Not sure I buy that this comic isn’t a valid perspective. You’ve read into it that the author is claiming this is a universal experience but from the context it could equally be theirs.
Men and women alike are both awkward and bad at acknowledging rejection so I’m certain there is another comic out there with an alternative point of view on a situation like this.
Kind of an aside, but I learnt through harsh experiences as a youth that people basically categorise everyone else into a potential viable partner or not within about 5 mins of meeting them. Once that window has shut it is hard to change someone’s opinion of you. I suspect situations like this comic arise because the person asking for the date is asking without looking for cues from the other person that they see them as a potential romantic interest.