The Far Sidewas full of predatory characters; at times, artist Gary Larson depicted Earth’s most dangerous animals in unexpectedly benign situations, but at the same time,Larson regularly depicted animals that don’t get enough credit for being dangerous in moments where they got to flex their predatory muscles. In other words, readers never quite knew what they were going to get fromThe Far Side.
Gary Larson loved to explore the animal kingdom in all its facets, and meditate on thecomplicated relationship between humans and animals, all with his trademark sense of humor, which straddled the line between surrealism and keen observational comedy.
Whether cynical and macabre, or strange and silly, Gary Larson madeThe Far Sidethe beloved comic strip it is today by being totally uninhibited with his jokes. His depictions of predators and prey went a long way toward helping him develop the reputation he did over the years.
10Gary Larson Depicts The “Tragic Untold Story” Of “Dogs And Alcohol”
First Published: June 13, 2025
Dogs are up to no good when they get alcohol in their system, at least that iswhat happens inThe Far Side. Drunk from some alcoholic beverages, three dogs decide to cut loose by unwisely sneaking into the zoo. Not only do these intoxicated dogs attempt to sneak into a zoo, which is dangerous enough as it is, but they try to get into a cheetah enclosure with a cheetah that is very close by.
Wildly underestimating the power of a big cat, like a cheetah, to absolutely devour them, these dogs are acting now and thinking later. Much like for humans, alcohol can lead to dogs making some bad decisions, leading to tragedy in this case. A PSA for dogs everywhere who don’t know how to drink responsibly inThe Far Sideis on full display in this ’90s comic strip.
9These Far Side Fishermen Debate The Meaning Of “One Long, Steady Pull”
First Published: August 16, 2025
ThisFar Sidecomicshows two hapless sailors on a boat, questioning what “one long steady pull” on the rope means from their diver,while unbeknownst to them, a giant squid has the diver trapped in its grasp under the sea.One need not be an expert in deep sea diving to see that the diver has gotten into a very sticky situation, something the two sailors are oblivious to.
Clearly, the diver did not foresee the threat of a giant squid attacking him, having no contingency plan in place in case of an aquatic predator emergency, sorely underestimating the ocean floor. The diver will have to figure something out soon, or the squid is going to make calamari out of him. If the diver does not do something soon, the whole boat and its two sailors could go down too, making the underestimation of the ocean’s predators a possibly grave mistake.
8On The Far Side, Wild Animals Could Appear Anywhere At Any Time
First Published: July 22, 2025
When a reptile, whether an alligator or crocodile, comes to a couple’s window,they want to settle the debate once and for all to see which animal it actually is, taking the time to grab a book that will help them decipher the species.Nevermind that the animal could break through the window and kill both of them, it is of the utmost importance to them to find out what animal it truly is.
15 Funniest Far Side Comics Starring Gary Larson’s Recurring ‘Arlene Carmichael’ Character (Including His Best Wordplay Joke)
Gary Larson’s Far Side doesn’t have many recurring characters, but when they do appear, they’re used for some of his best comics in the whole series.
The Far Sidenotably intermingled civilization and wilderness; while it would be a shock to most homeowners to have a carnivorous reptile appear in their yard,The Far Side’scast of characterstreated it matter-of-factly, which tended to be part of the comedy of Gary Larson’s cartoons. That is very much the case here, as the couple’s nonchalance is the driving factor of the strip’s humor.
7The Far Side’s “Samurai Dog” Cartoon Escalates The Canine/Mail Carrier Feud
First Published: June 24, 2025
Mail carriers know that dogs tend to bark at them, sometimes even lunge at them. As a result, mail carriers can act with hesitation when they see a dog but likely will not be too on guard.InThe Far Side, however, mail carriers should be prepared for the worst case scenario when it comes to neighborhood pups.
For instance, in this panel, an unassuming mailman walks to the front door of a house,as a dog with a samurai sword looms around the corner, waiting to leap out and strike.The mailman is not prepared for this doggie predator at all, which – given dogs tend to not have swords – is not all that unreasonable. Regardless, thisFar Sidemailman wil need to have some top-notch self-defense skills if he wants to make it out of the yard unscathed.
6"Buffalo Breath"
First Published: July 12, 2025
In thisFar Sidecartoon, two men wade through the tall grass, with guns in hand, unaware there is a buffalo standing right behind them, breathing on them.Not being the smartest men, the two attribute the grunting and breath of the buffalo to each other, getting on each other’s nerves,even though the actual culprit is standing right behind them.
The Far Side Complete Collection
Fans of the far side can’t pass up this master collection of Gary Larson’s finest work. Originally published in hardcover in 2003, this paperback set comes complete with a newly designed slipcase that will look great on any shelf. The Complete Far Side contains every Far Side cartoon ever published, which amounts to over 4,000, plus more than 1,100 that have never before appeared in a book and even some made after Larson retired.
The men have sorely underestimated the animals of the environment they are in, with a massive buffalo around them that could attack whenever it wants to. The hunters may just become the hunted in this comic strip if they do not wise up soon. An alternative option is that they could get som annoyed with each other’s supposed annoying quirks like buffalo breaths and grunting that they just turn on each other.
5The Far Side Explores “The Origin Of Clothes”
First Published: June 15, 2025
A human is the predator inthisFar Sidecomic strip,as Gary Larson theorizes about how humans started to wear clothes; by taking them off of their early prey during humanity’s hunter-gatherer days.A caveman spots two antelopes wearing some fancy duds and decides that his gal pal “Oona” would like the antelope’s dress.
As a result, the two antelopes meet an unfortunate end, but humans come out on top with the invention (or the stealing of the invention) of wearing clothes. The antelopes look like they are not on any sort of alert, a little too at ease with a predatory caveman hiding, ready to pounce, behind a big boulder. Even rhinos get to wear clothes, as seen by the one in the comic strip’s background, with only humans seemingly being left out of the sartorial loop.
4"The Herring’s Nothing"
July 22, 2025
A whale lets his dolphin compatriotin on his plan to completely ignore the herring food that the trainer hands out for them to eat but to instead go for the trainer himself.Putting the “killer” in killer whale, the main character of this comic strip is sorely underestimated, with the trainer having qualms around the aquatic animal.
Little does the trainer know that he won’t just be handing out dinner, he will be the dinner; it is a bit of a macabre comic, as was often the case withThe Far Side, as Gary Larson shows that even the most seemingly domesticated animals can still have a very wild side, and a dangerous one at that. The dolphin does not seem to be in too big of a disagreement with the whale anyways.
3Gary Larson Reveals The Tragic (But Hilarious) Fate Of “The Anderson Brothers”
First Published: July 25, 2025
There should not have to be a warning to avoid throwing baby bears up in the air,but inThe Far Side, common sense goes to sleep. Where there is a baby bear there is its angry parent, as seen in the real world and thisFar Sidecomic strip.When the Anderson boys are tossing an innocent baby bear into the air, without a care in the world, little do they know that the bear’s parent is coming up behind them and the parent is not happy.
12 Far Side Comics From 1994 That Make Readers Go “What the?” (Was the Final Year Of Gary Larson’s Career Weirder Than Ever Before?)
1994 was the final year of The Far Side, and Gary Larson’s continued to deliver on what made the comic great right up until the very end.
The caption makes it clear what happened to the Anderson kids, with the ominous adult bear sending the message loud and clear. The kids did not think twice about their playing with the young bear, fatally underestimating one of the forest’s most dangerous predators: the bear.
2The Far Side Often Mixed Human Activities With Wild Creatures
First Published: Aug 23, 2025
Setting the scene of a more domesticated savanna plain where the animals roam, hunting is a bit different inThe Far Side.Two lions sit by, waiting for the moment when the zebras are completely calm after they have had their drink,which just so happens to be served up at a bar by a buffalo bartender. While the zebras do like they are alert, looking for predators, it does not stop them from getting a drink.
As a result, they underestimate the intelligence of their predators and the fact that the lions know the zebras' routines and behaviors. As it is said in the ancient military general Sun Tzu’s bookThe Art of War,“to beat your enemy you must know your enemy.” Something the lions in this case are well aware of, except in this case it is to eat their enemy.
1"I Have Something For You All"
First Published: August 22, 2025
When people feed animals by the water, it is usually just some stale bread or some seeds for the ducks. This is not so inThe Far Side,with a woman feeding live rodents to a trio of alligators as if they are the most gentle creatures on the planet. Why anyone would want to have an alligator a foot away from them is anyone’s guess, butit isThe Far Sideat the end of the day.
Regardless, the woman does not look concerned in the least, definitely underestimating the danger that these reptilian predators can pose. While these alligators are behaving themselves at the moment, one is left to wonder what happens when the woman runs out of live rodents and the alligators are still hungry. Whatever the outcome, it surely does not look good for the woman feeding the animals.
The Far Side
The Far Side is a humorous comic series developed by Gary Larson. The series has been in production since 1979 and features a wide array of comic collections, calendars, art, and other miscellaneous items.
