Explain SMBC — the wiki for Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

This comic explores the theme of immortality and legacy. In the first panel, a figure stands at a scenic overlook saying "I don't worry about living a great life" while a second caption reads "I don't

This comic features a necromancer (or similar magical figure) who has the power to bring dead people back to life. Someone asks if they can bring back famous writers. The necromancer explains that wri

This comic is a wordplay joke built around the phrase "r-strategist." In biology, r/K selection theory distinguishes between r-strategists (organisms that produce many offspring with little parental i

This comic plays on the disconnect between appreciating nature aesthetically and understanding it scientifically. In the first panels, someone observes "The monarch butterfly is safe to humans" but th

This comic is about things you can always convince people of, structured as a list. The panels present several examples of beliefs that are easy to sell to people regardless of evidence. One panel re

This comic traces the evolution of how children play "bad guys" across different historical eras of popular culture. Each panel shows kids role-playing as the villains of a different era's dominant ge

This comic satirizes the tension between economics and human well-being. An economist is asked "Why do economists only care about GDP? How about we start measuring happiness?" The economist responds t

This comic is a parody of melodramatic children's adventure stories. A child announces to their parent that they stole something (apparently an onion or similar item from a garden), and the parent's r

This comic is about a mugging that goes off the rails. A mugger demands "Gimme your wallet!" and the victim enthusiastically responds "Amazing! Let me get my phone." The mugger is confused as the vict

This comic imagines what weather forecasting would be like in the Biblical era. A weather forecaster stands in front of a map delivering a forecast that incorporates Biblical plagues and divine punish

This comic plays on generational conflict around the concept of personal identity in a future where digital clones and multiple AI agents are commonplace. An older man scolds his child for "going out

This comic satirizes the Silicon Valley tech-religion crossover by imagining "Silicon Valley Baptism" as the most popular religion of the 2030s. A preacher delivers a sermon that is essentially a bre

This comic is a conversation between two people in bed, touching on the neuroscience of anxiety and overthinking. One person asks why humans are "so anxious all the time." The other explains that hum

This is a short, punchy comic that combines the Hardy Boys mystery series with the art of M.C. Escher. Two characters (styled as the Hardy Boys, the classic young detective duo from the long-running

This comic tackles the philosophical problem of free will. A figure on a stage (styled as a lecturer or philosopher) asks: "Please, tell me what free will is." A voice from the audience offers a defi

This comic plays on the double meaning of "buns" -- referring to both bread rolls and buttocks. A mother and child are at what appears to be a park or outdoor setting. The child says "Oh my God Mommy

This comic reimagines the Biblical story of God communicating with humans, but filtered through the absurdity of relationship advice. A man prays to God, beginning "Dear God, I've been having trouble

This comic takes the concept of "the arc of history" and applies it literally to astronomical and physical phenomena with darkly comic results. One character asks: "Do you think the arc of history be

This comic is a history-of-science joke about Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, the French naturalist famous for his (now-discredited) theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics. Lamarck's theory propose

This comic riffs on the Blade Runner "replicant" concept -- artificial beings that are nearly indistinguishable from humans -- but applies it to the world of romance novels. A character in what appea

In this comic, two people are in what appears to be a war zone or combat setting. One person asks the other why they are wearing a "penis-pattern body suit." The man in the suit replies: "Camouflage.

In this comic, a group of people are observing a baby deer being born in the woods. The first person marvels at the wonder of it, saying how every baby deer was born with the same genetic manufacturin

In this comic, a woman approaches Wolverine from the X-Men with a question. She asks if he would be willing to split his body between being a "desperate loner" or a "man of the people." Wolverine dism

In this comic, two people are watching TV. One says "Ugh, I don't see how you can enjoy pro wrestling." The other responds: "It's too realistic." They then explain: "People run around a tiny stage for

In this comic, Batman is talking to someone (likely Bruce Wayne's associate or Alfred) about why his crime-fighting methods seem "kind of ridiculous." Batman explains that his goal is to draw so much

In this comic, a customer at a coffee shop complains that her coffee is not hot and not covered in foam, and demands to speak to the manager. The barista calls the manager, who confirms that the drink

In this comic, a person in what appears to be a relationship or social setting says "I'm sorry, it's just not working for me. We're not open." Another person responds with confusion, asking if they me

In this comic, a presenter is giving a talk (likely at a conference or business meeting). He notes that he has made every asterisk in his presentation a different size to increase the contrast between

In this comic, two aliens are discussing human beauty standards. One asks why human beauty standards seem to be "the same everywhere." The other explains that it only seems diverse because humans obse

This comic is set entirely in darkness -- the panel is completely black. One speech bubble screams "AAAAA! AAAAA! AAAAA!" while another responds: "I know what you're doing Hank. CUT IT OUT!" The capti

The comic is divided into two panels contrasting AI theory with personal experience. In the top panel, a serious-looking AI theorist (labeled "AI Theorists") states: "As of yet, we cannot be certain i

The comic shows two people in conversation. One says: "Roll a ball up a hill? Certainly! However, that'd require a reduction in entropy which clearly violates the second law of thermodynamics." The ca

The comic depicts a classic supervillain scheme gone wrong. In the first panel, a bald villain in what appears to be a lab or lair announces his creation: "I've done it! A substance which no steel can

The comic shows two people looking at what appears to be architectural plans or a building. One says: "It's a beautiful building design, but why is it topped with Zeus and Odin having sex while wearin

The comic depicts a scene at what appears to be a scam operation. In the first panel, someone at a desk asks: "Ma'am, please provide your bank account and routing numbers." A sign in the background re

The comic depicts God speaking to Moses (or a similar biblical figure) on a mountaintop, apparently dictating the Ten Commandments. God says: "Lord! Dave's at it again! He told me he wasn't up to anyt

The comic presents a theological dialogue between God and a human about consciousness. In the opening panels, the human asks God: "God, are you conscious?" God replies defensively: "What? Obviously! Y

The comic consists of two panels with a dark but self-aware punchline. In the first panel, a small figure stands alone and thinks: "The specter of death is stressing me out. Better use up what little

The comic shows two people in conversation. One person, appearing agitated, says: "If a bunch of 'facts' are coming out against my view, that just shows you hidden forces are trying to overthrow my vi

The comic shows a person sitting in a chair, listening to music from a speaker or radio. A voice (presumably from a commercial) says: "Remember this music from back when your body didn't hurt? When ev

This comic is titled "Conspire" and presents the idea of infiltrating conspiracy theory groups not to debunk them, but to make them even stupider, as a "weekend activity." In the first panel, someone

This comic depicts a man praying to God about his relationship troubles. He says "Dear Jesus, I'm having trouble communicating with my girlfriend," to which God immediately responds "Oh no, I'm good a

This comic explores a real and fascinating pattern in mathematics: as you advance in mathematical sophistication, the textbooks paradoxically become simpler in appearance. In the first panel, a profe

This comic takes the philosophy of personal identity — specifically the teleporter problem — and turns it into a criminal justice scenario. A person stands before a police officer and a judge (or off

This comic imagines a near-future scenario where AI has been integrated into video games to give every NPC (non-player character) and enemy a detailed backstory. A player sits at their screen with a

This comic is a riff on the "Blade Runner" replicant detection scenario, but applied to an everyday social situation. In the opening panels, two people who look similar both claim to be "the real Ste

This comic explores the existential bargain humans might face with advanced entertainment AI. A man says to a robot: "Hey robot, are you going to kill us?" The robot responds: "Is he going to make th

This comic satirizes the homeowner's insurance industry and its approach to risk assessment. A woman asks her insurance agent: "How come my homeowner's insurance is so cheap?" The agent explains: "We

This comic takes the act of organ donation — typically one of the most altruistic things a person can do — and adds a sinister twist. A man walks into what appears to be a hospital or donation center

This comic contrasts two different stages of life and their contradictory attitudes toward video games and AI. The top panel, labeled "Me as a kid," shows a young person defiantly declaring: "Video g