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Few comics are as memorable as Gary Larson's The Far Side. With just one panel for every strip, he created fully realized worlds that he never even attempted to revisit. His imagination was as incredible as his sense of humor, as each character came and went after a single punchline.
Because of the strip's format, jokes are never necessarily meant to last. There are no running gags, no ongoing storylines, and few lasting themes. Still, some jokes are so relatable or funny that they remain memorable forever. Long after reading these strips, any reader will likely keep laughing.
The Elephant Just Wants To Play the Piano
A Lack of Fingers Certainly Hurts
Larson's strips rarely actually reflect anything close to reality. The Far Side loves depicting animals suffering in an anthropocentric world, and that is never more apparent than in this strip. Here, an elephant desperately tries to play the piano. Unfortunately, his lack of flexible fingers makes it an extremely painful prospect.
While this strip is not otherwise exceptional, it can change how readers look at elephants and pianos. A viewer can form that association early, even when the two are not necessarily paired. It will forever bring laughter anytime the reader sees a glimpse of a piano.
The Cat Learned To Never Play With the Fish
This Was a Controversial One
Larson was never afraid to shy away from controversy. Several strips featuring injured animals brought in hundreds of letters from infuriated readers, but he still readily featured animals in terrifying situations. In one strip, he depicted a cat with peg legs sitting patiently before a piranha. The implication is as ridiculous as it is funny. After all, a cat with peg legs is just bizarre.
Piranhas are terrifying creatures, but this strip should add some levity. Instead of fearing them, readers can see the label and think instead of the poor little cat. It's an easy way to draw laughter. Unfortunately, readers may laugh despite some harrowing circumstances. Explaining that away could be a challenge.
Darrell Tries To Learn To Use a Spoon
Darrell Has Never Been the Brightest
There is always something funny about people who completely miss the point. In The Far Side's best comics, simple things are often twisted into something completely bizarre, but Larson adjusted that strategy for just one strip. Instead of featuring animals chomping on spoons or trying to use them without fingers, he featured poor Darrell.
Though a typical human being in a shirt and tie, Darrell had no idea how to use a spoon. He insisted that his spoon was inverted, and he desperately tried to eat with an upside-down spoon. This strip is easy to remember, especially when a spoon happens to be flipped the wrong way in a bowl of soup.
A Haircut Goes Horribly Wrong
Never Discuss Politics With a Barber
Barbers have an important job, and getting on their nerves is rarely a good idea. Nothing in the world can do that more than discussing politics. Even a minor grievance can become a full-on argument during a political discussion, which is exactly what Larson elected to highlight.
In the January 29, 1985 strip, a barber cut every piece of hair off his poor client's head. To make matters worse, under his hair, the client appears to have a slug-like face. It's an extremely clever strip that can keep audiences laughing through haircuts and political discussions.
A Man Learns To Comprehend Dogs
Dogs Are Not the Best Conversationalists
Dogs are often referred to as man's best friend — and for good reason. They are loyal, lovable, and constant companions who rarely shy from their owner's side. Unfortunately, they may be a best friend, but they lack any ability to communicate with their owner. That is exactly why one Far Side scientist invented a device that would let him understand dogs.
The scientist may have made a mistake. After all, dogs are certainly lovable, but they are not the smartest creatures in the world. They love to bark, and those barks do not always have meaning. Larson depicts them as mindless creatures who do nothing more than shout "hey" at each other. It's a hilarious strip, made funnier anytime a reader looks at a dog.
Villagers Don't Like the Anthropologists
Anthropologists Are the Real Fools
Anthropologists devote their lives to studying the day-to-day habits of human beings. Oftentimes, they visit remote groups to learn more about their way of life. That can mean observing their homes, clothes, and interactions. In The Far Side, when those groups see anthropologists coming, they hide their TVs, lamps, and phones from sight.
Anyone reading reports about remote villages or cultures should consider this strip. It's a hilarious observationandeven holds a kernel of truth. After all, people always act differently under observation. No matter how much anthropologists attempt to record the truth, there will always be an inaccuracy there to throw them off.
Two Cows Overlook the Great Chicago Fire
This Actually Ties Into Real History
The Great Chicago Fire was a devastating real-world historical event. The fire began in October 1871 and killed hundreds of innocent people. Miles of the city burned, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. It was a devastating event, and it was all reportedly caused by a cow.
The fire supposedly started whena cow kicked over a lantern. Every death is directly tied to that devastating accident. That's what makes the March 13, 1980 strip so funny. It takes a genuinely tragic incident and makes it the evil plot of a gang of secretive cows. Gary Larson's dark humor works perfectly here.
Far Side Cows Spy on Other Comic Strips
Poor Charlie Brown Is Being Stalked
In the last The Far Side strip, Larson relied on meta-commentary to display his love for the worlds he created. It was not the only time he relied on a more referential style of humor. In the October 8, 1991 strip, his joke was based entirely on allusions to other comic strips.
While the strip is only one panel, it features several TV screens that showcase scenes from other strips. Garfield, Peanuts, and nine other beloved franchises are visible on the screen while the Far Side characters investigate. Of course, two of those spies happen to be a duck and a cow, which only makes it more bizarre. This strip forces readers to consider Far Side spies whenever they read another comic, making it better.
Dinosaurs Recognize Their Coming Extinction
Walnut Brains Don't Help
A pending apocalypse should, by all means, be a horrifying event. The coming extinction of the world's leading species or family of species is a completely cataclysmic event. It results in hundreds of millions of years of turmoil, and the reverberating effects resound through the ages. The Far Side, of course, makes a brilliant joke out of it.
In one strip, the dinosaurs gather for a convention. One dinosaur stands before the rest, arguing that they will soon face extinction and the mammals will claim the world. Before he can finish, he remarks that their walnut brains mean they cannot truly step in to stop it. The strip is hilarious, and it is easy to laugh anytime a reader sees a glimpse of a cartoon dinosaur or, of course, a walnut.
Midvale School for the Gifted Has Struggling Kids
This Little Boy Is Far From Gifted
Even gifted schools can have students who do not necessarily belong in their classes. In one strip, Larson proved it. As a little boy pushed at the door to the Midvale School for the Gifted, he neglected to read the sign that said nothing more than "Pull." The boy appears to be exhausted mid-push, implying that he has been working on the door for a long time.
The strip is easy to remember any time a reader happens to stumble upon a one-way door. It is even funny when looking at young students or gifted schools. The Far Side often depicts the stress of parenting, and this strip does it better than any other possibly could.
