Gary Larson developed a reputation as a man of few words, yet there were always exceptions to that rule; especially in the later years of the comic's publication, Larson's cartoons became more verbose, and his jokes more elaborate.
According to Larson, part of his creative process became increasingly frequent over time, judging from how Larson's humor became more involved; the scenarios he cooked up more detailed, with more and more of them extending beyond the limits of the comic.
These comics not only stretch readers' understanding of The Far Side's humor, but also raise questions about the pros and cons of the comic medium's limitations.
10 The Far Side's Note To Homeowners: Don't Mess With Your Mad Scientist Neighbor
First Published: May 30, 1994
In the later years of The Far Side, Gary Larson grew increasingly comfortable writing dialogue; as such, the use of longer captions, and more speech bubbles in the illustrations themselves, became increasingly standard for the comic.
In this , readers will recognize a classic Far Side set up: a homeowner explaining something to their house guest. Here, a woman tells her friend how her husband was turned into a fly, explaining that he confronted the mad scientist next door and paid the price for it. "Well, you know George," she says, over coffee, subtly blaming her husband for not involving the police in his dispute with the scientist, in one of The Far Side's many unforgettable warped "slice of life" moments.
9 The Far Side's Note To Werewolf Hunters: Don't Trust Store-Bought Silver Bullets
First Published: May 18, 1994
Some of Gary Larson's most ambitious Far Side jokes left readers with more questions than answers, while others managed to tell a whole story themselves, but still hinted at a much larger context. This is an example of the latter; its ambition is also clear from the complexity of the illustration, relative to most Far Side s, as it involved an extended caption, dialogue within the frame, and an image-within-the-image, all situated around an action scene.
In the comic, a man manages to fire off a few rounds from his pistol at the werewolf that has bust through his door, "moments before he was ripped to shreds," as he realizes that the man who sold him the silver bullets is his werewolf killer. The character's purchase of silver bullets suggests he was prepared for a werewolf attack, but in a hilariously macabre twist, picked the wrong gun shop.
8 The Far Side's Note To Farmers: Don't Fall For A Chicken In A Red Dress
First Published: February 19, 1993
leave readers asking "What the?", not quite able to shake the feeling there's more to the joke they're missing. The comic features the exploits of "Madame D'Gizarde," who the caption informs readers "used deceit, drugs, and her beguiling charms to become the bane of chicken farmers everywhere," as a chicken in a dress broadcasts illicitly from a ed out farmer's house, after drugging his wine.
The Far Side’s “Chicken Of Depression” Comic (And How It Shows Off Gary Larson’s Technique Of Taking Things Too Literally On Purpose)
Despite the Far Side's reputation for sowing confusion, Gary Larson's humor was often overly literal, as his "Chicken of Depression" comic shows.
This Far Side joke is certainly bizarre, but the most surreal thing about it may in fact be how detailed this scene is, while leaving its punchline to be pieced together by the puzzled audience, in what amounts to one of Gary Larson's strangest chicken comics – which is saying something.
7 The Far Side's Note To Paddle-Slingers: Be Careful What You Wish For
First Published: February 11, 1993
One of Gary Larson's favorite comedic techniques involved setting his comic in the moment after something has happened – here, a tense game of ping-pong in The Far Side's silly version of the Old West ends with the town's resident paddle-slinger magnanimously accepting defeat at the hands of a young rival, but leaving his opponent with an ominous warning.
"Now every punk packin' a paddle and tryin' to make a name for himself will come lookin' for you," the older cowboy declares, in a hilarious subversion of the gunslinger trope, before adding a hilarious "welcome to hell kid" for emphasis. Given the way this cartoon envelops the reader, however, Far Side fans can't help but wonder about the history of the old paddle-slinger, and the future of his replacement.
6 The Far Side's Note To Loudmouthed Lepidopterologists: Play It Cool & Keep Quiet
First Published: January 15, 1993
Far Side fans the comic for its most stark s, but busy cartoons like this one – bustling with characters and dense with the Far Side equivalent of plot – were just as important to the DNA of Gary Larson's work. Here, the caption works as narration to inform readers what happened in the aftermath of the cartoon's illustration, which depicts a butterfly collector boasting to a room full of colleagues, and presumably rivals, that he's found "the Holy Grail of butterflies."
As the caption explains, though, "Professor DeWitt" pays for his hubris, as he is quickly "etherized by an unknown assailant" – who readers can presume is one of the other characters in the , in an iconic Far Side mystery moment – "and 'relieved' of his trophy."
5 The Far Side's Note On Unexpected Friendships: They Never Last
First Published: September 16, 1992
In this hilarious Far Side bear , readers discover an ursine crisis of conscience in progress, as a bear, Boomer, who has inexplicably become friends – or perhaps more – with a grub, Doug, must decide whether to protect the insect from other bears, or succumb to the pressure of nature and hand Doug over to be eaten.
The Far Side Complete Collection
Fans of the far side can't up this master collection of Gary Larson's finest work. Originally published in hardcover in 2003, this paperback set comes complete with a newly designed slipcase that will look great on any shelf. The Complete Far Side contains every Far Side cartoon ever published, which amounts to over 4,000, plus more than 1,100 that have never before appeared in a book and even some made after Larson retired.
This Far Side joke is a great example of Gary Larson's increasingly adventurous humor in the later years of his career; the 's action, and its punchline, rely on an ongoing situation that takes place off-. While The Far Side always contained jokes like this, they grew more common as Gary Larson's career reached its nadir.
4 The Far Side's Note On True Crime: A Strange Foreshadowing Of An Infamous '90s Case
First Published: January 14, 1991
At first, tFar Side joke might strike readers as a grim reference to the West Memphis Three murder case, but in fact, it predated the controversial '90s true-crime case by several years. What is the most striking about this , though, is the way Gary Larson foreshadowed the media fixation on the case – which can be looked at as one essential pivot point in American audiences' increasing obsession with true-crime media.
Of course, Larson was responding to that trend, not predicting it – which is precisely what makes this "Chicken Coop Three" cartoon, featuring three canine culprits being led from the scene of "carnage" in a henhouse, so darkly fascinating. In a way, this is an indicator of that trend at a critical juncture in its progression, giving this Far Side cartoon an unexpectedly potent sociological significance.
3 The Far Side Side's Note On Worker Uprisings: They Never Pan Out
First Published: January 1, 1991
This cartoon is another example of Gary Larson's technique of capturing a single moment following some unseen action – in this case, a riot at the "ACME Pan Co." which led to the rioting workers bashing each other in the face with pans.
Befitting the ACME setting, a Far Side staple, in cartoonish, slapstick fashion, the illustration shows the workers being led out of the factory with flattened faces, led by police officers not to ambulances, but a waiting paddywagon. The humor of this relies on the absurd imagery, and the detailed caption, which work together to tell a whole story while still engaging the reader's imagination as a crucial factor in filling out the backstory of the riot.
2 The Far Side's Note On News As Entertainment: A Little Too Predatory
First Published: January 2, 1990
This Far Side cartoon features a simple caption – "Geraldo Rivera of the wild" – but its premise is complex, and leaves fans of the comic with a lot of questions. "Our guests today all share the strange behavior of dres like other species and mating out of season..." the animal Geraldo explains, as Gary Larson lampoons the increasingly salacious nature of the news, which at the time was still slowly morphing into entertainment.
10 Hilarious Far Side Comics That Remind Readers the Universe Is Laughing At Us (Definitely Not With Us)
The Far Side treated humanity as a cosmic joke, as Gary Larson's cartoons reminded readers that the universe was laughing at them, not with them.
The Far Side's most recognizable features; while Larson always used this technique to poke fun at individual behaviors, and familiar social habits, over the course of his career he became more comfortable using animals as proxies to make tangible social critiques, as is the case here.
1 The Far Side Side's Note To Stampeding Cows: Wait It Out
First Published: March 10, 1988
Far Side cow cartoon, a cow uses a phone booth to call home, explaining to its mother that "the stampede seems about over," before tugging at the heartstrings by itting: "I miss the corral." With this joke, Gary Larson humorously depicts the phenomenon of getting caught up in a crowd, and only realizing in retrospect that it was a mistake.
Again, Larson sets this joke in the aftermath of the action, instead depicting a quiet moment – one that manages a surprising amount of emotional depth, which makes the most of The Far Side's tendency to use cows and other animals as stand-ins for human behavior, rendering this cartoon an all-time classic.
The Far Side is a humorous comic series developed by Gary Larson. The series has been in production since 1979 and features a wide array of comic collections, calendars, art, and other miscellaneous items.
