Gary Larson’sThe Far Sideis known for its surreal situations and witty dialogue, but some of his best gags come from thoughts, not words. In comic art, creators often use speech balloons to show speech and thought balloons - or thought bubbles - to show what a character is thinking. Larson was no stranger to the latter, often hinging his jokes on hilarious thoughts that only the reader could see.
Here are the 15 funniestFar Sidecomics that use thought balloons, starring inventive cavemen, disobedient dogs, bored angels and… Popeye?!Don’t forget to vote in our end-of-article poll and find out which strip other readers chose as their #1.
15There’s a Bee in the Car
Larson Loves Adding One Bizarre Detail to Mundane Situations
In this strip, a driver notices there’s a bee in her car and tries not to worry. It’s a boring, everyday situation, except for the fact that Larson makes the bee a human-sized intruder. It’s a creepy (but funny) image thatshows Larson’s skill at using a single panel for his jokes, posing the strip so that there are two ‘spaces’ in play - the front and back of the car interior.
14Balance It Until I Say
Far Side Knows What Our Pets Are Really Thinking
There’s something hilarious about a character who’sjust aboutto reach their breaking point, and Larson uses the dog’s thought balloon to show its frustration without interrupting the owner’s patronizing instructions. For those readers who want tosee the dog actually strike back, another Larson comic shows exactly what that might look like:
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In Far Side’s funniest comics about worms, it’s easy to see why Gary Larson loved the subject so much that he wrote a children’s book about it.
13Early Checkers
Caveman Inventions Are One of Far Side’s Best Recurring Gags
Far Sideoften depictscavemen inventing modern tools, usually with some major first-draft issues - for example, trying to invent vehicles by strapping a caveman on the outside of the wheel. In this case, the first draft of checkers only has two squares, making the game both incredibly simpleandimpossible to play. Larson emphasizes the ludicrous situation by having his caveman character thinkinghardabout his next move.
Larson’s cavemen have been around sinceFar Side’s first month in sydication, though the creator admits inThe Prehistory of The Far Sidethathe feels like it’s some kind of cartoonist crime to show them living alongside dinosaurs, stating:
I’ve always felt that I’ve committed some heresy by doing cartoons (like the ones above) that mixed dinosaurs with primitive people. I think there should be cartoon confessionals where we could go and say things like, “Father, I have sinned - I have drawn dinosaurs and hominids together in the same cartoon.
12Executioner Understudies
Far Side Has Never Been Afraid of Its Dark Side
In this comic, a plucky understudy finally gets the chance to take over after the star falters… it’s just a shame that their"big chance"involves cutting off someone’s head. Larson adds extra hilarity to this strip by creating a half-hearted backstage area where the understudy is waiting behind a curtain for their chance. The image of an executioner failing because their ax handle randomly snapped in two is an additional funny visual.
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The Far Side has a lot of obsessions, from delinquent cows to creative cavemen, and yet somehow eggs became one its funniest recurring ideas.
11Heaven
Far Side Is No Stranger to the Afterlife
Heaven and Hell appear often inThe Far Side, though both are pretty pale imitations of the originals. Larson’s Devil struggles to keep order in Hell, where the damned are free to scrawl graffiti and order in pizza. Meanwhile, the vibe in Heaven isn’t anything to write home about, with the angelic protagonist of this comic wishing they’d brought their own entertainment. It’s a particularly funny gag because their solution is so low-key - it’s unlikely that a magazine would do much to dent eternal boredom.
10Colonel Sanders
“Uh-Oh” Is One of Far Side’s Favorite Phrases
Gary Larson didn’tparody real people often, but when he did he went for icons who’d still be recognizable decades down the line. In this case,Larson makes fun of KFC founder Colonel Sanders, imagining him arriving at the pearly gates only to realize his fast food empire has made him apowerfulenemy. Larson’s thought balloon offers up an understated"Uh-oh”- something that a lot ofFar Sidecharacters have had reason to think.
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Published 12 years apart, these Far Side comics set up the idea that ducks are illegal in Gary Larson’s surreal world, then actually explained why!
9God Makes the Snake
Staying in Heaven, this comic sees God enjoying the fact that he finally got around to creating an animal that doesn’t take too much effort. Larson often createdFar Sidecomics starring God, despite knowing he could easily attract hate mail with the controversial comic.
InThe Prehistory of The Far Side,Larson explains that his comic starring God on a gameshow inspired him to adopt two firm rulesto avoid angering readers:
First, I made God look the way I think most of us are pretty sure he looks. Secondly, I made sure he was really winning hands down. Even if Norman had only ten points it would have meant that he beat God to the buzzer at least once, and someone would have gotten mad.
8My Old Music Teacher
Far Side Creates a Very Specific Nightmare
In this strip, Larson conjures up an unlikely nightmare, as a busker attracts a listener who isn’t just critical, but turns out to be his former music teacher. A lot of people wouldn’t be too keen to meet up with their former teachers in adult life, especially if it came with some cruel but undeniably expert criticism of their skills.
7Mine… All Mine
Far Side Makes an Everyday Occurrence Feel Personal
Plenty of car owners who have found their vehicle splattered with guano can’t help but suspect the neighborhood birds have it out for them. In the world ofThe Far Side, that’s absolutely the case, with this bird’s thought balloon showing that it’s relishing the opportunity to rain down hell.
6Popeye on the Dating Scene
Far Side Pokes Fun at the Iconic Comic & Cartoon
Larson was never shy about taking aim at iconic cartoons likePeanutsandGarfield, and in this case parodies E. C. Segar’sPopeye. The character famously gains inhuman strength after eating spinach, usually doing so in an overblown manner, like squeezing the can so hard its entire contents fly into his mouth. Larson imagines this kind of gesture would have dire consequences for Popeye’s love life, as his date notices the leftover spinach in his teeth.
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Gary Larson’s Far Side comic made several references to its long-running predecessor Peanuts, with one proving just how smart Larson’s comic was.
