It isn’t often a comic strip like The Far Side can be qualified as cute. Written as surrealistic humor, Gary Larson’s strip always entertained dark punchlines and existential crises. It spun proverbs into nonsensical fallacies and created ridiculous circumstances for well-known historical events. But it most prominently focused on Larson’s mind and wit. Through the cartoonist’s panels, readers get a glimpse into the artist’s talent with a pen and, through their words and meanings, their psyche and personality. One of the many faces The Far Side easily put on was one far more endearing than funny.
While Larson perhaps didn’t mean for his panels to be perceived as “cute,” some of his work was inevitably heartwarming. Though Larson probably meant to depict people in situations that made his readers laugh or cringe at darker jokes, at times, his panels were far sweeter than they were clever or deep. Sometimes, his work was simply human or animal moments that required no deep analysis or common knowledge. They were scenes that captured innocence and kindness and scenes where Larson made a simple joke that felt warmer and lighter than many other comics in newspapers. It’s almost inevitable that a few of the thousands of panels turned out cute and wholesome.
In This Case, Dog Breath Is Pleasant
Hopefully, Otherwise Things Are About To Go Very Wrong
Sitting together on a couch, a dog sprays his mouth with “Dog Breath” to impress his date when they kiss. This panel is adorable and funny, but what makes this moment even better is its relatable.
It is a universal experience to be nervous about impressing one’s date, and Larson here perfectly captures the nervousness most feel when having their first kiss. It is a sweet strip that includes innocence and love, a pairing that isn’t as usual in The Far Side. For its simplicity, this strip is the last spot on the list.
These Parents Have A Gift For Prescience
The Kid Will Make It Soon With Enough Hard Work
Today, playing video games as a job is as normal and accepted as any other job that one can spot in a newspaper. While it is not as settled or controlled as regular jobs, many video game streamers can support themselves solely in their careers as gamers. In this strip, Larson is already ahead of his time.
In 1990, years before gamers began to attract the attention of general audiences, Larson published this strip depicting a child playing a video game and his parents watching on, hopeful that the child will one day grow up to make money from his hobby. Of course, Larson mainly made fun of people who could play video games as if they were making a living. However, today, this strip still holds, as it is no longer a comedic jab at video games and gamers but a reality that is possible for anyone willing to try.
This One’s Cute, Depending On The Point Of View
The Vikings’ Pet Is Having A Blast
A dog eagerly waits for the Vikings he is with to return from raiding a castle. As the Vikings return happily, waving their weapons and holding a hostage over their shoulders, the dog wags its tail in excitement. While Larson’s main goal with his strip was to create shocking images that made them surprising to newspaper readers, this strip mainly captures a sweet moment that includes a dog.
The dog is clearly a beloved companion to the Vikings as they have him tied to their longship, similar to how owners sometimes have their dogs wait outside coffee shops while out for a walk. It’s a hilarious parallel that is only better for the flaming castle in the distance.
Pretending To Be A Plane Is An Ageless Affair
Even Pilots Do It Sometimes
While airline pilots are almost always viewed as incredibly serious and professional individuals, in this strip, Larson argues that perhaps they aren’t always as serious as passengers imagine them to be. Depicting an airline pilot flying a jumbo airplane through the cockpit window, readers can spot the pilot with his arms outstretched, pretending he is a plane while flying the plane.
As a wordless strip, this moment is simply sweet. It is worth noting that sometimes, the inclusion of a caption changes the tone of Far Side panels. While sometimes images may seem simple enough or cute, Larson would change the meaning of an image by adding some words to his strip. In this case, however, the lack of a caption only helps the strip be funny and wholesome, something that Larson was able to accomplish as easily as his darker strips.
These Animal Cookies Bite Back
They’re Not As Fun As They Advertised
Eating animal crackers is an unforgettable childhood experience. Getting to analyze the differently shaped cookies and figuring out what they are is entertaining and wholesome. In this strip, however, Larson shows a kid opening a box of animal cookies and looking worried at his hand, where two small animal crackers are biting the child’s finger.
Though this strip attempts to switch a normal childhood moment by making it more dangerous than it could be, Larson also creates an ambiguous scene in how audiences perceive it. Maybe the child is being bitten by animal crackers. Still, perhaps it could be a make-believe situation where the child instead imagines this scene, making it quite reminiscent of being young and having fun.
There’s A Lid For Every Pot
One Never Knows When Their Person Might Appear
Entering a party, a man with some pronounced features makes all the ladies stare — most confused, except for one who is immediately taken with the man. Though he may not look as dapper or symmetrical, the red-haired woman shows immediate interest. Where all the other ladies have question marks in their thought bubbles, the last woman has a heart instead.
With this strip, Larson does not poke fun at specific people or anyone in particular but instead demonstrates through a simple drawing that every person has their “other half.” It is a simple panel that communicates so much and resonates with almost anyone looking for the “right one.” This strip takes the middle spot on the list for its sweet tone and even sweeter illustration.
These Expecting Parents Will Have Their Hands Full
Dad’s Most Excited Despite The Hundred Babies
An expecting mother snake sits on her living room couch while her snake partner listens to her belly for movement or sounds. The father smiles while the mother looks down at her partner. “I hear ’em! … Gee, there must be a hundred of the little guys squirmin’ around in there!”
Of course, this strip is meant to poke fun at the large number of offspring snakes can carry, but in its attempt at humor, it only tugs at the heartstrings. It is a tender and loving moment between two expecting parents, and while they are snakes, that does little to make this moment any less cute.
The Petals Have The Final Say
Hopefully, He Kids Her Not
A clown sits atop a grass hill, the cloudy sky behind her. In her thought bubbles, a clown she likes appears smiling. The woman clown holds a flower but rips the petals off. A natural and familiar activity for many readers, ripping the petals from a flower to help determine if a person likes them is as relatable as it is sweet.
Like many people who have had crushes, this clown uses the flower to get a definite answer. It is a sweet moment made slightly ridiculous by showing a clown with their makeup and costume on, but it is just as cute.
Surprise Parties In Ant Colonies Are Very Tiny
But They Are Always A Giant Success
Throwing surprise birthday parties is one of the fastest and easiest ways to show a person they are loved and appreciated. Putting any effort into someone else, especially an effort that brings so many loved ones together, is a feat that remains a wholesome affair.
In this strip, ants are shown in their colony tunnels putting the final touches on a surprise birthday party for a fellow ant. As the ant approaches, another ant who can see him coming announces to the rest of the party, “Here he comes!” The party is decorated with a banner that reads “Surprise!” They are all quietly waiting with a lit-up cake. The intricate panel design and the warm message make this strip one of the cutest Far Side panels.
On A Deserted Island, A Sweet Moment Unfolds
This Line Tugs At The Heartstrings
Being trapped alone on a deserted island isn’t something anyone would want to go through. Being trapped beside someone annoying or insufferable on a deserted island might be anybody’s idea of hell. However, in this sweet strip, two men are stranded on an island together, sitting beside each other as they lean on a palm tree.
Thanks for being my friend, Wayne.
Though readers lack context, it is impossible not to find such words and moments as sweet as they come. The dialogue reverts to a child-like voice, thanking the other man for being a friend. Whether this panel leads to a sad ending isn’t important; rather, it is how Larson managed to frame a moment in a solemn light without adding almost any other elements besides dialogue and a small island. Panels like these demonstrate that Larson had a gift for dark humor and an incredible gift for moving emotional pieces.
- Writer
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Gary Larson
- Publisher
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Universal Press Syndicate
- Artist
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gary larson
Gary Larson’s The Far Side is a single-panel comic strip renowned for its offbeat humor and unconventional take on everyday life. Featuring bizarre situations, anthropomorphic animals, and quirky characters, the strip delves into surreal and absurd scenarios that challenge typical comic norms. Often blending dark humor with insightful commentary, it explores a range of themes from science to society, making readers both laugh and ponder the absurdities of existence.
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