Comic Transcripts

Guest comic by Randall Munroe of xkcd.

BARTLEBY: Michaelangelo, why have you ceased your painting?
MICHAELANGELO (above and offpanel): No…no point, Bartleby.
BARTLEBY: Are you drunk?
MICHAELANGELO: Yes.

BARTLEBY: But you must complete this ceiling!
MICHAELANGELO: I have seen the future.
There is war, famine, and a heated planet.

MICHAELANGELO: Why create when the future holds such horrors?
BARTELBY: Because without you it would be worse.

BARTLEBY: And because–…
What are you painting?
MICHAELANGELO: A gateway, through which protrudes a cat!
He observes your sin, Bartleby.

{{Header: period-incorrect hats at WONDERMARK.COM}}
{{Alt-text: The things I have seen, Bartleby! A man named Goat See has rediscovered Leonardo’s ‘Tunnel of Knowledge’ festival trick!}}

Guest Comic by Randall Munroe transcribed by in

Guest comic by Randall Munroe of xkcd.

BARTLEBY: Michaelangelo, why have you ceased your painting?
MICHAELANGELO (above and offpanel): No...no point, Bartleby.
BARTLEBY: Are you drunk?
MICHAELANGELO: Yes.

BARTLEBY: But you must complete this ceiling!
MICHAELANGELO: I have seen the future.
There is war, famine, and a heated planet.

MICHAELANGELO: Why create when the future holds such horrors?
BARTELBY: Because without you it would be worse.

BARTLEBY: And because--...
What are you painting?
MICHAELANGELO: A gateway, through which protrudes a cat!
He observes your sin, Bartleby.

{{Header: period-incorrect hats at WONDERMARK.COM}}
{{Alt-text: The things I have seen, Bartleby! A man named Goat See has rediscovered Leonardo's 'Tunnel of Knowledge' festival trick!}}

The things I have seen, Bartleby! A man named Goat See has rediscovered Leonardo's 'Tunnel of Knowledge' festival trick.

Guest Comic by Randall Munroe

  — April 24th, 2009

[ Tags: ]       Permalink: https://wondermark.com/c/guest-randall/

Today’s strip comes to us courtesy of Randall Munroe. If you don’t know who he is you are probably not on the internet for double-digit hours every day. Good for you!

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Applications open for Genius Northwest – an IRL gaming competition

May 8, 2026 by David Malki !

Last year, I participated in Genius Northwest, a gaming competition inspired by the Korean gameshow The Genius and its ilk.

It’s a reality show without the cameras — a 3-day, all-inclusive weekend retreat structured around a series of challenges and puzzles, in which personalities and dealmaking matter as much as playing games.

It’s truly a remarkable thing. I came in dead last in the competition, but I still had a great time participating.

The event is held annually in the Pacific Northwest (hence the name) and applications are now open to participate in the 2026 competition!

Learn more — and apply — at GeniusNW.com.


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