2002-09-05

Comic #1 (September 5, 2002) Next > >|

2002-09-05

Title text: This was literally the first single panel comic idea I ever had, though it isn't the first drawing. I revised it around 2005 or so, at a point when I apparently thought fingertips were square-shaped.

Votey

Explanation

A recurring trope in media is the conceit that people with great intelligence are often depicted as having heads of greater-than-average size, the implication being that they have large brains and are thus smarter. (In reality, while brain size is to an extent correlated with intelligence, the truth is much more complicated; a more accurate predictor has been found to be the density of the neural tissue as well as the number of pathways between the neurons.) Additionally, the cerebrum, or the main body of the brain, consists of four lobes: The frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe.

As seen in the comic, the protagonist, Horton, has a grotesquely large head; thus, per the initial assertion where intelligence and brain size are directly correlated, he would be expected to be some sort of genius. However, this assumption is promptly subverted by him being unable to correctly calculate 2 x 2, an extremely elementary arithmetic problem with a solution of 4 (which is related to another common trope where stupid people are commonly shown to be unable to solve similar simple arithmetic problems, such as 1 + 1 = 2). According to the caption, this is due to him possessing a heretofore unknown lobe of the brain known as the 'stupid lobe', which presumably is responsible for his decreased intelligence.

(Why any organism would evolve a part of its brain that directly interferes with its primary function is left as an exercise to the reader.)

The votey adds a further dimension to the joke by showing that Horton, in spite of his lack of intellect, apparently went on to a successful career as the President of the United States, a reference to the common trope of politicians being depicted as rather stupid.

Transcript

[A boy in a classroom with a large veiny head and glasses is holding a piece of paper and speaking to a woman.]

Boy: Two times two is three.

Woman: Wrong again mutant!

Caption: Doctors said Horton was blessed with an unusually large functional brain. Sadly, it was later discovered that two-thirds of his oversized cranium were occupied by the little known "Stupid Lobe."

Votey Transcript

[Horton stands at a lectern, wearing a suit.]

30 years later...

Horton: My fellow Americans...

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Discussion

Is it just me, or is that emblem on the front of the lectern, the upper outline of Texas? 69.130.201.209 09:12, 15 January 2024 (EST)

I think it's just an eagle. Smbcwiki-admin (talk) 21:02, 15 January 2024 (EST)