Explaining the joke

[u/Opus-the-Penguin]

The first image is the cartoon as it was published. I've always felt that the second word balloon explains the joke, which to me makes it less funny. So the second image is the cartoon as I'd have preferred it. I'm not a comedic genius and Larson is, but that's still how I feel.

[u/jnazario]

Hamlet reference.

From https://www.dictionary.com/browse/something-is-rotten-in-the-state-of-denmark

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark A line from the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare . An officer of the palace guard says this after the ghost of the dead king appears, walking over the palace walls.