Woman World

By Aminder Dhaliwal. Published by Drawn & Quarterly. 

Softcover, 256 pages, Colour and B&W, 2018. 

THE HILARIOUS AND WILDLY POPULAR INSTAGRAM COMIC ABOUT A WORLD WITH NO MEN

With her startling humor, it’s no surprise that Aminder Dhaliwal’s web comic Woman World has a devoted audience of over 120,000 readers, updated biweekly with each installment earning an average of 25,000 likes. Now, readers everywhere will delight in the print edition as Dhaliwal seamlessly incorporates feminist philosophical concerns into a series of perfectly-paced strips that skewer perceived notions of femininity and contemporary cultural icons. D+Q’s edition of Woman World will include new and previously unpublished material.

When a birth defect wipes out the planet’s entire population of men, Woman World rises out of society’s ashes. Dhaliwal’s infectiously funny instagram comic follows the rebuilding process, tracking a group of women who have rallied together under the flag of “Beyonce’s Thighs.” Only Grandma remembers the distant past, a civilization of segway-riding mall cops, Blockbusters movie rental shops, and “That’s What She Said” jokes. For the most part, Woman World’s residents are focused on their struggles with unrequited love and anxiety, not to mention that whole “survival of humanity” thing.

Woman World is an uproarious and insightful graphic novel from a very talented and funny new voice.

Praise for Woman World

Dhaliwal’s elegantly lined humor feels perfectly pitched for the contemporary moment in bite-sized, social-media-friendly humor without ever feeling dumbed-down or cutesy.

Vulture

Turns out a world without men is very funny.

Tig Notaro

Women’s creativity, sexuality, and fearlessness are unleashed by Dhaliwal’s end of days. These unlikely heroines are unafraid to meet Armageddon with irreverence as they laugh, love, and raucously live on in this unusual and charming farce.

Publishers Weekly

Can you imagine a world with no men? Don’t worry if you can’t; Aminder Dhaliwal does it for you in this smart, funny look at a dystopia that actually kind of resembles something verging on utopian…

Nylon

A remarkably sly and devastating critique of patriarchy.

NPR

Hilarious look at a male-free milieu by Aminder Dhaliwal, who asks: Would a planet run by the fairer sex be free of problems? Nope.

London Free Press

It’ll be hard to find a funnier, more moving or original debut this year.

Library Journal, Starred Review Library Journal

Expert pacing and energetic draftsmanship... create a depth of expression that makes you want to keep reading. It’s thoughtfully feminist, and deeply, deeply funny.

Evan Narcisse, Gizmodo

The sequential panels feature uncluttered, simple line drawings and grayscale tones that are energized through highly expressive body language and dry, humorous dialogue. Although its web-comic origins lend an episodic feel, several longer story arcs and the overall tone bind these vignettes together into a highly enjoyable, cohesive volume.

Booklist

Woman World is an overdue, welcome and slyly hilarious glimpse into the complex, heartfelt, and existential bonds between women of all stripes and makes. Each scene reminded me of the wild paradox of wanting to do good in the world, but also being undeniably human. I couldn't get enough.

Aparna Nancherla