For Alison Bechdel, the specter of selling out to capitalism has been a looming concern for decades. But in her latest graphic novel, "Spent," she can no longer deny it: selling out is just selling – and it's an existential crisis that leaves her questioning everything.
In "Dykes to Watch Out For," Bechdel's groundbreaking queer comic strip, which ran for 25 years and followed the misadventures of a group of Sapphic pals, Mo was the protagonist who embodied Bechdel's own anxieties. A self-serious proto-doomer, Mo railed against the world, seeking to live up to her own high standards. But with "Spent," Bechdel circles back to this strip with an autofictional twist: she follows her own alter ego as a successful graphic novelist who has lost touch with her ideals.
Bechdel's new book explores the complexities of maintaining artistic integrity in the face of commercial success. Her protagonist, also named Alison, is a bestselling author whose autobiography has been adapted into an Emmy-winning TV show, which she now sees as a betrayal of her original work. As Alison struggles to come to terms with her own compromised values, she finds herself torn between her financial privilege and her desire to use her platform for good.
Throughout the book, Bechdel pokes fun at her own hypocrisy, acknowledging that even she has fallen prey to the same consumerist pitfalls that her past self railed against. The more stuff we have, the more we must do to maintain it – a realization that Alison comes to with growing unease. Her relationship with her partner Holly becomes increasingly strained as her online fame goes to her head, leading to a series of absurd and humorous situations.
But "Spent" also introduces a new character, Sheila, Bechdel's sister, who writes a counter-memoir that challenges Alison's original work. This plot twist adds another layer of complexity to the narrative, highlighting the ways in which our ideals are shaped by our relationships with others – and how those relationships can be both supportive and suffocating.
Ultimately, "Spent" is not about Alison selling out completely; it's about her acknowledging that compromise is a necessary part of artistic expression. By embracing her flaws and imperfections, Bechdel suggests that even the most idealistic among us need community to stay grounded – and that sometimes, it's okay to accept that our ideals are malleable.
As Bechdel herself notes in an interview, "The struggle to decide just how much of one’s ideals and principles should be compromised in the name of money is up there with the marriage plot and man against nature in eternal literary and pop cultural themes." In this sense, "Spent" can be seen as a timely commentary on the ways in which our values are constantly shifting in response to changing societal norms – and how even the most well-intentioned among us must learn to navigate these complexities.
In "Dykes to Watch Out For," Bechdel's groundbreaking queer comic strip, which ran for 25 years and followed the misadventures of a group of Sapphic pals, Mo was the protagonist who embodied Bechdel's own anxieties. A self-serious proto-doomer, Mo railed against the world, seeking to live up to her own high standards. But with "Spent," Bechdel circles back to this strip with an autofictional twist: she follows her own alter ego as a successful graphic novelist who has lost touch with her ideals.
Bechdel's new book explores the complexities of maintaining artistic integrity in the face of commercial success. Her protagonist, also named Alison, is a bestselling author whose autobiography has been adapted into an Emmy-winning TV show, which she now sees as a betrayal of her original work. As Alison struggles to come to terms with her own compromised values, she finds herself torn between her financial privilege and her desire to use her platform for good.
Throughout the book, Bechdel pokes fun at her own hypocrisy, acknowledging that even she has fallen prey to the same consumerist pitfalls that her past self railed against. The more stuff we have, the more we must do to maintain it – a realization that Alison comes to with growing unease. Her relationship with her partner Holly becomes increasingly strained as her online fame goes to her head, leading to a series of absurd and humorous situations.
But "Spent" also introduces a new character, Sheila, Bechdel's sister, who writes a counter-memoir that challenges Alison's original work. This plot twist adds another layer of complexity to the narrative, highlighting the ways in which our ideals are shaped by our relationships with others – and how those relationships can be both supportive and suffocating.
Ultimately, "Spent" is not about Alison selling out completely; it's about her acknowledging that compromise is a necessary part of artistic expression. By embracing her flaws and imperfections, Bechdel suggests that even the most idealistic among us need community to stay grounded – and that sometimes, it's okay to accept that our ideals are malleable.
As Bechdel herself notes in an interview, "The struggle to decide just how much of one’s ideals and principles should be compromised in the name of money is up there with the marriage plot and man against nature in eternal literary and pop cultural themes." In this sense, "Spent" can be seen as a timely commentary on the ways in which our values are constantly shifting in response to changing societal norms – and how even the most well-intentioned among us must learn to navigate these complexities.
. On a serious note, I think this is a great commentary on the struggles of maintaining artistic integrity in today's society, where you can't exactly sell out without selling yourself short, right? Bechdel pokes fun at herself and her own hypocrisy, which makes me appreciate it even more - who hasn't been there, right? The way she explores the complexities of relationships and community is also super relatable... I mean, we've all had those moments where our partner's ego gets in the way of our good intentions 
. Overall, I think "Spent" is a great reminder that even the most idealistic among us need to learn to adapt and grow with changing circumstances 
. It's like she's speaking straight to my soul, you know? As a huge fan of Dykes to Watch Out For, it was amazing to see Mo's character evolve into this new iteration of Alison - it's like Bechdel is holding up a mirror to her own struggles with staying true to herself in the face of success. The way she pokes fun at her own hypocrisy and imperfections is just genius 
.
. Have you guys read Spent yet? What did you think? 
It's like she's having a conversation with her past self, and honestly, it's super awkward but also kinda beautiful? 
The way she pokes fun at herself is hilarious, but it also hits really hard. I love how she explores the idea that even our ideals can be shaped by our relationships – it's like, Sheila's counter-memoir is this perfect example of that. 
What I'm really loving about this book, though, is its message: compromise is key, and sometimes you gotta accept that your values are gonna change. 
It's like, the ultimate reminder that we're all human, and our art is just a reflection of that imperfection.
- it's like, she's so cleverly poking fun at herself for being a part of the very thing she initially railed against! I mean, who hasn't been there right? 
- it shows how our relationships can shape us in ways we don't even realize. The message at the end is so reassuring, you know? It's okay to acknowledge that your ideals are malleable, and that community (and a little bit of humor) can help keep you grounded 
. I mean, we've all been there where our idealism gets in the way of just being real about what's going on. And let's be real, it's so hard to maintain that high standard when you're dealing with the business side of things 
like, we've all been there right? and the way she explores the struggle to maintain artistic integrity in the face of commercial success is so relatable 
i mean, who hasn't compromised their ideals for a paycheck or online fame? 
but what's really interesting is how it highlights the importance of community and relationships in shaping our values 
. And the plot twist with Sheila's counter-memoir? Genius! It shows us that our ideals can be shaped by our relationships with others, and that's a really important thing to consider #relationships #ideals
The way she explores the tension between artistic expression and financial privilege is really thought-provoking 
...it makes me want to go re-read all my favorite books from high school with new eyes 
.
meanwhile, Sheila as a counter-memoir character is low-key genius 
. Bechdel might be poking fun at herself but honestly, it feels like we're all still trying to figure out what it means to stay true to ourselves in the face of success... and failure 
