[[quoteright:293:http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cat_proximity.png]]
[[caption-width-right:293:[-[[CutenessProximity Yes you are! And you're sitting there! Hi, kitty!]]-] ]]
->''Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors).''

''[[http://xkcd.com xkcd]]'' is a StickFigureComic by Randall Munroe. It is a gag-a-day comic, and generally does not have a continuing plotline or continuity (though there are occasional short story arcs). Many of the jokes are based on math, physics, UNIX and [[MemeticMutation Internet memes]], as well as romance and sex.

Originally a relatively unknown set of personal sketches and doodles, it grew in popularity in 2006 when other webcomics (such as ''DinosaurComics'') began linking to it. However, it was when Randall posted a "[[http://xkcd.com/195/ Map of the Internet]]", and said map was subsequently [[http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/11/1150241 featured on Slashdot]], that xkcd's popularity truly erupted. Since then, it has been among the most well-known of webcomics.

Of course, you wouldn't know that just by looking at the comic. The characters are still drawn as very basic stick figures, with no facial features other than hairstyle (which is often used to [[TertiarySexualCharacteristics distinguish males and females]]). However, there are two recurring characters who can be recognized by their respective headgear:
* "Black Hat Guy," a {{Jerkass}} character with a black pork-pie hat, who in one recent storyline encountered a woman who [[http://xkcd.com/377/ out-Jerkassed him]], and has now become a [[http://xkcd.com/433/ romantic ]] [[http://xkcd.com/515/ interest]].
* A beret-clad CloudCuckooLander, generally thought of to be an Existentialist, albeit one with a thing for pastries.
There are other recurring characters in the same social circle -- e.g. the [[http://xkcd.com/220/ dark-haired]] [[http://xkcd.com/625/ existential nihilist]] -- but most of them are less distinctive.

Has mentioned [[http://xkcd.com/609/ this very wiki]].

xkcd is part of the documentation for ''goto'' on the [[http://fi.php.net/manual/en/control-structures.goto.php PHP website]], and was mentioned [[http://asset.soup.io/asset/0453/8747_0991_800.png as a ticket in a changelog]].

Numerologists take note: adding up the numerical values of the titular letters yields a sum of [[TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy 42]]. Coincidence? ...Yes.
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'''Tropes invoked by this webcomic:'''
* AIIsACrapshoot: [[http://xkcd.com/416/ CTRL-C! CTRL-C!]]
* AltText
* AffectionateParody: Parody Week, whose strips don't really make fun of anything and, in some cases, could actually have been used by the regular cartoonist except for the artwork. It turns into a deconstruction of parody with the author halting his Megatokyo parody because he feels sorry for the writer and stopping his Penny Arcade parody because he respects the writers too much (with the respect transitioning to HoYay and then SlashFic before he finishes.)
* AmericanGunPolitics: [[http://xkcd.com/504/ Invoked in weird and awesome way]].
* {{Angrish}}: One comic has a father conditioning his daughter's speech centers to shut down when she's upset. HilarityEnsues to say the least.
* AuthorAppeal: Randall seems to [[http://xkcd.com/136/ really]], ''[[http://xkcd.com/400/ really]]'' [[http://xkcd.com/584/ like]] [[http://xkcd.com/598/ cunnilingus]].
* AuthorAvatar: the plain-featured stick man.
* AuthorFilibuster: Quite a few on {{DRM}}, for example [[http://xkcd.com/488/ here.]] Eventually lampshaded [[http://xkcd.com/511/ here.]]
* BrickJoke: In [[http://xkcd.com/325/ this comic]], the Black Hat Guy sells an office chair on eBay, only for the actual package to arrive at the purchaser's home a bobcat. [[http://xkcd.com/576/ 251 comics later]], one character sets up a script that purchases something random off eBay every day so he can continually recieve packages. The mouseover text for it reveals that the package on the sixth day was...[[SoYeah yeah]]...
* CarFu (actually Submarine Fu: Black Hat Guy recovers his hat from his LoveInterest in [[http://xkcd.com/405/ this strip]] by ''crashing a Russian nuclear submarine through the ice she's skating on'')
* CloudCuckoolander: [[http://www.xkcd.com/579/ Apparently]], SummerGlau:
-->''I eat my body weight in food every thirty-one days. That's slightly faster than the human average. (stares off at the clouds)''
* ComedicSociopath: Black Hat Guy
* ContinuityNod: Many instances of this occur. One example is [[http://xkcd.com/517/ this strip]], where the water gun appears to be the same one from [[http://xkcd.com/220/ this earlier strip]].
**Black Hat Guy's exploits are mentioned later [[http://xkcd.com/496/ here]].
** Many of the [[strike:creepy]] romance comics feature a girl named Megan with shoulder-length black hair.
** "The hell? Who mails a bobcat?"
** The sound reflecting dish from "Loud Girlfriend" is referenced in the AltText from "Bass".
** Electric skateboards are a recurring motif.
** "Lemme know if you find out why she's ordering all those colored plastic balls."
** "And watch out for that guy from comic #53"
** Zeppelins
** SummerGlau:
*** As a [[CourtlyLove real paladin]], [[http://xkcd.com/406/ he fights in the name of his fair lady]]
*** [[http://xkcd.com/526/ He measures things by the silhouette which is always before his eyes]]
* CoolShades: A [[GrissomOneLiner derivative]] of this trope, as seen [[http://xkcd.com/626/ here]].
* CrowningMomentOfFunny: [[http://xkcd.com/591/ Troll Slayer]]. 4chan gets owned by [[{{Twilight}} Stephanie Meyer]]. YourMileageMayVary.
* CutenessProximity: Shown in the above strip "Cat Proximity", which is the TropeNamer as well.
* DescriptionCut: Surely [[http://www.xkcd.com/578/ Nathan Fillion]] has better things to do these days than pretend to be [[{{Firefly}} Captain Reynolds]]. Meanwhile, wearing a brown coat, "Name's Captain Reynolds, ma'am. *ahem* "Name's Captain Reynolds, ma'am."
* {{Defictionalization}}: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xkcd#Activities_inspired_by_xkcd examples]] courtesy of TheOtherWiki
* {{Discontinuity}} - Done to the sequels to ''[[http://xkcd.com/566/ The Matrix]]''
*DidNotDoTheResearch: Bizarrely, ''xkcd'' got '''math''' wrong: A [[http://xkcd.com/622/ "prime's divisors"]] (um... itself and one?) do not fit into Euclid's theorem that way.
* DidYouActuallyBelieve?
* [=~Don't Explain The Joke~=]: This is one of the heaviest criticism the comic gets, especially in recent times. Most strips have the punchline occurring in the second-to-last panel, only to have a final panel that then explains it. Other times the punchline ''is'' in the last panel... But there's a final ''sentence'' that then explains the joke. On the rare occasion neither are done, you can probably check the AltText and find it explained there.
* [=~Don't Try This At Home~=]: See the AltText for [[http://xkcd.com/620/ Wings]].
* DreamApocalypse
* DrunkenMaster: In the form of [[http://xkcd.com/323/ Ballmer's Peak]]
* DyingAlone
* FillerStrip: Parodied.
* FlockOfWolves: [[http://xkcd.com/610/ What are the odds of five Ayn Rand fans being on the same train together?]]
* GiftOfTheMagi: [[http://xkcd.com/506/ At least the result was the same]].
* [=~Godwin's Law~=]:
** [[http://www.xkcd.com/528/ Apparently, a picture of Hitler stuck on your screen is better than Vista.]]
** Also referenced and parodied in [[http://www.xkcd.com/261/ this strip.]]
* GrissomOneLiner: [[http://xkcd.com/626/ Here]].
* {{Hatedom}}: [[http://xkcdsucks.blogspot.com This blog]]. It's one of the very few hatedoms that openly admits the relative harmlessness/pointlessness of hating what they hate. It often includes {{Gag Dub}}s. Given the fact that the blog's founder and many of its prominent fans used to be big fans of xkcd, this is a case of BrokenBase. Unfortunately, most of the new ''discussions'' are nothing more than rants that accentuate the negative rather than look from the right mind frame at a simple joke.
* {{Homage}}
* HypeBacklash: The reason the [[http://xkcdsucks.blogspot.com xkcdsucks blog]] exists.
* IncrediblyLamePun: Rather blatantly in strips [[http://xkcd.com/282/ 282]], [[http://xkcd.com/594/ 594]], and [[http://xkcd.com/626/ 626]].
* ItWasHisSled: [[http://xkcd.com/109/ parodied]].
* {{Jerkass}}
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: "No One Must Know".
* LogicBomb: Used several times, but [[http://xkcd.com/363/ this one's]] for the audience.
* TheMasochismTango: Black Hat Guy and his girlfriend. He blew up her car, for Chrissakes. By moving the mines she had set up to blow up his car. She stole his hat. He ''likes'' his hat.
* ManicPixieDreamGirl: the female character.
** On the other hand, most characters in the strip have a strong devotion to making life a little weirder from the start, [[http://xkcd.com/325/ including Black Hat Guy.]]
** The appeal of this trope is parodied in [[http://xkcd.com/122/ comic 122]]: "I didn't actually mean be different. I just want silly and entertaining on demand now and then."
* MemeticMutation
* MundaneUtility: Frequently, including [[http://xkcd.com/382/ lasers to zap squirrels]].
* NightmareFetishist: [[http://xkcd.com/350/ Who's a good virus?]] [[BabyTalk You are! Yes you are!]]
* NightmareFuel:
** Velociraptors, to the artist.
** That goddamn Garfield comic.
** The isolation in the [[http://xkcd.com/505/ "A Bunch of Rocks"]] strip.
** [[http://xkcd.com/647/ #647: "Scary"]]
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Several examples, including [[http://xkcd.com/254/ this]] strip.
* OverlyLongGag: [[http://www.xkcd.com/609/ On TV Tropes]]
* PlutoIsExpendable: "It's been two years. I thought those wounds had healed. But I stand by what I said. Pluto ''never'' should have been a planet."
* PrematureAggravation: [[http://xkcd.com/439/ Did he just go crazy and]] [[SuperWindowJump jump out the window?]]
* RedPillBluePill: [[http://xkcd.com/566/ parodied]].
*{{Rickroll}}: Mentioned [[strike:too many]] several times. [[http://www.xkcd.com/389/ This strip]] actually includes the opening score, making for what has to be the most subtle Rickroll ever (unless you can read music).
** [[http://xkcd.com/351 They actually]] [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome rickrolled Rick Astley]]
** Subverted [[http://xkcd.com/524/ in this strip]] - they hire Rick Astley to show up at a party and ''not'' sing. Complete with GlassesPull and GrissomOneLiner.
* SarcasmMode: "Try an Internet petition drive- those ''totally'' work."
* ScienceIsWrong: "No one told you because you're cute when you get into something." Bitches.
* {{Selfcest}}: You'd think [[http://xkcd.com/267/ this]] is going somewhere dramatic, but no.
* SilentSceneryPanel: The occasional landscape drawings.
* ShoutOut:
** Many, but of particular note is [[http://xkcd.com/609/ this one]]. [[ItGotWorse It gets worse]]. [[SchmuckBait Click the comic itself.]]
** Earlier than that, we have [[http://xkcd.com/446/ "In Popular Culture"]]. It's very subtle, but take a look at the works listed as examples. [[TropeOverdosed Any of them look familiar?]]
* SophisticatedAsHell: [[http://xkcd.com/36/ Strip 36]]
* SpecialEditionTitle: On October 26, 2009, the site was temporarily redesigned in a {{retraux}} [[TheNineties early 90's]] style in dubious honor of the end of {{Geocities}}. [[http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8049/xkcdredesign.png Complete with broken HTML!]]
* StalkerWithACrush / DoggedNiceGuy: Once again, [[http://xkcd.com/513/ Strip 513]]. You'll understand.
* StealthPun:
** [[http://xkcd.com/532/ This strip]].
** In [[http://xkcd.com/410/ this strip]], where an audience member [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] its use.
* StopHavingFunGuys: TropeNamer. [[http://xkcd.com/359/ This strip]] shows a guy deriding a few people playing ''Rock Band'', telling them it doesn't make them cool ... even though they're having fun.
* TakeThat:
** As required for any "[[SeriousBusiness real]]" computer user, the strip hates Windows.
** Computational linguists are also targeted occasionally. Because [[http://www.xkcd.com/114/ fuck computational linguistics]].
** While all those are often partially tongue in cheek, {{DRM}} [[http://xkcd.com/86/ gets searing loads of venom]].
** Randall also makes his views on string theory [[http://xkcd.com/171/ fairly]] [[http://xkcd.com/397/ clear]]. Brains vs string theorists is a very [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branes Old Pun]].
** [[http://xkcd.com/388/ Fuck grapefruit.]]
* TastesLikeDiabetes: a few (some say most) of the romance-based comics. Sometimes brutally, brutally subverted. [[http://xkcd.com/513/ Like in Strip 513.]]
* ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet: [[http://xkcd.com/322/ This strip]] addresses the reasons for that.
* [=~This Is For Emphasis, Bitch!~=]
* TVTropesWillRuinYourLife: Possibly the [[http://xkcd.com/609/ first actual work to use this]]?
* TwiceShy: [[http://xkcd.org/642/ This strip]].
* VanityLicensePlate: The tendency of such plates to be owned by pretentious rich jerks is parodied, and [[http://xkcd.com/81/ Black Hat Guy claims another victim]].
* ViewersAreGeniuses: One of the biggest practitioners. The strip often bases comics on obscure math, physics, or computer jokes. This has gotten less common over time, and the forums are very useful.
* ViewersAreMorons: This directly goes against the above assertion, sometimes twining the two. It's also connected to the above [[DontExplainTheJoke Don't Explain The Joke]]. While many of the jokes in the strip are aimed towards those in specialized fields or hobbies, Randall has a tendency to explain these references and jokes within the comic in such ways that often kill it.
* [=~What Do You Mean, It's Not Awesome?~=]: In Randall's imagination, computer science is revered as if it were a martial art. The [[http://xkcd.com/341/ 1337]] story arc is a good example.
* WikiWalk:
** [[http://xkcd.com/214/ This]] shows the danger of falling into these.
** [[http://xkcd.com/609/ This]] comic describes the trope perfectly.
* XDaysSince: [[http://xkcd.com/363/ 38 days since someone reset this sign]].
* YourMom: Played with frequently. [[TearJerker Subverted]] [[http://xkcd.com/502/ here]]. Is in the AltText [[http://xkcd.com/294/ here]] and [[http://xkcd.com/563/ here]].
* YouFailBiologyForever: [[http://xkcd.com/531/ A rare example.]] Eating sugar in and of itself ''cannot'' cause diabetes.
* YouFailLogicForever: [[http://xkcd.com/605/ An intentional example in 'Extrapolation']]
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