Summary
Death was a frequent guest star onThe Far Side– sometimes literally, as these panels featuring the Grim Reaper and other ghoulish figures show. Artist Gary Larson’s penchant for dark humor meant that many ofhis characters met tragic, and at times twisted fates; yet the cartoons in which the embodiment of mortality itself appeared were, in typicalFar Sidefashion, among the silliest, least scary of the strip’s run.
From relationship woes to minor frustrations,The Far Side’stake on Death was used – as fans came to expect from Gary Larson – to offer a deliberately, delightfully skewed perspective on life. In whatever way he represented mortality on the page, it was almost as certain as death and taxes thatThe Far Sidewould get a reaction out of its readers.
While not the most proliferate ofThe Far Side’smany recurring elements, Gary Larson’s panels starring Grim Reapers and other assorted ghouls offer a useful insight into the artist’s overall outlook on death.
The Far Sideended at the start of 1995, with Gary Larson’s retirement as a cartoonist. This put an end to nearly fifteen years of the strip’s time in publication, starting back in 1980. This list is arranged reverse chronologically, with entries taken from 1993 through 1980.
This Dark Recurring Far Side Joke Charts How Gary Larson’s Humor Evolved Over Time
One joke that Gary Larson repeated a handful of times early in The Far Side’s run exhibits the ways his idiosyncratic humor morphed over time.
10On The Far Side, Death Was Always A Messy Affair
First Published: June 15, 2025
In one of Gary Larson’s most infamousFar Sidepanels set in a movie theater,the Grim Reaper settles into a seat at the cinema with his popcorn, soda, and scythe – only to spot the woman he’s dating sitting a few seats over with Jack Kevorkian, the controversial medically-assisted euthanasia advocate, nicknamed “Dr. Death” by the press.
By far, this represents one ofThe Far Side’smost overtly topical references; while many of Gary Larson’s cartoons have a timeless quality, this one is unabashedly of its era, likely because the artist concluded that the joke was simplytoo good not to illustrate. In any case, though readers will need to understand the context of Kevorkian’s place in early 1990s American culture, for those that get the reference, this is an undeniably effectiveFar Side.
9To Gary Larson, Death Was Nothing But A Big Joke
First Published: June 17, 2025
Death is, of course, life’s greatest mystery, and thanatophobia – the fear of death and dying – is an unavoidable condition for many people. Others seemingly have the luxury of being able to laugh at the Reaper, as is the case inthisFar Sidecartoon, which depicts Death bombing at a stand-up comedy open mic, with only one member of the audience responding to his routine.
“Only Bernard, in the front row,” the caption elaborates, “had the nerve to laugh at death.” Given the wayhe regularly found humor in mortality, it makes sense that Gary Larson was one of those people who combated the fear of death with a wicked sense of humor, as many do, transmuting terror intoFar Sidepunchlines. Generally, he faired much better as a humorsist than the Reaper does here.
8On The Far Side, Death Could Be A Total Headache
First Published: August 16, 2025
In thisFar Sidecartoon, theGrim Reaper moonlights as the “Angel of Migraines,” walking away from a house wearing boxing gloves, as through the living room window, a woman can be seen clutching her head. The visual humor of this cartoon makes effective use of contrasts – in particular the incongruity of the Reaper’s red gloves against his dark cloak, as he strides down the front walkway of the suburban home in broad daylight.
Migraine sufferers know that these severe headaches can strike at any time, something that Gary Larson equates to the suddenness of death in this panel. In this instance, the artist strikingly, and memorably, subverts the familiar iconography of Death to poke fun at one of life’s great inconveniences.
7These Far Side Ghouls Take Themselves Too Seriously
First Published: July 05, 2025
In this instance, a pair of ghoulish,Grim Reaper-esque figures are on a mission to frighten a couple of adolescents – who catch one admonishing the other to stop shining a flashlight on his face. “We’re trying to scare these kids,” one of the cloaked skeletons tells his compatriot, Carl, “not crack ‘em up.”
Here,Gary Larson plays with a familiar trope– a flashlight pointed upward at someone’s face to make them scarier – by suggesting that it is not actually effective, with that opinion coming from no less an authority than a pair of supernatural scaremongers. Though they have the familiar appearance of Death, theseFar Sideghouls are far from intimidating, instead coming off as goofy and harmless in spite of themselves.
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.
6A Desperate Far Side Traveling Salesmen Knocks At Death’s Door
First Published: July 09, 2025
The image of the knock at the door is used for both sides of the mortality equation. People at the end of their lives are said to be “knocking at death’s door,” while alternatively, it is the Reaper who is said to come knocking when it is time to collect a soul.ThisFar Sidecartoonhilariously lampoons this idiom,featuring a fearless traveling salesman knocking at “the Deaths” door, just as they’ve settled down for the night.
“Dang, if it doesn’t happen every time!” Mr. Death exclaims, over his newspaper, as Mrs. Death holds a steaming mug of evening coffee (or tea.) “We just sit down to relax and someone’s knockin’ at the door.” Though not necessary for readers to understand the joke, the mailbox in the foreground marked “the Deaths” hammers home the hilarity of thisFar Sideillustration.
5An Ambitious Traveling Salesman Tries To Dig Up Work On The Far Side
First Published: July 16, 2025
In an earlier take on the “knocking at death’s door” joke, thisFar Sidepanel features a traveling salesman being rebuffed at the gates of a cemetery, as a Reaper-esque figure tells him: “Sorry…we’re dead.“Hilariously elaborating on the extremes people would go to to avoid inviting a salesperson into their home, Gary Larson once again uses the avatar of Death to effectively portray a quirk of life inhis own idiosyncratic way.
Funny as the joke is, given the extraordinary nature ofThe Far Side, it is actually commendable that this salesman attempted to open up a lucrative new market by pitching to the denizens of the graveyard. Unfortunately for him, he doesn’t make it past the door – yet in this way,the premise of thisFar Sidecartooncontinues to amuse even beyond the effect of the punchline on the page.
4The Far Side Was Full Of Close Encounters With Death
First Published: June 29, 2025
In thisFar Sidepanel,a man irately shouts “hey, watch those elbows buddy!” at the Grim Reaper, who hurries past him on a busy city street. “Unwittingly,” the caption comments, “Irwin has a brush with Death.” As he often did, hereGary Larson takes a popular idiomand literalizes it – subsuming its scariness in absurdity in the process.
That is to say, the joke here takes a near-death experience, also called a “brush with death” and downgrades it to one of the common indignities of city life. What makes this even funnier is the fact that, despite potentially provoking the wrath of the Reaper by shouting at him, Irwin does not even seemingly understand the gravity of the moment, as Death busily goes about his business, leaving the man on the street for another day.
Gary Larson’s Final Words On His Career Are Bizarre, Touching, & Perfect For The Far Side
In his final essay from “The Complete Far Side,” Gary Larson went on a tangent which delightfully encapsulated the heart of his long-running comic.
3On The Far Side, Death Could Be The Life Of The Party
First Published: June 27, 2025
Especiallyearly inThe Far Side’srun, Gary Larson used the familiar image of the Grim Reaper – the cloak, and the silhouetted face – in somewhat unconventional ways. Rather than Death itself, these Reaper-inspired characters were dead, or undead, ghouls and ghosts. That is the case here,as a room full of ghouls party together, variously smoking and drinking, as one asks another: “Hey, Bob! How’s death been treating you?”
Essentially, the Reaper iconography is used indirectly here as shorthand for death; were this illustration to feature a group of human-looking characters standing around, the punchline would not have been effectively conveyed by the image. Alternatively, Larson could have drawn a gathering of semi-translucent ghosts, or people with angel wings, but by making them visually reminiscent of the popular conception of Death, Gary Larson also put a proprietary stamp on this joke that makes it all the more memorable.
2Gary Larson Reminds Readers To Always Check Death’s Credentials Before Opening The Door
First Published: June 13, 2025
In thisFar Sidecartoon,a pair of women are understandably hesitant to open the door for the cloaked figure, shrouded in darkness, with glowing red eyes, who claims to be the Reaper.“Wait a minute here,” one of them stalls. “How are we supposed to know you’re the real Angel of Death?”
Though each and everyFar Sidepanel was intended to be enjoyed in isolation, this one works especially well in the context of Gary Larson’s various depictions of the Reaper over the years; considering this perhaps the most ominous incarnation of Death to ever graceThe Far Side, the women at the door come across as even more justified in their skepticism.
1On The Far Side, Even Ghouls Get Spooked Sometimes
First Published: August 13, 2025
In one of Gary Larson’s earliestFar Sidepanels featuring Grim Reaper-inspired ghouls, the joke hinges on the strip’s characteristic Larsonian inversion. That is to say, it is the scary figures who are themselves spooked – poking their heads into a room where they heard a noise, finding with relief that the cause of the commotion was only a cat.
With this panel, Gary Larson established that his depictions of Death personified would provide a measure of relief from the mortal peril thatFar Sidecharacters often found themselves in. Paradoxical, perhaps, but this was just one of the many strange, unique things about Larson as a creator that madeThe Far Sideas memorable, and even groundbreaking, as it was consistently from start to finish throughout its nearly fifteen years in publication.
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.
