Explain SMBC — the wiki for Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

kent

2019-04-14 View on smbc-comics.com → 1 revision
kent
Votey panel for kent
This explanation is incomplete or may contain errors. It was generated by AI and has not yet been reviewed by a human editor.

Explanation

The Joke

The comic plays on the classic Superman/Clark Kent secret identity trope. In the first panel, someone asks Superman, "How come I never see you and Clark Kent in the same room at the same time?" Superman replies that it is "probably just a funny coincidence." In the next panel, the questioner presses further: "It's just that Clark Kent has your same body, you know, but I like keeping my distance." This acknowledges the absurdity that Clark Kent's "disguise" is just a pair of glasses -- people in the Superman universe apparently notice the physical resemblance but choose not to investigate further.

The final panel delivers the punchline: Superman simply flies away shouting "Up up and awaaayyy!" rather than address the accusation. He literally flees the conversation rather than come up with a better excuse, treating his escape power as a way to dodge awkward social situations rather than fight crime.

The Humor

The joke works on two levels. First, it skewers the long-standing comic book plot hole of how nobody recognizes that Superman and Clark Kent are the same person despite looking nearly identical. Second, it turns Superman's iconic flight catchphrase into a comedic escape from an uncomfortable conversation -- the superhero equivalent of "I have to go, my planet needs me." The person left behind clearly is not fooled, making Superman's exit even more amusingly pathetic.

View History (1) Original Comic
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