Engage
Explanation
This comic satirizes the modern culture of elaborate, performative marriage proposals.
In the first panel, a man proposes to Charlotte, but she notices "a little thing in the box" -- the engagement ring is apparently quite small. She also notes there's "a dancing horse" involved, suggesting an over-the-top proposal setup, though the ring itself is underwhelming.
The middle panels explore the economics and social dynamics of proposals. The comic suggests that two or three months' salary devoted to an engagement ring represents devotion, but points out that "some other man" could create a more elaborate "cosplay" display of affection -- framing proposals as a competitive signaling game rather than a genuine expression of love.
The comic escalates to show "engagement skills" being displayed, with the man apparently having enlisted friends in an elaborate production. The friends seem dismayed: "By God they were my friends and now they are..." -- suggesting the proposal spectacle has consumed and damaged actual relationships.
The final panel delivers the punchline, with someone remarking "It's just like I imagined when I was a girl" -- suggesting that the entire elaborate proposal industry exists to fulfill childhood fantasies, and that the performative escalation of proposals has turned what should be an intimate moment into a theatrical production that prioritizes spectacle over substance.