Martin Perscheid Comics are a masterclass in dark, offbeat humor. Beginning this review with a bold laugh, we dive into the world of Perscheid’s warped wit, where absurdity reigns supreme and no taboo is safe. Known for his signature bald, bug-eyed characters and satirical single-panel punchlines, these comics offer a brutally honest (and hilarious) mirror to human nature.
About Martin Perscheid
Martin Perscheid (1966–2021) was a German cartoonist renowned for his brutally hilarious one-panel comic strip Perscheids Abgründe (“Perscheid’s Abysses”). With over 4,300 published cartoons and features in hundreds of German publications, Perscheid carved out a niche with his unique blend of cynicism, social commentary, and gallows humor.
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1. Take a Number, Buddy
This comic captures the modern dating scene’s cold efficiency with an unexpected twist. When a man uses a classic pickup line, the woman doesn’t miss a beat—handing him a waiting-room style ticket. The exaggerated bureaucratic tone turns flirtation into a hilarious, impersonal process. Perscheid cleverly flips expectations and subtly critiques how desensitized and transactional interactions can become.
2. The Robbery Shuffle
In a perfectly timed visual gag, a robber tells his victims to “put their hands up and turn around”—but as they comply, they end up facing him again. It’s a brilliant loop of literalism that creates chaos out of simplicity. Perscheid plays with language mechanics and human behavior, turning a terrifying moment into a laughably absurd situation.
3. Religious Boundaries in Medicine
Here, Perscheid delivers biting satire through a doctor who refuses to perform abortions—not out of ethics, but because of his neighbor’s religious views. This comic skewers the absurdity of letting external moral policing dictate personal decisions, especially in medical contexts. It’s sharp, bold, and designed to start conversations while still delivering a punchline.
4. Lego Pain Perspective
Everyone knows the pain of stepping on a Lego, but Perscheid ups the ante. A man cries out in pain from stepping barefoot on one—only to be reminded that someone out there knelt on one. The humor lies in the absurd one-upmanship of suffering and how quickly we compare pain like it’s a contest.
5. Phone Trouble or Trouble Ahead?
A woman’s phone gives a vocal low-battery alert, saying “Fill me up,” just as a man walks behind her. The comic turns innocent technology into a perfect storm of accidental innuendo. Perscheid’s use of misunderstood contexts is classic and always plays on readers’ readiness to laugh at misinterpretation.
6. Too Much Political Honesty
When a newsman dares to suggest Ukrainian independence from Russian influence, he ends up institutionalized. This comic sharply critiques how contrarian or unpopular political thoughts are quickly labeled insane. Perscheid walks the line between edgy and darkly hilarious in this satirical jab at censorship and public discourse.
7. Globule vs. Scalpel
A woman holds up a homeopathic remedy (a giant white pill) and insists it’s preferable to surgery. The hospital setting and her seriousness contrast hilariously with the massive “globule.” Perscheid mocks pseudoscience with absurd proportions, making it one of his finest stabs at health fads.
8. Extreme Sunshine Alert
A cloaked figure sits in front of a computer, claiming he’s staying in because the weather service issued a warning—for sunshine. It’s a perfect roast of modern digital hermits and the over-dramatization of everyday inconveniences. Perscheid nails both weather paranoia and indoor addiction with this one.
9. Vacuum Love Life
In this wild twist, a man snuggles his vacuum cleaner in bed, all thanks to its “cyclonic suction” and “fresh excitement.” Perscheid transforms marketing jargon into a punchline about human loneliness, appliance obsession, and sexual innuendo—all in one single frame. Hilariously unsettling.
10. Heart, Gut… and Spleen
In a parody of love and inner conflict, a woman says her heart says yes, but her gut says no. The man answers that “the spleen doesn’t care.” Perscheid dives deep into the absurd by involving a completely indifferent organ. It’s so random, it’s brilliant—pure Perscheid.
Final Thoughts
Martin Perscheid’s comics shine in their unapologetic embrace of dark, uncomfortable humor. He wasn’t afraid to say the quiet parts out loud—and laugh at them. Whether lampooning politics, health, or heartbreak, his humor remains timeless and daring. For more like this, check out thehumorside.com for your daily dose of outrageous laughs.
