S. Miles
Dilbert creator Scott Adams.
Dilbert, cartoonist Scott Adams’ popular comic strip about the average office worker and his crew of incompetent coworkers, was the first syndicated comic strip to focus primarily on the world of work when it was introduced in 1989. Five years later, it was so successful that Adams gave up his career in business to devote himself full-time to work.
It wasn’t a straight path to success. Early versions of the comic were rejected by several publications, including The New Yorker and Playboy. It wasn’t until an editor at United Media saw it and recognized her own husband in the character that the comic finally took off, says Adams in his book “How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big.”
Since then, the comic has covered topics such as the inefficiency of meetings, the uselessness of management and the absurdity of office politics.
Exclusively for Business Insider, Adams scoured the Dilbert.com archives and revealed his 10 favorite comics. Below, he explains why he chose each comic and counts down to his absolute favorite comic of all time.
10. October 10, 2009: “Dream job”
“This comic makes the reader imagine a funny future where Wally just pretends to complete the task. Humor sometimes works best when you hint at what’s coming without showing it. People laugh even harder when they have to use their imagination to complete the joke.
“I also like comics in which the characters are unusually happy about something trivial, evil or selfish. I always find this juxtaposition funny.”
“Another technique I often use is to have characters say things that you’re only supposed to think. This creates the inappropriateness that gives the whole thing a special touch.”
9. 24 September 2009: “Opportunities”
“Management by slogan usually comes across as ridiculous and condescending to employees. That’s partly why the employees in this comic are so indifferent when the boss’s house burns down. I always find the ordinary nastiness of normal people funny. It’s easy to identify with it.”
8. November 12, 2009: “Roll a donut in front of the cave”
“A common humor technique is to contrast something of immense importance with something trivial. Pairing things that don’t go together makes your brain ‘sneeze’ in the form of a laugh. In this comic, Wally compares his digestive system to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. A dash of spiritual inappropriateness adds some spice to the whole thing.”
7. 3 December 2009: “Reusable Presentation”
“As I mentioned before, I like humor that highlights people’s selfish nature. We can all relate to that. If you have a job, you probably spend part of your life every day trying to disguise your selfish motives as win-win scenarios. And your attempts are probably as transparent as Wally’s.
“I also like jokes that involve inappropriate problem-solving. This one has both. If you can layer two humor triggers in a comic, it almost always works.”
6. 9 December 2009: “Catching up with the competition”
“This works because you never see the pointy-haired boss’s reaction, but you can vividly imagine it.
“This comic stays true to Dilbert’s main theme of pointing out the uselessness of management. If you’ve ever had a boss, this comic probably hits home for you.”
5. 7 January 2010: “Synchronize excuses”
“I love poking fun at common sayings. Often these little wisecracks make no sense at all, but we have heard them so many times that it feels like they do. Good things could Those who wait will be rewarded, but the same goes for hunger.
“This comic is also an example of what I call a ‘constructed solution.’ Wally cleverly synchronized his excuses with the thunderstorm. I find cleverness funny when it is used in the service of selfishness.”
4. April 13, 2010: “Asok’s snout”
“Here I’m juxtaposing a regular workplace lunch with the ridiculousness of Asok having a dog’s snout. Dilbert and Wally take it in stride. That’s the first level of humor, but it wouldn’t be enough to make it work.
“The second level is that we all know people who put form over function without knowing how others see them. When you bring irrational human behavior to light, it usually triggers a laugh reflex.”
3. September 27, 2010: “Brain Golf”
“When you attend meetings, you probably spend a lot of time lost in your own thoughts while your coworkers ramble on. I find this comic funny because the boss reveals his selfish thoughts and because “brain golf” is a funny combination of words. I thought most golfers could relate to this. I doubt I’m the only one who plays brain golf.”
2. 2 December 2010: “Alter Johannsen”
“Wally is the worst employee ever, but he’s likable in his own way, so it’s great to see him win at the expense of the pointy-haired boss. And I think everyone who has a boss also dreams of becoming indispensable. Wally’s joy in the third panel is easy to empathize with.”
1. November 9, 1993: “Unix programmer”
“This is perhaps my absolute favorite Dilbert comic strip. When I was on a speaking tour, I always used it to end my lectures with loud laughter. It‘is cheeky, clever and has a point of view. And it lets the reader imagine what happened before the moment shown in the comic and what could happen afterward. It‘It’s rare to pack so many elements into one comic.”
The post “Dilbert Creator Scott Adams Shares His 10 Favorite Comics of All Time” first appeared on Business Insider.
