holy
Explanation
The Joke
The comic shows a copy of the Holy Bible with a blurb on the cover reading: "Not bad" — Zach Weinersmith (the author of SMBC).
The caption below reads: "Life tip: you can re-release any rights-free book, with an added blurb."
The Humor
The joke works on several levels. First, there is the audacity of giving the Bible — one of the most influential texts in human history, sacred to billions of people — a lukewarm review blurb of "Not bad." The phrase "not bad" is the faintest of faint praise, the kind of thing you might say about a mediocre sandwich. Applying it to a text that people have fought wars over, built civilizations around, and devoted their lives to studying is hilariously deflating.
Second, the "life tip" in the caption reveals that this is not even really about reviewing the Bible — it is about exploiting a loophole. Since the Bible is in the public domain (no copyright holder), anyone can technically publish their own edition with whatever additions they like, including a self-serving cover blurb. The joke is presenting this as a clever entrepreneurial hack rather than an act of breathtaking hubris.
Third, there is the meta-humor of Zach Weinersmith — a webcomic artist — positioning himself as an authority whose endorsement would sell copies of the Bible. The implied power dynamic is absurd: the blurb format suggests that Weinersmith's opinion is what a potential reader needs to hear before committing to the Bible, as though readers are on the fence and just need a cartoonist's reassurance.
Context
Book blurbs — short endorsements from notable figures printed on covers — are a standard marketing tool in publishing. They typically come from respected authors or public figures and offer enthusiastic praise. The Bible, along with other ancient texts like the works of Homer and Shakespeare's plays, is in the public domain and can be republished by anyone. The comic takes the mundane publishing practice of adding blurbs and applies it to the most famous book in the world, creating humor through the incongruity of scale.