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Humor is an evolving and ever-changing genre that ages and molds itself as new generations define its driving force. Today, comedy is dictated mainly by Generation Z, the generation that grew up around social media and learned to dominate it from a young age. With the rise of online platforms, comedy has evolved. Still, despite the many changes and additions it has acquired, The Far Side remains a comic strip that maintains its humor and relevancy all these years later.
Debuting on January 1, 1980, Gary Larson's comic strip rubbed many readers the wrong way for the entirety of its run. When the cartoonist gathered the courage to pitch his comics to a newspaper in the late 1970s, his generation was only beginning to settle into their adult lives and steadying careers. As Nature's Way became The Far Side, Larson began to create comics that spoke and were directed toward like-minded people of his generation. Through it all, the one thing that has remained constant in the 45 years since its debut is that The Far Side is a comic strip that has aged like fine wine and will most likely continue for generations to come.
An Unusual Sight On The Road
Cars Are Extra Careful At The Sight Of This Truck's Cargo
This comic's placement at the bottom of the list reflects its simpler execution compared to Larson's more intricate works. Still, it does offer a profound look into his Cold War-inspired comedic sensibility. As Larson once noted during an interview on ABC's20/20, the looming fears of nuclear armageddon during the Cold War shaped much of his humor and paranoia, pushing him to blend absurdity with an unsettling reality. This strip features a missile casually transported with a safety-conscious sign, reflecting that influence. It highlights how the ordinary can intersect with catastrophic potential, a perspective born out of the era’s pervasive anxiety over mutually assured destruction.
Going from Leave it to Beaver to bomb shelters, I remember sitting in my seventh-grade English class thinking the world was going to end during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It made you look at the world a little bit askew.
Though straightforward in its humor, the strip remains relevant because it reminds readers of how such fears persist in contemporary times regarding tensions between countries. The themes presented here resonate with a modern audience, from global conflicts to renewed concerns over nuclear weapons. Its placement at the bottom of the list acknowledges its simplicity while honoring its role as a foundational example of Larson’s Cold War-inspired absurdist humor.
A Man Is Stuck On A Dessert Island
Or Is It A Desert Island?
This entry highlights the way Larson balanced grim circumstances with ridiculous scenarios. The man, marooned on an island with nothing but a wrecked boat, faces a dire situation. Yet, rather than focus on survival, he’s painstakingly rewriting his distress message, stuck in a cycle of spelling corrections for the word “desert.” His concern over the possibility of a “dessert island” might seem absurd, but it subtly underscores the fragility of his plight. Miscommunication, even in a scenario like this, could seal his fate.
While this panel isn't as layered as others in the list, its charm lies in how it takes a universal struggle — spelling correctly under pressure — and sets it against the backdrop of isolation and desperation. It's an entry that perfectly illustrates Larson’s talent for creating humor in the darkest corners of the human condition, and it remains relevant to this day.
God's Den Is A Treasure Trove Full Of Knick Knacks
Earth Is Obviously Inside A Cuckoo Clock
This panel, set in "God's den," reimagines the vastness of the cosmos as a cozy part of everyday decor. A cuckoo clock containing Earth springs into action while other planets sit casually displayed on shelves, creating a playful take on divine domesticity. The small details transform the grandeur of space into something familiar and approachable.
This panel remains timeless for its inventive blend of cosmic wonder and lighthearted reinterpretation. Imagining the universe's workings as part of a celestial sitting room presents an idea that feels both grand and accessible. Its enduring appeal lies in how it reshapes something as expansive as space into a creative and relatable concept, ensuring its continued relevance.
Larson's Spy Center Is Run By Loyal Characters
The Recurring Ones Are Always The Best Allies
In this panel, The Far Side characters gather in a spy center, meticulously observing screens that display panels from other comic strips of the time. The room hums with activity as figures in headphones monitor their "competition," a playful nod to the idea of surveillance and rivalry within the comic world. From Charlie Brown and Snoopy to Garfield, each screen adds a layer of self-referential humor, poking fun at the ever-present instinct to compare and compete.
This panel is relevant today as it mirrors the modern obsession with metrics and visibility on social media. Just as Larson's characters keep a watchful eye on their peers, today's creators constantly check likes, views, and follower counts, striving to stay one step ahead. This strip cleverly bridges past and present by drawing parallels between the comic world and contemporary culture. It shows that the drive to monitor competition is as timeless as the humor itself.
Amelia Earhart's Welcome Crowd
They'll Be Waiting A Long While
The legend of Amelia Earhart transcends generations, making this Far Side panel a timeless one. At first glance, the humor here lies in the absurd optimism of the crowd, who have strung up a banner welcoming the famed aviator home. They eagerly scan the skies, binoculars raised, as though her disappearance was just a minor detour. Yet, in true Far Side fashion, the final punch comes with the voice of pragmatism — one man fretting over his roast in the oven, entirely detached from the historic occasion.
This panel works because it taps into that universal familiarity of Earhart's story. The scene's absurdity is dark yet subtle, with Larson's wit placed on a premise rooted in cultural memory. For modern readers, the joke still lands without needing any deeper context than what most learned in school about Earhart's disappearance. It’s a nod to the mystery surrounding her legacy and a sly comment on humanity’s propensity for distraction, especially in moments of supposed importance.
Condiment Dances Are Always Annoying
Some Condiments Throw Crazy Parties
Few panels capture the spirit of The Far Side quite like this one, where a late-night wanderer stumbles upon an unexpected spectacle inside his fridge. The man, dressed in his robe, finds a banner announcing a "Condiment Dance Tonight," an event that feels surreal and oddly plausible in the comic's strange universe. In Larson's imagination, few things were impossible, and in his panels, nothing felt like it was.
This comic holds a special place in the strip's history, not just for its popularity but also for its history. In The Prehistory of The Far Side (1989) the cartoonist recounts how the idea for his panel began with a simple note on his sketchpad about a ketchup bottle accused of mischief inside a fridge. That initial idea eventually became this visual gag, a testament to the unexpected ways inspiration can evolve. Fans still regard this panel as a favorite because it needs no explanation or cultural reference to be understood. Fridges, condiments, and midnight wanderings are universal experiences, making this comic as relatable now as decades ago.
Some Men Don't Get Drawn Until Right When It's Time To Go
Murray Procrastinated And He Won't Learn
This panel highlights Larson’s inventive approach to visual storytelling. Murray, a half-drawn character, sits in his chair reading the newspaper while his wife scolds him for not being ready to leave. The entire setup pokes fun at the creative process in a simple yet clever way.
This comic creates an interesting commentary on its medium by breaking the fourth wall. The idea of a character being unfinished but still carrying on as if everything is normal is amusing and timeless. Its straightforward execution ensures that it remains enjoyable for readers across generations.
Comedy Is A Difficult Subject To Break Down
Or, It Is Extremely Simple
This panel captures the futility of breaking down what makes comedy funny. A professor stands before scholars, meticulously dissecting a violinist with a fake arrow going "through" his head, attempting to define the mechanics of comedy. Meanwhile, the simple "Kick Me" sign on the professor's back delivers the punchline he’s trying hard to lecture on.
The brilliance of this panel lies in its commentary on comedy itself. Humor often works best when left unexplained, as overanalyzing risks stripping it of its charm. The professor’s elaborate effort contrasts sharply with the effortless effectiveness of the prank, highlighting how the simplest joke often lands the hardest.
Whatever The Youth Is Smoking, The Far Side Always Makes It Hilarious
These Cavemen Smoke High-Grade Wood Logs
This panel takes a playful jab at peer pressure, humorously stretching it back to prehistoric times. Three cavemen are depicted, two enthusiastically puffing on burning wood while the third looks on hesitantly. The scene's absurdity lies in the stark contrast between the simplicity of their "smoking" habit and the complex societal behaviors it mirrors.
The panel highlights how trends, no matter their absurdity, are often perpetuated by the need to fit in. Smoking may have taken different forms over the decades—from cigars to cigarettes to vapes—but whatever the youth smokes, it will always be peer-pressured to spread. Larson’s depiction of cavemen participating in this timeless cycle ensures this panel will resonate with readers, regardless of the era.
A Window To A Bleak Future
Larson Always Had A Way With Powerful Messages
Akin to the dramatic and stomach-sinking beginning of an apocalyptic film, this panel shows readers the end of the world. Power lines are down, cars are buried in rubble, bikes are crushed, and houses are destroyed. Further in the distance, explosion clouds line the sky with red and orange. Then, at the front of the panel, a small TV showing static seems to send out a message:
This is a test. For the next thirty seconds, this station will conduct a test of the emergency broadcast system ...
Many are familiar with routine emergency broadcast tests issued periodically to ensure that all systems continue to work correctly. However, this test is broadcast to a silent world, barren of people or life. It is a grim panel highlighting the absurdity of emergency messages in an age of possible nuclear wars. As much as The Far Side was created to make readers laugh, every once in a while, Larson would release panels like this one, where quiet and real scenes had no hidden message or joke. This panel takes first place on the list as it contains an important image to consider, not to be pessimistic, but rather to examine the reality leading to many possible futures and to think about which one readers would prefer.
