12 Far Side Comics From 1991 That Make Readers Go "What-the?"

The final years of The Far Side featured some of creator Gary Larson’s most strange, experimental comics; as often as his innovations on the cartoon’s familiar format reached new heights of hilarity, they also mined unexpected depths of inscrutability. Yet often Larson’s strangest punchlines remain his most unforgettable, as his legacy as a humorist has come to be most closely associated with the absurd.

As much as the “What-the?” comics of the early 1990s embody the signature style that made The Far Side success, they also represent a maturation of Gary Larson’s style. Though behind the scenes, he was wrestling with his inevitable decision to permanently step away from cartooning, on the page, Larson’s work exhibited a new level of confidence, which resulted in even weirder and wilder cartoons than ever before.

In other words, in ’91, The Far Side was firing on all cylinders, and over the course of the year, Gary Larson produced some of his most audacious and perplexing panels.

12 Gary Larson Returns To The Scene Of One Of His Weirdest Jokes (Did He Get It Right This Time?)

First Published: January 8, 1991

This panel is highly reminiscent of one of the weirdest Far Side cartoons from 1990; in fact, the two cartoons were actually published exactly one year apart to the day. Recurring bits and “second tries” at certain jokes were common in The Far Side, suggesting that the premise, and the imagery, of this cartoon nagged at Gary Larson for an entire year, until he finally produced a panel that improved upon his first attempt.

Captioned, “fish dungeons,” the comic features a barnacle-covered pipe jutting above the ocean’s surface, with a fish bowl on the end of it, a forlorn captive fish within, as a trio of fishing lures bob precariously close to its head. This panel takes the concept of the prior year’s joke and finds a more fitting way to execute it, though it is still more likely to get a “What-the?” response from readers than an outright laugh.

11 The Far Side Explores The Origin Of Pillows (How Can That Be The Best Option?)

First Published: February 14, 1991

Gary Larson offered many tongue-in-cheek depictions of early human inventions with The Far Side, but this is by far one of the strangest. Rather than confusing readers, this panel is most likely to leave them with a feeling of incredulity. Captioned “in the days before feathers,” this cartoon shows a prehistoric human sleeping in a cave, using a dead pterodactyl as a pillow.

Certainly, the innovative spirit of humankind’s ancestors, as regularly showcased on The Far Side, could have led this character to find a better alternative – yet this is precisely what makes this panel equal parts awkward and amusing. By far, its funniest detail is face of the “pillow,” its lifeless eyes still wide with surprise, tongue hanging limply right near the sleeping Neanderthal’s head.

10 Chronologically, This Is The Far Side’s First “Impatient Boss” Cartoon (What Is A “Phillips,” Anyway?)

First Published: March 20, 1991

The Far Side featured its share of annoyed bosses, and here, Gary Larson transposes that theme onto one of his favorite settings, prehistory. Reminiscent of Larson’s many cartoons featuring Dr. Frankenstein and Igor, this panel features an ancient mechanic as he works on a stone wheel, expressing frustration when his assistant brings the wrong tool. Even for readers familiar with this type of Far Side punchline, this one is likely to be more quizzical than uproarious.

“No, no, no! That regular rock,” the owner of “Goz weel repare” complains, adding, “Me need Phillips!” The joke is clear enough, but nevertheless, absurdity saturates this entire Far Side cartoon from concept to execution, particularly in the expression drawn on the hapless assistant’s face, as he tries to comprehend exactly what a “Phillips” is.

9 One Of The Far Side’s Hapless Hunters Loses The Trail (Why Doesn’t He Look Under The Stall Door?)

First Published: April 8, 1991

The Far Side often lampooned hunters, and this cartoon features one example of the many Gary Larson jokes that involved hunters being outwitted by their prey. Or rather, it is more appropriate to say that this hunter has his target cornered – but wavers at the last second.

Depicting a hunter, Gus, in a red-and-black checkered coat, carrying a rifle, as he “bursts through the door of a men’s restroom,” only to come to the conclusion that “the trail, apparently, had been false.” Except keen-eyed readers will notice the pair of hooves underneath one of the bathroom stalls, begging the question of why Gus didn’t think to check. Equally funny and strange about this panel is how Larson substitutes the sounds of the restroom for those of nature, citing “the gentle sounds of running water and the rustling of magazines.”

8 Gary Larson Coins Another Word (Why Didn’t This One Catch On?)

First Published: May 1, 1991

Many Far Side cartoons played with words, but in at least a few instances, Gary Larson actually created his own terminology. Famously, he originated the word for a stegosaurus’ tail, “thagomizer,” which was informally adopted by the scientific community. Here, he coins another term, though not one that ultimately stuck with scientists in the same way.

In the panel, a grumpy looking scientist behind the wheel of a car looks over at another car in traffic with “that yussie over in Research” playing with “his new car microscope“; the caption clarifies for readers that “yussie” is an abbreviated form of “young urban scientist.” Everything about this Far Side cartoon is strange, from the idea of the “car microscope‘ to the etymological punchline, but it is the incredibly niche quality of the latter than makes this a firmly “What-the?” comic.

7 The Far Side Reveals The Secret Origin Of Dachshunds (Do Those Tubes Have Air Holes?)

First Published: June 4, 1991

This highly strange Far Side cartoon depicts a bustling “weiner dog distribution center,” showcasing the various stages of production as dachshunds are shoved into long mailing tubes, which then have labels affixed to them, and are carried off to be mailed around the world.

This is a “What-the?” cartoon at its very core, as the premise is the kind of out-of-left-field absurdity that Gary Larson’s humor is most closely associated with. What also makes this one amusing, almost in spite of its predominant strangeness, are the panel’s details, from the “any side up” stencil on the tubes, to the look of surprise on one work’s face as he shoves a dog into its tube. In all, it is this combination of weirdness and specificity that makes this a particularly memorable Far Side installment.

6 The Far Side Doesn’t Just Break The Fourth Wall, It Studies It (Did All Gary Larson’s Characters Know They Were Cartoons?)

First Published: July 2, 1991

In one of The Far Side’s best fourth-wall breaking moments, a woman openly references “this comic” as she introduces a “scientist-like character” to give a lecture on his scholarly work, entitled “Beyond the Border: Analysis, Statistical Probablity, and Speculation of the Existence of Other Cartoons on The Known Comics Page.”

This ranks among Gary Larson’s most ambitious jokes, but the unfortunate consequence of that is it has the potential flew over many readers’ heads. Not that the joke is overly confusing, but rather as a result of its recreation of an academic atmosphere, which targets a specific audience; at the same time, some readers might not connect with why Larson’s revelation of his characters’ self awareness is particularly effective comedy, leaving them with more questions than answers, starting with “What-the?“

5 The Far Side Offers A Concise History Of Civilization’s Discontents (What Did Mitch Do Wrong?)

First Published: August 27, 1991

Since the time of the ancient Greeks, Western cultures has had the habit of drawing a distinction between “civilized” peoples and “barbarians.” In this Far Side panel, Gary Larson draws on real history to deliver a punchline that highlights the inherent problematic nature of this categorical divide – by throwing a character named “Mitch” under the bus.

Featuring sketches of a Viking, a Mongol, a Goth, a Visigoth, and a Turk – all cultures that were labeled “barbarians” by other cultures at one point or another – and finally, Mitch, this Far Side panel asks a weightier question than Larson might admit, as it suggests that from someone’s perspective, the average modern American is the latest generation of barbarian horde. In this way, Larson raises the question of what utility the “barbarism” vs. “civilization” has ever had in understanding the intermingling of cultures.

4 Gary Larson’s Twisted Take On Talk Radio (Is The Hosts’ Advice Helpful?)

First Published: September 6, 1991

This Far Side comic creates an entire world for its reader – but as expected, it is a strange and surreal place to find themselves. In the cartoon, the owner of a pet snake calls into the ” Snake Talk” radio show, hosted by what appears to be twin brothers, and devoted entirely to discoursing on the topic of snakes.

Here, Larson effectively utilizes a split-image panel, allowing the reader to be in the studio with the hosts, while also observing the living room of the caller, Larry, as he stands next to his terrarium with a curious expression on his face, suggesting that perhaps he didn’t get the answer he was looking for. The humor of this panel is concentrated in the caller’s eyes, while the reader’s immediate “What-the” reaction is sure to come from the “Snake Talk” hosts’ dialogue, and the overall weirdness of the joke’s premise.

3 Gary Larson Takes Readers To A “Squidheads Anonymous” Meeting (How Did They All End Up Here?)

First Published: October 9, 1991

According to Gary Larson, some Far Side cartoons had detailed backstories, and many readers will follow up their initial “What-the?‘ reaction to this comic with supplemental questions of how so many people ended up crowding into a monthly “Squidheads Anonymous” meeting. Characteristic of The Far Side’s most over-the-top premises, this is one example of a panel that Larson must have known was going to puzzle even the most loyal fans of his work, rather than achieve instant guffaws.

Once again, though, there is a great deal that is funny about this comic, upon closer inspection. In particular, the “no hats” sign on the wall is a great detail, which will cause readers to linger on this cartoon; though there might not be more to its punchline, there is a depth to its composition that continues to reward those who spend an extra moment with it.

2 The Far Side Reveals The Dark Truth About Mark Trail (Who Is He, Anyway?)

First Published: November 4, 1991

The Far Side took its share of digs at other newspaper cartoons over the years, and this ranks among the funniest – at least, for readers familiar with the Mark Trail comic strip, which has been in publication since 1946, making it even older than Charles Schulz’ legendary Peanuts.

Here, the fictional wildlife photographer is the subject of a Bureau of Fish and Wildlife raid, as they discover his prolific “poaching operation.” For readers not familiar with Trail, the reference to the character – and the homage to the older strip’s artistic style, which looks significantly different from Gary Larson’s usual aesthetic – is a definite “What-the?” And for those who do know about Mark Trail, this shocking recontextualization of his relationship to wildlife will strike them as much funnier, but not before the surprise has them similarly asking, “What-the?“

1 This Far Side Character Reveals His Secret Defense Mechanism (How Effective Is It?)

First Published: December 23, 1991

This strange Far Side cartoon is a reversal of Gary Larson’s tried-and-true comedic formula; that is, rather than taking animal behavior and situating it in a human context, he transposes animal behavior onto a human subject. The cartoon depicts a man backed up against a brick wall at the end of an alleyway, crouching and putting his arms by his sides, leaning forward, and revealing two “eyespots” on his forehead – the way an animal, or insect, might, in order to make itself seem more imposing to an approaching predator.

For readers who don’t immediately make the connection, this comic might seem downright bizarre; yet even for those who understand the connection Larson is making, it is still patently ridiculous, and in most cases, likely to elicit a bemushed chuckle, rather than a full-on laugh, making it a pristine example of a Far Side “What-the?” comic.