bea-2
Explanation
This is not a standard SMBC comic strip but rather a promotional advertisement for "Bea Wolf," a children's book written by Zach Weinersmith (the creator of SMBC) and illustrated by Boulet. The image showcases the book's cover art featuring a wild-haired girl character alongside various illustrated bears, and includes multiple starred review quotes from publications including School Library Journal, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and The New York Times.
"Bea Wolf" is a children's retelling of the Old English epic poem "Beowulf," reimagined as a story about kids defending their treehouse from an adult who wants to take away their fun. The reviews quoted praise its "bardic glory," "wild embrace of absurdity and wit," and "metered language" that pays homage to the alliterative style of the original poem. The promotional image ends with "AVAILABLE NOW -- Click for more info," indicating this was used as a web banner or sidebar advertisement on the SMBC website to promote the book to the comic's readership.