It’s hard to believe thatThe Far Sidewas only written and illustrated by Gary Larson over a 15-year period. Excluding the New Year’s Eve it ran in 1979, the series was released byThe San Francisco Chronicleand then theUniversal Syndicatefrom 1980 until 1995. In just 15 years, the comics have had an immense impact on the world despite a relatively brief time on newspaper stands.
In just 15 years,The Far Sidechanged modern science, altered the overview of human history, and most importantly, gave citizens worldwide a reason to laugh. Throughout those 15 years, Larson was always incredibly consistent, always finding new ways to have his readers howling with laughter, whilst giving their minds a reason to think outside the box. Despite how muchThe Far Sideages,the comics themselves never get old. Taking a look at the funniest strips from each year it was active is proof of that.
151980 - “I Can’t Believe It - I Was Just Talking to Him Yesterday”
First Published: Jul 03, 2025
During the first year thatThe Far Sidewas active, Gary Larson wasted no time aiming for a morbid tone. Botanist enthusiasts know the pain of watching one of their plants die in front of them. For those as attached to their plants as they are people, the process can be like watching a loved one die in front of them. Gary Larson takes that feeling and amplifies it to 1000%.Not only does this plant die in front of its owner, the plant kills itself, as evident by the noose around its neck.
In his heyday, it was never clear if some of hisFar Sidecomics were a cry for help from Gary Larson, or if he just hada dark sense of humor. Maybe it was a little bit of both, but either way, it made for some gut-busting comedy that some readers feel bad laughing at.
First Published: July 09, 2025
One of Gary Larson’s frequent techniques was giving readersa new spin on classic literature. He added such a twist to Louisa May Alcott’sLittle Women. He doesn’t necessarily twist the narrative, but instead, the title itself.Larson turns Alcott’s fanbase into little men, and he takes the term"little"literally. The title of the book references a letter in the story from a father addressing his daughters, or rather his little girls, his “little women,” so to speak.
As for Gary Larson, he makes the readers of Little Women into actual miniature-sized boys. It’s hard to tell if these are younger boys or just short men. One can say that’s up to the reader’s imagination, but the visual of little men readingLittle Womenis a fun use of wordplay.
131982 - “Cow Tools”
First Published: October 1982
This is aFar Sidecomic that is as hilarious as it is frustrating. Somehow, one of Larson’s more straightforward editions of The Far Sidehappened to be the most confusingthat readers put their hands on. The cow in question is displayed in front of a series of tools, most noticeably a saw. Readers reportedly wrote in expressing their perplexity and even their anger about not understanding what Larson was trying to get across. Even Larson’s own mother had to call and ask for an explanation!
As it turns out, Larson’s explanation was as simple as just thinking cows would not pick out any good tools if they had to choose them.Larson put a lot of thought into most of his panels, and for the enduring legacy of one of his most uncomplicated comics to cause such a hoopla is even funnier than the comic itself.
121983 - The Cyclops Family at Breakfast
First Published: June 13, 2025
Some of the bestFar Sidecomics are ones that require a double take. This is no different, as it takes the reader a second to evaluate the scene and figure out exactly what is happening. A family of alien cyclops are having some trouble enjoying their meals when the citrus from their fruits keeps gouging out each other’s eyes, turning a simple family breakfast into a nightmare. It’s a comic that makes readerschange how they view family life, but it’s also downright hilarious.
Even an alien family of cyclops from another planet has their own strange family dynamic. There is not a single family in the galaxy that doesn’t have its quirks and differences from others. For the cyclops, they just have trouble keeping a close eye on their food - or maybe too close of an eye.
111984 - “Murray Didn’t Feel the First Pangs of Real Panic Until He Pulled the Emergency Cord.”
First Published: July 16, 2025
The human mind is a fascinating thing to study. No one wants to be in peril themselves, but imagining someone else in a preposterous setting experiencing a moment of pure terror can make for a hysterical thought.This is why it’s hard not to burst out laughing at Murray as he’s going through the worst day imaginable. Regardless of whether he leaped from a plane for the sake of an emergency or if he was trying to skydive, Murray inexplicably found himself high in the clouds.
A parachute should serve as a safety net that protects the wearer from further harm, but when that net is replaced by a grand piano, it’s safe to say that further harm is on its way. Then, to add insult to injury, that piano comes with a steel anchor. Poor Murray.
101985 - “Where’s My Earthworms Alfredo?”
First Published: July 07, 2025
The wait staff at a diner or restaurant are among the hardest workers on the planet, but even they make mistakes.Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days, and everybody has had their spaghetti alfredo mixed up with earthworms. Okay, maybe that last mistake isn’t a universal case of human error, but it can easily happen when birds dine in the same establishment as humans do. Writing about birds ranks as one of Gary Larson’s favorite pastimes (or obsessions) and this time,Larson places birds shoulder-to-shoulder with humans.
The best part of the visual gag is, while the bird complains about the mix-up to the waittress, readers can see one of the establishment’s patrons slurping up the fowl delicatessen. Larson has his readers' eyes working overtime to enjoy this one, but as is always the case withThe Far Side, it’s worth it.
91986 - “When Snakes Try to Chew Gum and Crawl at the Same Time”
First Published: July 14, 2025
The phrase"you can’t walk and chew gum at the same time"is more so a joke about someone’s incompetence, suggesting that someone who can’t do both simultaneously simply isn’t smart enough to do so without choking. The classic idiom is applied to this horde of snakes, who actually are having a hard time, but it’s not quite because they’re simple-minded. Snakes tend to swallow in big gulps, unless they’re using their fangs. Obviously, trying to chew on gum with fangs is a tough task in itself.
Granted, the inner structure of a snake’s anatomy prevents them from ever choking on anything, but an anatomically correct joke isn’t a funny one. KnowingLarson’s obsession with snakes, he probably knew that before drawing up this comic. Thankfully,Larson tosses anatomical accuracy out the window for a funny twist on an old-school phrase.
First Published: June 03, 2025
Gary Larson had a knack for puns, and he never hesitated at the opportunity to use them. One of his best usages of puns comes in this comic. Even better, the pun is layered upon other jokes as well, giving readers all the more reason to laugh nonstop. The subjects arecavemen, Gary Larson’s favorite source material, at the dawn of fire’s invention. Someone who is presumably Thak’s wife or cavegirl-friend suggests marking the occasion with a photo from an actual camera.
The subject who invents fire, Thak, should not be confused with Gary Larson’s most recurring caveman character, Thag. Clickhereif you want to see Thag’s most historic appearances.
Of course, with this taking place during the invention of fire during the Stone Age, cameras shouldn’t exist. Clearly, she’s getting ahead of herself - not just in thinking about photography, but getting ahead of everyone else with knowledge of cameras.Larson, at his core, is a master wordsmith, and this is a prime example.
71988 - The End (Act One): A Sequel to Cow Tools
First Published: July 14, 2025
Anyone who doesn’t thinkFar Side’s"Cow Tools" strip is funny is more likely to get a kick out of this one. This strip is one of the few to feature Larson himself as a writer being ambushed by an angry mob of cows, all sporting their own tools, most noticeably a bat with a rusty nail in it. Looks like the cows finally found some ideal tools after all. It’s not often that Gary Larson decides tobreak the fourth wall, but if there was ever an apropos time to do so, it’s to address his most controversial comic.
Gary Larson was on hiatus in 1989 due to creative burnout and the stressors that come with being under pressure to release a new comic strip every single day. This means that there were no strips ofThe Far Sidethat were released that year.
It’s also a moment for the reader to see how Larson handles humility. A joke that bombs, especially one that stirs confusion and controversy, can be humbling for any comedian. In what would have been embarrassing and sobering for some, Larson proves he can take criticism in stride.
61990 - “Well, There He Is Billy - Big Red”
First Published: Jul 20, 2025
Breaking in a new horse can be a lot like breaking in a new pair of cowboy boots. It’s going to start off rough and maybe a little painful, but once everything settles, it’s a perfect fit.However, Big Red might make for a tougher horse to break into. It’s not every day that a rider encounters a horse with spikes all over it. A rider who is willing and able to break in such a horse has certainly earned their prize, but when it’s easier said than done, the effort may not even be worth it.
It’s even harder to find the reward in breaking in Big Red when the biggest consequence is death, and at best, the rider breaks in a new horse with bodily harm to themselves. Props to anyone willing to try to claim Red as their own, and bigger props to anyone able to take him.
