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10 Far Side Comics That Gave Us Legendary One-Liners
Few comic strips deliver as many classic one-liners as The Far Side did. Gary Larson’s beloved strip is known for a lot of things, from its amusing and whimsical characters to its commentary on the oddities of life to its incredibly absurd set-ups and scenarios. But something that often gets overlooked is the number of The Far Side’s killer one-liners.
Generally, there’s not enough space in The Far Side’s one-panel strips to include a lot of dialogue or captions. But as they say, brevity is the soul of wit, and few cartoonists were able to say as much as Larson did in the little room he had in his comic. He’d have characters opine about the futility and illusion of choice or have animals question their own reality or mortality. Sure, The Far Side’s gags are funny, but the following 10 one-liners are more than just mere punchlines and stand out as legitimately great quotes.
10
“Man, I Hate Elevator Music”
Publication Date: November 26, 1990
The Far Side was always good at taking common, everyday annoyances and exaggerating them to ludicrous degrees. Here, Larson has a man getting into an elevator, and rather than crummy muzak playing, there’s an actual orchestra in the elevator with him. What really makes this strip work is the man’s observation “Man, I hate elevator music.”. It’s a perfect, relatable frustration, yet one that captures the absurd humor The Far Side is known for. It’s a great quote for anyone dealing with minor complaints in an incredibly offbeat and bizarre situation (though hopefully without any live music).
9
“Isn’t Anyone Here a Real Sheep?”
Publication Date: July 5, 1983
If there was one thing Gary Larson was good at, it was taking common idioms and expressions and adapting them into offbeat gag strips. Here, The Far Side has a group of wolves literally in sheep’s clothing, and one frustrated canine stands among his flock and asks “Isn’t anyone here a real sheep?”. The Far Side obviously gets points for making a funny gag out of a common expression meant to warn of treachery. But it also gives readers a humorous quote to express dismay when they’re in a situation where no one is who they appear to be.
8
“Lord We Thank Thee”
Publication Date: March 18, 1992
One doesn’t necessarily have to be religious when invoking the Almighty. Sometimes things that defy comprehension happen, and the only suitable response is praise to whoever is running the cosmic show. Here, The Far Side presents a group of chickens who came incredibly close to the wrong end of an ax, only for a tree from the opposite side of the fence to fall and kill the farmer, causing the chickens to cry “Lord, we thank thee.”. Did God actually spare these chickens or was it luck? Either way, it’s a proper response when fate turns out good.
7
“Inconvenience Stores”
Publication Date: April 18, 1990
The Far Side has a lot of great one-panel gags that present a wordless scenario that hit readers with an unexpected punchline. Here, a man is out shopping, only to discover that any items he could want are on an incredibly high shelf. The caption for this strip informs the reader that what they’re seeing is actually an example of an ‘inconvenience store’. Not only is it a good riff on the phrase ‘convenience store’, it’s a great thing to call any kind of store that makes things incredibly difficult or impossible for customers.
6
“Does Anyone Care?”
Publication Date: December 28, 1992
Gary Larson had no problem making anyone or anything the butt of a joke. Here, The Far Side puts a unique twist on a classic thought experiment. It begins with the traditional “If a tree falls and no one’s around” set up, but instead of asking if it makes a sound, The Far Side asks if the tree hits a mime, “…does anyone care?”. It’s a grim and comical spin on the philosophical saying, but one could use that phrase in any kind of scenario. Even in the most ludicrous of situations, does anyone really care?
5
“It’s Either One or The Other”
Publication Date: July 10, 1985
Again, The Far Side loves twisting classic phrases and adding its unique brand of absurdity. Like many Far Side strips, this one takes place in hell, where a man is facing eternal damnation and forced to pick between two doors, one labeled ‘Damned if you do’, the other ‘Damned if you don’t’. But what really puts it over the top is the devil forcing the man to make a choice, saying “It’s either one or the other”. The Far Side makes a pointed observation with its quote that sometimes, choices are merely two sides of the same coin.
4
“Everything Seems a Little Too Quiet and Normal Today”
Publication Date: February 21, 1987
Larson was always highly aware of how weird The Far Side’s world was. So to switch things up, he created a humorous strip that has nothing out of the ordinary going on. A repairman shows up, but not to fix the plumbing or the TV, but rather, the strip itself, as he’s a cartoon repairman. The strip’s quote “Everything just seems a little too quiet and normal today” makes for the perfect thing to say when someone is expecting outright chaos, only to be met with an uncomfortably normal series of events.
3
“Hey Bucko…I’m Through Begging”
Publication Date: June 3, 1987
Ever had a day when snapping just seems like the only sensible option? The Far Side certainly understands that feeling and communicates it with a strip starring man’s best friend. Here, a dog is holding his humans at gunpoint during mealtime while the caption below reads “Hey Bucko…I’m through begging.”. Who hasn’t had those kinds of days when one wants to throw off the burden of being cordial and finally start demanding what they deserve? This Far Side quote almost certainly resonates with anyone who has had their fill of begging and is ready for change.
2
“Never, Never Do This”
Publication Date: May 22, 1982
The Far Side isn’t a place to be getting life advice from, but that doesn’t mean Larson can pass on some kind of wisdom. Here, a kid has somehow gotten onto a field with missile silos and is blissfully unaware of that fact, thinking they’re just large holes to look into. Yet, in the background, the rockets are already being prepared for flight while the caption below reads “Never, never do this.”. Kids don’t often listen, but with a quote like this (and paired with an incredibly over-the-top scenario, maybe younger generations will be more inclined to listen.
1
“When It’s My Turn, I Just Hope I Go Quietly…”
Publication Date: April 27, 1982
No matter how many chickens, cows, or aliens starred in Gary Larson’s strip, The Far Side was unquestionably human at it’s core. Here, a group of chickens watches as one of their own goes off to meet his maker, with one commenting how that, when it’s their time, “I just hope I go quietly”, and not spend time running around with their head chopped off. Aside from the grim imagery, this is a relatable and powerful quote. There are plenty of ways to die in this world, and in the end, everyone just wants to go peacefully.
- Writer
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Gary Larson
- Colorist
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Gary Larson
