On: XKCD Explained, One Strip at a Time

[Steve0]

Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog: you understand it better, but the frog dies in the process. Mark Twain

[tptacek → Steve0]

The author of this blog is trying to kill the frog.

[KirinDave → Steve0]

The only valid response: http://xkcdexplained.tumblr.com/post/226264418/a-man-is-alon...

[rjshade → KirinDave]

A second valid response would be to correctly attribute the quote to E.B. White: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/E._B._White

[decklin → KirinDave]

You should do this one: http://xkcd.com/33/

[jpwagner → decklin]

"the androgynous figure has arbitrarily promised not to make humor out of referring to itself any longer. given the assumption that the 'blank stare' is funny, the promise has been broken and regret sets in."

[NathanKP → Steve0]

I agree. To my way of thinking if someone doesn't understand XKCD and laugh at it the first time they see it they aren't going to find it funny after an explanation.

[billswift → Steve0]

The explanation of a joke can be a joke itself - witness several of the "explanations". While I like XKCD, they aren't ALL successful either.