1903: Bun Trend

2017-10-17T14:43:32Z

Endoplasmic: /* Explanation */ "Indeed, the readiness with which he accepts his removal almost seems to suggest that he doesn't belong, which would be an unusual level of awareness for his character."

{{comic
| number = 1903
| date = October 16, 2017
| title = Bun Trend
| image = bun_trend.png
| titletext = Our experts have characterized the ecological impact of this trend as "adorable."
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by Randall Munroe - When editing this page, please change this comment. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

In this comic, [[Beret Guy]] takes his bun shenanigans to the state government, reporting to the governor that the number of buns around the capitol has shown a rapid increase. The governor is confused, then finally comes to grasp that Beret Guy is talking about rabbits, lots of which can be seen if he would just go outside (by the way, there is a ''small'' one '''RIGHT NOW'''!).

Elections in the United States often have a blank spot on the ballot for the voter to write the name of a {{w|write-in candidate}}. Beret Guy thinks he works for the governor because he wrote his name in on the ballot. This does not mean that he actually works for the governor. This is typical of his naive understanding of the world.

The governor finally takes appropriate action by calling security, and Beret Guy confronts his fate with poise and honor. Indeed, the readiness with which he accepts his removal almost seems to suggest that he doesn't belong, which would be an unusual level of awareness for his character.

"Buns" have been mentioned previously in [[1682: Bun]] and [[1871: Bun Alert]].

Beret Guy's uncertain position in the government is very similar to the way he treats and operates his business.

In the title text, experts characterize the ecological impact of the large amount of bunnies as "adorable" instead of giving information on how the rabbits are affecting the environment.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Beret Guy holds a stick and points at a board next to him. The board contains a picture of a rabbit, a data point graph and other notes.]
:Beret Guy: Good morning, Governor. Our tracking systems show a rapid increase in the number of buns around the Capitol.

:[Hairy is sitting at an office desk and facing Beret Guy in a frameless panel.]
:Hairy: Buns?
:Beret Guy: Yes; there's been a long-term upward trend, but it has accelerated recently.
:Hairy: The trend in... rabbits.
:Beret Guy: Yes.

:[Beret Guy takes out his phone.]
:Hairy: So... so what?
:Beret Guy: So if you want to see some buns, there are lots of them outside!
:''beep!''
:Beret Guy: Ooh!
:Beret Guy: There's a small one right now!

:[Zoom-in on Beret Guy.]
:Hairy (offscreen): Do you... actually ''work'' for me?
:Beret Guy: Almost certainly. We had an election, right? I wrote my name in on the thing.
:Hairy (offscreen): Security?
:Beret Guy: It's been an honor to serve.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Animals]]

412: Startled

2016-02-02T13:52:44Z

Endoplasmic: Rewrote the explanation somewhat -- context is crucial to this strip

{{comic
| number = 412
| date = April 18, 2008
| title = Startled
| image = startled.png
| titletext = ...
}}

==Explanation==
[[Black Hat]], the cool-headed troll, has the tables turned on him. Almost always seen antagonizing other characters, this comic shows him in a rare moment of losing face. [[Megan]] notices Black Hat facing away from [[Cueball]] and her, and decides to play a simple, childish prank on him: sneaking up from behind and shouting "Boo!".

She succeeds in startling Black Hat. Most likely out of humiliation, he hides himself completely in his hat. For a moment, it looks like Black Hat has disappeared altogether. But then his hat inches away, showing that he's still underneath.

Both gags in this comic work by playing on our expectations. The first is an unexpected moment of realism: we are so used to seeing Black Hat cool and untroubled that we are surprised at the reminder that everyone's appearance is, to some extent, a facade. Black Hat is still human. The second gag, on the other hand, is the opposite: we are so used to understanding the stick figures as representing humans that we're caught by surprise to see a literal interpretation of a stick figure, with minimal volume, folding up into a hat.

The title text is only "...", like in [[82: Frame]] or [[455: Hats]]. It's a somewhat surreal comic, and any further commentary might have detrimentally brought it down to Earth.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Megan standing to one side, looking and pointing at Black Hat who is facing away.]

:[Megan sneaks up on Black Hat.]

:[Close-up of Megan with hands raised.]
:Megan: BOO!

:[Black Hat looks shocked, and his hat jumps.]

:[The hat falls down over his head.]

:[The hat keeps falling, with only his legs still visible.]

:[The hat hits the ground.]
:''FWUMP''

:[Cueball and Megan look at the hat.]

:[The hat scurries away.]
:''SCOOCH SCOOCH SCOOCH''

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]

explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1903: Bun Trend

412: Startled