The Far Sideis infamous for its deadly sense of humor, and one of Gary Larson’s favorite methods of disposing of characters was to have them crushed by falling objects. Whether it was pianos, trees, or any number of random objects that spelled doom for one of Larson’s creations, this timeless trope highlights The Far Side at its tragicomic best.
Since the very origins of literature in antiquity, things have been dropping from the sky to smite unfortunate heroes, and Gary Larson illustrated this classic comedic maneuver in a variety of ways over the years.
Of particular note are Larson’s series of “falling piano,” comics, which managed to be The Far Side at its most cartoonish, and its most violent, at the same time. Overall, among the entries listed here are some truly all-time great examples of the strip’s brand of over-the-top comedy.
10
Fair Or Foul, Death Could Strike At Any Moment On The Far Side
First Published: March 16, 1993
In this panel, Gary Larson takes the familiar saying "out of left field" and makes it frighteningly literal, as a man is shown crushed to death on a city street by a giant baseball. In real life, death is unexpected and unpredictable, and The Far Side's morbid sense of humor offered a hyperbolic extension of that, which is what allowed its jokes about death to be funny.
That is to say, readers recognize the absurdity in this cartoon before they recognize the cold, depressing reality of it – but really, the two things co-exist in the panel, and that overlap is a key part of what makes it funny. That dimensionality is what elevates Gary Larson's humor, for those that invest the time in getting to know how Far Side cartoons function.
9
The Far Side Asks A Familiar Philosophical Question, With A Dark Twist
First Published: December 28, 1992
Gary Larson offers a warped take on the "if a tree falls in the woods..." question in this Far Side cartoon, asking if "it hits a mime, does anyone care?" Like Larson's best work, its illustration captures a moment in time, while the caption delivers a timeless punchline. It takes something familiar and subverts it in an unexpected way. It is laugh-out-loud funny, while also being slightly disturbing.
In short, this is, by most metrics, a perfectly executed Far Side cartoon. It may not be the most well-remembered entry in Larson's ouvre, but it deserves more attention because of how well it captures the spirit of the artist's style in general, rendering as fatally funny scene as any in the history of the cartoon.
8
A Far Side For Comic Who Has Ever Felt Like The Universe Itself Is Out To Get Them
First Published: September 17, 1991
This is perhaps The Far Side's most well known comic starring God, in addition to being one of the funniest examples of Gary Larson's "falling piano" cartoons, of which he produced a handful over the years. Here, in a panel captioned "God at His computer," the Almighty is depicted pressing the "SMITE" button on the keyboard, sending a piano plunging onto the head of a random pedestrian walking down the street.
While some mundane activities are given an exciting, high octane upgrade, other Far Side comic strips turn the mundane into nightmare fuel.
This is a simple, yet awesome punchline that is expertly illustrated by Larson. Again, the artist comments on the abruptness of death, but rather than depicting this as random and chaotic, he attributes it to a capricious creator. For anyone who has ever felt as though God, or fate, or some cosmic force has it in for them, this comic will be darkly relatable, and definitely hilarious.
7
When It Came To The Far Side, Art Was Dangerous
First Published: February 28, 1990
This Far Side amateur artist meets a grim fate, crushed by a fallen tree in her own living room, as the Bob Ross-analog on her television set reminds her to "make your trees look like happy tress." It is a funny punchline, but also one of The Far Side's most grim deaths, showing how light and dark were hopelessly intertwined when it came to Gary Larson's humor.
The Far Side was commercial art, in the sense that it was published in newspapers, and targeted a wide audience – despite its seemingly niche humor – but it was also edgy, in the sense that it tested the limits of what was possible in commercial art. Panels like this are a great example of that, as Gary Larson proved the average reader could stomach a touche of the macbre with the morning paper.
6
The Far Side's Vultures Go To Extreme Measures In This Classic Cartoon
First Published: February 5, 1985
Gary Larson frequently depicted characters lost in the desert, and he also crafted a number of Far Side panels featuring vultures. This cartoon is the best of both worlds, as it depicts a man dragging himself toward a life-saving oasis of water amidst the sand – as a vulture that has been counting on him for a meal goes to extreme lengths to finish the survivor off, by dropping a piano on him.
Of course, the absurd, physics-defying aspect of the joke immediately jumps out at readers, but what makes this panel a truly memorable Far Side comic is the vultures' dialogue. "Dang, I think he's going to reach the water," one vulture says, while the one with the piano coldly remarks, "Oh no he's not," in a hilarious, if delirious, Far Side moment.
5
The Far Side's Best Movie Reference Didn't Just Come Out Of Nowhere
First Published: November 6, 1984
In one of the most widely recognizable Far Side cartoons, Gary Larson depicts an unfortunate casualty of King Kong's fall from the Empire State Building – and their poor pet dog, who is left with its leash stuck under the giant ape, alongside its crushed owner.
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The Far Side Complete Collection
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$54
Fans of the far side can't pass 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.
The Far Side made many classic movie references, and this one is by far one of the most striking, in part because of the sad implication of the punchline, but also because it illustrates how Larson was able to extrapolate the most unexpected, but latently humor from classic cinema. That is, a joke like this almost writes itself – but someone like Gary Larson had to come along and actually make it happen.
4
In This Far Side Panel, "Heavy" Rain Takes On A Dangerous New Meaning
First Published: March 7, 1983
"I'd hate to be caught outside on a day like this" a man says to his wife, standing at his window and watching as pianos come crashing down to the ground. While these Far Side characters seemingly escape unscathed from this absurd storm of falling Steinways – thanks, presumably, to an incredibly well-reinforced roof – this is nevertheless one of the most potentially deadly "falling piano" cartoons Gary Larson ever produced, as well as one of the most visually striking.
It is a strange joke, one that earns the reputation for "surreal" humor that The Far Side is known for. While Gary Larson's work tended to be more grounded than it gets credit for, this one is every bit unreal as fans have come to expect from his cartoons.
3
It's All Fun And Games Until Your Parents Catch You With The Piano Stuck To The Ceiling
First Published: April 6, 1982
Again, Gary Larson formulates a joke in which a piano defies the laws of physics – while much more concerningly, the boy in this Far Side panel has seemingly defied his parents, getting the family piano stuck to the ceiling while they're gone for the evening, which he's trying to knock down with a broom when they arrive back home.
The image of young "Billy" precariously standing underneath the piano – inexplicably affixed to the ceiling above him, as he tries to knock it loose – will get a jolt of laughter out of most readers, as the potential for catastrophe is hilariously, and deliberately, undersold by Larson, as exemplified by the nonchalant annoyance of the parents' reaction, who admonish him for "getting [himself] into some kind of trouble," as per usual.
2
The Unluckiest Guys On The Face Of The Far Side
First Published: September 8, 1981
"You're kidding! I was struck twice by lightning too!" one man in a full-body cast and a wheelchair says to another, in near-identical condition – as a meteor soars into frame, headed straight to crush them both. This is an iconic Far Side cartoon; of all the death and destruction Gary Larson depicted over the course of the comic's run, it can be argued that this is the funniest.
Far Side creator Gary Larson marched to the beat of his own drum, and these cartoons highlight his work's appeal to the loners, outcasts, and nerds.
That is because the punchline intentionally delivers a truly astronomical degree of bad luck, on the part of its two ill-fated characters. What makes their legendary bad luck truly uproarious, though, is the fact that up until their very last seconds, the duo likely think of themselves as the opposite, as two immeasurably lucky souls, having seemingly survived the near-impossible – only to succumb to the highly improbable.
1
The Far Side Reminds Readers Not To Neglect Looking Up
First Published: July 4, 1981
In a way, this classic Far Side falling piano cartoon perfectly sums up Gary Larson's patented comedic strategy – that is, draw the reader in, get their guard down, and then drop something unexpected on their heads. Here, Larson illustrates that literally, as a man looks down, puzzled, at a broken piano stool on the ground, in the process failing to look up and see the piano following it, about to crush him.
This is also one of Larson's many memorable Far Side cartoons that don't need a caption to get their joke across. The punchline will be morbid to some, highly amusing to others, but it is unmistakable one way or the other, as it will be immediately clear to most readers that the character's mix of curiosity and lack of awareness of his surroundings dooms him in this unforgettable Far Side panel.
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.
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