays the scene for us—a queer world before The L Word, before Ellen, and yet lesbians dared to exist, loudly and proudly. The audiobook feels like a lush, immersive radio drama, dropping the listener into lively friend gatherings and intimate conversations with a backdrop of sound effects and an impeccable playlist. It's laugh-out-loud funny, and the exceptional voice acting brings each character to life in a fresh and unforgettable way.
The audiobook brings together a selection of the comics and clocks in at three hours of listening time. It was adapted by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Madeleine George and directed by Tony nominee Leigh Silverman. The result is a delectable treat that feels like hanging out with your own queer friend group, from the highs of Pride parades to the lows of romantic rejections. It perfectly balances timeless jokes with important moments in queer history. I was especially moved by the scene set at the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights on October 11, 1987, with sound effects and dialogue that makes you feel like you're there yourself, immersed in the moment, bumping against the crowd of sweaty, high-energy queers.
As I listened to this new take on classic queer characters, I found myself laughing, tearing up, and even getting chills at the emotional depth of the performances. Dykes to Watch Out For is a must-listen for anyone interested queer history, found family, and lesbian culture.
Did you know?
The Bechdel test, a well-known measure of women's presence in movies and other forms of media, originally came from a 1985 strip of Dykes to Watch Out For. To pass the Bechdel test, a story must include two named women characters who have a conversation with each other about something other than a man.
The all-star cast audiobook version of Dykes to Watch Out For was released in 2023, 40 years after the comic originally debuted in 1983.
Roberta Colindrez, who plays the voice of Lois in the audiobook, originated the role of Joan in the Broadway musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir Fun Home.
What listeners said
"Excellent adaptation of a much loved work! I’ve been a DTWOF lover for about thirty years and was super excited when I heard about this project. I tried keeping my expectations low, but I still really wanted it to be a great time. That said, it completely blew my hopes away. The casting was perfect, they had great chemistry, and it really was like visiting with old friends." —Audrey, Audible listener
"I have always loved the DTWOF series, ever since I started reading it back in the college newspaper. This version is more than I could have ever hoped for." —K., Audible listener
"One of the best lesbian comics turned into an even greater audible adaption. The cast was wonderful and the script was lovely and the last extra scene is a cherry atop a sweet, sweet cake." —Anile, Audible listener
About the author
Alison Bechdel is a lesbian cartoonist who was first known for her long-running Dykes to Watch Out For comic strip. In 2006, she released the graphic memoir Fun Home about her experience growing up in her family's funeral home and the death of her father. Fun Home was adapted into a Broadway musical in 2015 and won the Tony Award for Best Musical that year. Bechdel has also published the graphic memoirs Are You My Mother? and The Secret to Superhuman Strength. In 2014, Bechdel received a MacArthur "Genius" Grant.
About the performers
The audiobook stars actor Jane Lynch (Glee) as the narrator; musician, writer, and actor Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia) as Mo; actor Roberta Colindrez (A League of Their Own) as Lois; author Roxane Gay (Bad Feminist) as Jezanna; Broadway performer Jenn Colella (Come From Away) as Harriet; and actor Melanie Nicholls-King (The Wire) as Ginger. It also includes award-winning audiobook narrators Bahni Turpin as Clarice, Marisa Blake as Toni, and Emily Woo Zeller as Sparrow.
