The Far Side, written and illustrated by Gary Larson, has always been a surreal escape from the real world, providing imaginative takes on everyday life. As one might expect, these comics range from ironic twists to social commentary, and everything in between! There’s a joke for everyone, and when it comes to finding The Far Side comics for mom, there’s plenty to choose from.
People love to joke about dad jokes and humor, but what about moms? Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of common jokes surrounding the life of motherhood, many of which will resonate this time of year. These jokes can range from needing coffee to survive the day (relatable) to constantly juggling 15-plus problems at any given moment. Moms are superheroes, and they deserve a bit of humor in their lives.
10 Ants in The Far Side Wear Some Big Shoes
First Published: Mar. 21, 1988
«Ernie! Look what you’re doing-take those shoes off this instant!»
Most people probably know at least one mom obsessed with the mess that dirty shoes can track in. To be fair, shoes can get pretty gross, and there’s a reason more and more people are banning them from inside the home. However, it seems unlikely that people are concerned about the particular situation portrayed in this comic by The Far Side.
In this Far Side comic, an exasperated ant mom is lecturing one of her children (presumably) as they stomp into the house with massive shoes. Seriously, this little guy must have stolen those shoes from a human. Hopefully, whoever he stole the shoes from is responsible for stepping on those ants. Otherwise, Ernie is going to have the ant police knocking at his door.
9 Frank Might Be Getting Suspicious in This Far Side Comic
First Published: Feb. 1, 1987
«I have to go, Charles … Frank is getting more and more suspicious.»
Who doesn’t love a good romantic drama? These dramas can take ordinary situations (love, attraction, etc.) and blow them completely out of proportion. Sort of like The Far Side. In other words, what could have otherwise been a casual flirt quickly becomes a daring affair, complete with complicated lies and deceptions. Humans love to watch the drama unfold on the screen.
As it turns out, penguins in The Far Side may also enjoy a bit of drama. This comic shows two penguins, Charles and his penguin love. Unfortunately, their love may be thwarted by Frank, who is presumably the original penguin partner. Drama! However, it seems like Frank may not be the brightest bulb of the bunch, since a cardboard cutout is enough to trick him.
8 Don't Worry, Far Side Readers! It Isn't Real Ketchup!
First Published: Mar. 11, 1991
«Don’t worry, Jimmy-they’re just actors … and that’s not real ketchup.»
Most people can remember the one movie they were too young to watch. Usually, this movie had more than a fair share of gore or horror, resulting in many screaming nights. While that’s unfortunate for any child in question, just imagine how exhausting that must be for all the parents having to walk their kids through this tough time. All the sleepless nights.
Here, The Far Side captures a scene that will be relatable to many parents. A ketchup bottle family is happily spending time at the movies, until something horrible happens — a Ketchup bottle has died! Their ketchup is spilling all over the street. It’s up to the parents to assure this little bottle that it’s just cinema. Good luck!
7 Time to Prank Mom in The Far Side
First Published: Mar. 14, 1983
«Okay! Now don’t move, Andy! … Here comes Mom!»
Pranking moms is a rite of passage for many. This stereotype came about because moms are believed to be easily startled and have massive reactions to scares. Likewise, moms tend to be good sports — they love their children and will generally forgive them for anything. Thus, a long tradition of pranking moms began, usually at the coaxing of dads.
In this Far Side comic, a younger deer is set up to look like its head has been mounted on one of those plaques, with another deer standing watch. It becomes pretty clear that they’re looking to give their mom a good scare. This one really would be a scary moment for any deer mother, as it’s probably the thing of nightmares.
6 Rapunzel's Hair Is Carefully Maintained in The Far Side
First Published: Jan. 1, 1983
«RAPUNZEL, RAPUNZEL! … LET DOWN YOUR HAIR!»
How many women have read or watched the various retellings of Rapunzel and thought to themselves, «There’s no way.» The idea of anybody pulling on that much hair sounds painful, and it’s hard to believe that magic would do anything to cut back on that pain. Then there’s a secondary concern — Rapunzel’s hair is fine and straight, would it even make for a good climbing rope?
One thing is certain: Rapunzel’s hair in this Far Side comic would not make for good climbing! The red hair has been carefully teased up, and there’s zero chance it’ll touch the ground. More accurately, it’s not going to be helping a man climb up any tall tower, no matter how determined he may be.
5 What Did Mr. Potato Head Do!?
First Published: Oct. 22, 1983
«So now tell the court, if you will, Mrs. Potato Head, exactly what transpired on the night your husband chased you with the Veg-o-matic.»
Who doesn’t love a good crime drama?! The best crime drama, according to binge-watching experts, is the kind that people can feel invested in. For example, if a beloved childhood figure were suddenly embroiled in a scandal, everybody would be watching the fallout. Enter the court case of one Mr. Potato Head. Once a lovable toy that most children had, he is now facing jail time.
What crimes did Mr. Potato Head commit? Well, in the world of The Far Side, it seems like he and Mrs. Potato Head had a bit of an argument, which culminated with him chasing her around with a Veg-o-matic. That doesn’t sound like the Mr. Potato Head fans all know and love, but that’s what they always say, isn’t it?
4 That Far Side Spider Is a Proud Momma's Boy
First Published: Aug. 29, 1987
«Tough spiders»
During the mid-20th century, it became pretty popular for people to get «MOM» tattoos. Ironically, a large subset of those getting these tattoos were big, buff bikers, possibly because they had no reason to feel threatened about showcasing their love for their mom. Whatever the reason, it was oddly incongruent, and endearing. In reality, it all leads back to sailors and soldiers showing their loyalty, but that’s a story for another time.
Apparently, spiders were not immune to this trend, at least according to The Far Side. This comic portrays a bad boy spider, complete with a chain-link web, cigarette, and bold «MOM» tattoo right on its chest. This comic couldn’t have made it clearer that this spider is beyond caring what people think about it.
3 The Far Side Proves That You Can't Talk a Stubborn Mom Out of Her Ways
First Published: Oct. 13, 1994
«Despite his repeated efforts to explain things to her, Satan could never dissuade his mother from offering cookies and milk to the accursed.»
Everyone has a habit that they’ll never break, and good or bad, it probably isn’t going away. Some people stress clean while others love to jog; habits come in all shapes and sizes. Likewise, most parents will fall into a certain rhythm, a way of keeping the household running. A lot of stereotypes come with that, such as moms happily baking away or fathers tending to lawns.
In The Far Side, it seems like Satan’s mother loves giving people cookies and milk, and she doesn’t much care who gets those treats. It’s actually pretty sweet (pun not intended, but appreciated) that she wants to take care of those around her, even if those are the same people her son is meant to be punishing.
2 This Far Side Mom Is Asked Who She Loves the Most
First Published: Feb. 10, 1993
«No really, Mom — who do you like best?»
Ah, the dreaded question about which child is the favorite! These are the sorts of questions that can easily start a fight, especially among siblings. Most parents figure out a way to navigate the problem, usually by cheerily saying that they love their children equally, or turning the potentially tense situation into a joke (the flavor of the joke depends on the family dynamics, naturally).
This Far Side snake mom seems to be dealing with the dreaded question, as a bunch of baby snakes demand to know who the favorite is. Depending on how one looks at this comic, the mother might have a harder or easier time handling the situation. After all, to the reader, each baby snake looks the same. Based on her lack of answer, that may be the case for the mom as well.
1 Babies Are Being Fed in The Far Side
First Published: Oct. 10, 1981
«It’s still hungry … and I’ve been stuffing worms into it all day.»
All across the animal kingdom, there are different methods of infant rearing. While readers have long loved tales of human infants falling into the care of wolves, it’s safe to say that the methods involved in raising these children are very different. That may explain the disconnect in this comic by Gary Larson.
This Far Side comic portrays a frustrated momma bird who has been dutifully feeding a human infant all day. Unfortunately for her, the baby is still quite hungry, probably because worms don’t offer the same nutritional value to humans. At a minimum, this baby is going to need a whole lot more. Meanwhile, a human woman (probably the baby’s mother) is happy reading a book in the background. She knows to take advantage of the breaktime she’s been offered!
