10 Far Side Comics That Prove Your Boss Is the Real Villain

Gary Larson often uses The Far Side to express the universal pain of having a boss. That isn't to say that all bosses are necessarily bad, but oftentimes, a boss can lie at the center of workplace drama. The demands of a boss may be distressing enough to create a stressful work environment.

Other times, when the boss is actually a jerk, they can singlehandedly create such a stressful working environment. Larson hasn't solely used office-themed comic strips to narrate the struggles of having a boss. Through numerous humorous comics, Larson has perfectly illustrated just how getting bossed around can be for anyone.

Igor Doesn't Understand the Mechanics of Monster Creation

First Published: January 14, 1983

Even Universal horror movie monster alumni have bosses to answer to. Dr. Frankenstein is professed in horror history as a scientist, innovator, and monster creator, but there's one role of his that no one talks about: Igor's boss. Igor was Dr. Frankenstein's willing (and likely underpaid) assistant when he was crafting his first Monster.

Granted, Igor probably isn't the best possible assistant that money can buy. After all, this is the same assistant who mixed up an average brain with an abnormal one. Still, no one deserves to get yelled at and railed down by their boss as Igor is for giving his master the wrong wrench.

The Boss Wants His Money

First Published: October 1, 1984

A boss isn't strictly a villain in the lives of their employees, but sometimes, the lives of those who suffer as a result of their services. This makes for the life of a mafia ring leader. Though unseen, a mob boss always makes his presence known through his devoted cronies.

Everyone has seen the classic mob movie where mobsters are ordered by their boss to "rearrange some furniture." This time, the mobsters may have taken things a little too literally when it's time for the mafia boss to get paid. Usually "rearrange" is meant ironically to destroy property, but here, they seem to spruce up the place.

Igor Isn't Appreciated by His Boss

First Published: January 8, 1987

One of the downsides to having a rude wretch for a boss is that an employee often feels unappreciated for their hard work whenever they feel disrespected. One such disrespected underling is none other than Igor. When he catches grief for giving Dr. Frankenstein the wrong brain and the wrong wrench, it's easy to see his perspective.

Like many workers who feel undervalued, Igor finds himself wallowing and bemoaning at a bar, a frequent setting for The Far Side. Judging from his complaints, the moral of the story is that all a boss needs to do is give a simple "thank you" to prevent their employees from feeling disgruntled behind the scenes.

Vice President J.F. Jones Isn't Who He Says He Is

First Published: March 23, 1985

While a Vice President is more of a secondary boss compared to a company's primary President, he is still a boss with authority to employees, like, say, a secretary. Speaking of, secretary Miss Billings learns the awkward way that even bosses have secrets they want to keep in the closet. No one wants their dirty laundry spilled into the hallways.

Unfortunately for Vice President Jones, he had all of his ducks spilled into the hallways right in front of his secretary. Like children stuffed in a trenchcoat to appear as an adult, Jones is a collection of ducks stacked on top of each other to appear human. Out of all Gary Larson's comics about ducks, this is his most shocking.

This Pet Owner Won't Boss Around His Dog Anymore

First Published: February 6, 1988

Depending on one's relationship with their dog, they can either be Man's Best Friend, or simply an animal's boss. When an owner takes the idiom "kick the dog" too literally, they fall into the latter category. This seems to be the dynamic that this pet owner has with their dog, who is finally tired of being kicked around.

Dogs frequently star in Far Side comics, so it's safe to say that Gary Larson's empathy stands with animals of unruly owners as much as he sympathizes with employees of horrible bosses. Strapping a bomb onto a dog's chest when he's had enough of his owner's malarky is the writer/artist's way of ensuring this dog has his day.

Even Evil Bosses Can Read Minds (or Thought Bubbles)

First Published: April 2, 1990

The tricky part of navigating around a strict boss is that an employee feels like they always need to be careful about what they say, afraid that the slightest comment could trigger their director. The uneasiness leaves most workers deciding to keep all of their comments to themselves. Unfortunately, that doesn't work in a cartoon comic strip.

In a comic, thought bubbles exist. In any other comic, thought bubbles aren't heard or read by other characters in the comic's universe, but obviously, The Far Side isn't any ole comic strip. It's a comic unafraid to break the fourth wall, and, sadly, for Lewis, it costs him his job.

No One Likes a Brown-nose (or a Red-nose)

First Published: August 5, 1992

Whether a boss is a good one or a bad one, no one likes to see a fellow employee kiss-up to one. Seeing a co-worker being a little too friendly with the boss can be enough to villainize them as badly as the boss already is, if not more so or worse.

Being all up in a boss' derrière is referred to as brown-nosing. The nose changes colors in the context of a workplace for clowns. Red-nosing is enough to make Blinky an enemy out of the rest of the staff. Looking at the extent of the office gossip, no one likes seeing him crack jokes with the head jokester.

The Boss Needs Webster Workin' On the Railroad All the Livelong Day

First Published: Unknown

It's no secret that Gary Larson is a big fan of placing fictional stories in real-life scenarios to put a twist on specific narratives. This is often the case for literary euphemisms or even songs like the classic "I've Been Working on the Railroad," a song that tells of someone working on the railroad all the livelong day.

The cheery jingle is turned into a nightmare for train conductor Webster when his boss expects the same demand from him. It doesn't help his case when Webster has been clocking out earlier than he should. Employees often feel like their bosses want them working themselves into an early grave. This is no different, making readers rethink trains.

There's No Boss Quite Like The Devil

First Published: Unknown

Anyone who hates their boss may be quick to compare them to The Devil, but no one compares to the head honcho downstairs. Larson has repeatedly set his comics in Hell. When he does, he usually likens rotting in Hell to meandering in an office job. This is one such example, painting Satan as the ultimate villain and final boss.

Here, a demon named Edgar seems to accidentally be letting imprisoned Hell dwellers escape when his job is to keep an eye on them. "You've got to stop believing these guys who say they're just stepping out to use the restroom," Lucifer warns. Edgar needs to watch his toes. After three strikes, his job (and after-life) might be in jeopardy.

Bossing Around a Wooly Mammoth

First Published: Unknown

Trailing back to the idea of bossy pet owners, this one follows a caveman during the Ice Age trying his best to tame a wooly mammoth. "Walkies! "Walkies," he orders, trying to order his best to keep up pace, not unlike a boss ordering around their workers. It's bad enough to treat workers like cattle, so this is ridiculous.

The Far SIde's funniest comics star cavemen, but even regulars like Thag lean closer to the more polite side of history. This cavemen certainly isn't nice about shouting animals to an animal. Cavemen might have themselves etched in history as the original evil bosses, or at least in the context of in-universe history for The Far Side.