Gary Larson’sThe Far Sidemay be best known for its humor, but on more than one occasion, Larson has delivered surprisingly profound insights about life, catching readers off guard with emotional depth and thoughtful commentary. These are the comics that, instead of leaving us laughing, leave us in quiet reflection.
While some of these entries still carry Larson’s signature wit, many are infused with a sense of melancholy that might make you pause and see the world a little differently. Although there’s nothing exceptionally triggering in these selections,please be aware that topics such as mental health, war, animal death, and other heavy themes are explored.So buckle up, readers, you’re about to experience a different side of Gary Larson.
10The Ugly Duckling Rewritten
A Goose Teaches Self-Worth Without a Glow-Up
Almost every child grew up hearing the story of the Ugly Duckling, which stars a duckling who eventually becomes a beautiful swan. However, the ending of this story has become increasingly criticized over time, becausethe harsh truth is that not everyone will have a physical glow-up that takes them from an awkward child to a beautiful adult.This ugly goose comic by Larson tells an arguably better story in just a single panel.
It depicts a goose who is conventionally unattractive due to his balding head, mismatched eyes, and awkwardly shaped beak, seeing himself as a beautiful swan in the reflection of the water. Some might call the goose delusional. However, the point of this comic is thatthe goose is seeing his inner beauty and letting that define him rather than his outward appearance. This is perhaps one of Larson’s most touching comics ever.
9Cosmic Musings From the Topside of a Mushroom
Ants Become Existential Philosophers Under the Stars
This Far Side comicfeatures two ants sitting on a mushroom, gazing up at the stars, as one says, “Makes you feel sort of small and insignificant.”Here, Larson uses the ants as a humorous mirror, reflecting how humans often wrestle with feelings of cosmic insignificance. By putting such an existential thought in the mouths of ants, creatures we ourselves view as trivial,Larson gently reminds us just how fleeting and minor our presence might be in the grand design of the universe.It’s not meant to depress, but to put things in perspective.
This moment calls to mind the ideas of absurdist philosopher Albert Camus, who acknowledged that life can seem meaningless when set against the vastness of the cosmos. However, he argued that this does not mean we should give in to despair. While we, like the ants in the comic, may appear cosmically insignificant,it is still our responsibility to bring meaning to our lives through passion and intentionality.
8From Wonder to Destruction
A Caveman’s Jealousy Captures the Cruelty of Envy
There’s an often uncredited saying: “When people cannot possess something, they often turn to destroying it, rather than live with the reminder that it was never theirs to begin with.”While interpretations of thisFar Sidecomic may vary, this sentiment feels especially fitting. In the strip, a caveman looks up in wonder as a bird soars overhead.
Captivated by its flight, he mimics the bird by flapping his arms in a crude attempt to join it in the sky. But when his efforts inevitably fail, his admiration turns to resentment. He constructs a bow and arrow to shoot down the very thing he once admired.Unable to experience the joy of flight himself, he decides to rob the bird of it instead. While Larson attempts to distance his commentary on the envy of men from his audience, it is clear that this overall messageextendsbeyond just selfish cavemen.
7Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder
Ugliness Is Also in the Eye of the Beholder
Taking a break from the seriousness of the last few entries is a ridiculous yet still deeply profoundFar Sidecomic strip that truly captures the saying,“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”Larson’s comic shows a row of daisies from the perspective of your average human, showing them as a beautiful part of nature.
However, he then shows the daisies from the point of view of each other, which he exaggerates by giving them goofy faces and arguably unattractive visages. This exaggeration really drives home the saying, given thatwhat one person might find ugly another might find beautiful.
6The Lagoon Monster’s Therapy Session
From Creature Feature to Commentary on Human Misery
A Lagoon Monster talking to a therapistis, without a doubt, hilarious, as it subverts our expectations of the type of people or creatures that seek out therapy. However, the Lagoon Monster’s dialogue for this comic is surprisingly deep, as he says,“Sure, I’m a creature—and I can accept that… but lately it seems that I’ve been turning into a miserable creature.”
At first this might come off as Larson’s typical silliness. But replace the word“creature”with“human,”and this comic instantly becomes more profound. It feels like a statement on a state of being that many can unfortunately relate to, asmany humans live their lives in a state of misery, something that none of us wants, yet we fall into anyway.
5The End of the Human Race
Even Bugs Don’t Like Humanity
While it has a silly edge to it,thisFar Sidecomic is particularly dark, given that it features what appears to be a glimpse of the world falling into nuclear war as a city is reduced to mushroom clouds after being bombed. In the foreground, a circle of bugs dance around and rejoice,the implication being that they are celebrating the end of the human race.
This comic feels like commentary on how the rest of the world feels about humans: that planetEarth would be better off without us, as we have, and continue to destroy the Earth by pillaging its resources and having a negative impact on nature. This comic prompts us to consider how much the human race has messed up, and whether even bugs are rooting for our demise.
4A Tree’s Soul Goes to Heaven
Larson Humanizes Nature to Stir Environmental Empathy
A comic that takes a jab at deforestation is the perfect follow-up after the last entry. In this comic,we see a tree felled, with Larson depicting a tree soul rising from the physical tree, reaching out to the angels who are there to take it to heaven.
It is unlikely that Larson is implying that trees have actual souls that are taken to heaven when they die, but rather this is more likely his way of making a commentary on how we should place more value on the life of a tree. By portraying the tree as having a soul that goes to heaven,Larson humanizes the tree and prompts his readers to place a higher value on its life.Given the importance of trees in sustaining life on Earth, we should definitely be taking Larson’s commentary to heart.
3The Tragedy in Tree Rings
A Tree That Survived Multiple Natural Disasters But Not Humanity
Following the theme of deforestation andthe general lack of regard humans show for plant life, another comic spotlights a felled tree. In thisFar Sidecomic, a man points to the rings of the tree and says,“And see this ring right here, Jimmy? … That’s another time when the old fellow miraculously survived some big forest fire.”
This comic is particularly painful, as itshows just how obtuse and willingly ignorant humans can be when it comes to their cruelty and carelessness.Here, Larson highlights how the tree managed to survive multiple disasters only to meet its end at the hands of humans, making its moments of triumph in the face of adversity fall tragically flat.
2When the Chicken of Despair Replaces the Bluebird of Happiness
Larson’s Hard-Hitting Commentary on Depression
Here, instead of the“Bluebird of Happiness”waking up thisFar Sidecharacter, Ned, he is being awoken by the“Chicken of Despair.”While on the surface this seems like a simple wacky comic, a deeper look shows that it makes a profound statement about mental health.Taken at a deeper level, this comic talks about depression.
The“Bluebird of Happiness”now being absent from Ned’s life represents joy and a general zeal for life being robbed from him. In its stead has come the“Chicken of Despair,”whichrepresents how depression can creep up and replace the happiness that one once had.The cracked walls, messy room, and unshaved face of Ned are also visual representations of the depression that has entered his life, making this a particularly hard-hitting comic.
1The Missing Duck Formation
Larson Honors Life Lost in a Poignant Reflection on Hunting
This last entry is particularly somber, with no humor to be found.Larson pictures a hunter holding the duck he killed as he watches its flock fly away in a V formation. However, there is a notable gap in the formation, as the other ducks acknowledge their friend’s absence.
This comic not only highlights the tragedy of animal life taken for sport but also serves as Larson’s nod to the Air Force’s“Missing Man”formation, an in-flight tribute to acknowledge the loss of a comrade. Given that the hunter seems to be watching the formation with a somber expression, it is likely that he has come to realize the weight of his actions. This is a prime example of how many of Gary Larson’sFar Sidecomics are more than just humorous takes; they are sometimes profound commentary designed to make his audience think.
