The Far Side is known for its wacky humor that veers into dark territory, as artist Gary Larson extracts ingenious jokes from the surreal. As absurd as Larson’s strangest comedy may seem, it has provided many laughs from readers over the years. The Far Side concluded its prolific run on January 1, 1995, but still draws laughs from audiences decades later.
The Far SideThe continued popularity of is a testament to the humor Larson brought to the table as he tried to test what he calls “What-the?” reflection. Essentially, Larson aims to provoke a surprised reaction in her readers, hoping that laughter will follow.
This strategy proved to be quite effective, as the The shock value of his work is key to its hilarity – and essential to making so many Far Side cartoons as memorable as they are.
10
Wordplay on the other side puts a dark spin on a classic phrase
First published: April 3, 1980
In this first graphic novel, an elderly couple warms up in beach chairs as they enjoy a cruise together. One of them comments on how wonderful their time was, from the top-notch service to the meals they shared. She ends her thoughts by saying: “and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!” – and with the revelation that they are on the Titanic, this phrase takes on a whole new meaning.
Gary Larson’s penchant for witty wordplay is on full display here. Taking popular phrases and subverting them in deliciously dark ways is one of the most tried and true forms of comedy in the world. The Far Side. Here, a common colloquialism becomes much more literal as it is used to indicate the tip of an actual iceberg that is about to hit the Titanic, demonstrating Larson’s dark humor alongside his love of a good pun.
9
The Other Side’s Version of Hell Isn’t What You’d Expect
First published: July 20, 1984
This comic is set in the fiery depths of Hell, but it looks ridiculous Far Side twist having the appearance of an office. An overbearing demon berates one of his employees, calling him out for letting dead humans go free when they should remain in captivity. As he says, “you have to stop believing these guys who say they are just leaving to use the bathroom.”
This is one of many Far Side comics that depict hell in ridiculously absurd ways. In Larson’s subversive reinvention of reality, Hell is not what most imagine it to be. Instead of simpler tortures, the inhabitants are given crazier forms of torment, like scorpions in their sandwiches on certain days or aerobics classes that push them to their physical limits.
8
This character’s name on the other side is a little too obvious
First published: July 6, 1983
A cowboy breaks into a bar in this Far Side version of a western, and he has a bone to pick with one of his customers. With his hand on the gun, the man shouts: “Which one of you is the one they call One-Eyed Old Dog Face?”and when one of the cowboys turns around upon receiving the summons, his dog-like features and eye patch indicate that he is the one he is looking for.
Considering how many Far Side comics are set in the Wild West, it’s clear that Gary Larson had a particular affinity for that setting. This is especially evident in the way he flips the script on the genre conventions of Old West narratives. Typically, characters in these stories have clever nicknames that are tied to their infamous reputations, so the fact that your name is called provides drama and tension. Old One-Eyed Dogface, however, is too campy to be cool.
7
The other side depicts a Neanderthal’s genius (or lack thereof)
First published: March 7, 1985
In this comic, a caveman sets out to create something extraordinary by starting to work with his primitive tool. It takes time, but he eventually carves enough rock to create a shape that resembles a piano. A commendable feat for a Neanderthal has been accomplished, but when it comes time to play it, he simply bangs his head on the keys instead of playing proper music.
The Far SideThe Cavemen cartoons are some of the best in comics. In few words, considering that cavemen were not exactly articulate in their time, Larson describes his ideas about how cavemen could have invented modern inventions. Here, Although the caveman is smart enough to build a piano by himself, he still doesn’t understand how to play it – but at least it’s a start.
6
The other side routinely turned the ordinary into absurdity
First published: February 19, 1990
Here, a man gathers three children around a campfire to regale them with a story suited to the spooky atmosphere. In the dark of night, he provides a meticulously detailed description of a mechanical creature that would strike fear into anyone. Then, in a surprising turn of events, He ends his story with the following: “that’s how a vacuum cleaner works.” It turns out that the monster was a mere vacuum all along.
This is a joke that, although superficially simple, is surprisingly in keeping with The Far Sidepremise. At its core, this comic series focuses on defamiliarization as a way to extract comedy from unexpected places. Larson takes the known to such an extreme that it again becomes unknown to the reader, just as the story of this comic does with the concept of a vacuum.
5
Gary Larson puts together one of the smartest puns on the other side
First published: June 22, 1983
That Far Side the comic features a group of cowboys tasked with hanging a man. This idea would normally be horrible to see unfold, but under typical conditions Far Side fashion, a misunderstanding is at the heart of this one-panel story. When they were told to hang the man, they are told to “tie” it, so they do so by literally wrapping it around a ball of string.
Gary Larson excels at many different styles of comedy, but his proficiency with puns is unparalleled. The Far Side features many misunderstandings arising from puns taken too literally by the characters on the page, and this is one of Larson’s funniest takes on this joke. What should be a morbid moment gets a light-hearted twist, a hilarious reversal of Larson’s usual dark humor.
First published: April 22, 1980
The Far SideAbsurd takes on real people are always a delight to read, but Gary Larson also put his own spin on fictional figures. In this cartoon, two psychics watch from a hiding place as a peculiar figure with a tiny body and huge feet passes by, as one of them comments, “It certainly took the romance out of the Bigfoot mystery.”
While Bigfoot may be a figment of the public’s imagination, most tend to share a centralized idea of ​​the creature’s appearance; he is commonly seen as a tall being covered in dark hair. Sure, its name only suggests that its feet are big, but that doesn’t mean the rest of its body has to be too. Larson offers his own version of Bigfoot here, and it’s not a pleasant sight.
3
The other side was at its best when it subverted the prey versus predator dynamic
First published: June 22, 1986
What must have started out as an ordinary hunting trip goes wrong in this cartoon. The hunters face off against deer, each holding one hostage. Hunters say they will not make a trade until they have ensured their man’s safety, showing that deer have taken the lead in a situation where they are normally victims.
The Far Side is excellent at tackling the complex relationship between humans and animals, with many comics playing with the predator-prey dynamic in nature, giving it a wacky twist; here, the prey takes revenge on the predator hunters, turning what should be a one-sided hunt into a stalemate. It’s hard to say how things will end in this conflict, though it’s satisfying to see the deer get the upper hand for a change.
2
This Joke From The Other Side A Really Timely Take On Murder Mysteries
First published: May 5, 1980
A shocking number of murders occur in Larson’s bizarre universe, and one of the series’ most iconic characters is constantly on the case. The detective can be The Far Sideis the go-to detective, but that doesn’t mean he’s always at the top of his game. Here, for example, he struggles to find out the victim’s time of death despite being surrounded by clocksthat clearly show the answer he seeks.
Larson has a tendency to challenge classic tropes in his work, and this is a great example of how he does just that. In murder mysteries, it is common to discover a clock that happened to be stopped at the moment the crime occurred. This trope is inverted in this cartoon, as there are several obvious clocks, but the detective doesn’t seem to notice.
1
The best jokes from the other side don’t need subtitles
First published: May 18, 1982
Gary Larson doesn’t need captions to sell a good joke, and this latest comic proves it. A two-seater bicycle comes out from under an overpass, but there is no one riding it, because in their wake, a sound effect is shown, indicating that they hit the overpass while trying to pass under it. All of this is portrayed without subtitles or words of dialogue.
That Far Side the comic is self-explanatory, which cements its brilliance and makes it emblematic of why the comedy in this series holds up so well to this day. Other comics rely too much on explaining themselves to make sure everyone gets the joke, but Larson never worries about pleasing his audience. In a panel where the visuals do the heavy lifting, a complete story is told that can leave readers laughing for hours.