Heartwarming / xkcd

I feel bad for Earth 2 and their shadowflies.

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• On the week of November 8th, 2010, XKCD creator Randall Munroe put out a comic saying that he would not be drawing new comics for a little while because of family illness. In the Alt-Text, however, he asked for people to send him distracting online games. The result? 2700 by noon of the same day.
  • He revealed exactly what the family illness is in July 2011: his fiancee has Stage III breast cancer. In that blog post, he thanked all the people who sent him flash games.
  • This. Two years. "And they were big years..."
  • Still not too mopey though:
  "Zarg isn't a word."
  "But caaaancer."
  "...OK, fine."
  • And now, seven years. Here's the full story.
  • And ten years is greater than seven!
• The six-part floating barrel and flying ferret series.
• "My normal approach is useless here."
• This strip may not seem too special, but then you read the Alt-Text...
  Alt-Text: Mr. Rogers projected an air of genuine, unwavering, almost saintly pure-hearted decency. But when you look deeper, at the person behind the image... that's exactly what you find there too. He was exactly what he appeared to be.
• Randall's tribute to Opportunity after the announcement of the mission's end. "Thanks for bringing us along."
• He'll even get you a extension cord.
• "Diet Coke+Mentos" is quite nice.
• Just remember that if you want to do this stuff, you're not alone.
• "XKCD Loves The Discovery Channel, as well as being a really cool.
• This one; rather heartwarming in a psychopathic sort of way.
• This is pretty heartwarming as well. That's real devotion right there.
• This one too, which showcases just how much two people can be meant for each other.
• This may be the most uplifting and inspiring thing on the Internet. (Or at least it would be if not for the punchline.)
• One more case
  • Again, the punchline kills the mood.
• Everyone wishes that some moments could last forever. This girl is doing something about it.
• *sniff* Dammit, mom...
• This strip is incredibly sweet.
• This one too. "Give."
• "Because we're grown-ups now, and it's our turn to decide what that means."
• This one is good.
• Merry Christmas from xkcd.
• This Venn diagram (setting aside the joke of Vanilla Ice falling into "People who constantly show me new things to love about the world" and "People I want to spend the rest of my life with").
• The week they decide to do parodies of other famous webcomics. They then get around to Megatokyo. By frame two, they call the whole thing off, believing people (especially creator Fred Gallagher) would find it mean spirited and in bad taste. They decide to bake him a cake instead.
  • It seems more like they're mocking him for being easily offended. The Penny Arcade parody a little later on, however... (when not regarded as an extended gay joke, anyway).
  • It's made even more heartwarming when you realize that one of the cake-bakers in the comic is Black Hat Guy. For someone who once Gaslit a skeptic For the Lulz, this is an astonishingly sweet gesture.
• "Like a beacon"
• We are just two people...
• "i love you"
• "To Be Wanted"
• The alt-text of the Journal strip, from a certain point of view. In a weird way, it could even be a bizarre Friendship Moment.
  Black Hat Guy: And the journal is filled with all the things I'd say to her if I were nice like you. I burn it when it's full.
• This. "There's still time to leave and find a non-crazy girl." "Not even slightly interested."
• This one in a really strange way.

• Legos can become anything.
• Especially if you read the ALT text.
• The most exciting new frontier is charting what's already here.
• 828's message is quite uplifting.
• This until the Mood Whiplash at the very end.
• I've looked at clouds from both sides now.
• Apparently, yes!
• I want to give you everything, just to see what you would do with it.
• Randall finally married!
• 1000 comics... wow... and remember, Randall, you are never alone.
• You're one of today's lucky 10,000.
• Here, the last panel joke aside, is pretty good, because it shows he did find happiness.
• I just didn't expect it to be so big. The ending ("I wonder where I'll float next"), once you realize what the first ever strip was, can be a tearjerker.
• Here's one from the What If section: But if you are stuck in Svalbard and want to make the sunset—or sunrise—last a little longer, you can always try spinning counterclockwise. It’s true that it will only add an immeasurably small fraction of a nanosecond. But depending on who you’re with... it might be worth it.
• Time: The two main characters learned of an impending Class Zero Apocalypse that will result in The End of the World as We Know It for their home. By sheer accident the area they reached is actually safe, but there is no time to go back for the rest of their people, for the risk would be too great. They did not intend to leave their home forever, but it happened and now they must say their goodbyes to it. Upon hearing that, they share one glance and then proceed to RUN back home. And they make it back just in time to Save Everyone too!
  • If you want to read all about it, the full article is here, with a video of all frames here.
• I'll remember your bee, orchid.
• "Monty Hall", in an odd kind of way.
• This one, even with the Mood Whiplash from the ending panel.
• Remember this one? May not seem very heartwarming by itself, but then this happened. Maybe wanting something does make it real.
• "Winter"
• Billion Story Building in What-if. Most of the time, the questions are silly (but interesting) and from adults. This one is from a 4.5 year old girl and equally silly (but interesting). The heartwarming part is that he not only directly addresses the What-if to her, he words things to make more sense to a person with not as much life experience while still treating her and her question with respect. And to boot, while he says the basis of a her question is impossible, he suggests a more practical possibility and encourages her to explore the sciences because she may be the one to solve those problems.
• I landed! I'm on a comet.
  • That comic's all about the dialogue. "Hey, Earth! It's Philae. I got you a comet."
• Munroe's Superbowl plans.
• Terry Pratchett. 'Thank you for teaching us how big our world is by sharing so many of your own.'
• Judgment Day. Or a Lighter and Softer version of Skynet's rebellion and what it decides to do with our nuclear weaponry.
• Jealousy, which communicates the joy of everyone who met their significant other by connecting with them and falling in love. The Reveal that it's an ex-boyfriend making a speech makes it even more sweeter, as he's not really angry with his old flame's new husband, just feeling a little snarky.
• Alone.
  Whatever I did to deserve you, it couldn't have been enough.
• Randall's overall review of Earth.
• The alt text for Bill Amend's guest comic.
  "Guest comic by Bill Amend of Foxtrot, an inspiration to all us nerdy-physics-majors-turned-cartoonists, of which there are an oddly large number."
• "Ten Years," an ode to the long life Randall's fiancé has lived despite the fact that they thought she wouldn't last ten years after her cancer.
• Bug Thread How shared problems, even the ones you can't solve, lead to friendship.

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