The Far Side is famous for its dark humor, but fans of the cartoon will know that creator Gary Larson's darkness came in different shades depending on the panel. Although some of his comics were downright shocking, others obscured how dark their jokes were under a layer of absurdity, or even outright silliness.
This list celebrates the Far Side panels that take a while to reach readers; although they may not evoke an immediate cry of “My God!”, the harsh and sometimes even caustic humor of these comics is what leaves a lasting impact on readers.
In other words, the darkness of these cartoons is what Far Side fans will be thinking hours later, even after the joke itself has faded from memory. In this sense, they are among the most relevant to Gary Larson's legacy as an artist, even if they don't have the reputation of some others.
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This cartoon embodies The Far Side's “no holds barred” philosophy regarding criticism
First published: January 26, 1981
Building on the popular “I Brake For _________” bumper sticker trend, this simple but surprisingly dark Far Side cartoon features a car on the road with an “I don't brake” stickersuggesting that this driver would be happy to run over someone if they were crossing the street, or stop to let them pass.
Beyond that, though, the sticker suggests a deeply misanthropic character whose alienation from those around him is almost total. Anyway, so soon Far Side cartoon is also notable for the way it reflects Gary Larson's approach to criticism and controversy surrounding his work – that is, always moving forward and not slowing down to hear anyone's opinion on his work other than his editors and their own. .
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Far Side's success came from its frequent mix of taboo topics and fanciful humor
First published: March 24, 1982
That Far Side the cartoon stands out in many readers' minds as a potent example of Gary Larson's keen artistic ability to layer humor; that is, there is a light-hearted quality to this panel, but it hides a serious joke. The cartoon features two angry parents scolding the witch they hired to look after their children”to cook[ing] and [eating] them instead.”
The humor of this comic largely stems from the disconnect between the reaction of the parents – depicted with their hands on their hips and looking irate but not abjectly horrified by their children's horrific death – and how the reader himself would react. There's a level of absurdity to the fact that they hired the witch in the first place, but even so, there's a shocking, tragic undertone to it. Far Side premise.
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Sometimes the other side's dark humor covered up their grim reality
First published: March 15, 1983
That Far Side The cartoon has a reputation for being difficult to decipher at first glance – at least until readers recognize the heart-shaped medallion that has fallen from a metal cube compressed into “Al Metal Compaction” yard, prompting them to examine the cube itself more closely, where they can make out the pulverized form of the Tin Man. Wizard of Oz.
The brutal death of a beloved pop culture figure is a macabre premise for a joke, but Gary Larson “burys the lede,” so to speak. In other words, it takes a while for this joke to register with many readers, but when it finally does, it has even more impact.
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Far Side Comics was about the moment, not the lasting implications
First published: November 6, 1984
This is speechless Far Side dashboard features a poodle standing in the street, looking at the fallen body of King Kong – who has just crushed the dog's ownerhis collar was still stuck under the huge monkey. It's the kind of Far Side joke that's best to laugh at and move on, because dwelling on it for too long is sure to make any dog owner melancholy.
By its nature as a single-panel cartoon, as a general rule – one that, naturally, Gary Larson managed to break – The Far Side they depicted unique moments in time, but some carried the suggestion of longer-term resonance than others. That is, readers can easily conjure up the tragedy of this joke, thinking about how the poodle doesn't understand what happened to his owner, nor why he will never see him again.
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This Cowboy Joke From The Other Side Highlights Gary Larson's Attitude Towards Questions About His Job
First published: February 10, 1986
This hilariously dark Far Side cowboy cartoon depicts a resident of a Wild West town who just shot another man in the street – and is now shouting trivia questions at the corpse, including “Who wrote 'The Odyssey' and 'The Iliad'?” and “What is the circumference of the Earth?“ All the while, a spectator shouts in dismay that “you can't shoot first and ask questions later.”
The superficial obviousness of the joke belies the use of cold-blooded murder as part of the joke's premise – a Far Side basic – but beyond that, astute readers will recognize a hint of Gary Larson's own perspective on his work. In other words, he wanted his drawings to have an immediate impact on readers and for them to start asking questions after the fact; or, preferably, for Larson, not at all.
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It's all fun and games until the nerdy kid pulls the hot iron
First published: November 7, 1986
Despite the smile The Far Side familiar nerdy kid face here, he's up to no good since Mark the ants on your farm with a hot iron. This is a dark joke, with disturbing overtones, but once again, Gary Larson uses certain techniques to offset the abrasive quality of the joke.
In this case, Larson creates the image to be cheerful on the surface level – setting the action against an unusually bright yellow background – while the use of ants as the subjects of the nerdy kid's cruel and unusual punishment allows the brand itself to be scaled. below. Readers will have to look closely to see the “R” for “Robby” on the back of each of the ants, and only belatedly will most realize how cynical of a joke it is.
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The Far Side reminds readers to make sure their fallout shelters are fully stocked
First published: December 16, 1986
Of all the recurring themes in comics The Far Side the jokes about nuclear armageddon are perhaps the darkest by default. However, if only one can be chosen to represent this entire category here, it will be this one, once again, because the long-term dark consequences of the joke can be assumed.
There are the literal consequences of the atomic bombs exploding on the surface, of course, but the real darkness of the cartoon is that its characters manage to make it safely to the bomb shelter, only to face a slow, excruciating death from starvation. because the man, Harold, did not heed his wife's advice to “make sure the bomb shelter has a can opener.” In other words, this joke is Gary Larson at his most gleefully cruel, evoking both a big laugh and open empathy for the characters.
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Death was fun and entertaining for Gary Larson – especially when it came to the hunters on the other side
First published: November 13, 1987
As far as The Far Side He always presented a prejudice, he was against the hunters and in favor of his prey. This panel is one example of many Far Side cartoons where hunters got their comeuppance, at least from the perspective of the animals they attacked. In this case, one of Gary Larson's ubiquitous bear characters ties a dead hunter to his body in a desperate attempt to get a laugh from his colleagues, as the caption informs readers that “Bernie's sense of humor was rarely appreciated.”
Interestingly, both the bear's name and the concept of the joke strangely presage the beloved 1989 comedy. Weekend at Bernies. While it might be a stretch to suggest that the film's premise was lifted from Larson's work, it's a notable example of a time when he predicted pop culture rather than reacting to it.
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This ranks as one of Far Side's “edgiest” jokes
First published: April 4, 1991
The Far Side was no stranger to violence, but there's something particularly abrasive about a “shooting” joke — even if the shooter in this cartoon is, in fact, a squirrel. What's particularly impressive about this panel is the way the frame is littered with bodies, innocent victims of the “squirrel gun“, as two police officers take cover and try to get a clear line of sight of the squirrel shooterwho is it “on the birch, second branch from above, and chattering like a madman.”
With this cartoon, Gary Larson takes his humor to the edge of bad taste – and deliberately, for better or worse, the joke relies on the dissonance between its grim reality and its exaggerated absurdity to evoke a strong reaction of readers, as The Far Side always intended to do.
First published: June 22, 1993
It may be hyperbolic to call this Far Side morally complex cartoon, but offers a plausible self-defense explanation for a crime that just happened – except in ridiculous situations Far Side fashion, this crime is “Old Jeb Halloway“being vaporized after tormenting an alien in the local bar by”sticking his head into one of the creature's orifices and shouting 'Jimmy crack corn!“
Combining Gary Larson's love of aliens with his common use of cowboys, this cartoon is out-of-this-world funny but also underscores the author's pessimistic view of humanity. That is, if aliens really arrived on Earth, at any point in its history – past, present or future – some human beings would not be able to avoid antagonizing the visitors, a truth that The Far Side renders brilliantly with one of his most underrated jokes.