Gary Larson’s The Far Side is famous for its surreal and often dark humor, but beneath its absurdity, the strip has also delivered plenty of surprisingly deep insights, tackling everything from God and Hell to the strange realities of everyday life. Yet of all Larson’s thought-provoking strips, only one can truly claim to be The Far Side’s deepest, and 45 years after its publication, it remains unmatched by anything that came before or after it.

When it came to more profound subjects, Larson often explored the absurdity of existence, mortality and death, the human condition, and the conflict between humans and nature. The latter two were particular favorites of Larson’s, often resulting in some of his deepest and darkest comics as he confronted the harsher realities of life.

While there are plenty of examples of Larson exploring the human condition and humanity’s relationship with nature, one Far Side comic stands above the rest. Published on November 7, 1981, the strip combines the two themes into a single, haunting story, delivering an emotional gut punch without a single word.

The Far Side’s Deepest Strip Brilliantly Calls Out The Fatality of Humanity’s Envy

Published on November 7, 1981

Arguably the deepest Far Side comic of all time is also one of Larson’s simplest. In a single panel, Larson tells a complete story, depicting a caveman, one of his favorite recurring characters, watching a duck fly overhead. When the caveman sees the bird soaring through the sky, he begins flapping his arms, mimicking the motion of the duck’s wings in an attempt to fly himself.

This simple action conveys a bone-deep yearning, one that becomes increasingly apparent as the caveman exhausts himself in his attempt to achieve the impossible. Eventually, accepting that he cannot fly, the caveman fashions a bow and arrow and uses it to shoot the bird down, killing it. There is no punchline, nor is there any real humor to be found in the strip. Instead, it conveys one of the darkest aspects of the human condition: envy.

When the caveman discovers that he cannot fly, he becomes envious of the bird, and rather than admiring its ability to do something he cannot, he decides to kill the creature to sate that envy. It is essentially a declaration that if he cannot fly, then neither should the bird. The fact that the caveman simply walks away from the bird’s carcass makes the moment even more grueling. This action makes it clear he didn’t kill the bird for food or out of necessity; he killed it purely because he could not have what it had, making the act of destruction all the more senseless.

This dark strip is truly one of the deepest in Larson’s comic discography because it speaks to the human condition, particularly humanity’s tendency toward envy and its seemingly primal desire to destroy what it cannot have. The inclusion of both a human and an animal also gives the strip a distinct human-versus-nature element, resulting in profound commentary on some of humanity’s darkest impulses and their effects on the world around us.

The Far Side Turns a Game of Trivia Into a Surprisingly Deep Message

Published on September 10, 1984

The Far Side’s November 7, 1981, strip serves as arguably the deepest of Larson’s comics; yet, there’s no denying that there were some solid runners-up as well. Among them is Larson’s 1984 strip depicting God playing against humans in a game of trivia. The comic comes with the caption: “Yes! That’s right! The answer is ‘Wisconsin’! Another 50 points for God, and uh-oh, looks like Norman, our current champion, hasn’t even scored yet.”

While this one is far lighter and has undeniable tongue-in-cheek humor, it actually conveys a surprisingly deep message for those who believe in God: that in the game of life, humans are no match for the Almighty Creator, and in the end, God always wins. While interpretations and opinions will naturally vary from viewer to viewer, the strip showcases Gary Larson’s range and genius in conveying subtle commentary, making it a notable entry, especially compared to the more explicit and obvious messaging of the caveman-versus-duck Far Side comic.

Writer

Gary Larson

Colorist

Gary Larson