The front side was famous for his hilarious pictures of dogs, many of which showed creator Gary Larson’s deep insight into the nature of readers’ no companions. Fans of Larson’s work know that he used dogs to achieve laughs in many different ways—but often, His panels are playfully displayed in ways that dog owners can instantly recognize as being most successful.
That is to say, while many of The front side Dogs acted human, there were just as many memorable instances where their canine nature was emphasized; The cartoons where Gary Larson managed to balance both of these things naturally rank among the most sublime entries in his oeuvre.
As was the case with all For side cartoons, even a touch of familiarity went a long way for readers, and the immediate connection provided by a dog’s appearance in a panel was a major factor in why Larson’s canine comics were so perennially popular.
10
Sitting on the far side of the table doesn’t stop Mr. Sparky from being caught in an embarrassing moment
First published: Front Page, May 4, 1994
Here is one perfect example of a panel in which Gary Larson skillfully merges his penchant for anthropomorphizing The front side Animal population, and its ability to make mundane pet dog behaviors hilarious. The comic features A group of dogs in suits and ties around a conference table, as one of them points to a graph on the wall – except the business presentation is interrupted by “Mr. Sparky” licking himself. At the end of the table.
The heads of the dog characters atop human-like bodies is a staple of The front sideBut it is especially strange here, with the customers in business clothes. What makes it even weirder is that the “business” that Mr. Sparky is distracting from his liking is, itself, dog-related stuff such as “cat chase,” “garden digging,and’Garbage dumping“, all precociously misspelled on the white board.
9
Gary Larson leaves readers with the burning question of what the dog did
First published: April 27, 1993
“His story?“A man sitting in hell’s waiting room says of the dog curled up on the floor nearby, “Well, I don’t know. I always just assumed he was a bad dog.“ Gary Larson put more than one For side Comic in hell, and this dog is far from the only dog to have something ended up in the underworld. However, it is the mystery of this panel that makes it so funny.
The front side Often leaving readers with more questions than answers; Sometimes this was an accident, as Larson explains in his breakdown of one particularly confusing comic, but just as often it was deliberate on the artist’s part. This seems to be the case here, as the realization of humans waiting for their eternal torment that they do not really know why the dog is there is the crux of the joke.
8
Gary Larson’s Twisted Spin on “Old Dogs, New Tricks”
First published: April 23, 1993
The amusing premise of this For side Cartoon highlights the dark turn it takes in the end. It features Two old dogs sit on a porch, grumbling about the pair of young pups racing by, reflecting that “Back in our day, we had to play with a half-rotten cat’s head,“ Rather than the assortment of balls and chew toys littering the front lawn.
Related
Translating stereotypical human behavior to dogs is a classic Gary Larson comedy maneuver, and he does it effectively here with this “back in my day” moment—except for the visceral images conjured by the “Half-rotten cat’s head“, is a particularly creative choice on his part. It’s just as likely to get a shocked laugh from readers as to leave them reeling in disgust.
7
On the other hand, drinking from the toilet was no laughing matter
First published: June 30, 1992
The stupidity of it For side Panel relies on its mock-seriousness. Depicting a dog at a news desk, with the silhouettes of three more waiting just off-camera, This canine news program offers an exposure on “Dogs that drink from the toilet bowl.”
By framing this as a serious issue, one that requires a special news report, Gary Larson is sure to get a laugh from dog owners, because it reflects their own mix of dismay and consternation at their pet’s illicit activity. Obscuring the toilet bowl drinkers in the shade is especially great touch, because it emphasizes that this is considered a shameful act; Any dog owner who has caught their canine slipping off the toilet with a guilty look on their face will find something to appreciate about this For side Dog comic.
6
According to Gary Larson, not all dogs go to college
First published: June 17, 1992
Rather than the SATs, the For side Dogs are shown Take their CATs, in order to win”Their admission to any university,” as one dog named Rex is shown working on a math problem that involves a Rottweiler chasing a Siamese cat.
Once again, this is an example of a For side comic in which Gary Larson finds a pitch-perfect middle ground between anthropomorphism and animal humor; The dogs are depicted sitting at desks, and using pencils like humans, but their concerns are thoroughly dog-like. In this way, Larson constructs an almost-immersive world that blends the animal and human worlds, in a way that can be considered a precursor to a show like Bojack HorsemanWho later did the same thing, incredibly successful, in his own way.
5
Gary Larson dabbles in canine sociology with this far side dog cartoon
First published: December 13, 1991
Here, Gary Larson once again combines something human – in this case, clothes, specifically hats – with dog behavior, except in this case, the balance is much more tilted towards the latter. This is intentional, as the imposition of hats on the dogs’ heads is meant to be incongruous with their otherwise completely dog-like depiction.
captain”If Pets Wear Hats: A Study in Animal Personalities and Styles,“The panel also includes cats in fedoras and a bird in a sombrero, however The focus is on the baseball-hat clad canines, with their choice of headgear reflecting their focus on the simple pleasures, like chasing felines up trees.. In addition to Larson’s love of animals, The front side reflected his fascination with topics such as sociology, which is also evident here, as applied to the world of domesticated pets.
4
The toughest training program for seeing-eye dogs on the far side
First published: August 8, 1990
This stands out as one of the best For side Panels in which Gary Larson used dogs to achieve a laugh-out-loud joke. Set in “Anderson’s School for Seeing-Eye Dogs,” the panel depicts one of the trainees guiding a mannequin on roller skates up a ramp to an airplane turbine, As the trainers note:
Well, scratch number 24. He did well though – due to the jet engine test.
As absurd as this may be, Larson does a fantastic job here of offering immersive details that will stick with readers, even long after they’ve finished reading this For side Cartoon. The premise of “The Jet Engine Test” is ridiculously funny in itself, but the real highlight of the punchline is the mock-man on skates, and the way the real humans are drawn reacting to the disappointing outcome for ” Number 24.”
3
This side dog gets a taste of his species’ own medicine
First published: August 31, 1988
Many dog owners will be all too familiar with the experience of sitting down to eat and feeling their dog’s eyes boring into them, hoping to give just a single morsel of human food – although even if they do get it, one is never enough to last. The staring.
Turnabout is fair game at this For side Funny, like A group of four people stand rigidly still, eyes glued to a dog as he chomps down on the contents of his bowl, uncomfortably thinking.Man, I wish they wouldn’t do that while I’m eating,“ In exactly the same way legions of pet parents have since time immemorial. As he so often does, Gary Larson captures the feeling of being a pet owner and a pet in this one highly amusing cartoon.
2
Gary Larson’s depiction of dogs on a stakeout speaks for itself
First published: January 10, 1988
Gary Larson was very particular about the details of The front sideBoth in her illustrations and in her captions. This means when a For side Comic left out his caption, the visual was intended to say everything Larson wanted to – and this panel, with dogs in a surveillance van spying on an indoor cat, is a great example.
Related
Again, the detail work here is essential; Although the punchline should be obvious to most readers easily enough, even without a caption to provide further context, that makes this especially hilarious. For side are funny The details like the clipboard in one dog’s hand, and a coffee mug in another, and the headphones they all wear, like them – and, of course, the unsuspecting expression on the feline’s face.
1
While the dogs away, the man will… worry?
First published: November 25, 1987
This split-image For side Hilarious panel enhances the canine-man dynamic, as the top half of the image depicts a concerned man reading a note from his dog, demanding that he “Stay“Like his dog and another, named Rex,”took the car to town,“With the bottom of the panel showing the carefree canine couple on their joyride.
The front side Had her pair of bad pet owners, and bad pets, and this is a very strange example of the latter; As fun as it is, however, it also carries a hint of subtextual tension, as anyone who has had their dog escape and run free will feel a twinge of second concern, even from this obviously wild joke. In this way, it is without question one of Gary Larson’s greatest For side Dog comics.