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| title    = Five-Minute Comics: Part 2
 
| title    = Five-Minute Comics: Part 2
 
| image    = five_minute_comics_part_2.png
 
| image    = five_minute_comics_part_2.png
| imagesize =
 
 
| titletext = Dear Wiccan readers: I understand modern Wiccans are not usually all about the curses and hexes. But Darth Vader was recently converted from Episcopalianism and he's still figuring it all out.
 
| titletext = Dear Wiccan readers: I understand modern Wiccans are not usually all about the curses and hexes. But Darth Vader was recently converted from Episcopalianism and he's still figuring it all out.
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
This is the second of three "five-minute comics" posts Randall made during November 2010. The introduction to the comic explains everything you need to know about the circumstances behind it, so let's get started!
+
This is the second of three "five-minute comics" Randall posted during a week in November 2010. The introduction to the comic explains everything you need to know about the circumstances behind it.
  
* The first comic pokes fun at improbable conspiracy theories. {{w|Dealey Plaza#Grassy knoll|grassy knoll}} is a location famous among conspiracy theorists who believe it to be the location of an unknown accomplice in the {{w|assassination of John F. Kennedy}}.
+
Randall obviously made more than three of these five minutes comics, and one of them was published later, for a short period of time by a mistake, but an android xkcd browser picked it up while it was on-line and saved it. Since then it has been added to explain xkcd. So here is a complete list of all four comics in the entire [[:Category:Five-minute comics|Five-minute comics]] series:
 +
*[[819: Five-Minute Comics: Part 1]]
 +
*[[820: Five-Minute Comics: Part 2]]
 +
*[[821: Five-Minute Comics: Part 3]]
 +
*[[Five-Minute Comics: Part 4]]
 +
 
 +
Here is a list with explanations for each of the small comics:
 +
*The first comic pokes fun at improbable conspiracy theories. {{w|Dealey Plaza#Grassy knoll|The grassy knoll}} is a location famous among conspiracy theorists who believe it to be the location of an unknown accomplice in the {{w|assassination of John F. Kennedy}}.
 
:It turns out that, somehow, this will all lead up to a theory that perfectly explains the {{w|September 11 attacks}}.
 
:It turns out that, somehow, this will all lead up to a theory that perfectly explains the {{w|September 11 attacks}}.
  
* When a woman described as having a "glow" about them, it's usually just a vague sentiment of attractiveness, specifically during pregnancy, which very suddenly reaches its conclusion as a baby is unceremoniously plopped into the world.
+
*When a woman described as having a "glow" about them, it's usually just a vague sentiment of attractiveness, specifically during pregnancy, which here very suddenly reaches its conclusion as a baby is unceremoniously plopped into the world.
  
* "{{w|Cogito ergo sum}}" is philosophical statement in Latin, formulated by {{w|René Descartes}}, translated as "I think, therefore I am". Descartes wanted to build a philosophy from scratch, starting with something he could be absolutely certain of. "Cogito ergo cogito", is Latin for "I think, therefore I think." This can even beat "cogito ergo sum" in uncontroversiality, (it is a {{w|tautology}}), which is why Cueball describes it as "playing it safe."
+
*"{{w|Cogito ergo sum}}" is philosophical statement in Latin, formulated by {{w|René Descartes}}, translated as "I think, therefore I am". Descartes wanted to build a philosophy from scratch, starting with something he could be absolutely certain of. "Cogito ergo cogito", is Latin for "I think, therefore I think." This can even beat "cogito ergo sum" in uncontroversiality; it is a {{w|tautology}}, which is why Cueball describes it as "playing it safe."
  
* Besides the cute kids in sheets, the comic on the far right could just be a joke on horror movie tropes and the phrase "buckets of blood." <!-- Anyone else have a better explanation? I can't help but feel like there's a reference I'm missing. -->
+
*The comic on the far right is a reference to {{w|trick or treating}}, a major part of the modern {{w|Halloween}} holiday.  Children go from door to door saying, "Trick or treat?". The ''trick'' is a non-serious threat to play a trick on the person if no treat is provided (but see also {{w|Mischief Night}}).  Normally, the person at the home then gives them candy (a ''treat'') as a response.  Here, Megan instead plays a trick ''on them'', magically filling one of the candy bags with blood.
  
* To bail out of a plane means to escape the plane, usually via the cockpit's eject mechanism. To bail out a boat means to manually drain water coming onto the ship with buckets. The pilots here have confused the two, although if a plane was somehow taking on a large amount of water, bailing out that water would be a reasonable course of action.
+
*To bail out of a plane means to escape the plane, usually via the {{w|Ejection seat|cockpit's eject mechanism}}. To bail out a boat means to manually drain water coming onto the ship with buckets. The pilots here have confused the two, although if a plane was somehow taking on a large amount of water, bailing out that water would be a reasonable course of action.
  
* Sometimes, TV shows will tell true stories while playing up the drama angle for ratings purposes. In these cases, they will often air a notice similar to "The following program is a dramatization of real events" before the show, to indicate that the story they're about to tell is true, albeit not as a literally accurate retelling of events. But how do your dramatize the utterly mundane - say, making a sandwich? The answer is screaming. Senseless, inexplicable screaming.
+
*Sometimes, TV shows will tell true stories while playing up the drama angle for ratings purposes. In these cases, they will often air a notice similar to "The following program is a dramatization of real events" before the show, to indicate that the story they're about to tell is true, albeit not as a literally accurate retelling of events. Here, the disclaimer is technically true, although the events are normally devoid of any drama whatsoever. To add some, Cueball screams for no reason.
  
* {{w|Black light}}s are a kind of lamp that filters out sub-purple light. This means that the only light it gives off is a small amount of purple light, plus plenty of ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light is invisible to humans, but it is noticeable in a few ways; it hurts the eyes, which is why it's hard to focus on things under a black light; it causes sunburns, although the amount given off by a black light is far too insignificant to do this in a realistic time; and it causes a phosphorescent reaction in some bacteria, which is why it causes dust and some food stains to glow in the dark (which is why the robes look dirty). As such, a "blacklightsaber" would, indeed, be a bad idea.
+
*{{w|Black light}}s are a kind of lamp that filters out sub-purple light. This means that the only light it gives off is a small amount of purple light, plus plenty of ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light is invisible to humans, but it is noticeable in a few ways; it hurts the eyes, which is why it's hard to focus on things under a black light; it causes sunburns, although the amount given off by a black light is far too insignificant to do this in a realistic time; and it causes a fluorescence reaction in semen, some food stains, and dust making them appear to glow, which is why the robes look dirty. As such, a "{{w|Lightsaber|blacklightsaber}}" would, indeed, be a bad idea.
 +
**It also causes a fluorescent reaction in several types of cloth - most notably white cotton, which is why it has been used in discothèques, because of the way people in white T-shirts will light up.
 +
** Interestingly, there is a "Black Lightsaber" in Star Wars canon; a unique, one-of-a-kind weapon known as the [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Darksaber_(lightsaber) Darksaber].
  
* Most judicial systems have a {{w|jury}}, a panel of impartial laymen that, primarily, determines the guilt or innocence of a suspected criminal. "Ladies and gentlemen" is a formal way of addressing a crowd, and so Cueball addresses the jury as "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury."
+
*Most judicial systems have a {{w|jury}}, a panel of impartial laymen that, primarily, determines the guilt or innocence of a suspected criminal. "Ladies and gentlemen" is a formal way of addressing a crowd, and so Cueball addresses the jury as "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury."
:However, it turns out the jury consists only of women, so the "gentlemen" part is not needed. This poses a problem to Cueball's defense, which apparently relied on somewhat sexist tactics. (This, sadly, is not too uncommon in real life.)
+
:However, it turns out the jury consists only of women, so the "gentlemen" part is not needed. This poses a problem to Cueball's defense, which apparently relied on somewhat sexist tactics. This, sadly, is not too uncommon in real life.
  
* The commander's first line is a line from ''{{w|Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope}}''. In the original film, the commander was cut off by Darth Vader using the Force to strangle him, delivering the rebuttal "I find your lack of faith disturbing."
+
*The commander's first line is a line from ''{{w|Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope}}''. In the original film, the commander was cut off by {{w|Darth Vader}} using {{w|Force_(Star_Wars)|the Force}} to strangle him, delivering the rebuttal "I find your lack of faith disturbing."
:Instead of belief in the Force as in the movie, the "ancient religion" referred to here is actually {{w|Wicca}}, a modern pagan religion with two deities that is most notable for practicing magic. So, naturally, Darth Vader puts a hex on the commander's family.
+
:Instead of belief in the Force as in the movie, the "ancient religion" referred to here is actually {{w|Wicca}}, a modern pagan religion with two deities that is most notable for practicing magic, and is related to {{w|voodoo}}. So, naturally, Darth Vader puts a hex on the commander's family.
:The title-text notes that modern Wiccans don't really practice the whole "putting hexes on people" thing, which is true. Episcopalianism probably refers to the {{w|Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church of the United States}}, which was founded during the American Revolution to replace the Church of England in the colonies.
+
:The title text notes that modern Wiccans don't really practice the whole "putting hexes on people" thing, which is true. Episcopalianism probably refers to the {{w|Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church of the United States}}, which was founded during the American Revolution to replace the Church of England in the colonies.
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
Because of a family illness, instead of regular comics, this week I'll be sharing some strips that I drew as part of a game I played with friends.  Each comic had to be written and drawn in five minutes.
+
:Because of a family illness, instead of regular comics, this week I'll be sharing some strips that I drew as part of a game I played with friends.  Each comic had to be written and drawn in five minutes.
  
-- Randall
+
:--Randall
  
 
====Comic #1====
 
====Comic #1====
Line 51: Line 59:
  
 
:[Someone is pointing at the diagram of the previous panel.]
 
:[Someone is pointing at the diagram of the previous panel.]
:Off-panel voice: Wait, so what does this have to do with 9/11, again?
+
:Off-panel voice: Wait, so ''what'' does this have to do with 9/11, again?
:Cueball: I said I'm getting there!
+
:Cueball: I ''said'' I'm getting there!
  
 
====Comic #2====
 
====Comic #2====
Line 58: Line 66:
 
:Cueball: You look different.
 
:Cueball: You look different.
  
:Cueball: You have this... ''glow'' about you.
+
:Cueball: You have this... <u>glow</u> about you.
  
 
:[They stare in silence.]
 
:[They stare in silence.]
Line 70: Line 78:
  
 
====Comic #4====
 
====Comic #4====
:[Two ghosts are standing in front of Megan at a door, each carrying a bag. They are children dressed up.]
+
:[Two children dressed up as ghosts are standing in front of Megan at a door, each carrying a bag.]
 
:Children: Trick or treat!
 
:Children: Trick or treat!
  
 
:[Megan doesn't move.]
 
:[Megan doesn't move.]
  
:Child: Um hi. Why are you just standing there?
+
:Child: Um hi. Why are you just standing there?
 
:Other Child: Candy?
 
:Other Child: Candy?
  
Line 100: Line 108:
 
====Comic #7====
 
====Comic #7====
 
:[Two people are carrying lightsabers and wearing robes.]
 
:[Two people are carrying lightsabers and wearing robes.]
:Cueball: Oh God.  My eyes won't focus right! And your robe looks... really dirty!
+
:Cueball: Oh God, my eyes won't focus right! And your robe looks... really dirty!
 
 
 
:My blacklightsaber was not a success.
 
:My blacklightsaber was not a success.
  
 
====Comic #8====
 
====Comic #8====
 
:[Cueball is standing.]
 
:[Cueball is standing.]
:Cueball: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury.
+
:Cueball: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury...
 
:Off-screen voice: It seems we happen to be all ladies, actually.
 
:Off-screen voice: It seems we happen to be all ladies, actually.
:Cueball: ... in that case, this defense is going to appear _extremely_ ill-advised.
+
:Cueball: ...in that case, this defense is going to appear <u>extremely</u> ill-advised.
  
 
====Comic #9====
 
====Comic #9====
 
:[Darth Vader is sitting between two people, at a table.]
 
:[Darth Vader is sitting between two people, at a table.]
:Cueball: Your sad devotion to that ancient religion hasn't hleped you conjur up the stolen data tapes, or given you --
+
:Cueball: Your sad devotion to that ancient religion hasn't helped you conjur up the stolen data tapes, or given you—
:Darth Vader: Hey. Wicca is a legitimate belief system!
+
:Darth Vader: ''HEY.'' Wicca is a legitimate belief system!
  
 
:[Darth Vader is drawing a pentagram on the table.]
 
:[Darth Vader is drawing a pentagram on the table.]
:Cueball: What are you --
+
:Cueball: What are you—
:Darth Vader: Putting a hex on your family.
+
:Darth Vader: Putting a <u>hex</u> on your family.
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
+
[[Category:Five-minute comics| 02]]
[[Category:Five-minute comics]]
+
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 +
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 +
[[Category:Philosophy]]
 +
[[Category:Physics]]
 +
[[Category:Star Wars]]

Revision as of 03:49, 27 August 2016

Five-Minute Comics: Part 2
Dear Wiccan readers: I understand modern Wiccans are not usually all about the curses and hexes. But Darth Vader was recently converted from Episcopalianism and he's still figuring it all out.
Title text: Dear Wiccan readers: I understand modern Wiccans are not usually all about the curses and hexes. But Darth Vader was recently converted from Episcopalianism and he's still figuring it all out.

Explanation

This is the second of three "five-minute comics" Randall posted during a week in November 2010. The introduction to the comic explains everything you need to know about the circumstances behind it.

Randall obviously made more than three of these five minutes comics, and one of them was published later, for a short period of time by a mistake, but an android xkcd browser picked it up while it was on-line and saved it. Since then it has been added to explain xkcd. So here is a complete list of all four comics in the entire Five-minute comics series:

Here is a list with explanations for each of the small comics:

It turns out that, somehow, this will all lead up to a theory that perfectly explains the September 11 attacks.
  • When a woman described as having a "glow" about them, it's usually just a vague sentiment of attractiveness, specifically during pregnancy, which here very suddenly reaches its conclusion as a baby is unceremoniously plopped into the world.
  • "Cogito ergo sum" is philosophical statement in Latin, formulated by René Descartes, translated as "I think, therefore I am". Descartes wanted to build a philosophy from scratch, starting with something he could be absolutely certain of. "Cogito ergo cogito", is Latin for "I think, therefore I think." This can even beat "cogito ergo sum" in uncontroversiality; it is a tautology, which is why Cueball describes it as "playing it safe."
  • The comic on the far right is a reference to trick or treating, a major part of the modern Halloween holiday. Children go from door to door saying, "Trick or treat?". The trick is a non-serious threat to play a trick on the person if no treat is provided (but see also Mischief Night). Normally, the person at the home then gives them candy (a treat) as a response. Here, Megan instead plays a trick on them, magically filling one of the candy bags with blood.
  • To bail out of a plane means to escape the plane, usually via the cockpit's eject mechanism. To bail out a boat means to manually drain water coming onto the ship with buckets. The pilots here have confused the two, although if a plane was somehow taking on a large amount of water, bailing out that water would be a reasonable course of action.
  • Sometimes, TV shows will tell true stories while playing up the drama angle for ratings purposes. In these cases, they will often air a notice similar to "The following program is a dramatization of real events" before the show, to indicate that the story they're about to tell is true, albeit not as a literally accurate retelling of events. Here, the disclaimer is technically true, although the events are normally devoid of any drama whatsoever. To add some, Cueball screams for no reason.
  • Black lights are a kind of lamp that filters out sub-purple light. This means that the only light it gives off is a small amount of purple light, plus plenty of ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light is invisible to humans, but it is noticeable in a few ways; it hurts the eyes, which is why it's hard to focus on things under a black light; it causes sunburns, although the amount given off by a black light is far too insignificant to do this in a realistic time; and it causes a fluorescence reaction in semen, some food stains, and dust making them appear to glow, which is why the robes look dirty. As such, a "blacklightsaber" would, indeed, be a bad idea.
    • It also causes a fluorescent reaction in several types of cloth - most notably white cotton, which is why it has been used in discothèques, because of the way people in white T-shirts will light up.
    • Interestingly, there is a "Black Lightsaber" in Star Wars canon; a unique, one-of-a-kind weapon known as the Darksaber.
  • Most judicial systems have a jury, a panel of impartial laymen that, primarily, determines the guilt or innocence of a suspected criminal. "Ladies and gentlemen" is a formal way of addressing a crowd, and so Cueball addresses the jury as "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury."
However, it turns out the jury consists only of women, so the "gentlemen" part is not needed. This poses a problem to Cueball's defense, which apparently relied on somewhat sexist tactics. This, sadly, is not too uncommon in real life.
Instead of belief in the Force as in the movie, the "ancient religion" referred to here is actually Wicca, a modern pagan religion with two deities that is most notable for practicing magic, and is related to voodoo. So, naturally, Darth Vader puts a hex on the commander's family.
The title text notes that modern Wiccans don't really practice the whole "putting hexes on people" thing, which is true. Episcopalianism probably refers to the Episcopal Church of the United States, which was founded during the American Revolution to replace the Church of England in the colonies.

Transcript

Because of a family illness, instead of regular comics, this week I'll be sharing some strips that I drew as part of a game I played with friends. Each comic had to be written and drawn in five minutes.
--Randall

Comic #1

[A ninja is hiding under a diving board as a man runs along it.]
[The man jumps on the end of the board and hits the ninja in the head, knocking him into the pool.]
[The ninja floats in the water. A bullet passes through the man's head.]
thwipp
[The man is lying bleeding on the diving board, the ninja is still unconscious on the pool.]
[A sniper is at the top of a hill. The sign in front of the hill says "Grassy Knoll".]
[Someone is pointing at the diagram of the previous panel.]
Off-panel voice: Wait, so what does this have to do with 9/11, again?
Cueball: I said I'm getting there!

Comic #2

[Cueball is studying Megan.]
Cueball: You look different.
Cueball: You have this... glow about you.
[They stare in silence.]
[A baby falls out of Megan.]
plop

Comic #3

Megan: Cogito ergo cogito.
Off-panel voice: Playing it safe, huh?

Comic #4

[Two children dressed up as ghosts are standing in front of Megan at a door, each carrying a bag.]
Children: Trick or treat!
[Megan doesn't move.]
Child: Um hi. Why are you just standing there?
Other Child: Candy?
[Another silent panel as the children stare up at Megan.]
[The second child looks in their bag.]
Other Child: Oh God, my bag of candy.
Other Child: It's filling with blood.
Child: We should go.

Comic #5

[A jet is flying across the panel.]
Pilot: Bail out! Bail out! Bail out!
[The pilot and copilot have buckets, and are bailing water out of the cockpit.]

Comic #6

The following is a dramatization of real events.
[Cueball is at a counter, with several jars.]
Cueball: AAAAAAAAAAAAA I'm making a sandwich! AAAAAAAAAA!

Comic #7

[Two people are carrying lightsabers and wearing robes.]
Cueball: Oh God, my eyes won't focus right! And your robe looks... really dirty!
My blacklightsaber was not a success.

Comic #8

[Cueball is standing.]
Cueball: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury...
Off-screen voice: It seems we happen to be all ladies, actually.
Cueball: ...in that case, this defense is going to appear extremely ill-advised.

Comic #9

[Darth Vader is sitting between two people, at a table.]
Cueball: Your sad devotion to that ancient religion hasn't helped you conjur up the stolen data tapes, or given you—
Darth Vader: HEY. Wicca is a legitimate belief system!
[Darth Vader is drawing a pentagram on the table.]
Cueball: What are you—
Darth Vader: Putting a hex on your family.


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Discussion

I don't know. I think the buckets in the Bailout comic are full of money. That's what I saw anyway. I think it's a political reference to throwing money at problems, which is also colloquially referred to as a "Bailout."76.29.225.28 15:26, 27 July 2013 (UTC)

Not everything is a political jab. Also money wouldn't be represented (even in this stylised case) as circular globs of randoms sizes. So yeah, it's probably water or some other fluid.Pennpenn (talk) 04:53, 30 January 2014 (UTC)

The whole "Dirty Robes" could also be a play on a masturbation joke as semen and other fluids will become visible under a blacklight. -- Para (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

I think that is almost certainly the intended meaning. The phrase 'really dirty' would have a double meaning (unclean and/or rude), and the pause is the character either:
  • Realising mid-sentence what the 'dirt' is
  • Trying to decide whether to mention the 'dirt'
  • Trying to find the politest way of pointing it out.
Anyone disagree? --Pudder (talk) 16:03, 18 November 2014 (UTC)

Episcopalians don't generally go for curses and hexes either.108.162.221.16 02:34, 3 September 2015 (UTC)

Also, it should be noted that the commander's characterization of Wicca as an "ancient" religion is in error as Wicca dates back only 100 years to the 1920's

Wicca precedes Xtianity, so no. -- The Cat Lady (talk) 15:19, 20 August 2021 (UTC)

Witchcraft traditions pre-date Christianity, but Wicca does not: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wicca L-Space Traveler (talk) 12:09, 5 November 2022 (UTC)


Am I the only one that sees a connection between comic 6 and the sudo make me a sandwich comic?