a-vicious-cycle
Explanation
The Joke
Two men in Old West attire -- representatives of feuding families, in the style of the Hatfields and McCoys -- agree that they need to "stop the cycle of violence" because it has "taken too many of both our families." The reader expects a dramatic peace accord. Instead, the next panel reveals a literal "cycle of violence": a bicycle outfitted with circular saw blades for wheels, knives on the handlebars, and a machine gun mounted on the frame, firing wildly. The final panel shows both men looking at it and saying, "God I hate that thing."
The joke is a simple but effective pun. The phrase "cycle of violence" -- normally a metaphor for the self-perpetuating nature of revenge and retaliation -- is taken literally as a bicycle that is violent. The two feuding families are not trapped in a metaphorical cycle of retribution; they are plagued by an actual weaponized bicycle terrorizing them both.
The Humor
The comic is a classic example of a literalized metaphor, one of SMBC's staple joke structures. The setup carefully mimics the language and visual tropes of a serious dramatic reconciliation scene between feuding clans, complete with period costumes and solemn expressions. This makes the absurd reveal of the murder-bicycle land even harder, because the tonal shift is so extreme. The final panel, where both men just look wearily annoyed at the thing rather than terrified, adds another layer -- this weaponized bicycle has apparently been a persistent nuisance rather than a dramatic threat.