The most significant contribution the comic made to popular culture has been the popularization of the onomatopoeia "fap" for the sound of male masturbation.

However, in the ancient world depictions of male masturbation are far more common.

Yet male masturbation and nocturnal emissions are generally considered natural acts and not cause for murder indictments.

Euphemisms for male masturbation such as "spanking the monkey" or "choke the chicken" are used often among some people to avoid embarrassment in public.

Prior to the 20th century, it was a Jewish term usually (but not only) referring to male masturbation.

The title is a tongue-in-cheek pun on male masturbation ("take off your pants and jack it").

In Flemish slang, 'pump up the jam' became a jocular term for male masturbation.

There are depictions of male masturbation in prehistoric rock paintings around the world.