It's Machine Code

The Gist

Machine Code is a comic/panel-based meme that involves Doctor Will Magnus looking at a paper and reacting to whatever is on the paper in a way related to the image/text on the paper.

Most “Machine Code” jokes involve existing memes and in-jokes, though there is the occasional that is not meme-based.

Origin

The original was taken from a page of the 14th issue of DC’s comic series 52 published August 2006:

Spread

Google insights shows it spikes in March 2007.

The ED article was written November 2006.

This Facepunch thread is from January 2007.

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