Gary Larson’sThe Far Sidemay be beloved by all fans of all ages, but the comic has always dealt with some dark subject matter, from animals eating humans alive to worldwide thermonuclear war. Indeed, war is a recurring theme in Larson’s comics, and for very good reason, given his own childhood experiences.
In June 2024, we published ‘15 Funniest Far Side Comics That Somehow Found the Funny Side of War,’ ending with our request for readers to vote for their #1. Over 1200 votes were cast, with every comic gettingsomelove, and a clear winner emerging that couldn’t be more relevant to its creator’s life.Enjoy the runners-up by opening the image gallery below.
Larson covered warfare in every era, from Ancient Greece to the Vietnam War. Those many time periods were reflected in our poll, with runners-up including gags based in WWI (where a pilotshoots down Snoopy’s doghouse), the Middle Ages, and the American Revolutionary War. Of course, Larson’s goofy characters don’t take life and death seriously, pausing their battles to point out goldfish and go to the bathroom.Check out our winning comic below, after the official results of our poll.
15 Funniest Far Side Comics That Somehow Found the Funny Side of War
What If We Gave a War…
25
2%
#15
50
4%
#14
51
#13
“Throw the Grenade”
55
#12
65
5%
#11
Clown vs the World
68
6%
#10
76
#9
83
7%
#8
85
#7
81
#6
92
#5
98
8%
#4
111
9%
#3
141
11%
#2
151
12%
#1
15 Funniest Far Side Comics Starring Grumpy Old Men
Gary Larson’s The Far Side loves depicting mundane reactions to truly bizarre situations, making grumpy old men his perfect subject matter.
Gary Larson’s Best War Comic Is a Nuclear War Reference
The Cuban Missile Crisis Influenced Larson’s Humor
Larson’s #1 war comic shows two people trapped in a bomb shelter during a devastating nuclear war, only to realize that - because they forgot a can opener - none of the food they carefully squirreled away can actually be eaten. This strip is theperfect example of Gary Larsoncombining extreme situations with mundane reactions, as he contrives for a character to be mad about a can opener even as the world is ending above them.
Nuclear war appears again and again inThe Far Side, happening to everyone from the family dog to Laurel and Hardy.
Nuclear war was amajorrecurring theme inThe Far Side, with Larson using the image of a mushroom cloud again and again. Variations include everyday people responding to a world-ending conflict with mild irritation, animals not understanding what all the fuss is about, and bugs reclaiming the Earth once humanity is wiped away. However, there’s a reason Larson goes back to the imagery of nuclear war again and again.
Far Side’s Funniest Cow Comic Is So Good, It Inspired a Hilarious Cheers Moment
Cheers nailed the experience of reading Gary Larson’s The Far Side with a genius joke that referenced one of his funniest comics.
Gary Larson’s Sense of Humor Was Shaped by Nuclear War
Larson Credits the Cuban Missile Crisis With Shaping The Far Side
In a June 25, 2025 interview with20/20, Gary Larson explained thatliving through the Cold War influenced himin developing his irreverent, morbid sense of humor.Larson lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis - often considered the closest the world has ever come to true nuclear war.Larson was in school at the time, and recalls:
It was going from Leave It To Beaver to bomb shelters. I remember sitting in my seventh-grade English class thinking that the world was going to end during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It made you look at the world a little bit askew.
Death and doom were crucial to Larson’s vision ofThe Far Side- it’s the reason he uses new characters in every comic.
This combination of mundane life and the menacing threat of total oblivion is key toThe Far Side’s outlook, where the worst possible thing can (and does) happen. During the Cold War, schoolchildren were taught ‘duck and cover’ drills to try and protect those who were far from the epicenter of any attack, so it’s clear to see how much the concept of a nuclear exchange would have featured in Larson’s childhood. Indeed, Screen Rant readers' choice for his #1 war comic is exactly the kind of concern a child might have about life after the bombs fall.
13 Funniest Far Side Comics That Somehow Make Worms Funny
In Far Side’s funniest comics about worms, it’s easy to see why Gary Larson loved the subject so much that he wrote a children’s book about it.
Larson Made Death and Disaster Integral to The Far Side
There Are a Lot of Far Side Gags Where No-One Survives the Punchline
Larson’s childhood experience of the Cold War doesn’tjustexplain his inclusion of nuclear armageddon as a theme inThe Far Side. There are plenty ofFar Sidegags that imply dark fates for the comic’s characters, with everything from bears to vultures finishing people off, whilealiens also destroy Earth in multiple gags. Larson’s desire to kill off his characters was key to the entire concept ofThe Far Side, and his decision not to match elements that made contemporaries likePeanutsso successful.
InThe Complete Far Side, Larson mentions that his editor originally wanted himto include some recurring characters. These would have givenFar Sidea clear identity from the start, and helped get readers to keep coming back to see characters they liked. Larson describes panicking at the suggestion, as it was the last thing he wanted.Indeed, Larson was set on creating a comic world where his creations could be"crunched, speared, shot, beheaded, eaten, stuffed, poisoned, and run over about twice a week. (Tastefully, of course.)"
Larson’s Focus on War Perfectly Complements His Animal Obsession
The Threat of Death Is a Hard Fact of the Animal Kingdom
The Far Side’s morbid sense of humorwas also doubtless influenced byLarson’s fascination with the animal kingdom- a place where, as in his childhood, death is a constant possibility and life could end at any moment. Many fans have noted that Larson’s sympathies tend to lie with the animals in his comics, and his childhood is one explanation for why - living through the height of possible nuclear warfare could easily have given Larson an understanding of what it’s like to live under the constant possibility of death.
The Far Sidetook a genuinely dark time in world history (and the uncertainty of Larson’s own childhood) and turned it into hilarity, with Larson’s commentary on war threading surreality and humor through the darkest subject possible.
The Far Side
The Far Side is a humorous comic series developed by Gary Larson. The series has been in production since 1979 and features a wide array of comic collections, calendars, art, and other miscellaneous items.
