2012-01-05
Explanation
This comic features a father explaining menstruation terminology to his daughter using an elaborate (and entirely fictional) system based on punctuation marks. When the daughter asks why it is called a "period," the father claims that "the entire nomenclature of menstruation centers around punctuation." He then builds out this absurd framework: a very strong period is an "exclamation point," uncertainty about whether it is beginning is a "question mark," a comma is "when you think it''s ended but it keeps going," and a semicolon is "just a very convincing comma." When the daughter asks what happens if you miss a period, he replies: "Then you''ve got a sentence without end -- also known as a baby."
The joke works because each punctuation mark''s actual grammatical function maps surprisingly well onto menstrual experiences when taken as a metaphor, creating a system that sounds almost plausible despite being completely made up. The "missing a period" punchline cleverly merges the punctuation metaphor with the real-world meaning of a missed menstrual period indicating pregnancy. The final panel shows the consequences of this terrible education: the daughter later tells someone "I think I''m on my semicolon," prompting the exasperated response "What did your father teach you?"
The votey continues the punctuation theme. The daughter asks "What''s an interrobang?" and the father replies "I''ll tell you when you''re older" -- treating the interrobang (a real punctuation mark combining ? and !) as if it were something sexually explicit, playing on the word "bang" in its name.