Insult Backfire / Comic Strips

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• In B.C., one of the ant kids is dared to go and insult the anteater. He proceeds to nervously approach the slumbering beast, and as soon as he wakes up, yells "YOUR MOTHER WEARS COMBAT BOOTS!" before running away.
• Beetle Bailey:
  • The Chaplain asks worriedly whether Sarge has gained more weight again. Sarge thanks him for noticing, saying that it took him a lot of effort to become so big and important.
  • In another strip, Beetle says something to Sarge which he doesn't quite take as a compliment, but he definitely fails to see it as an insult:
    Beetle: Your mother wears army boots!
    Sarge: (to the fourth wall) I didn't know he knew my mother.
• Dilbert:
  Dilbert: That is the most cynical thing I've ever heard in my life!
  Dogbert: Thanks. I'm blushing.
  • And:
    Dilbert: Dogbert, that is the vainest, most superficial thing I've ever heard!
    Dogbert: (Wagging) Thank you.
  • Also, when the PHB hires a man-hating supervisor:
    Man-hating supervisor: You're fired for being a man.
    Asok: No one has ever called me a man before. This is the happiest day of my life!
• Foxtrot: In one arc, Andy is furious when her husband uses their son's "Virtual Reality Plastic Surgery" software to re-sculpt her photo into his "ideal woman", and decides turnabout is fair play:
  Andy: There. How do you like it?
  Roger: That looks just like me. What'd you change?
  Andy: That's Viggo Mortensen, you numbskull!
• Garfield employs this from time to time. One notable variation has Jon flatly saying "I don't think you could get any fatter."- which causes Garfield's eyes to widen as he dashes to the refrigerator. "That wasn't a challenge!"
  • One exchange between Jon and Garfield goes like this:
    Jon: "You have many flaws, Garfield."
    Garfield: "Thank you!"
    Jon: "One of which is thinking that insults are compliments."
    Garfield: "You're too kind."
  • Another variation occurs when Garfield asks Odie to act like one another as an excuse to mock Odie for being a dog. Odie then wolfs down Garfield's food, and kicks him like Garfield does to him, and finally lies down and falls asleep.
    Odie: Zzz
    Garfield: I've been a dog for less than a minute, and already I hate cats.
  • The May 31, 2002 strip has a spider thank Garfield when he shows the cat a picture of his kids and Garfield comments that the spider's children look disgusting.
• Madam & Eve does this with presidents here.◊
• In Peanuts, a frustrated Lucy lets fly at Snoopy with "You're only a dog! And that's all you'll ever be! Just a dog!", getting nothing but a broad smile in return.
  Lucy: That's funny. I insulted him, but he doesn't seem to mind a bit.
  Charlie Brown: I don't think he considers being called a dog an insult!
• In one Popeye Sunday arc, the managers of Tinearo, Popeye's upcoming boxing opponent, decide to send the sailor flowers with the unspoken message, "These are for your funeral". However, Popeye, Comically Missing the Point, just gives the flowers to Olive Oyl to win brownie points, and thinks that the bouquets are just Tinearo's idea of being friendly.
• Sovisa has had a version of this crop up a few times as a running gag between Alexi and Travis. It typically follows a pattern like this:
  Travis: [Disparaging comment] (he makes a lot of these)
  Alexi: No you're [Same disparaging comment]
  Travis: I hate it when that stupid comeback works...
  Anteater: (to the reader) Lucky for him mom was in the marines.
• In Retail, when Courtney comes in with a garish oversized pair of sunglasses on, Marla says it makes her look like a vapid celebutante. Since that's Courtney's career goal, she's stoked.
• U.S. Acres:
  • Roy Rooster decided it was time for Booker to start rooster training in the January 11, 1988 strip◊.
  Roy: Okay, Booker. It's time you started rooster training.
  Booker: Why?
  Roy: Because you need to practice if you want to be like me.
  Booker: I'd rather drink pond scum!
  Roy: Good! You've got the Obnoxious part down!
  • In the June 11, 1988 strip, Roy asks Lanolin to be honest and tell him what she thinks of him.
  Lanolin: You are an obnoxious, egocentric, coldhearted, loudmouthed bully.
  Roy: You don't have to sugar-coat it. List some of my faults, too.

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