The Far Side: 11 Bizarre & Hilarious Comics You Need to See

You've got to be kidding me. Some of these Far Side Comics were straight out of left field.

Also Read: The Far Side: Why Gary Larson's Comics Are So Funny

1990 Far Side Comics:

For those who missed Gary Larson's awesome cartoon series that dominated newspapers back in the 1980s and 1990s, get ready! We're diving deep into a special selection of Far Side comics! He was a genius! For sure!

But these 11 examples. You might be scratching your head and going "What-the?" and asking just what made this creator so well-loved!

You can even say the art got even more bizarre from 1990 on. If you missed his art during this era you can find them as part of some great, popular collections of Gary Larson's work. But some were even harder to wrap your head around!

Also Read: The Far Side: Gary Larson's Hilarious Animal Comics

Weird Humor That Got A Lot of Attention:

Far Side, January 8, 1990, a branching tree of fishbowls coming out of the ocean Image

Gary Larson might be a man of great mystery. The whole series had its own weird charm and was full of quirky and unique cartoons.

Larson loved the world and its interesting creatures but he really took a spin on it by adding his own perspective! It is an insane amount of creativity! It's the humor that made people take another look. However, these "what-the" cartoons stand out from everything else in his collection! Even those familiar with the comic strip can still have a tough time figuring out the whole punch line!

He had an incredibly wild approach that was super appreciated but it was in 1989 where Larson decided to take a one-year hiatus.

This was during his period of doing these really popular, quirky and special works. He made a big comeback, returning in 1990 !

What's the crazy part? This era was one where his comedic stylings were taken up a notch, and these new quirky ideas, gave us some super funny Comics and also made his art iconic.

Also Read: The Far Side: Hilarious Comics That Will Make You Laugh Out Loud

Encroachment of the Fish Developers

Far Side, February 14, 1990, chickens trying in vain to apply lipstick to their beaks Image

This is the first Far Side comic Larson made after returning. There was a great deal of buzz surrounding this panel.

What was so special? There was this really awesome image of a woman in a swimsuit enjoying her day. The world she lives in is really bizarre.

The ocean, it seems, is not just what she thinks it is!
There are some fractals that extend all the way out to the water with fish bowls all over the place!
Fans still remember the caption, "Encroachment of the fish developers!".

Also Read: The Far Side: Iconic Comics That Make You Think and Laugh

Sometimes The Most Obvious Far Side Jokes Were The Strangest:

Far Side, March 8, 1990, a sequence of panels featuring STOPPIT all-purpose spray Image

One of the most noteworthy things about Larson's humor. Is the balance between image and the caption he wrote.

It could go both ways. An interesting image and caption could be super funny, while those that are off, can also bring a special moment to the piece!

So much humor, it can turn a funny premise into something just plain wacky.

For this particular, classic "Valentine's Day" comic!
You got this great group of chickens who are looking super cool with lipstick! There's one more thing, though: chickens don't have lips! This creates the funny line that only Gary Larson can get away with.
It's "like they say..." "we just don't have lips".
Fans of this style, always liked his ability to take normal events and twist them.

Also Read: New X-Men Art Honors Pool Party Classic from the 1990s but with a modern twist.

An Infomercial For the Ages:

Gary Larson (left) and a Far Side panel featuring two plane crash survivors clinging to a rock at sea Image

In the great history of Gary Larson. We're introduced to a series of four different, truly amazing cartoons!

Each of these cartoons are full of a special, well known "STOPPIT" product.

A faucet is getting fixed.
You can even get a taxi!
STOPPIT can even be used to put out a cigarette, but more strangely!
It can stop a baby from crying! It turns out it's not just a household solution! It's one that works in the wild! What looks like an amazing elephant is charging but STOPPIT comes through.

id="a-quiet-moment-of-reflection">A Quiet Moment of Reflection Far Side, April 13, 1990, two birds on the back of rhinosaurus survey their surroundings Image

Far Side, April 13, 1990, two birds on the back of rhinosaurus survey their surroundings Image

One of the most bizarre parts. What is common to see, with a "Far Side" comic, is talking animals. However, you can see animals doing things you never expected! It makes those "what the " moments even more profound!

In this particular cartoon we get to see a big bird, perched on the behind of a rhinoceros.

While we all expect animals to speak to one another there's no clear explanation or something weird as it may sound.

In this particular scene. The mom bird says "Some day this will all be yours" as the pair are perched!

id="snakes-at-their-best"> Snakes at Their Best: Far Side, May 3, 1990, a female snake seductively tells a male snake how to kill a pig Image

"What the ?"

That's an incredible reaction. While Gary Larson is great, some fans find those odd moments more noteworthy!

For one instance, one of the most remarkable instances was an "all-star" snake, the type of "snake private investigator" that most people will likely only find in a comic!

We get to see a snake that looks to be on the job.
It even includes an explanation on how to get a job killing a pig! The "scene from classic nature films" gives an unforgettable look, even if it seems very confusing.

id="a-van-gogh-for-elephants"> A Van Gogh For Elephants: The Far Side Complete Collection Book Set Image

"Far Side" is the kind of comics that are really clever in the details! Some of them you may even miss at first, that's why some find those "what the" moments to be even funnier!

In this comic, we see the title, "Elephan Gogh."! The pun itself is great.
We also get a view of a huge "elephant" who is missing part of his ear! And that's the humor right there!
In real history Van Gogh cut his ear!

id="medieval-pick-up-battles"> Medieval Pick-up Battles: Far Side, June 19, 1990, panel featuring Elephan Gogh, a painting pacyderm Image

There were those funny panels that came up out of nowhere! The whole idea of this particular series, as fans might guess, it just makes so much sense! A "what the ?" moment for those who have never seen the classic comic strips!

In this funny strip. There was an epic battle between a bunch of knights who get into it as they are stripping down their armor. And they turn it into a "shirts and skins" situation.

But just how many of those panels made fans have to take an extra glance and then finally just shake their heads? You can't deny the awesomeness! And that's one of those iconic, unforgettable lines "This is dumb! Really dumb!"

id="t-shirt-twins"> T-shirt Twins Far Side, July 25, 1990, medieval knights have a shirts-vs-skins battle Image

Larson brought some real creativity to the forefront with some super odd events! It wasn't just one strange twist that fans found funny!

Larson put together a panel of a mom getting a chance to see her twins, via an ultrasound and their super cool, custom t-shirts
Each shirt had a saying. One said "Stupid." and the other "I'm With Stupid".

You see, Larson often gave those pop culture moments. That special flavor and it gave us so much fun to think about just how crazy this world could be! And this is something that we'll keep remembering about Larson's work, and all those comics. It's why "The Far Side" was such a huge success! What's even more cool is it helped spark our imaginations. We don't just laugh we're left asking why and how.

So, whether you are familiar with "The Far Side" or not. Here is a perfect, fantastic reason to look back at some of the craziest cartoons from the last century!