The Far Side

Gary Larson’s newspaper cartoon ran from 1980 to 1995. Its one-panel scenes put scientists, animals, office workers and monsters into situations whose logic is clear only after a second look.

The strip’s strength is its economy. A caption, a facial expression and one odd premise can create a whole implied story beyond the panel.

Absurdist humor and satire meet in jokes about human vanity, nature and mistaken assumptions.

Larson’s slightly ungainly figures and carefully chosen props keep the weirdness approachable. The visual setup is often as important as the caption.