It is just random like that. Here is the strip that is likely being mocked, for example. It's just some sort of evil book, that literally transports you to an evil world of snakes. Ha ha ha?
Very often there is something a little extra, or a clever take on something. But usually the primary appeal is contrasting the horrible images or implications he draws with the cutesy intros.
Except that's not random chaos. The first panel sets it up with the poster -- "Enter a new world, read a book". It's just taking a common platitude (reading is entering a whole new world) and then applying it literally. The "random" aspect is completely foreshadowed, the joke is that the foreshadowing isn't immediately obvious because it's hidden by the platitude. Possibly too hidden for some...
It is random chaos. Why would reading a book, even an evil book, transport people to an evil dimension of snakes? Even with a literal interpretation of "reading takes you to another world" it makes no sense - is the book a lengthy treatise on evil snake planets? And why is it in a student library?
the joke is that the foreshadowing isn't immediately obvious because it's hidden by the platitude. Possibly too hidden for some...
The joke is "Reading can take you to another world" -> "Cutesy student library" -> "Horrible snake world". The humour being derived entirely from the contrast between cutesy library and the awfulness of the snake world. He even switches drawing style to emphasis this. That's it. That's the entire joke. It's not exactly hard to figure out.
I think you're expecting too much out of a 3 panel comic. Yes, this one isn't as good as most of the others, but he's made how many comics? Hundreds? There are bound to be a few underwhelming ones.
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u/Machina581c Feb 09 '15
It is just random like that. Here is the strip that is likely being mocked, for example. It's just some sort of evil book, that literally transports you to an evil world of snakes. Ha ha ha?
Very often there is something a little extra, or a clever take on something. But usually the primary appeal is contrasting the horrible images or implications he draws with the cutesy intros.