There are more than four thousand Far Side comics, and as such, these are just a sampling of the many legitimate masterpieces produced by Gary Larson that go underappreciated and unacknowledged even by devoted fans of his work. Larson’s vast body of work contains many perfect, or near-perfect cartoons which deserve greater attention.
The Far Side was the product of a grueling, almost non-stop schedule, and as such, not every cartoon Gary Larson published could be a certified classic.
Still, many top-tier Far Side panels have been relegated to relative obscurity, and this list seeks to elevate them to a place of wider recognition for their contribution to Larson’s legacy.
This Early Far Side Quicksand Joke Help To Suck Readers Into Gary Larson’s Comedic World
First Published: August 5, 1980
This early Far Side cartoon is often cited as a classic, but even still, it isn’t fully appreciated for how brilliantly it encapsulates Gary Larson’s dynamic sense of humor. The joke is simple, but not without its moving parts, as it depicts a poor sign painter who is sucked underground moments before completing a “Danger Quicksand” sign.
The way the “D” in “sand” juts down abruptly, not even half finished, subtly contains all the action of the panel, revealing how abruptly the “Ace Sign Co.” employee went under. This Far Side comic exemplifies Larson’s sense of tragicomic irony, which was essential to the morbid humor he became synonymous with.
The Far Side’s Greatest Dig At “Garfield” Is A Thoroughly Iconic Cartoon
First Published: December 16, 1983
Gary Larson poked fun at his “competition,” Jim Davis’ legendary comic strip Garfield, repeatedly over the years, but arguably this darkly funny nod to the rival strip is the best. Here, one of The Far Side’s many snakes coils around Garfield’s still-full food bowl, its contented smile and bulging belly making it clear what happened to the acerbic orange tabby.
Again, the virtue of this Far Side cartoon is simplicity. It doesn’t need a caption, because the punchline is obvious from the illustration. The cartoon seems to clearly say “look, my characters can eat Davis’ characters for breakfast,” but in a lighthearted way, as the goofy look on the serpent’s face serves as a wink-and-nod to the audience.
The Far Side Flexes Its Multi-Panel Muscles In This Darkly Funny Take On Fate
First Published: February 8, 1988
Gary Larson produced many great “split-panel” Far Side cartoons during the comic’s run, but this one is perhaps the most iconic example of the bunch. “Out there, ominously moving towards its destiny,” the caption explains, “was a truck with Reuben’s name on it.” Once more, Larson proves himself a master of tragicomedy.
The top half of the panel shows that there is literally a truck with “Reuben” on the side, while the bottom depicts Reuben, the man, waking up, unaware he’s presumably doomed to be hit by that truck this very day. It is an ambitious Far Side joke, but one that Larson executes deftly, with great comedic success.
The Far Side Explores The Difference Between Men And Women In A Crisis
First Published: May 20, 1988
In this shockingly funny Far Side alligator cartoon, Gary Larson offers a hyperbolic example of how two people can have totally different perspectives on the same interaction. In this case, that is the grisly scene of a man’s pet alligator devouring a woman’s poor poodle, when they happen to cross paths on a walk in the park.
While the woman rightly cries out in anguish, shouting “that thing has got my Gigi,” her male counterpart completely misreads the situation, thinking, “this is such a great way to meet women.” As much as Larson indulged in gender stereotypes in The Far Side’s humor, this is a slam dunk on the trope of the obtuse man.
First Published: June 25, 1988
Gary Larson occassionally dabbled in metahumor with Far Side jokes that acknowledged their cartoon nature, with this panel standing as seemingly the most underrated example, considering how great it is. As the caption explains, “folks came from miles around to see the Herringtons’ ink smudge,” as part of the cartoon is obscured by a thick black blotch of ink.
“I wonder if they had insurance,” one onlooker wonders aloud, while a young boy reaches out a finger to poke the ink spot, with his mother shouting from the back of the crowd for him to leave it alone. All told, this irreverently self-aware Far Side joke deserves to be acknowledged as a classic.
The Far Side’s Most Memorable Location Is The Setting For An All-Time Great UFO Joke
First Published: October 12, 1990
Ask Far Side fans to name the comic’s most iconic locations, and among those at the top of the list, along with suburban living rooms and front lawns, will be the desert island. Gary Larson loved this trope, which afforded him endless opportunities to tell variants on the same darkly ironic punchline: salvation isn’t coming.
In this case, it seems like it is for one lost individual, when a flying saucer descends from the sky, only it’s not there for him. “Thank God I’m saved,” the man says when he sees the saucer, only for it to beam up the lone palm tree on the island, which is seemingly, in fact, an extraterrestrial itself in need of rescuing.
The Far Side’s Human/Animal Co-Existence Is Pushed To Its Breaking Point In This Hilarious Panel
First Published: November 16, 1990
Here, Gary Larson takes the “annoying neighbor” trope and, in predictably unpredictable Far Side fashion, cranks it up to eleven, by making the neighbors “a family of howler monkeys,” who are shown with their faces pressed up against the window of a human couple’s bedroom. Naturally, they’re doing what they do best: howling.
“And so it went, night after night, year after year,” the caption explains, revealing the full scope of the “hell” the human characters are subject to. The Far Side put many hilarious spins on the idea of humans and animals coexisting, for better or worse, and there is something unique about this one that merits more consideration as an all-time classic.
The Far Side Says The Quiet Part Loud With This Political Lampoon
First Published: January 15, 1992
The Far Side was always satirical, and Gary Larson wasn’t afraid to inject subtle bits of social critique when it suited him. Which makes this Far Side clown cartoon noteworthy, because neither its satire or its political point are subtle. Captioned, “in the corridors of Clowngress,” the joke seemingly doesn’t leave much room for debate.
More accurately though, it highlights The Far Side’s true nature as a reflection of pop culture, rather than as just an outlet for Larson’s own ideas. In other words, Larson embodies the general feeling in American society that it keeps electing clowns as leaders, but it turns this bitter conclusion into the source of hilarity, resulting in a classic comic.
The Far Side Reinvents The Story Of Adam And Eve With A Brilliantly Sacriligious Twist
First Published: February 27, 1992
In this incredible Far Side riff on the Biblical Garden of Eden story, Gary Larson reveals the truth about Adam and Eve’s exile: it wasn’t God’s will, but rather the action of a nefarious mole, using the anachronistic technology of a microphone and a speaker hidden in a tree to banish the humans, admonishing them to “BEGONE…and take all the mole traps with you!“
Broadcasting from underground, the mole admonishes Eve and Adam, mid-bite of the forbidden apples, to “BEGONE…and take all the mole traps with you!” The illustration of this Far Side joke fully lives up to its premise, depicting the mole beneath the surface of the Garden, while the humans, nudity tastefully obscured, look up at “God’s” voice in bewilderment.
The Hunters Become The Hunted In This Out Of This World Far Side Cartoon
First Published: December 22, 1992
Aliens and alien abductions were a familiar Far Side subject, and this panel is a perfect example. Without needing a caption, the illustration tells readers everything they need to know. Aliens abducted human hunters, tying their car to the hood of the flying saucer, but neglecting to consider that their captives need air to breathe.
By this point in the interstellar journey, they’ve been reduced to nothing more than skeletons. Hilariously, the humans themselves have a deer strapped to the hood of their car, in one of Gary Larson’s patented low-key anti-hunting jabs. Overall, this Far Side cartoon is an instant visual classic, one that deserves to be lauded as one of Larson’s best.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
