When it comes to The Far Side, it is okay to play a bit fast and loose with the idea of a recurring character; though the cartoon didn't feature the "same" character in multiple s, there were certain names that Gary Larson resorted to time-and-again throughout the years, low-key making them into Far Side regulars. Case in point: Margaret and Edna.

During The Far Side’s run, different variations on Margaret (or “Marge) and Edna appeared over a dozen times, most of which are collected here. Of course, part of The Far Side’s confounding beauty is the fact that there are always examples of a certain strain of Larson’s humor that manage to slip through the cracks, only to reveal themselves later.

In any case, Margaret and Edna star in some iconic Far Side comics, earning them the right to be highlighted in more detail as an essential part of Gary Larson’s career.

13 Marge Stars In A Late-Career Gary Larson Cartoon That Spotlights The Far Side's Use Of Irony

First Published: January 25, 1993

"We're screwed, Marge," the owner of "Hewey's Reptile Farm," says, lying awake in bed at night, worried the business is about to go under, because "Big Al" the farm's "star attraction," is missing, "and God only knows where he is." That is, God, and Far Side readers, as from their perspective, it is clear from the scream emanating from the neighbors' house exactly where the presumably large serpent has gone.

This punchline is a great representation of Gary Larson's use of traditional comedic irony, which involves the audience knowing something a character doesn't, which this Far Side cartoon achieves through the framing of the joke from an "outside looking in" POV.

12 Edna's Property Value Is The Lowest In The Neighborhood In This Far Side Fair Tale Real Estate Gag

First Published: November 30, 1992

"Later, Edna was forced to sell her Brussell sprout home," the caption of this Far Side comic informs readers, as Edna the witch stares out her window at yet another pair of wayward children being lured in by her neighbor's candy home; this is a prime example of Gary Larson's ability to offer a new take on classic source material.

By adding a new POV character to the familiar tale of "Hansel and Gretel," Larson makes the world of the tale weirder, and wilder, all while at the same time riffing on a common trope: the idea that kids hate Brussell sprouts, which would make them a terrible choice for a carnivorous witch to build a trap home out of.

11 Margaret Commits The Ultimate Far Side Betrayal In This Hilarious

First Published: May 11, 1992

Bears popped up constantly throughout The Far Side, and this is generally cited among Gary Larson's funniest ursine punchlines. In the , a bear looks cautiously over its shoulder, having just been saved from a shotgun blast in the back because, at the last moment, the hunter who was about to pull the trigger was gunned down himself....by his own wife...who is wearing a bear costume, and is revealed to be the bear's lover.

"Margaret! You? I...should...have...knowwwwwnnnnnn," the dying hunter moans, while the cherry on top of this Far Side comic's absurdity comes in the form of the autographed picture of "Margaret" conspicuously featured on the bear's nightstand.

10 Saxophone Practice Goes Horribly Wrong For Marge's Upstairs Neighbor In This Far Side Classic

​​​​​​​First Published: January 1, 1992

"Whoa! Listen to that, Marge!" a man says to his wife in this Far Side cartoon, commenting on the sound coming from above, adding "I said that kid was playing a mean sax," as readers can see through the window above theirs that the man's words are much more literal than he realizes.

That is, their upstairs neighbor's saxophone has grown teeth, and currently has its jaws clamped around the young musician's head, in a hilarious example of Gary Larson's perennial technique of finding a literal interpretation for figurative language. Once again, Larson's use of perspective here allows the reader to be in two places at once, within a single , and find humor in knowing what the characters are unaware of.

9 Marge (The Chicken) Learns A Life-Changing Lesson In This Far Side Cartoon

First Published: May 4, 1990

In this Far Side chicken cartoon, the basics of egg incubation have to be explained to a chicken version of Marge, as a friend visiting for coffee opens up the refrigerator and finds a bunch of eggs, explaining "if you and Bob really want kids, next time try sittin' on these little guys."

For many Far Side characters, ignorance was bliss, but here, the humor of this comic stems from a pivotal moment of revelation for the character, what might be Larson's most obtuse fowl learns a valuable lesson about nature and nurture. This is the kind of whimsical Far Side type of punchline that is often undervalued as a crucial part of its overall appeal.

8 Edna (The Spider) Gets High Praise For Her Decorating In This Far Side Comic

First Published: September 29, 1988

An arachnid version of Edna stars in this Far Side cartoon, as she and her husband have guests over to their web, who compliment them on their decor, in particular noting that they "love what you've done with the fly wings," hanging as both aesthetic, flower-like flourishes on their web, as well as trophies of previous catches.

Spiders proved that The Far Side could humanize even the most inhuman species, and as much of a stretch as Gary Larson's translation of human behavior into spider form was, when at their most successful, the results were all-time great Far Side jokes.

7 How Long Has Margaret's Husband Been Working On This Far Side Pet Project?

First Published: April 10, 1986

"Margaret!" a man shouts in this Far Side cartoon, crying out "he's doing it!" as their pet goldfish jumps up and perches on his finger, a trick this man has evidently been trying to teach the goldfish prior to this comic, in what feels like one of Gary Larson's cartoons that had a more detailed backstory than readers were privy to.

The humor here stems from this idea: that prior to this pivotal moment, this man has been training his fish to do the seeming impossible, not to mention unnecessary, feat. This is elevated by the underwhelmed reaction by "Margaret," who looks skeptically over her shoulder from the kitchen, in danger of missing this magical moment, which might never be replicated.

6 Edna (The Snake) Was Just Trying To Liven Up This Far Side Serpent Party

First Published: September 9, 1985

This Far Side snake cartoon features a bunch of serpentine characters tangled in a hopeless knot, having foolishly attempted to play a round of the game Twister, with one of them in particular catching the blame for this bad idea, as one snake shouts, "this was your suggestion, Edna!"

The Far Side was full of characters who made bad decisions, to leading to comedic consequences; at times, this could lead to Gary Larson's patented dark strain of humor, with tragic results, where as here it is more along the lines of the ultimate annoyance, as this pleasant snake get-together will now be spent untangling themselves for hours.

5 This Far Side Comic Hilariously Reveals Superman And Lois's Rivals

First Published: April 29, 1983

In this classic Far Side Superman joke, an older, frumpier version of the Man of Steel and Lois discuss their plans for the night, a card game with friends, with Lois noting, "Edna says if you promise not to use your X-ray vision, Warren promises not to bring his Kryptonite," hinting at an ongoing rivalry between the characters.

Also hilariously implied by the punchline is the idea that Superman is a cheater, at least when it comes to low stakes games of cards. Nevertheless, it is a memorable Far Side recontextualization of familiar pop culture, as this aging Superman no longer has to deal with supervillains, but rather irate friends.

4 Edna (The Human) Has A "Squash First, Ask Question Later" When It Comes To The Far Side's Insect Population

First Published: April 19, 1983

"Calm down, Edna," a woman tells her friend, as they cower behind the locked front door of a house, trying to figure out what to do about the "giant, hideous insect" visible through the window. "It could be some giant, hideous insect in need of help," the more rational of the two human characters says, arguing that the bug's size doesn't automatically equate to danger.

This is an example of The Far Side's frequent use of under-reaction, or "underselling" of a weird or traumatic situation, as part of its punchline. It also highlights Gary Larson's attitude towards bugs, and other maligned forms of life, which is that he lacked the natural aversion that many people feel with insects, snakes, and creatures of that kind.