The cartoons listed here are representative of The Far Side's ability to flummox readers; while some are more easily explained than they might seem at first glance, others are as curious and confusing as they were at their time of publication.
That is, of course, the glory of Gary Larson's style of comedy, which mixed high-brow references, silly situations and wordplay, and a healthy dose of dark humor into a delirious stew of surreal cartoons, many of which continue to make an impact on readers even decades later.
10 The Far Side Often Led Readers Down An Uncertain Path
First Published: December 12, 1981
This early Far Side cartoon omits the use of a caption, as Gary Larson deliberately eschews half of the strip's comedic formula in order to make the reader more actively participate in figuring out the joke. That said, the artist only gives his audience so much to work with here, with a panel that features an indigenous tribal warrior chasing what appears to be hoof prints, or perhaps the imprint from the webbed feet of a duck, across a barren landscape.
Ultimately, the precise elements of the joke are made less important by the fact that Larson's goal here isn't entirely clear. That is, even if the reader can definitively say these are duck prints in the sand, they will be hard-pressed to give a clear, concise answer to what the panel's punchline is meant to be, or what makes it funny.
9 The Far Side Was A Product Of Gary Larson's Knack For Finding Comedy In Tragedy And Mystery – And Sometimes Both
First Published: July 21, 1984
This cartoon is, one could argue, The Far Side's equivalent of a "locked room mystery." In the panel, a row of chickens is depicted slumped in their nests, while their farmer lies on the floor in front of them, an upturned basket of freshly collected eggs cracked and strewn about – for no clearly identifiable reason.
Once again, this cartoon's lack of caption is a deliberate choice by the artist; while some of Gary Larson's captionless cartoons were easy to understand, many rank among the most inscrutable Far Side jokes. That is the case here, as the "action" of the panel is hard to decipher without further context, and as a result, the joke stands out as one of the strip's more obscure entries.
8 The Far Side's Confusing Was Often The Product Of Urgency – That Is, To Make Deadlines
First Published: August 24, 1985
In this Far Side cow cartoon, a farmer methodically milking his way through a line of cows tells one impatient bovine to "just cross [its] legs and wait" for its turn, as it frantically shakes its limbs in anticipation. The joke here is straightforward enough, but the depiction of motion in the cartoon, via the cow's rapid gesticulations, may confuse readers into misunderstanding the joke, at least at first.
Related
Despite the Far Side's reputation for sowing confusion, Gary Larson's humor was often overly literal, as his "Chicken of Depression" comic shows.
It is important to note that The Far Side – especially as it grew more popular, and appeared in more newspapers – was always on a strict production schedule, which meant that as much as Gary Larson liked to tinker with and tweak his jokes, at a certain point, he had to release them into the wild, so to speak. In other words, not every Far Side is "perfect" or even necessarily "complete," which can at times be a source of confusion for readers.
7 This Far Side Therapy Group Christens One Member "Cured"
First Published: March 29, 1988
There are, of course, that category of Far Side cartoon that take a moment to "click" with readers. These are often the result of a cartoon's illustration grabbing the reader's attention before the caption, causing them to have an immediate reaction to the panel even before fully comprehending it.
This is one example, as the image of one woman smashing a bottle over another woman's head, as several more characters stand around and clap, might make readers chuckle entirely on its own. The caption makes it clear that this is a "christening," in the nautical sense, as a woman named "Cindy" graduates from her therapy group and is sent off the same way sailors do with a brand-new ship, by smashing a champagne bottle over the bow.
6 The Far Side Was A Product Of Its Time – Which Can Throw Contemporary Readers For A Loop
First Published: July 30, 1988
This cartoon references actor Karl Malden, who, even at the time of its publication, was in the latter stages of his career. Still, whether the joke is laugh-out-loud funny or not, the reference would have been recognizable to a large portion of The Far Side's audience in the late 1980s. Decades later, it presents a perfect illustration of one particular subset of confusing Far Side comic – the ones that have not aged well.
Your changes have been saved
The Far Side Complete Collection
$71 $125 Save $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.
Even readers who are familiar with Malden's name and legacy might not immediately "get" the punchline here, meaning that while it might not have originally been a "What the?" Far Side cartoon, it has aged into one over time. As time goes on, more and more of Gary Larson's topical references find themselves in this category, requiring readers to do more background research than a Far Side cartoon should merit.
5 The Far Side Liked To Put Things Into Categories – But It's Methodology Was Sometimes Questionable
First Published: October 5, 1990
Captioned "the four basic personality types," this Far Side comic starts with a familiar dichotomy, and then extrapolates on that to arrive at an unexpected, and thoroughly unscientific punchline – as "glass half-full" and "glass half-empty" people are contrasted with people who can't decide one way or another, and then those individuals who couldn't care one way or another.
"Hey, I ordered a cheeseburger," the fourth man in the panel says, hands angrily resting on hips, showing little patience for this attempt at sorting people into categories, as the joke deliberately and delightfully veers off track in quintessential Far Side style. The humor of the panel comes from the fact that it starts out following some sort of pseudo-scientific methodology, before quickly abandoning it, showing that humans are not so easily sorted into pre-set forms.
4 Sorting Out The Far Side's Vision Of The Future
First Published: December 31, 1991
In this particularly dense Far Side panel, Gary Larson depicts a futuristic city, in which cars have been replaced by flying saucers, bullet trains in tubes, and other sci-fi modes of travel – yet there is an anachronism in this future skyline that sticks out like a sore thumb: a marquee advertising that comedian George Burns will be performing that night.
Burns died in 1996, just a few months after his 100th birthday. Presumably, Larson is making a joke about the actor and comedian's longevity in this cartoon, yet even for readers at the time this punchline might not have been immediately evident. In retrospect, it is another case of a time-sensitive reference, one that has become more confusing over time as subsequent generations of fans have lost the cultural touchstones that The Far Side often invoked.
3 There Has To Be More To The Story Of The Far Side's "Cactus Tamer"
First Published: August 31, 1992
According to Gary Larson, some Far Side cartoons had elaborate backstories. This strange, but wonderful panel feels like an example of that, as Larson introduces readers to the life and death of "Andre Lafleur: cactus tamer," who is depicted wielding a chair and whip as he's surrounded by cacti. As the caption absurdly explains, Lafleur was "later killed in central Arizona," making him one of The Far Side's many doomed characters.
The absurdity of the "cactus tamer" premise is enough to guarantee a laugh from most readers, but it is the scant details of Lafleur's life that will leave fans with more questions than answers – namely, how did he get into such a profession, and what led to his inevitable tragic fate?
2 Far Side Readers Never Knew What Was Just Over The Horizon
First Published: August 16, 1993
This amusing Far Side panel features a wagon train full of settlers headed out West – which comes over a hill and finds a carnival ride, including a bored attendant waiting for customers. Though the joke is straightforward enough, there remains something inscrutable about this cartoon; moreover, it is a perfect representation of how Far Side fans should always expect the unexpected.
Related
Many Far Side cartoons get more attention for being confusing, but Gary Larson called one surprising 1987 panel "almost universally misunderstood."
That is to say, Gary Larson always knew just when to surprise his readers, and subvert their expectations – to put something unexpected in their path, and to allow them to react to it. In a sense, the characters in this Far Side cartoon reflect the experience of being a Far Side reader – just as some of Larson's cartoons mirror his experience as their author.
1 The Far Side Has Had A Life After "Death," As Gary Larson's Legacy Has Been Preserved Post-Retirement
First Published: September 20, 1993
"Vacationing from their job of terrorizing young teenagers," the caption of this Far Side cartoon explains, "zombies will often relax at a Western dead ranch." Interestingly, the syntax of this caption is a bit off, so it presents a reverse of a common Far Side reading experience – often, a confusing image was clarified by its caption, but here the illustration is clear enough, while the clunky phrasing of the caption may throw readers.
Still, this cartoon is a reminder that Gary Larson's legacy as a humorist is far from dead and buried, even decades after the end of The Far Side. Even the most confusing Far Side panel continues to elicit excitement from readers, new and old alike, and figuring out Larson's comedic intentions has become an essential part of engaging with The Far Side in perpetuity.
Your changes have been saved
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.
English (US) ·