2014-02-14
Explanation
The Joke
A figure in a black robe carrying a scythe appears before a man, who shouts "DEATH?!" The robed figure clarifies that he gets that a lot, but he is actually just a guy in a black robe carrying a scythe. The man says "Oh" with relief, then notes "But that's still bad." He then asks, "Hey, are you also a guy in robes with a scythe?" and the second robed figure responds, "No, I'm just Death." The caption reads: "I don't know how you expected that to go."
The Humor
The comic plays on the idea that encountering a stranger in a black robe with a scythe is terrifying whether or not they are the personification of Death. The first twist subverts expectations -- it is not Death, just a creepy guy with a scythe, which is arguably more concerning in a practical sense. The second twist re-subverts the situation: the man tries the same line of questioning on another robed figure, only to learn that this one actually is Death. The closing caption mocks the man's naive attempt to use the same conversational gambit, as though establishing that robed scythe-carriers are harmless could somehow work twice. It is a Valentine's Day comic (February 14), making the grim subject matter an intentionally ironic contrast.