Far side it featured a variety of very unusual pets – from classic pets that did shocking things, to animals that had no right to be domesticated and kept in people’s living rooms. In many commemorative tapes Gary Larson poked fun at the very idea of pets, offering a number of different variations on the theme, each of which will strike a chord with readers. one way or another.
In these funny Far side Pet Panels Gary Larson takes two different routes, both of which end up being a total laugh riot. In some cases, Larson demonstrates the surprising, and in some cases even touching, connections between humans and wild animals; these jokes are rooted in the absurdity of using animals like rhinoceroses and giant squids as pets.
Alternatively, Larson also subverted the pet/owner dynamic in other ways, showing domesticated creators such as goldfish and dogs reproaching or rebelling against their humans, to great comedic effect.
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Those goldfish on the far side are up to something (but from what angle?)
First published: February 28, 1983
In this Far side panel with goldfish, a woman walks through a door and falls into a trap set by her pet fish and ends up hanging upside down from a rope tied around her ankle.. The question of why these fish decided to upend the pet-owner relationship and set off this trap remains unanswered, but a small detail of the fish food next to their bowl suggests to readers that they may not have fully thought about it. through.
The joke here is not only to ruin the relationship between pet and owner, but to do so in a logistically impossible way. This disconnect between what is depicted and the how and why makes it a prime example of Gary Larson’s iconic absurdist style of humor.
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Gary Larson’s favorite jokes were out of this world (what do they say?)
First published: February 9, 1984
In one of Far side best panels with aliens, a green alien creature coaxes his three-eyed pet into performing a trick, demanding that he “kuna fool“on command. After frustration from the alien pet’s owner, his companion complies, extending his eye stalks and earning a smile from his owner.
Signature “tricks with pets on other planets“,” the humor here centers less on the sequence of images and more on the use of a fictional alien language. Far sideGary Larson has often interpreted familiar human behavior and actions from an external perspective – and this is perhaps the most extreme example of this. Although critics may argue that many Far side cartoons were “bullshit”, most of them had more internal logic than even Gary Larson could imagine. The nonsense here is intentional and inherently funny.
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Giant squids were common pets on the far side (but why?)
First published: February 17, 1984
In this Far side squid panel, A man rushes down the street in a rage with a stick, outraged that his favorite squid”jump[ing] fence again” – when the poor guy cowers in a dark alley. The squid’s eyes are the most effective part of this panel, they convey a real sense of fear of being caught by its evil owner, mixing a touch of sadness with the humor of this panel.
Connected
Gary Larson has depicted several pet squids in different variations. Far side cartoons from different years; in fact, the squid was perhaps Larson’s favorite unnatural pet. One of Larson’s creative moves was to take something out of its usual context and place it in a completely unexpected setting or scenario – or, in the case of his pet giant squid, both, since there is nothing more ridiculous than a massive tentacled animal. a sea creature that appears on land and acts as if it were domesticated.
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The funniest panel with pet squid is on the far side (how fast can this traveling salesman get out of there?)
First published: July 13, 1984
Once again, Gary Larson finds great humor in having a giant squid as a pet—and again, the squid’s eyes are the key to this. Far side cartoon, but instead of fear, this cephalopod has an expression of rage on its face. “Oh no, he’s completely harmless– says the owner of the squid to some seller standing hesitantly at his door, but then adds: “Just don’t show fear. Squids feel fear.“
Besides being one of Larson’s funniest punchlines, it’s also a perfect illustration, as the squid’s size contrasts with both the much smaller humans and the cramped apartment that has become his home away from the world. its natural habitat. Meanwhile, the squid’s evil eyes, fixed on an intruder in its territory, will certainly be riveted on it. Far side readers.
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A surprisingly touching comic about a distant rhinoceros (When will daddy come home?)
First published: August 6, 1984
This Far side The Rhino panel is weird in its own right, featuring a pet rhinoceros, but it’s one of the very, very rare cartoons produced by Gary Larson that can be called “sweet” in any sense or form. Using a split panel format, Larson depicts A man on a business trip calls home from a phone booth, and his wife hands the phone to their pet rhino and asks:one grumble for dad“
As silly and strange as it may sound, the joke implies that a rhinoceros is a good pet and a valued member of the family, someone who is missed.”Daddy“He’s not there yet. In fact, that’s the gist of the joke and what makes it one of the most memorable. Far side comics about unexpected and unusual pets.
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Two pet giant squids from the Far Side end up at the shelter at the same time (what are the odds?)
First published: September 20, 1984
In this Far side In a panel on pet squid, Gary Larson comes up with a joke that isn’t just based on the idea that anyone could keep a giant deep-sea squid as a pet, but rather takes it to the next level by making everyone laugh the extreme improbability of the scenario presented, in which two different pet giant squids are lost by their owners and end up in a sanctuary at the same time.
Another layer to the punchline is the caption, which reveals that the owner of one of these squids can’t even tell them apart as he stands in front of the squid in the foreground of the panel, but points to one half. -go out of frame, saying: “Wait! My mistake! That’s him down there” – almost taking the wrong one home.
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The cost of a pet rhinoceros must be astronomical (is it worth it?)
First published: January 10, 1986
All pet owners know that the love and companionship of their animals is a return on a very real and very significant financial investment, which includes both expected costs such as food and unexpected ones – if, for example, someone has a pet the dog, or in this case the case of the rhinoceros, causes damage to their home.
Gary Larson offers a funny explanation of pet ownership here, in a panel that shows a rhinoceros horn bursting through the front door of its owners’ home in the foreground and in the background: the lady of the house puts her hands on her hips and complains that their “a spoiled rhinoceros will either roar or bang on the door all night until we let him in“
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‘The Far Side’ proves you can teach an old fish new tricks (but can he do it again?)
First published: April 10, 1986
Once again, Gary Larson shows how a seemingly ordinary pet goldfish does something completely unexpected – or rather, it seems expected, but no less surprising. “He does it! He does it!– the man shouts to his wife, and their goldfish jumped out of the bowl onto his finger.The implication is that the man was trying to teach his fish to do just that, and it finally happened.
What does it do Far side In the cartoon, the range of reactions on the faces of the characters is especially funny. In the background of the shot, the wife appears at best puzzled, if not downright indifferent, while her husband appears a mixture of shock and glee. The funny thing is that the goldfish seems surprised and alarmed by his achievement, suggesting that it might not turn into a habit.
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Every pet owner sacrifices for their animals (but how much is too much?
First published: October 4, 1986
This is especially funny Far side panel with a bear, A man proudly talks about the bear he raised from a cub – while noting that he had to learn.”don’t try to take her food bowl until she’s finished“, a lesson that cost him his handas evidenced by the hook in its place.
Connected
The look of concern on the guest’s face caps the climax, which is one of Gary Larson’s best thanks to incredibly precise composition. In the foreground, the bear is depicted with its face buried in a bowl of food, and the bear’s pet is depicted as absolutely massive. Meanwhile, the proud owner and his friend sit at a small table in the background of the shot, in the corner of the room, suggesting that they could be easy prey for the pet bear if it so chose.
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One of the darkest showdowns between pet and owner on the Far Side (how does it end?)
First published: February 6, 1988
According to Gary Larson, some Far side The comics had an elaborate backstory, and it feels like a joke that has a lot more to it than what’s shown on the panel. He is also among Far side the darkest jokes are about dogs because their idea is based on the idea of animal cruelty. The cartoon depicts a dog with dynamite strapped to its chest, forcing its owner to kick him, presumably not for the first time, and find out what the consequences are.
Of all the pets that stood up to their owners in Far side panels, this one is the most extreme and desperate. While the image of a dog with a bomb on his belt and his aggressive outburst in the caption may seem immediately funny to the reader, the more time he spends with her, the more she begins to feel like one of the most unapologetically dark dogs. Far side comics.