2010-12-24

A six-row SMBC comic. A frustrated student at a desk piled with books is visited by a glowing ghostly spirit, a balding bespectacled man in a shirt and tie who introduces himself as the spirit of John Bardeen, here to help with physics. Bardeen boasts that he won two Nobel Prizes in physics; the student says '...go on...'. Bardeen adds that he invented the transistor and the fundamental theory for superconductivity. Unimpressed, the student asks if Einstein or Feynman is available instead. Bardeen protests that the student just wants guys who were good with the media, insisting the transistor is the basis of modern life. The student replies that Einstein invented awesome hair and Feynman invented boobs. Bardeen says that's an urban legend; the student asks where they came from then. Exasperated, Bardeen gives up and says 'Fine! They want you again!' A new spirit, Richard Feynman, appears with a sly grin, greeting the kid and asking 'Can you help with my homework? Can you help me with your hot sister?' The student stammers '...m-maybe?' and a huge looming close-up of Feynman's face bellows 'Give her to Feyn-man!' Votey (bonus panel): a close-up of Feynman's face as the student begins 'Okay, her name—' and Feynman cuts him off in a big speech bubble: 'Feyn-man does not care!'