The meme "Loss" originated in which webcomic?

The meme “Loss” originated in the webcomic Ctrl+Alt+Del.

Created by Tim Buckley, Ctrl+Alt+Del began in 2002 as a gaming-focused webcomic built around characters such as Ethan and Lucas. On June 2, 2008, Buckley published “Loss,” a dialogue-free, four-panel strip in which Ethan arrives at a hospital and discovers that his fiancée, Lilah, has suffered a miscarriage.

The strip became controversial because it abruptly shifted from video-game comedy to serious tragedy. Critics also objected to its melodramatic presentation and argued that Lilah’s suffering functioned mainly as a plot device for Ethan. Despite the criticism, the comic became an enduring internet meme, especially through simplified redrawings and visual parodies.

A common mix-up is identifying Penny Arcade, another prominent gaming webcomic, because its creators publicly criticized “Loss.” The meme’s name refers to the specific Ctrl+Alt+Del strip, not to a separate comic series.