It's rare to go a month without an icon Far Side comics reaching a milestone, but as Gary Larson's November 1984 strip turns 40, it's shocking how many classics were published in the same month. With hilarious visits to Hell and the Serengeti and (of course) a great comic strip about cows, Larson killed it despite only being four years into the strip's 14-year run.
Here are the 10 funniest Far Side comics that just turned 40, in November 2024 – tell us your favorites in the comments and which of Larson's recurring themes are best done here.
10
Any luck?
November 10, 1984 Far Side Comic
In this strip, a spider casually checks on a fisherman's progress, making readers aware that both human and arachnid are essentially engaged in the same activity. Larson's Far Side often adopts the perspective of animals to offer a different angle on human behavior. This perhaps explains why so many of Larson's fishing comics also feature death – after all, that's how fish would see it. Enjoy more of Gary Larson's fishing comics by opening the image gallery below:
Larson's love of nature is an important characteristic of The Far Sidewhich he originally released under the title Nature's Path. While that title would definitely make sense for many of the comics on this list, the title “Far Side” is ultimately more descriptive of the surreal humor that Larson brings not only to animals, but also to aliens, scientists, robots, and conquerors.
9
Remember me?
November 24, 1984 Far Side Comic
In another strip, which shows the animal's perspective, an elephant tracks the hunter who attacked him years ago. Elephants are famous for 'never forgetting', and it's pure Larson turns this into a violent grudge. In Prehistory on the other side, Larson notes that conservatism is the only “political” message that has reached the The Far Sidealthough some readers interpreted his jokes as Larson not taking the subject seriously. Larson has truly put her money where her pen is, raising money for conservation charities with her work.
8
Vending machine
November 2, 1984 Far Side Comic
In contrast to the “how animals see humans” theme, Larson also loves the joke of introducing common human behaviors into nature. In this case, the lions who are too lazy to hunt for their food can get it from a vending machine, which is comically small considering the animals that are implied to be stored inside it.
7
Take my shotgun
November 7, 1984 Far Side Comic
One of Gary Larson's greatest talents as a comedian is seeing connections that no one else would spot. In this case, he takes the idea of aliens kidnapping farm animals (usually cows) and fuses it with the concept of a farmer protecting his chickens from a nocturnal intruder (usually a fox). Far SideHumans may have to face many bizarre situations, but they never let it get them down, with this farmer believing he will be able to take down an alien ship with a shotgun.
Chickens are a big recurring theme in The Far Sidewith Larson often focusing on how dark his life really is, as dull lives end in being killed and eaten. It's absolutely the luck of one Far Side chicken to be part of an alien abduction.
6
The greatest expressions
November 13, 1984 Far Side Comic
Another animal-centric joke that Far Side ama is explaining animal behavior in strange ways. In this case, the image of a leopard leaping and roaring at its prey turns out to be not just a predatory gesture, but something they do because they find their prey's startled reactions too funny to resist. Of course, Larson's adventurers rarely enjoy long lives, so it may be that this was the easiest way the leopards' victim could have gone.
5
Aerobics in Hell
November 17, 1984 Far Side Comic
As iconic as that Far Side comic book is actually an unusual depiction of Hell in Gary Larson's comics: one in which Hell's inhabitants are actually suffering. More often than not, it's the Damned who are winning, with graffiti and illicit food requests angering Satan.
Hell is the setting of a strip that Larson felt the need to apologize for – in the comic book show 'Hell's Video Store,' Larson portrays Istar as the only film available to rent. Larson had not seen Istar at the time, admitting that he ultimately found this completely unquestionable, and that “my cartoon was very wrong.” Even when Larson is trying to make his Hell look bad, he can't handle it.
4
I'm not satisfied
November 28, 1984 Far Side Comic
In this surreal strip, one half of a cow couple grandly declares that they are no longer satisfied with their relationship. The joke evokes the high melodrama of shows like Dallas or Dynastybut this time with bovine protagonists. Cows are the iconic stars of The Far Sidewith Larson using them in some of his silliest and most inventive comics.
Gary Larson loved portraying cows for the way they combined tragedy and comedy, making it even funnier to place them in bizarre or even morbid scenarios.
3
Be cool, man!
November 23, 1984 Far Side Comic
In Larson's world of anthropomorphized animals that retain their normal instincts, dogs can ride bicycles and feel compelled to chase them down the street. Larson highlights this hilarious overlap, as the dog-knight tries to calm his pursuer.
2
King Kong
November 6, 1984 Far Side Comic
This track recreates the iconic King Kong moment when the giant ape falls from the Empire State Building, revealing the invisible victim of the tragedy. It's an incredibly clear and simple joke that hinges on Kong's unintended victim being unlucky enough to die due to this once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, in The complete other sideThererson shares a letter from a group of Shell employees who decidedly don't get the jokereading:
We don’t think it can be as simple as “the gorilla fell on the dog’s owner, so what’s the dog going to do now?” We're assuming the gorilla is King Kong, but why is he lying down?
The next time you read a Far Side comics and I think the joke would have worked without captions, think of Larson's readers who just can't figure out the joke without a little extra help.
King Kong and Godzilla appear everywhere The Far Sidewith Larson finding a number of different jokes involving the giant movie monsters – most often built around the destructive effect they have on the world around them.
1
Organized Crime Informant
November 21, 1984 Far Side Comic
In our favorite Far Side comic book that just turned 40, an informant revealing mob secrets is accidentally exposed on live TV by a careless janitor. Organized crime appears everywhere The Far Sidebut it usually proves ineffective and ultimately harmless.
However, a darker comic shows this informant's potential fate now that his identity has been exposed – being “imitated” to death in a genuinely confusing punishment.
These are the 10 funniest Far Side November 2024 comics that just turned 40 — tell us your favorites in the comments below, and stay tuned to Screen Rant for more coverage of Gary Larson's genius comics.