10 Funniest Far Side Comics That Just Turned 40, Including Gary Larson's Funniest Cat Comic (2024)

Gary Larson's The Far Side ran for 14 years, from 1980 to 1994, and yet September 1984 might be the single definitive month of the entire comic series. Not only are these comics, which just turned 40 in 2024, as funny as any of Gary Larson's best, but all of his biggest obsessions are front and center, from Stone Age inventions to hunter vs bear to silly scientists, soon-to-be-extinct dinosaurs and even the comic's recurring giant squid.

Here are the 10 funniest Far Side comics that just turned 40, showcasing multiple jokes that perfectly encapsulate Gary Larson's unique sense of humor, as well as what we're nominating as his funniest cat comic from the entire run. Be sure to vote in our end of article list for the strip that you think is funniest.

10 Grand Canyon

Far Side's September 8, 1984 Comic

In this comic, poor signage at the Grand Canyon leads to the epic landmark being totally filled in by the misguided Acme Construction company. The gag hinges on the vast size of the Grand Canyon - which is over 275 miles long - and how impossible it would be to fill it in, let alone by accident. Sadly, this is far from the most misguided thing the Acme company has done over Far Side history.

While Larson avoided any recurring characters (since he wanted to be able to treat his creations badly without offending fans), some archetypes return again and again, with the Acme corporation offering a range of terrible products and services.

9 Invention of the Car

Far Side's September 13, 1984 Comic

Larson loves to show cavepeople inventing new concepts, from fire to dancing to checkers. Usually, the gag is that they either stumbled across something by accident or invent a 'first draft' version with some kind of major flaw (caveman checkers only uses two squares.) However, in this case Larson puts a new spin on the idea, as a caveman who just 'invented' the wheel looks up to see that his friends didn't just beat him to the accomplishment, but have created a fully functional car.

8 My Mistake!

Far Side's September 20, 1984 Comic

In a perfect example of Gary Larson turning a mundane situation surreal, a man heads to the dog pound looking for his beloved giant squid, momentarily misidentifying his pet because there are multiple cephalopods in residence. It's a classic Larson gag of an incredibly unlikely event becoming commonplace, and also one that brings back his recurring giant squid.

While not as famous as Far Side's cows, giant squid appear across Larson's comics, often depicted as household pets. In contrast to Far Side's aliens and monsters, Larson keeps the giant squid's design consistent, correctly identifying how hilarious it is to drop the gigantic character into everyday situations and allow it to take up most of the panel.

7 Parachute

Far Side's September 25, 1984 Comic

In a classic slapstick gag, a skydiver opens their parachute only to find that the pack doesn't contain their life-saving equipment. Of course, in the heightened world of The Far Side, it's not enough to just be absent a parachute - you also have to be connected to the heaviest items possible. Larson's surreal humor creates a world where the skydiver was apparently carrying a grand piano and an anchor in his pack without realizing, right up until this moment.

6 Bobby

Far Side's September 6, 1984 Comic

Larson combines an idealized American childhood with the extinction of the dinosaurs, as little "Bobby" looks for fellow dinos to play baseball with, only to realize that all his friends have gone extinct. Larson is a dedicated conservationist, with many Far Side products raising funds for the cause, and the theme occurs across his work, with bleak gags about species dying out.

5 The Purpose of the Universe

Far Side's September 17, 1984 Comic

Gary Larson admitted that scientists were his biggest obsession when creating The Far Side, stating in a 1987 interview with 20/20 that it was "the theme that occurs to me most frequently." In this strip, two of Far Side's greatest scientists have successfully discovered the purpose of the universe, feeling thrilled at their success despite the fact they've just concluded life has no meaning. It's a gag that can read two ways depending on your personal philosophy - cynics will laugh at the scientists for missing the point, whereas optimists will see their ability to find happiness in a meaningless universe as a positive.

This strip is one of many where Gary Larson's Far Side can be compared to the work of author Douglas Adams. In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, alien scientists likewise attempt to discover the answer to "life, the universe and everything," with their sophisticated computer replying that the answer is "42." Any fans of Larson's humor should check out Adams' work for more darkly humorous observations about human nature.

4 The Dog's Trying to Blow Up the House Again

Far Side's September 26, 1984 Comic

This gag hinges on the belief that in order to train a dog out of negative behaviors, you need to catch it in the act and express disapproval, otherwise it won't understand why it's in trouble. However, rather than chewing slippers or peeing on the rug, this canine is attempting to blow up the family home (and apparently not for the first time.)

3 Trivia Tonight

Far Side's September 10, 1984 Comic

Larson knew this comic could potentially be controversial, as the joke plays on a gameshow contestant being totally outmatched when his opponent just happens to be the Almighty. However, he stuck to two rules that helped avoid any hate mail, as explained in The Prehistory of The Far Side.

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.

Larson often used God, the devil and Heaven in his comics, admitting that "I started to feel like I was bucking for a lightning bolt" - especially in the strip where a 'young' God fails to invent the chicken.

2 Let's Take a Look

Far Side's September 18, 1984 Comic

In one of The Far Side's most beloved comics, a bear puts on a puppet show using the skulls of two hunters who ventured into its cave. Like a lot of Larson's gag, the joke hinges on making the reader realize what happened just before the moment they're actually seeing, as the bear mocks the hunters' hapless decision to wander into harm's way.

1 That Cat's Doing It Again

Far Side's September 10, 1984 Comic

While The Far Side has plenty of cat comics, they usually focus on the contentious canine/feline relationship. In this case, cat behavior is the focus, as Larson puns on the word 'play' - usually used to mean a cat is prolonging the hunting process for fun, but here getting an unexpectedly wholesome spin as the cat apparently just wanted someone to throw a ball around with.

Those were our pick for the 10 funniest comics from Far Side's September 1984 strips. Let us know below whether you agree that it's the strip's definitive month (even though it doesn't include any cows), and be sure to vote in our poll below for Far Side's #1 funniest comic that just turned 40.

The Far Side

The Far Side is a humorous comic series developed by Gary Larson. The series has been in production since 1979 and features a wide array of comic collections, calendars, art, and other miscellaneous items.