Death
Explanation
The Joke
The Grim Reaper stands proudly, scythe in hand, declaring: "I am good at what I do, and what I do is important." Below him, a small terrified person cowers. The caption reads: "People say 'Death be not proud,' but there is pride in every job, goddammit."
The comic imagines Death as a working professional who takes pride in his craft, pushing back against the literary tradition of telling Death not to be prideful. Death is essentially saying: why should he not be proud? He is skilled at his work and it serves a vital function. The tiny frightened person about to be reaped provides a darkly comic visual contrast.
The Humor
The comedy comes from treating Death as if he is just another worker dealing with the indignity of people disrespecting his profession. The defiant, blue-collar attitude -- "there is pride in every job, goddammit" -- reframes the cosmic terror of mortality into a workplace dignity issue. It is as if Death has been reading motivational posters and attending professional development seminars. The juxtaposition between the terrifying image of the Grim Reaper looming over a victim and the mundane sentiment of workplace pride creates an absurd tonal clash that is quintessentially SMBC.
References
"Death Be Not Proud" is a famous Holy Sonnet (Sonnet X) by the 17th-century English poet John Donne. In the poem, Donne argues that Death should not be arrogant because death is not truly powerful -- it is merely a transition to eternal life. The comic flips Donne's theological argument into a labor rights issue, with Death defending his right to feel good about his work.