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The BioWars team has day jobs, right?
Don’t answer that.
Regardless, all we really want to do is work on our digital comic book (have you SEEN the latest sketches on Facebook? They’re unbelievable.) So when we’re not pouring over storyboards and sketches, we’re working regular old desk jobs. Pretty boring stuff.
Thankfully, the world of comics seeps into even our wildest daydreams, and our team is infamous for using the following classic comic book expressions, in our otherwise un-comic office environments.
Comic Book Exclamation To Rule Them All: BOOM!
Acing a test, handing in a killer report or getting a raise are all great reasons to use “BOOM!” That’s why it’s our favorite and deserves the top position on this list.
This word’s been around for decades but is still so popular in modern communities. Why? It’s loud, proud and simple to say: Boom!
#2: ZAP!
This expression instantly makes you think of lightning or speed. Superman is perhaps best described by ZAP! This also describes the rate of disappearance of pizza at a late-night brainstorm session.
#3: BAM!
We surveyed a bunch of co-workers on the use of BAM! versus BANG! which look similar but are actually worlds apart. BAM! is generally reserved for a positive exclamation after completing a task brilliantly; BANG! is the noise your head makes on your desk the moment a new task is assigned to you.
#4: KA-POW!
This one makes us think of Batman. It’s definitely an aggressive one, best used after punching someone in the face (in comics of course, not at work). Its popular cousin is the simplified “POW!”
#5: HMPH!
“HMPH!” is an exclamation that’s best suited for situations that nobody really wants to be in, but ends up in regardless.
A client is being extra picky? HMPH! Microwave is broken? HMPH! Accidents, misfortunes and difficulties happen – especially in the workplace. And while avoiding them is impossible, a good old “HMPH!” can help alleviate the pain.
#6: SWOOSH
This one is equally fitting for describing the sound of Flash speeding by or a paper ball landing in the trash can. Contrary to what you may think, workplace life is full of SWOOSH moments. The only thing left to do is take advantage of them and enjoy the SWOOSH.
#7: THUD
THUD is probably the most straightforward exclamation on this list – it represents, well, a thud. A thud of a laptop shutting or a door being closed.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that THUD signals something negative. After all, slamming a laptop or a door shut can be extremely satisfying – and that’s where the THUD can come in handy.
#8: AARRGGHH
If you don’t imagine yourself as the Hulk or at least as a pirate when doing the AARRGGHH, you’re not putting enough soul into it.
Truly, there is hardly an exclamation that’s more fitting for expressing extreme frustration – something that often happens in the workplace.
Be sure to moderate the volume, though: under your breath for whenever the Xerox machine is taking too long and at the top of your lungs to prank your napping coworker during lunch break.
#9: GULP
Akin to nervously swallowing a lump in your throat, GULP can be the perfect reaction to someone caught off-guard with an uncomfortable question during an important presentation.
We truly wish that you don’t ever find yourself in GULP situations. But if you do, tackling them with a sense of humor – and an appropriate comic book exclamation – might just soften the blow.
#10: POOF
Things vanish quite often in the workplace: mugs, staplers, notes and lunch boxes if you’re unlucky. But don’t rush to blame these disappearances on paranormal activity or devious coworkers – or get blamed yourself.
You might just be dealing with a peculiar case of POOF – the best exclamation to describe this situation, really.
Think of it this way: all those things weren’t lost or stolen, they just went POOF! And that’s precisely the explanation to use next time your coworker comes around asking about their favorite pen.
#11: SHEESH
SHEESH is an exclamation that is very hard to explain, yet it’s clear to anyone who hears it.
It is truly versatile – you can use it instead of the boring old “WOW” whenever appropriate or give it a twist by using it as a sole response to your coworker making outlandish claims. Trust us, they won’t forget it.
Comic Book Exclamation Unlike Any Other: ZOINKS
Probably the goofiest one on here, this is for that feeling you get after lunch when all you want to do is take a nap. Instead, you go for the coffee machine and wait for your brain to jump-start.
ZOINKS! makes us think of RATS! which makes us think of Splinter in the Ninja Turtles. No? ZOINKS!
