By 1986, The Far Side had achieved critical acclaim, and commercial success, and had established itself as one of the staples of newspaper comic sections across America, alongside more traditional fare like Charles Schulz’s Peanuts and Jim Davis’s Garfield. The cartoons collected here are a testament to the highlights of what was a banner year for creator Gary Larson.

The flip side of this epic rise to success in the early 80s, however, was that the increased demands of The Far Side’s production schedule really began to wear down Larson as the 1980s progressed, leading to his eventual hiatus year in 1989, before the final “act” of his career in the 1990s

Still, even as the process of creating The Far Side became increasingly taxing on Gary Larson, the fruits of his labor continued to be even more dialed in and laugh-out-loud brilliant. So, while 1986 was in one sense the “beginning of the end” for The Far Side, it was also one of the high points of Larson’s career.

10

This Far Side Couple Knows They’re In A Comic, But What Are They Gonna Do About It?

First Published: January 1, 1986

The Far Side kicked off 1986 by breaking the fourth wall, with a joke in which the characters are aware of the caption in the top left corner of the frame that says “Later,” which the woman in the panel remarks to her husband “is back,” indicating they’ve had this issue before.

Gary Larson often made the most of his characters’ obliviousness and obtuseness, yet this cartoon takes the opposite tact, making this couple preternaturally aware of their illustrated surroundings, and worse off for it. In a way, this represents an under-cultivated vein of Larson’s humor; one that led to some classic jokes, but that he could’ve done more with.

9

Gary Larson’s Intellectual Humor And Penchant For Physical Comedy Collide In This Far Side Comic

First Published: January 7, 1986

This is one of Gary Larson’s more high-brow jokes, but the niche reference in this Far Side cartoon is at least balanced out, to a certain degree, by the resulting screwball-esque physical comedy, as the panel depicts a migrating bird smashing against an invisible barrier, “the window of vulnerability,” with an exaggerated onomatopoeic “BOINK!“

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Gary Larson’s comedic style hinged on his unparalleled ability to take things that were familiar to readers and turn them upside down & inside out.

“The window of vulnerability” is a term most frequently used in cybersecurity; Larson’s use of it here is an example of his tendency to find literal interpretations of figurative language, though mashing up this phrase and the imagery of migrating birds is an idiosyncratic choice, to say the least, resulting in a Far Side comic that will leave some fans scratching their heads.

First Published: May 27, 1986

Captioned simply “brain aerobics,” this Far Side scientist comic stands out for the way that Gary Larson manages to find humor in the action of inaction. Or, perhaps it is better to say internal action, as the scientists in the cartoon stand stiffly in place while they work out their brain muscles, with the researcher leading their exercise saying, “keep those cerebellums up! one, two, one two…“

It is a silly joke, but under its overt layer of absurdity, readers can recognize the observation Larson had that motivated the panel, regarding the use of physical activity as a metaphor for mental work. In other words, “though exercises” sounds normal to people, but “brain aerobics” seems ridiculous, which this Far Side cartoon hilariously encapsulates.

7

The Far Side’s “Snakes In An Elevator” Joke Is A Masterpiece Of Understated Comedy

First Published: June 4, 1986

This is an example of a Far Side cartoon where the simplicity of the dialogue is key to elevating the humor of the panel. That is, when a man with over half-a-dozen (presumably) venomous snakes dangling off of him, fangs sunk deep into his flesh, steps onto a crowded elevator and just says “fourth floor, please,” it is a form of comedic underselling.

That is, the character’s calmness clashes with the zany peril of his situation, and the effect is palpable, as this is without question one of Gary Larson’s most universally well-received, obviously laugh-out-loud cartoons. Certainly, as far as Far Side comics set in elevators go, this is arguably the peak example.

6

The Far Side’s “Turbulence Fake-Out” Cartoon Shows Off The Extent Of Gary Larson’s Abilities

First Published: August 3, 1986

In this extra-sized, multi-panel Far Side cartoon, a pair of commercial airline pilots have some fun at their passengers’ expense, by pretending the flight is encountering some serious turbulence. This is an iconic Far Side cartoon for multiple reasons, starting with the way Gary Larson taps into the average person’s fears about flying, and turns them into a cruel bit on the part of these pilots.

This Far Side cartoon is also a masterclass in perspective, and it showcases the extent to which Larson was able to flex his creative muscle when he broke out of the cartoon’s usual single-panel format. Of all the double-sized Sunday cartoons Gary Larson produced, this stands as perhaps the most memorable, and the most precisely executed.

5

The Far Side Was On A Hot Streak In 1986; This Is One Of Many Classics Gary Larson Produced

First Published: August 27, 1986

Anyone who is sick of dealing with the summer heat will relate to this Far Side cartoon. Captioned “inside the sun,” it brings readers into the room where it happens; that is, the room with the giant switch that changes the sun from its “rise” to its “set” setting, and the man who flips the switch, sitting reading a newspaper, in a sweat-stained white tank-top, surrounded by fans.

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With The Far Side, Gary Larson liked to drop unexpected punchlines on readers heads; in these cartoons, he drops far worse on unsuspecting characters.

This is The Far Side at its most benignly surreal, conjuring a totally ludicrous concept out of nowhere and bringing it to life via illustration. It stands as a reminder that Gary Larson’s humor was often at its best and brightest when he allowed himself to veer off into unchecked whimsy, and full-on fantasy.

4

Gary Larson Reveals What The Dog Is Really Thinking In This Underrated Far Side Gem

First Published: September 11, 1986

In this Far Side cartoon, Gary Larson imagines what dogs are really thinking when little kids rough-house with them, and the answer is darkly hysterical: plotting the kids’ demises, of course. “I bet your kids and Bruno would like to go outside where they’d have room to really play,” a woman says to her house guest, whose young boys are torturing the dog of the house by chewing on its tail and riding on its back.

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Meanwhile, a thought bubble above the dog’s head shows him daydreaming of burying the two brats in the yard. It is a classic Far Side use of juxtaposition, in which Larson effectively plays with the contrast between “real” and fantasy in the context of just a single panel.

3

In “Randy Brands His Ants,” Gary Larson Uses The Far Side To Highlight The Childish Cruelty Of Certain Farm Traditions

First Published: November 7, 1986​​​​​​​

The Far Side’s nerdy kid got into all manner of trouble over the years, and some of his most controversial appearances involved his terrible track record as a pet owner. This is just one notorious example, in which “Robby works his ant farm” by branding each of his ants with an “R.”

Yet what makes this iteration of the Far Side gag amusing is the fact that, in this case, what “Robby” is doing is learned behavior; real farmers brand their animals, and he is bringing a level of authenticity to his playtime that unfortunately translates to cruelty for his ants. Thankfully, though, this scenario translates to hilarity for fans of Gary Larson’s work, with the look of horror on the ant’s face as it is branded representing the peak of dark comedy.

2

Farmer Dave Rolls To The Far Side Of The Bed And Ignores His Chickens In This Classic Cartoon

First Published: ​​​​​​​December 11, 1986​​​​​​​

On the surface, this Far Side cartoon seems whimsical enough, as it features a farmer’s chickens gathering at his window at sunrise to wake him up when he oversleeps. “YO! FARMER DAVE! LET’S GO, LET”S GO, LET’S GO” the chickens shout, eager to start the day.

Farmer Dave, for his part, is depicted still fully tucked in under the covers, back to the gaggle of clucking hens trying to get his attention. This has caused readers over the years to look deeper into this cartoon, suggesting this is one of Gary Larson’s occasional depictions of depression. While most farmers would be up-and-at-’em by this point in the day, it seems as though Dave is implicitly struggling with motivation to get up.

1

One Man Becomes The Focal Point Of The World’s Discontent In This Hilarious Far Side Panel

First Published: December 13, 1986

“The world was going down the tubes. They needed a scapegoat,” the caption of this Far Side cartoon explains, concluding that “they found Wayne,” as the man in question looks at a mob of protesters outside his window wielding signs that say things such as “Down With Wayne.”

Here, Gary Larson hilariously inverts a trope of conspiratorial thinking. Often, people looking for someone to blame for their problems will pick vague, impersonal groups as their “scapegoat“; shadowy cabals, large groups, an indescribable “they,” etc. In this Far Side cartoon, the discontented masses instead focus their ire on one random guy, the unfortunate Wayne, who isn’t responsible for the woes of the world, but is going to pay for them nevertheless.

Writer

Gary Larson

Colorist

Gary Larson