Far Side’s Last Comic Celebrates 30 Years and Has Grown Funnier Over Time

Gary Larson’s last installment of The Far Side has recently achieved a noteworthy milestone, and its comedic essence remains as captivating as when it first debuted. This final strip not only serves as a fantastic punchline but also brilliantly interconnects the entire body of Larson’s work, a remarkable achievement for a series known for its lack of recurring characters and deliberately varied settings. In this piece, we explore Larson’s concluding comic, alongside some of his most humorous critiques of iconic films.

Final Comic Intertwines the Entire Far Side Universe

Larson Fuses His Characters in an Exceptional End

The comic, published on January 1, 1995, marked the closure of Larson’s syndication with a two-panel format, diverging from his usual one-panel humor. The first frame features Larson alongside Glinda the Good Witch from the Wizard of Oz, being prompted to recite the famous line, “There’s no place like home…”The second panel transitions to Larson waking up in a monochrome ‘reality’ surrounded by family members who have a striking resemblance to his classic characters.

Glinda was originally portrayed by Billie Burke in the 1939 film and has been recently reimagined by Ariana Grande in the musical ‘Wicked,’ where she appears as a schoolfriend of the Wicked Witch.

This narrative suggests that, like Dorothy, Larson envisioned the whimsical world of The Far Side, filled with reflections of real-life counterparts. Larson’s comic mirrors the realization experienced by Dorothy, as local figures are revealed to symbolize beloved characters including the Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and Wicked Witch.

Although this comic serves as the culmination of The Far Side‘s syndicated era, Larson has intermittently revisited the series since. Notably, he returned from retirement to create a cowboy-themed cover for The New Yorker and has even shared new artworks on thefarside.com, experimenting with contemporary digital art tools.

The Lasting Impact of Far Side’s Final Comic

A Critical Victory Lap While Delivering Humor

Notably, Larson’s genius lies in his ability to humorously weave together familiar elements from his work, despite rejecting the use of recurring characters like his contemporaries. His art style unintentionally led to the development of ‘stock characters,’ including recurring figures such as cattle and cavemen alongside varied representations of ‘The Nerdy Kid’ and ‘The Woman in Horn-Rimmed Glasses.’ Earlier in the series, Larson even poked fun at this trait with a comic introducing the ‘real’ people behind his character roster.

This final comic effectively revisits cherished characters and themes, notably Larson’s long-standing fascination with The Wizard of Oz, through a series of parodies encapsulating everything from 1979’s Alien to 1931’s Frankenstein, often positioning iconic horror figures in humorously mundane contexts.

A particularly revealing moment features Larson appearing with a pet snake, a nod to his own life as discussed in his book, The Prehistory of The Far Side, where he shares his experience of having a Burmese python that once attempted to do him harm. This likely explains the recurring theme of a smug snake consuming various characters throughout his comic.

An Inescapable Obsession with The Wizard of Oz

Larson’s Recurrence of the Iconic Film

Inspiration from The Wizard of Oz is evident throughout Larson’s artwork, paralleling the creative endeavors of notable figures such as the Coen Brothers, Elton John, and Daisy Edgar-Jones. Larson’s playful gags often drew from elements like the Yellow Brick Road and Dorothy’s companions, with one memorable strip depicting the Scarecrow’s dog gnawing at his newly acquired brain. Discover additional Wizard of Oz-themed comics by browsing the image gallery below:

The Wizard of Oz remains one of the most cherished and influential cinematic works, known for its unforgettable music, imaginative storytelling, and pioneering use of Technicolor. Consequently, Larson’s sharp observations about timeless films resonate with audiences even today, sustaining the impact of The Far Side‘s humor.

Classic Movies Under Larson’s Satirical Scope

Examining Film Icons Across Diverse Narratives

Nightmare on Elm Street Featured in The Far Side

Larson’s ability to satirize a wide array of films, from the suspense of 1979’s Alien to the horror of 1954’s Them!, often showcases classic horror characters in absurd everyday situations. His humor also embraced cinematic meta-commentary, providing jests such as envisioning the Jaws shark somehow signaling its presence with John Williams’ notable score and critiquing the dramatic tropes in sequels, as seen in a comic featuring a hypothetical Psycho III that presents Norman Bates with an aquatic tank.

Furthermore, Larson’s twist on Disney characters lent a unique appeal, portraying Dumbo as a threat and the Seven Dwarves succumbing to the jaws of a python. This combination of whimsical innocence with sinister undertones underpins much of Larson’s humor throughout the franchise, rooted in his appreciation for the balance of power within the natural world between predator and prey dynamic. Notably, Larson originally conceptualized The Far Side as an animal-centric commentary titled Nature’s Way.

As Larson took aim at Disney, no character found themselves in as dire straits as Pinocchio. The character’s life sparked Larson’s wild imagination, resulting in humorous depictions of Pinocchio facing various monstrous fates—from being pecked by woodpeckers to assailed by lions immediately following his transformation into a human. Jiminy Cricket also met his grim end in one comic, illustrating Larson’s talent for blending imagination and dark humor.

Pinocchio Transforms Surrounded by Lions

In both the cases of Pinocchio and The Wizard of Oz, Larson deftly twists nostalgic tales of childhood innocence, infusing them with darkly comic and surreal elements, ultimately amplifying their humor. Even after three decades since the final Far Side comic was released, its blend of wit, interconnected storylines, pop culture references, and farewell to an era of unforgettable comic brilliance continues to resonate with fans and readers alike.

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