homework
Explanation
The Joke
A parent confronts their child at the door, asking "Where's your homework?" The child gives the classic excuse: "The dog ate it!" However, the parent reveals the devastating catch — the homework assignment was to make a chocolate sculpture. The implication is that the dog really did eat it, because dogs are notorious for eating chocolate, but this also means the dog is now in serious danger since chocolate is toxic to dogs.
The comic takes the oldest homework excuse in the book and constructs a scenario where it is not only plausible but also creates an alarming secondary problem. The child's excuse is actually true this time, but instead of being exonerated, the situation is arguably worse than if they had simply not done the homework.
The Humor
The humor operates on multiple levels. First, there is the ironic reversal of the "dog ate my homework" cliché — normally an obvious lie, here it is completely believable. Second, there is the dark undercurrent that chocolate is poisonous to dogs, so the dog eating the homework is actually a veterinary emergency. The parent's horrified expression in the final panel suggests they have realized both that the excuse is true and that their pet may be in danger. Weiner mines comedy from the gap between the mundane (a homework excuse) and the alarming (pet poisoning).