Few cartoonists have poked fun at science fiction quite like Gary Larson inThe Far Side. With just a single panel, Larson could parody alien invasions, monster gatherings, and more in ways that felt both ridiculous and oddly insightful. While Hollywood’s sci-fi often leans into spectacle and drama,The Far Sidethrives on the awkward, the mundane, and the hilariously unexpected.
Whether it’s clueless extraterrestrials or misunderstood monsters,Larson’s sci-fi-themed strips reveal the genre’s quirks through a uniquely offbeat lens.These ten comics prove that sometimes the smartest take on science fiction doesn’t come from a blockbuster, but from a comic strip that can deliver the punchline in one frame.
10The Country Boy vs. Kaiju Trope
When a Rifle Outguns Superpowers and Spaceships
A familiar trope in sci-fi and superhero films involves a giant monster attacking a cityfor no clear reason. Usually, heroes with superpowers or advanced technology rise up to stop the threat in a dramatic battle. Gary Larson takes this spectacle and grounds it in absurd reality.
In oneFar Sidecomic, instead of superheroes or spacecraft,the monster is taken down by a calm farmer with nothing more than his rifle.It’s a quiet, ridiculous subversion of the monster movie formula. Larson’s version pokes fun at Hollywood’s tendency to go big, proving that sometimes, the simplest solution is the funniest one. Who needs lasers when you’ve got homegrown confidence?
9Dogs from Sirius
Larson BeatMen in Blackto the Talking Alien Dog
Men in Black(1997) is famous for introducing Frank the Pug, a talking dog who turns out to be an alien informant. But Gary Larson beat them to the punch with a1984Far Sidecomic. In his version,dogs reveal they have always been aliens, secretly observing humans and waiting for reinforcements.
The panel is subtle and hilarious, made funnier by the deadpan and slightly threatening way the dogs talk about their mission. Larson’s take doesn’t need flashy effects or dialogue. It lands with perfect absurdity and taps into something every dog owner has wondered:what if these furry companions are a lot smarter than they let on?
8Earth’s Biggest Oops
When a Handshake Starts an Intergalactic War
We have all had moments where we said or did something awkward without meaning to.Gary Larson takes this universal fear and cranks it up to apocalyptic levels. In thisFar Sidecomic, a man named Roy tries to greet an alien leader but mistakes its head for a hand and shakes it enthusiastically.
The alien takes this as a deep insult and declares the destruction of Earth. It is a ridiculous exaggeration of a relatable moment, but that’s what makes it so effective.It turns an cultural faux pas into a sci-fi catastropheand shows how easily Larson can turn simple social mistakes into world-ending gags.
7Monsters and Mixtapes
A Twisted Joke That Might Have InspiredMonsters, Inc.
At first glance, thisFar Sidecomic seems mild: a few monsters sitting around and listening to music. But a closer look reveals the punchline.The record is titled“The Best of Little Kids Screaming,”and suddenly the scene becomes hilariously dark. Published in 1993, this comic pre-datesMonsters, Inc., which also uses children’s screams as a primary plot point.
The connection feels too close to ignore.Whether or not Pixar drew direct inspiration, Larson clearly had the idea first.His version, however, is much more twisted and casually disturbing. This panel is a perfect example of how Larson layers his humor with subtle horror and deep absurdity.
6Aliens Go Fishing for Humans
When the Catch of the Day is a Nerd
Fishing can sometimes be thought of as boring, but not in thisFar Sidepanel. Here, aliens hover above a city, dangling fishing lines from their spaceship. One of them catches a human but sighs in disappointment, saying,“Nerd…. Dang”The concept is ridiculous and perfectly executed. Larson turns a quiet past-time into a bizarre alien encounter andflips the idea of abduction into something more recreational.
The alien’s disappointment opens up a fun question:what kind of humans are they hoping to catch?It is a small panel with huge comedic potential, and the idea could easily fuel a sci-fi comedy where Earth is just one big fishing hole.
5Who’s Behind Our Nightmares?
Nightmares often feel like they come from nowhere, but Gary Larson gives a brilliantly absurd answer. In oneFar Sidepanel, two gnome-like creatures sit at a console covered with labeled buttons like“DRAGON,” “FALLING,”and“MONSTER.”These creatures casually decide which nightmare someone will experience that night.It is such a weirdly satisfying explanation for something everyone experiences.
The humor comes from the idea thatour night terrors are chosen by bored little beings pressing buttons in a dream factory. It is both hilarious and oddly creepy. This one-panel comic could easily be expanded into a full sci-fi story that explores the logic behind dreams and fears.
4Humans in the Jar Now
When Alien Kids Play the Same Way We Do
Before tablets and smartphones, many kids used to catch bugs in jars, watching them and shaking the container for fun. Larson takes this childhood memory and reverses it. In thisFar Sidecomic, twogiant alien children stare into a jar where astronauts have been placed.
One alien says,“Shake the jar and see if they’ll fight.”It is absurd, a little disturbing, and incredibly funny. By flipping the roles, Larson forces us to see how strange human behavior can be. While it is silly on the surface, this comic has real potential for a sci-fi horror story whereastronauts become unwilling playthings in a twisted alien sandbox.
3Alien Mount Rushmore
When a Joke Turns into an Unsettling Mystery
At first, thisFar Sidecomic appears to be a simple gag.Four alien faces are carved into a mountain, mimicking Mount Rushmore.But then you notice the details: two lone astronauts stare up at the monument, surrounded by a barren, silent landscape. It quickly becomes more eerie than funny.
Who carved the monument? Why is the planet deserted? Where did the aliens go? In one panel,Larson sets the stage for an entire science fiction story.The humor is still there, but it is layered with genuine mystery and a hint of dread. This image could serve as the cold open to a larger sci-fi film.
2Alien Invasion Blooper Reel
When First Contact Goes Hilariously Wrong
Alien invasion movies are usually packed with drama, suspense, and massive reveals. Larson pokes fun at this cinematic tension in one of his comics where aliens make their dramatic descent from a UFO,only for one to trip and fall down the stairs.The entire mood is ruined instantly.
This comic is so simple, yet it perfectly undermines decades of serious alien invasion stories. The humor lies in the timing and physical comedy. It feels like a scene that could belong in a parody film likeShaun of the DeadorGalaxy Quest, where serious moments fall apart in absurd ways. Even aliens can have an embarrassing entrance.
1Dogs vs. the Kaiju Mailman
When Monster Movies Meet the Mail Carrier vs. Dog Trope
While alien invasions and giant monsters are sci-fi staples,Gary Larson puts a hilarious twist on the genre by turning an everyday nuisance into a kaiju-sized threat.In thisFar Sidecomic, it’s not Godzilla or King Kong destroying the city, it’s a monstrous, skyscraper-tall mailman on a rampage.
But instead of superheroes or military forces rising to defend humanity, the only ones prepared for this moment are the dogs. After years of chasing mail carriers, their moment of glory has fianlly come. It’s a brilliant collision of domestic comedy and disaster movie spectacle. So, whichFar Sidecomic would you want to see turned into a full-on sci-fi Hollywood blockbuster?
