XKCD Web Comic #1036: Reviews (described)

A web comic of romance,
sarcasm, math, and language.

I’m visiting Newport News, VA next week, where I’ll be speaking
at CNU, my old school. If you want to come, reserve a seat here!

Panel One: Drawing of two stick figures standing in a lamp store.  There are tables on either side of the figures with several different kinds of lamps with price tags hanging off the shades. The figure on the left is taller and is pointing at one of the lamps. The one on the right has shoulder-length, dark hair and is looking at the lamp the first figure is pointing at.

Caption

Shopping Before Online Reviews.

Person 1: This lamp is pretty.

Person 2: And affordable.

Person 1: Let’s get it.

Person 2: OK!

Second Panel: Same as Panel One except Person 2 is holding and looking at a smart phone.

Caption

Shopping Now

Person 1: This lamp is pretty.

Person 2: It got 1 1/2 stars on Amazon. Reviews all say to avoid that brand.

Panel 3: Same as the first two, except now both are looking at smart phones.

Person 1: This one has good reviews.

Person 2: Wait, one guy says when he plugged it in he got a metallic taste in his mouth and his cats went deaf.

Person 1: Eek. – What about-. . .No, review points out it resembles a uterus.

Panel 4:  The two figures are facing each other. Person 1 is holding and looking at a smart phone and Person 2 is holding one but looking at Person 1.

Person 1: OK, I found a Swiss lampmaker with perfect reviews. Her lamps start at 1,300 francs and she’s only reachable by ski lift.

Person 2: You know, our room looks fine in the dark.

Hover text: I plugged in this lamp and my dog went rigid, spoke a sentence of perfect Akkadian, and then was hurled sideways through the picture window. Even worse, it’s one of those lamps where the switch is on the cord.

Warning: This comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors). Comic by xkcd.com. Described by BlindGadget under the Creative Commons license.