The Far Side doesn’t have to cater to any title character. Instead, every unique illustration serves only to highlight whatever joke that particular comic strip is trying to tell (not the other way around).

This freedom of comical expression means The Far Side can take readers anywhere - from desert islands to deep space. And, in this case, The Far Side takes readers to dark alleys, where the comic proves nothing good ever happens there (except for the high-quality comedy The Far Side is famous for, of course).

10 Cornered By Street Ducks

The Far Side Offers a Hilarious Solution for What To Do When Cornered by Street Ducks

A man is standing alone in a dark alley, when, suddenly, he's surrounded by a gang of 'street ducks'. The bad reputation of these street ducks clearly procedes them, as the man knows exactly what kind of danger he's in from the very instant he sees them coming. Panicked, the man doesn't know what to do, as these street ducks mean business, and he's out-numbered. But then, he re his trusty 12 gauge in his jacket, and he's immediately at ease, as shotguns are basically ducks' natural enemies.

This comic is like a weird play on duck hunting, creating a scenario where the ducks that are being shot actually deserve it, and the hunters are simply defending themselves by killing them.

9 Eye Spots

Someone in Danger Uses a Tactic Commonly Used by Bugs in The Far Side

A man is cornered in a dark alley after he's been chased into that corner by another man who seemingly wants to harm him. So, he does the only thing he can think of: eye spots. The man lowers his head to reveal a pair of large, fake eyes, hoping to startle his pursuer and ultimately scare him away. Unfortunately, it's doubtful this defensive method will actually work, since this isn't something humans usually do, but is instead a defensive tactic commonly used by bugs.

'Eye spots' refers to something bugs do where they use their natural designs to make predators think they have large eyes, which - in turn - makes the predator think the bug is bigger than it actually is, scaring them and forcing them to back off. Obviously, that's not going to work here, but it's hilarious to see the man try it.

8 Alien Knuckle Sandwich

An Alien Uses Back Alleys to (Unsuccessfully) Hunt Humans in The Far Side

An alien has parked its spaceship in a dark alley before putting on a crude human disguise to talk to some local guys in the alley around the corner. The alien is on Earth to hunt and eat humans. Unfortunately for the alien, it picked the wrong humans to talk to. These guys aren't interested in a friendly conversation with this weird stranger, they are just going to beat him up.

The funniest part of this comic is that the alien doesn't even understand the danger he's in - quite the opposite, in fact. These guys tell the alien they're going to give him a 'knuckle sandwich', and the alien thinks they're offering themselves up to be eaten. It's a dream come true for the alien! Except, it's really not, and this alien is about to learn that the hard way.

7 Back Alley Duck Deals

Illegal Duck Deals Take Place in Dark Alleys in The Far Side

A couple of sketchy-looking guys are hanging out in a dark alley, conducting a decidedly bizarre illegal business transaction. These guys are doing a 'duck deal' similar to a classic drug deal. Unfortunately for them, they are being watched by the police, who quickly move in on the dealer and buyer as soon as the exchange is made. Not even a dark alley can hide them from the swift hammer of the law, and these guys are going down for dealing ducks.

This is a classic example of how absurd The Far Side is, but oddly enough, this isn't the first time ducks have been used as a drug in this comic strip. There's another Far Side comic where wolves are sticking ducks up their nostrils, because they are 'snorting quack'. Indeed, the 'quack epidemic' must be a major problem in The Far Side.

6 Boomerang Murder

Someone is Murdered with a Boomerang in This Far Side Back Alley

A man is lying dead on the ground right outside a dark alley, with a crowd of people (and one kangaroo) around him. Right next to him is the murder weapon: a boomerang. As the kangaroo looks down at the man, and then at the murder weapon, the kangaroo comes to the conclusion that, "That was meant for me". Apparently, this kangaroo is on the run from an Australian killer who uses boomerangs to take out their targets - and the kangaroo came dangerously close to being killed.

Everything about this comic is so stupid it's funny. Like, how on the nose is it that someone is trying to kill a kangaroo with a boomerang? Plus, it leaves readers wondering what this kangaroo did to deserve to be hunted like this, while also showing readers the death of an innocent man.

5 Runaway Pet Squid

A Pet Giant Squid Hides from its Owner in a Back Alley in The Far Side

A man is walking down the city street with a stick in his hand, ready to punish his runaway pet when he finds it. Considering only the man in this comic, one would assume he'd be looking for his lost dog or cat. But, in reality, he's looking for his pet giant squid, who evidently escaped from his fenced-in yard - and this isn't the first time the squid has done so. Meanwhile, the pet giant squid in question is tucked away in a dark alley, hoping to escape its owner by hiding in the shadows.

The idea that a man has a pet giant squid alone is absurd, as is the fact that he's going to punish it for running away by beating it with a stick. Not only that, but the squid hiding in a dark alley is equally absurd, making this a classically ridiculous Far Side comic.

4 Back Alley Clowns

‘Bad Clowns’ Hide in Dark Alleys and Throw Pies at People in The Far Side

A businessman is casually walking down the city street either to or from work, but little does he know, a couple of clowns are lurking in a dark alley on his route, ready to throw pies right in his face. The caption of this Far Side comic is, "When good clowns go bad", implying that this is something of a recurring problem in The Far Side universe. It seems as though those who take on clowning as a profession in The Far Side put themselves in danger of 'going bad', resulting in them spending their days pulling pranks on unsuspecting victims.

The idea that clowns can just 'go bad' in The Far Side is absolutely hilarious, and honestly a little scary. Do they stop at pranks, or do some clowns devolve further into 'Evil Clowns'? There are so many questions in this single- comic, and every bit of it is hilarious.

3 “Wanna Buy a Hoofed Mammal?”

Weird Back-Alley Deals Happen in The Far Side

A sketchy-looking guy in a hat and trench coat is standing right outside a dark alley, trying to sell some decidedly odd merchandise. An unsuspecting man walks by him, and the trench-coat guy asks, "Hey, buddy... you wanna buy a hoofed mammal?". Sure enough, in the dark alley he's standing in front of, there stand three random hoofed mammals, ready to be illegally sold on the street. Indeed, this is a pretty weird back-alley deal, and one that can only happen in The Far Side.

This bit is a play on classic back-alley deals that people have seen a million times in movies and on TV, where a guy in a trench coat is selling something on the street illegally. But, in true Far Side fashion, the absurdity of the situation is cranked up all the way, resulting in this truly ridiculous (and utterly hilarious) scene.

2 Hit Elephants

People in The Far Side Can Hire ‘Hit Elephants’ in Dark Alleys

An anthropomorphic dog in a hat and a trench coat (obviously trying to conceal his identity) walks into a dark alley to meet an elephant wearing sunglasses. The dog shows the elephant a picture of a cat, and reminds the elephant to 'make it look like an accident'. The caption reads, "Hit elephants", further confirming what readers have likely already assumed: this dog is putting a hit out on this cat, and the elephant is the assassin hired to do the job.

This joke works on a few levels, especially the bit about how dogs hate cats, so it's no surprise that this dog would want a cat dead. What's a little confusing, though, is the logic behind 'hit elephants'. Seems pretty random, to be honest. But, that's also what makes this comic so funny.

1 Wizard of Oz Mugging

Not Even the Main Characters of The Wizard of Oz are Safe in a Far Side Dark Alley

The main characters of The Wizard of Oz - Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion - are walking through this city, when they come upon a dangerous dark alley, where a mugger comes out of nowhere and holds them at gunpoint. He tells them to fork over everything they have - from the Tin Man's heart to the Scarecrow's brains. Everything the Wizard gave them, gone in an instant, all because this criminal was hiding in one of The Far Side's dark alleys.

The visual of the main characters of The Wizard of Oz getting mugged is absolutely hilarious, just like the rest of these Far Side comics that prove nothing good happens in dark alleys.