artist Gary Larson misjudged his ability to get his point across, more often, he excelled at visually conveying his humor.
Arguably, the illustrations are what stick with readers when it comes to The Far Side more frequently than the captions – though Gary Larson's s were closest to perfect when they found the precise equilibrium between the two.
With that in mind, taking a closer look at what made Larson's best captionless Far Side comics so effective offers a greater insight into why his work stood out among his peers in the comic medium, and why it continues to attract new generations of readers to this day.
10 Gary Larson Established Early & Often That Life On The Far Side Was Precarious
First Published: April 28, 1980
In this all-time great Far Side cartoon, Gary Larson skillfully plays with the boundaries between art and the natural world – by featuring a bird with a helpless stick figure clutched in its beak, bringing the two-dimensional rendering back to be the finishing touch on an in-progress nest.
If one were to rate The Far Side's humor on a scale of increasing complexity, this would rank at the simplest level. The joke's virtue is its obviousness; as readers who have spent an extended time with Larson's work will know, this can be said of many of his jokes, despite The Far Side's reputation for being obscure. The punchline here is rooted in the intrusion of an overtly illustrated figure into a naturalistic scene, and the majority of readers will immediately pick up on that, at least implicitly.
9 The Best Far Side Comics Left Room For Ambiguity, Even The Ones With The Simplest Jokes
First Published: August 10, 1981
The joke of this Far Side cartoon is straightforward, but what makes it a stand-out example of Gary Larson's sense of humor is the way that, even in its simplicity, it leaves room for the reader's interpretation. That is to say, the "facts" of the are unmistakable; a pair of bears have killed – or at least, knocked out – a man hiking through the woods, and have ripped his wallet out of his backpack and are going through it.
Yet readers who scrutinize this comic in greater detail will be left wondering what the bears are thinking, based on the quizzical expressions Larson drew on their faces, and the precise moment at which he catches them in the act. One bear is extracting cash from the man's wallet – but whether that is what they're after, or this is simply ursine curiosity, will keep readers guessing indefinitely.
8 At Times, Gary Larson's Captionless Comics Operated On The Precipice Of Confusion
First Published: February 21, 1981
In this classic Far Side cowboy comic, a pair of rustlers are engaged in a dust-up on the edge of a cliff overlooking a steep drop, at the bottom of which is a man playing piano, who casts a glance over his shoulder, looking upward at the two in alarm.
Why The Far Side's "Dog With Gun" Comic (And Its "Sequel") Illustrate Gary Larson's Favorite "Animals Turning the Tables On Humans" Trope Better Than Any Other
"Dog With Gun" is one of the most recognizable Far Side cartoons, and in a way, it represents the pinnacle of a classic Gary Larson recurring joke.
ittedly, there is room for confusion with this Far Side cartoon, as readers might not immediately recognize that the piano player is meant to be playing the dramatic theme to this cliffside fight – but in a bit of Mel Brooks-esque slapstick, the musician has been inserted into the Wild West scene himself. Yet as this reveals itself upon further analysis, it will certainly elicit a chuckle at Gary Larson's playfulness, if nothing else.
7 This Far Side Entrepreneur Couldn't Explain His Business If He Tried
First Published: October 4, 1982
mystifying to Gary Larson himself as to readers.
Of course, as much as readers might think they want, even crave, a definitive explanation to Far Side cartoons like this, the truth is, the uncertainty of the humor is part of what makes it appealing. The Far Side tended to keep its readers off-kilter, asking questions – and at least for those who shared its sensibilities, wanting more.
6 This Far Side Comic Is Either "Right Place/Right Time" Or "Wrong Place/Wrong Time," (It's A Matter Of Perspective)
First Published: January 13, 1983
In this hilarious captionless Far Side Tarzan cartoon, the man of the jungle swings from one vine to the next – only for it to turn out to be a snake, which promptly chomps down on his head. The Far Side is famous for its "man vs. nature" jokes, and over the years, these came from both sides of the conflict; this cartoon is interesting because it presents an impartial, third-person perspective. This is either a score for the snake, or a tragedy for Tarzan, depending on how the reader looks at it.
The Far Side Complete Collection
Fans of the far side can't up this master collection of Gary Larson's finest work. Originally published in hardcover in 2003, this paperback set comes complete with a newly designed slipcase that will look great on any shelf. The Complete Far Side contains every Far Side cartoon ever published, which amounts to over 4,000, plus more than 1,100 that have never before appeared in a book and even some made after Larson retired.
This is also another example of the simplest level of Far Side cartoons; what has happened, and why it is funny, are both evident even without the use of a caption, with few readers left grasping for an explanation in the way so often attributable to Gary Larson's humor.
5 The Details Of A Far Side Were Often Where Gary Larson's Humor Truly Came From
First Published: July 22, 1983
This Far Side cartoon might have readers asking "What-the?", but only because it is strange, and subtle not confusing. The depicts a caveman's living room, and while the bowl of raw meat on the coffee table, in place of a bowl of fruit, is what will grab readers first, a closer look reveals the entire room is frayed and busted, given its inhabitant's uncivilized nature.
This is a great example of Gary Larson's knack for detail. The bowl of meat clearly signals the joke to the reader, even sans caption, but the broken window, and torn drapes, and askew lampshade – and curiously, the blank pages the caveman is holding, in place of a newspaper – are all where the humor of this Far Side comic are truly elevated.
4 Even On The Far Side, There's Nothing Worse Than Slipping Up In Front Of Your Peers
First Published: September 12, 1983
In this memorable Far Side elephant comic, a young pachyderm is depicted lying on its back, narrowing its eyes in the face of humiliation, after having just slipped on a rogue banana peel. This is another straightforward Far Side joke, unencumbered by an unnecessary caption; all it takes is the tiny banana peel in the right corner of the frame, contrasted with the embarrassed young elephant, surrounded by its herd, to make readers chuckle.
More than just funny, this Far Side actually acutely captures the feeling of being embarrassed around one's friends, family, or peers – and it does this with just an image, using the framing of the action and the eyes of its elephant characters to create an enduring, familiar moment.
3 This Dark Far Side Chicken Comic Depicts The Temptation Of Convenience
First Published: January 12, 1985
In this hilarious wordless Far Side chicken cartoon, a mother hen stands at the kitchen counter, pouring cake mix into an oversized bowl, surrounded by all the necessary ingredients – except for one, as she narrows her eyes and looks at her clutch of oversized eggs in the adjacent room.
The darkly funny implication here is obvious, that the chicken is contemplating using her own eggs to bake the cake. While an alternate interpretation – that she is grimacing at the harsh reality that chicken eggs are so pivotal to the culinary arts – is possible, the former explanation is more likely, as it is more in line with the grim vein of humor that Gary Larson often exhibited in his work.
2 The Far Side's Classic Inversion Of Animal & Humor Behaviors Is On Full Display In This Cow Cartoon
First Published: August 10, 1986
Gary Larson's use of animal characters to invert, subvert, and all-around lampoon human behavior is perhaps The Far Side's most recognizable recurring motif, and this provides a clear illustration of that, all without needing a caption. The cartoon features a trio of bulls working construction on a city street, "catcalling" cows as they stroll by on the adjacent sidewalk.
I Think It's Time We Retire the Debate Over Whether The Far Side Has "Recurring Characters" Or Not
Readers have long debated whether The Far Side has "recurring characters," but I think it's time to focus on other aspects of Gary Larson's opus.
The punchline here is straightforward, in the sense that it asks readers to consider how inherently ridiculous – and animalistic – behavior like "catcalling" is, by swapping cows for human characters. There is enough humor, and social critique, baked into that premise alone that Larson didn't need to push the humor farther, or obscure the "point" of the comic, by adding additional context.
1 Gary Larson Toes The Line With This Borderline Tasteless Far Side
First Published: February 9, 1990
The Far Side had its fair share of tragic characters, and Gary Larson frequently drew upon real history for inspiration, but rarely did he combine the two, with this comic being a notable exception. Here, Gary Larson makes light of the very real Donner Party incident, by depicting a "memorial" that is a statue of a large foot sticking out from between two pieces of bread.
Without question, this cartoon will provoke an immediate reaction from readers, whether it is a shocked laugh, or a grunt of horror, and that was Gary Larson's goal. Some readers will consider this comic to have pushed, or even crossed, a boundary of good taste, but what few can deny is that it unequivocally captures the spirit of The Far Side, in all its infamous glory.
The Far Side
The Far Side is a humorous comic series developed by Gary Larson. The series has been in production since 1979 and features a wide array of comic collections, calendars, art, and other miscellaneous items.
