Alison Bechdel will need no introduction to devotees of her 'Dykes to Watch Out For' cartoon series, which for two decades has chronicled with almost unerring perspicacity and good humour the ordinary middle-American lives of a group of lesbian friends and lovers: originally twenty-something, then thirty-something, and now of a certain age. This book is partly autobiographical, partly a discussion of cartooning in general and DTWOF in particular, and partly a reuse of old material - which is fine if you haven't seen the old material before.

The autobiographical part shows how her drawing style has developed from that of a small child to that of a mature cartoonist, and there are also several strips which detail in a touching way various episodes from her young life, from infant to college student; for example, one shows how the tomboy Alison, in second grade, was made to learn a scarf dance for public performance, but eventually concocted a stratagem to avoid this appalling indignity. It is difficult not to warm to her: she says that she often feels a slave to her characters, an idea which inspires her to conjure up the DTWOF factory, which they control and in the basement of which we find the Cartoonist Bechdel in rags, shackled to her desk, and pathetically grateful for an enquiry as to the state of her carpal tunnel.

Almost half the book reproduces the DTWOF calendar strips from 1990 to 1997. This is presumably a downside if you already own the calendars, but as they are now collectors' items I imagine that many enthusiasts will be glad to have them in a more accessible form. With its discussions of the reasoning behind the changes in plot and the introduction of new characters, the book provides a valuable insight into some of the problems with which a cartoonist has to contend. There is also a chart showing the developments in the various plot-lines over the years, which will be particularly helpful if you are not yet familiar with the DTWOF series. Indeed, if you are of that description, then you will surely be inspired to delve into the some of the many volumes that have now appeared.

Undoubtedly, the quality that is most on display throughout this book (and also the DTWOF series) is the sine qua non of cartoonists: Alison Bechdel is very funny. This book is an unalloyed delight. ( )