2011-05-12

A color comic panel shows a uniformed park ranger in a hat, one arm raised and pointing, giving advice to a small group of hikers seen from behind in front of a mountain landscape. His speech bubble reads: "If a bear gets too close, put out your arms like this. The bear will think you're 'too clingy' and will leave you alone. Forever." A caption below reads: "Ranger Dave was a bit less helpful after the breakup." The joke is that his bitter, post-breakup phrasing about being clingy and left alone forever projects his own heartbreak onto the bear advice. The votey is a black-and-white close-up of a bear's face looking pained and uneasy, thinking: "Oh jeez. His arms are out. This is awkward..." — confirming the ranger's advice works only because the bear finds the clinginess too awkward to deal with.