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ABSTRACT
This paper examines letters written to American cartoonist Alison Bechdel by fans of her now beloved comic, Dykes to Watch Out For (DTWOF; 1983–2008). These letters, written over the course of the strip’s long run, offer fascinating insights into readers’ reactions and emotional attachments to DTWOF, the diversity of the strip’s appeal, and the potential political consequences of fans’ deep affective investments. The letters show that the comic connected with readers from a variety of backgrounds, who responded to its sympathetic and multifaceted representation of lesbian lives for myriad reasons. The letters reveal how DTWOF was able to forge a heterogenous audience through fans’ affective bonds, and potentially transform ontologies and political views. Though rarely the object of investigation—particularly when dealing with a “low” cultural form like comics—these fan letters illuminate the meaningful roles seemingly ephemeral cultural products play in people’s lives.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1. Alison Bechdel Papers, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.
2. Robert Darnton’s “Readers respond to Rousseau: The Fabrication of Romantic Sensitivity” can be considered a rare exception, though Darnton took pains to stress that his subjects were not “fans.” See Robert Darnton (Citation2009). Other scholars in the fields of Comics Studies and Fan Studies, such as Ramzi Fawaz (Citation2016) and Lincoln Geraghty (Citation2015), have studied fans’ letters to Marvel Comics and Star Trek, respectively, but have focused on published letters and intra-fan dynamics.
3. A few follow the publication of her graphic novels, Fun Home (2006) and Are You My Mother? (2012); the last letter included in the archive is from the year 2017.
4. Alison Bechdel Papers, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.
5. See, for example, Chute (Citation2010), Ann Cvetkovich (Citation2008), Jennifer Lemberg (Citation2008), Ariel Freedman (Citation2009).
6. A rare exception can be found in Janine Utell (Citation2019).
7. All of the letters from fans quoted below are from the Alison Bechdel Papers at Smith College. See Alison Bechdel Papers, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.
8. See, for example, Will Brooker (Citation2013) and Ian Gordan (Citation2017).
9. Notably, this letter was written before the introduction of Thea; see Margaret Galvan (Citation2016).
10. Bechdel also received letters from gay male and trans fans who appreciated the inclusion of characters like Carlos and Jillian in the strip.
11. “Charlie” defines a lesbro as a “lesbian brother,” a “male who prefers the company of lesbians than the company of patriarchial [sic]-type, het women.” Bechdel answered this letter and wrote on it, “Lesbro file,” suggesting that “Charlie” was not alone.
12. See also Linus Abraham (Citation2009) on the folly of dismissing cartoons as insignificant purveyors of “passing chuckles” (117).
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Kirsten Leng
Kirsten Leng is Associate Professor of Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a historian of sexuality, feminism, science, and humor. Her recently published book, Sexual Politics and Feminist Science: Women Sexologists in Germany, 1900-1933 (Cornell University Press, 2018), illuminates the neglected history of early 20th century women sexologists who created sexual science as a feminist practice. Her most recent work takes up the issue of humor in feminist activism, theory, and culture.