religion-ruining-everything-since-4004-bc
Explanation
The Joke
This comic is a promotional strip for Zach Weinersmith's book of religion jokes. In it, the cartoonist (depicted as a redheaded character) visits God to pitch the idea. God describes SMBC's work as art and poetry. When the cartoonist asks if God would provide a blessing (or at least a blurb) for the book cover, God agrees, giving his "word as the nice guy" that no lightning will strike him. But then the cartoonist mentions the book's subtitle: "Religion: Ruining Everything Since 4004 BC." God promptly strikes him with lightning. In the aftermath, a news ticker-style panel states that being struck by lightning "gains more superpowers" -- and the final panel is a direct Kickstarter advertisement for the book.
The Humor
The comic works as both a joke and a promotional piece. The central gag is that God is willing to be supportive and tolerant of the cartoonist's work -- even his religion jokes -- right up until the provocative subtitle is revealed. The subtitle "Ruining Everything Since 4004 BC" is deliberately designed to be the most offensive possible framing, and God's immediate retaliatory lightning strike shows even divine patience has limits. There is also a meta-humor in using a comic strip about religion to promote a book about religion, with the cartoonist essentially daring divine punishment as a marketing strategy. The "lightning gives superpowers" punchline suggests the cartoonist sees even God's wrath as a net positive, reinforcing the irreverent tone of the whole enterprise.
References
- 4004 BC refers to the Ussher chronology, a 17th-century calculation by Archbishop James Ussher that placed the date of creation at October 23, 4004 BC, based on biblical genealogies and historical records.
- The book being promoted is Zach Weinersmith's real Kickstarter project, a collection of religion-themed humor.
- The Kickstarter logo and call-to-action are visible at the bottom of the comic strip.