This commentary was written in December 2024.

This comic was NOT in the original run of Wholesome Coolness. Instead, I posted it on my Flickr a few years later. Check out the foreword for more context, or the previous post.

I drew this comic when I was in a 400/600 level math class on optimization, one of my all-time favorite college classes with one of my favorite professors. I don't remember where the idea for this joke came from, but Mercutio is modeled after that professor. I actually slipped the original copy into a homework assignment, and he returned it with no comment. In retrospect, I think he was probably trying to maintain boundaries with his students - but who knows?

Personally, I feel like the pacing in this one is incredible. Page 2 actually feels like the CSI: Miami intro to me. In general, that was always something I was pretty good at, even if coming up with a punchline was challenging.

--Josh