This was my first foray into DTWOF. I purchased this book from the sale selection of the lovely queer library I volunteer at...last year? But for some reason never read it. COVID has made it harder for me want to read novels, etc., so I’ve been picking up the unread comics and graphic novels on my shelf. And now I’m wondering...WHY DID IT TAKE ME SO GODDAMN LONG TO READ THIS?

First of all, if we are picking characters we identify with, I AM MO. Overthinking, anxiety, always bringing politics into everything, glasses, gay haircut, CATS. Secondly, the topics covered in these comics are timeless, as we are still having the same internal fights and discussions about how to change the oppressive capitalistic patriarchal white cis male dominated world we live in. I felt a pang or loss reading this as there aren’t many women/queer owned independent bookstores left in the world. THEY MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS!

Third, this was very easy to get in to even though I had never read a collection of these before, and thus, did not know the characters. If you have one sitting on your shelf or find one at your local library, queer or otherwise, please do yourself a favor and pick it up ASAP.

I just checked out “The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For” from my local county library’s online catalog, as COVID has shut down the physical locations, and I am QUITE EXCITED to see how the strip plays out over 20 years. ( )