Top 10 Hilarious Far Side Comics Featuring Giant Monsters

The realm of The Far Side is known for its surreal humor, so it’s no wonder that giant monsters often wreak havoc in its landscapes. From iconic creatures like King Kong, Godzilla, and Mothra, to oversized animals and humans, Gary Larson had a unique flair for illustrating colossal beings disrupting the urban environment.

In this article, we present you with the 10 most entertaining Far Side comics featuring gigantic monsters. Don’t forget to participate in our poll at the end to cast your vote for the top comic!

10 Other Cities Get Giant Gorillas

Penguins Are the Secret Stars of The Far Side

While many beloved giant monsters are merely exaggerated versions of their real counterparts, what adds a twist to this particular comic is the giant penguin targeting the city. Its fierce expression suggests it holds a vendetta against humanity, leaving devastation in its path, while humans can only watch in horror as their vehicles are crushed underfoot. The humiliation is doubled when the colossal culprit casually waddles away.

Penguins are a recurring theme in Larson’s work, often portrayed in their cold, remote habitats. Check out the image gallery below to explore more of Larson’s penguin-themed comics.

Interestingly, one of the comics featuring a penguin singing about individuality was unintentionally altered in Far Side merchandise. During the merchandise production, a colorist mistakenly colored the penguin bright yellow, completely undermining the comic’s punchline about its lack of uniqueness.

9 Giant Clown

Clowns as a Separate Species in Far Side Lore

Here, Larson presents a city facing a giant clown rampage. The desperate townsfolk choose a classic remedy: a giant pie to the face, hoping it will subdue their oversized foe. In Larson’s universe, clowns almost feel like an entirely different species, reveling in chaos and their love for custard pies. Explore more amusing clowns in our image gallery below.

Larson often portrays clowns engaging in ridiculous antics, whether it’s throwing pies at innocent bystanders or evading their natural predators. In this whimsical context, clowns emerge as one of the most formidable threats depicted in the series.

8 Small World!

Larson Never Passes Up a Chance to Pun

far side giant monsters attack city comic

In this particular comic, two city-destroying monsters inadvertently cross paths during their rampage, casually greeting one another amidst the chaos. Larson cleverly embeds a pun in the comic’s caption. The phrase “small world”humorously highlights their coincidence and also articulates the literal reality for such massive creatures, where the human world seems quite diminutive. Naming a colossal, Godzilla-esque monster “Dave” is yet another classic Larson twist.

7 Giant Mailman

Far Side Loves Pushing Cartoon Enemies to the Extreme

With generally only a single-panel format, Larson cleverly utilizes pre-existing concepts, such as the age-old rivalry between dogs and mailmen. When a gigantic mail carrier terrorizes the city, the dogs unite under a heroic dog’s lead for a counter-attack against the oversized invader. This mirrors the clown/pie comic’s core gag but introduces distinct character dynamics.

6 Shoot the Varmint

The Rare Far Side Comic Where Humanity Wins

In a departure from the usual portrayal of humans as silly or villainous, this comic illustrates a heroic figure saving the day by confronting a giant monster, deeming it just another “varmint.”Larson’s perspective on humanity often provides witty contrast, making this comic a particularly unique entry in his body of work.

5 The Giant Locusts

Sometimes Far Side Comes Up with Amazing Horror Stories

Larson brilliantly blends horror and humor, often crafting comics that could double as chilling stories with a comedic twist. In this instance, a woman turns on the TV to discover her city has been evacuated due to a swarm of gigantic locusts, leaving her stranded and alone. The juxtaposition of her tenacity, gripping a fly-swatter, elevates the humor, while the underlying darkness of the concept lingers long after the joke is told.

4 Seems a Giant Tentacle Smashed Her Door In

The Giant Squid Is a Surprisingly Frequent Stock Character

Though The Far Side eschews recurring characters, it features numerous stock characters, such as the giant squid. Larson delights in illustrating a world where giant squids are nearly as common as household pets. Their sizes fluctuate across comics, at times large enough to capsize a ship or small enough to fit inside a living room. Its portrayal as a pet adds humor, especially in strips where the squid is caught in amusing predicaments.

The humorous essence of the giant squid peaks when it ends up devouring the neighbor’s dog, all while its owner ponders who could be eating their pets. The juxtaposition of the giant squid’s obliviousness to its misdeeds evokes great laughter.

3 Toby vs. Godzilla

No ‘Giant Monster’ List Is Complete Without the King of Monsters

far side comic where household dog bites godzilla

This iconic comic showcases the beloved Godzilla, humorously depicted facing off against a small but spirited dog. Although the massive monster dwarfs the canine, the language suggests an epic showdown, highlighting Larson’s affection for the kaiju genre. King Kong, being another titan of cinema, also received Larson’s attention in his comics.

the far side comic where the army try to kill mothra by setting a huge bonfire, attracting it because it's a moth

2 This Is Gladys Murphy

Far Side Expertly Combines the Extreme and Mundane

Larson has a talent for intertwining extraordinary situations with banal reactions. In the case of Gladys Murphy, her calm response to a gigantic eyeball peering into her home showcases her level-headedness in chaos. The humor stems from the mundane thought processes amidst bizarre circumstances.

1 Which Monster Did This?

King Kong Stars in Many of Far Side’s Best Monster Comics

While numerous King Kong comics line Gary Larson’s portfolio, we’ve highlighted one standout gag where King Kong inadvertently leaves behind a monogrammed handkerchief after reducing a city to rubble. This comic not only exemplifies Larson’s knack for humor but also how he continually refines his jokes to discover their best version. One memorable gag involves Kong cloaking Ann Darrow in his mouth to evade gunfire, marking a classic Larson moment.

These ten hilarious Far Side comics featuring giant monsters illustrate Gary Larson’s incredible talent for combining humor with absurdity. Don’t forget to vote in our poll (below) for your favorite comic, and share any we may have missed in the comments!

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