One year into the creation of The Far Side, the iconic single-panel comic series, Gary Larson continued to hone his craft and crank out hilarious panels that made readers think long after the laughs faded. These thoughts encouraged reexaminations, fun discussions, and cemented Gary Larson’s genius.
In its sophomore year, Larson continued experimenting with styles and formats outside the well-known Far Side conventions readers are familiar with today. What remained consistent was his output of comics that made people laugh, which were still very open to interpretation. There’s always so much to get out of Larson’s work, and of his 1981 comics, this remains true.
10 Cornelius is Out of Luck
There’s No Bathroom in the Trojan Horse
In Gary Larson’s retelling of the famous Greek myth, where the Greeks hid soldiers inside a giant wooden horse to trick the Trojans, everything unfolds in seemingly the same way except for one major addition. Cornelius, a Greek solider hiding inside the titular Trojan Horse, needs to go to the bathroom. Not only that, but he is told he will need to hold it until nightfall, and he’s berated for not having the foresight to go before he piled into the horse.
By heightening this myth with the inclusion of something so silly, Larson actually grounds the larger-than-life story in reality. Everyone poops needs to go to the bathroom regardless of the stakes surrounding their life. This works in large part due to the deft balance Larson has struck. It’s obviously a silly and funny angle on the iconic story, but it’s done so with a believable, even relatable twist.
9 Fair is Fair
All Life is Meaningful
Three men and a dog are stranded at sea on a small boat that they can barely fit in. The caption suggests that they have run out of food and must implement their back-up plan. They have previously drawn straws and have decided that they are going to eat Larry in order to survive. There’s seemingly no debate about who should be eaten or not, but instead they simply let fate and fairness decide.
This is a funny premise in and of itself. The expressions on Larry and the dog, in particular, really sell the laugh. What makes this comic special is Larson’s signature ability to layer in meaning. This one makes you think long after the laughter has subsided. Why should or shouldn’t these guys eat the dog instead of their friend, Larry? Readers might not walk away as new vegetarians or people who value a dog’s life over a human’s life, but regardless, they’ll engage in a thought exercise about fairness, compassion, and the value of life in general.
8 This Dog is More Than Okay
You Really Should Beware of This One
A smart and obvious “good boy” dog has switched out a “Beware of dog” sign with a “Dog ok” sign just as a tasty, delicious man walks by. The new sign looks a little suspicious in large part due to the handwriting, but it’s honestly not bad for a dog when you think about it. This should still work and get this snack man into the yard.
Larson is so good at telling stories with a single image. There’s no caption required here, and there’s no confusion either. It’s a hilarious premise that tickles readers because it rings true to something that everyone knows and loves about dogs. Even though this is heightened and silly, the dog in the comic is still acting like a dog. It’s able to come up with this scheme and execute it, but its ability to do so is also still reasonably limited considering its species.
7 The Grass is Always Greener
And Cows Have Always Eaten It
A distressed cow jerks up in the middle of its dinner as it realizes it’s been eating grass the entire time. Is it the taste that tipped this cow off? Maybe it was the texture or the color. Either way, something about that last bite clicked and, due to the look on its face, readers know that this cow is outraged. It’s clearly been tricked, and it’s had enough.
This feels like a home run joke. It’s simple and it’s hilarious. It gets the job done. A lot of the heavy lifting comes from all the detail in the cow’s expression. Readers can really feel the weight of this revelation along with all the anger and frustration. The humanization of the cow makes the entire thing strangely relatable. Everyone’s gears have turned slowly at one time or another and sometimes all you can do is laugh at yourself.
6 Like a Bat to a Bat-Signal
Superman Makes the Rounds
Two lighthouse operators are annoyed when they find that Superman is flying laps around their post. Murray’s coworker insists that it’s the lights that have drawn the Man of Steel to the lighthouse, much like how a moth is drawn to a flame. This is obviously and hilariously distracting for the two lighthouse workers.
Their reaction is also so funny because it also implies that this isn’t the first occurrence. They’re not excited or star-stuck about seeing Superman, and they aren’t worried or concerned that they or anyone else is in danger. They both go straight to annoyed. Larson yet again uses a familiar idea or, in this case, a familiar face, and mixes it with real-life mundane experiences to tell a great joke.
5 Soldiers Are People Too
We All Get Carried Away Sometimes
Two soldiers are reprimanded for accidently launching their friend into the air during wartime. The authority figure speaks to the two at fault as if they are children and as if he knew they would get up to some trouble some day. This also all seems like obvious information for people in charge of a catapult and this seems like something that could have easily been avoided. It all adds up to another hilarious Far Side comic.
Grounding this war scene with humor goes a long way to humanize the soldiers, who in general have a tendency to be faceless too often. Even though they are obviously doing serious work that consists of life and death, they are still people. People who can make mistakes, get carried away, and even play silly games. The dehumanization of soldiers paints them all with a broad brush, leaving them without personality. This is another example of a comic that makes readers think.
4 Unicorns Were Real
Noah Was Just Bad at Logistics
A year later, Larson revisits the story of Noah and his Arch Ark. The referential humor is another area in which Larson does some of his best work. Here, Noah is getting on the animal’s case for killing and eating the two unicorns aboard the ark. Which means, they killed and ate the last two remaining unicorns in existence. This explains why the reader has never seen one in real life.
It’s a great joke with a big obvious laugh, but this comic also demonstrates some of Larson’s greatest strengths. He doesn’t just use the reference to tell a joke, he uses another larger-than-life story and marries it to the idea that unicorns, mythical creatures, actually did exist at one point. They just didn’t make it off the ark. There’s satisfaction here alongside a laugh. This joke tells a story that explains why the world we live in is less magical.
3 What Are The Chances?
Did These Two Just Become Best Friends?
A couple of banged-up guys in a couple of wheelchairs discover that they were both struck by lightning. Not once, but twice! Just as these two bond over a shared misfortune, a massive meteor looms over them. It’s impossible to miss, yet they somehow do. Perhaps two men who were each struck by lightning twice are among the only people who could miss something like this.
There’s an obvious joke here surrounding these two deeply unlucky men who have just found each other. What’s fun is the idea that maybe these two are actually extremely lucky. They survived two whole lightning strikes. And they both managed to find each other, fulfilling the age-old adage that «misery loves company». They’ve been very lucky come to think of it, and some readers are willing to bet they survive this meteor too.
2 X-Ray? More Like Death-Ray
A Horror Story in a Single Panel
A puzzled doctor pins up a fresh X-ray and examines it to the best of his ability. He slowly notices some odd things at the bottom of this patient’s stomach. There are several stethoscopes and a smock down there. Just behind the doctor, his patient, Mr. Osgood approaches and is about to grab the doctor. Soon, there will be another stethoscope to add to the large cannibals’ collection.
This comic unfolds like a horror story. As readers read through the caption, glance around at the image, pick up all the carefully placed details, and put those pieces together, they land somewhere between a laugh and a spine-chilling tingle. It’s a great piece that works on two levels simultaneously. And while Larson has dabbled in some dark comics, it’s fun to see him try out a genre like this to great effect.
1 Who is That Swan I See…
Staring Straight Back At Me?
In a quiet and serene scene by a pond, a duck smiles at their reflection in the water. Instead of seeing themselves back in the mirror, they see a beautiful swan. It conjures up familiar images and feelings readers associate with the ugly duckling story and any baggage they may have along with it. It’s certainly funny at face value to see something impossible like this depicted in a comic strip. And to think of a duck with self-esteem so high, they’re delusional.
But beyond the laugh, there’s something very touching, sweet, and again, open to interpretation. Like much of Larson’s work, there’s more here than just a laugh and more than one way to enjoy his art. It’s the safe assumption to assume the duck sees themselves as a beautiful swan in the reflection and to think of the piece as a depiction of inner beauty, but the duck could also possibly be seeing a lost loved one in the reflection. They can be someone who has previously struggled with doubt and low self-esteem, only to now have finally overcome it. The possibilities feel endless and deep, highlighting Gary Larson’s genius.
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