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One of the main keys to comedy is the element of surprise. Even if a joke is pretty well done, you won't laugh at it if you expect it. Ben Zaehringer's Berkeley Mews comics exploit the element of surprise to perfection, and, naturally, this makes his works very funny. What he does is he takes seemingly simple, popular, and cliche topics and turns them on their head using dark comedy. It might be because of the naivete and innocence of the beginning of the comic, or maybe we're just not used to these unorthodox plot twists, but the comedic effect of it always hits us right in the funny bone. It's just something you don't see coming. But let's not get ahead of ourselves and spoil the fun! Check it out for yourselves.

And if you have a feeling that you've already seen something similar, it's probably because you have. Ben Zaehringer is no stranger to Bored Panda, and you can find his two previous posts here and here.

More info: Instagram | Facebook | berkeleymews.com

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#9

"Innocent" Comics With A Good Dose Of Black Humor By Ben Zaehringer ( 50 New Pics)

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Raven DeathShade
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a story titled "My Modern-Day Medusa". Doubt it will ever be finished, but it's a story about a little girl whose parents abandoned her at birth because she had snakes for hair, so she was adopted (the society has a really good plan for abandoned children) by an ambassador for their country who raised her as his own.

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Ryan Deschanel
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Hey, I am such a selfish insensitive jerk I demand that you stop having feelings because so sayeth Me."

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#15

"Innocent" Comics With A Good Dose Of Black Humor By Ben Zaehringer ( 50 New Pics)

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HardTruths
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Another sort of drama. Actually, might be worth the price of the bootleg to watch it

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#20

"Innocent" Comics With A Good Dose Of Black Humor By Ben Zaehringer ( 50 New Pics)

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Samantha Melnychuk
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Something is telling me Johnny has tastebuds and wishes he were never made sentient.

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#25

"Innocent" Comics With A Good Dose Of Black Humor By Ben Zaehringer ( 50 New Pics)

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VeninTheNonBinaryRogue
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Omfg scan the link it’s hilarious http://www.berkeleymews.com/book This is what it sends you to lol

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#32

"Innocent" Comics With A Good Dose Of Black Humor By Ben Zaehringer ( 50 New Pics)

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404 Panda Not Found
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wait, now according to D&D 5ed rules, he's now technically a warlock, because he got power from a devil or something.

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#34

"Innocent" Comics With A Good Dose Of Black Humor By Ben Zaehringer ( 50 New Pics)

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"Innocent" Comics With A Good Dose Of Black Humor By Ben Zaehringer ( 50 New Pics)

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"Innocent" Comics With A Good Dose Of Black Humor By Ben Zaehringer ( 50 New Pics)

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Note: this post originally had 53 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.

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