Gary Larson’s best Far Side quote is not profound, inspirational or emotionally moving. It is simply a perfectly constructed joke.
Newspaper comic strips invite different kinds of appreciation. Peanuts can be heartfelt, while Calvin and Hobbes often turns towards philosophy and big questions. The Far Side, however, works by taking an ordinary idea and twisting it into something bizarre, macabre or unexpectedly silly.
Larson’s cartoons sometimes need a second look, but that does not necessarily make them deep. The pleasure is usually in discovering the detail that completes the gag. One example depicts an artist painting a woman as a half-fly creature. The reason becomes clear only when you notice the dead fly resting on the artist’s glasses.
That approach makes choosing a single great quote difficult. Larson’s work covered animals, scientists, religion, death, popular sayings and everyday absurdity. The joke might be dark, ridiculous or built around a familiar phrase, but it was almost always designed to make the reader laugh rather than contemplate the meaning of life.
The Far Side was never trying to be profound
Several possible contenders come from Larson’s cartoons about God. They can be funny, but the divine character is rarely presented as especially wise. More often, he is petty, unpleasant or simply behaving like a jerk.
Death is another recurring subject. Larson’s macabre humour returned to it often, yet those cartoons are generally more interested in an amusingly grim situation than in making a serious statement. Even a cartoon involving a snake hanging itself with its own body is played as an absurd sight gag rather than a meditation on mortality.
The strongest quote should therefore stand on its own. A great Far Side comic may depend on the interaction between its drawing and caption, but the best quote, considered as a line of writing, should remain funny without requiring the picture to explain it.
“Welcome to hell… here’s your accordion” came close. The contrast is excellent: Heaven provides a harp, while Hell hands over an accordion. It is dark, silly and unmistakably Larson, but the visual contrast does much of the work. Without the image, the line becomes a strange non-sequitur.
The winning Far Side quote
The answer appeared in a 1992 cartoon featuring a mime beneath a falling tree. Its caption asks:
“Question: If a tree falls in the forest and no one’s around, and it hits a mime, does anyone care?”
This line brings together several of Larson’s strengths. It takes the familiar philosophical question about a tree falling in the woods and replaces its expected conclusion with a cruelly silly punchline. It is dark without being weighty, ridiculous without being random, and funny even when read without the accompanying drawing.
The image still adds something, of course. Seeing the mime caught beneath the tree makes the situation sharper. But the visual is not essential to understanding the joke, which is unusual for a strip built so heavily around one-panel compositions.
That is why this quote stands out. It does not attempt to explain human nature, offer inspiration or deliver a grand observation. It takes a familiar idea, adds an unexpected victim and leaves the reader with an answer that is wonderfully, meaninglessly awful.
For readers exploring the design and presentation of classic gaming spaces, RETROCADE’s Arcade Blog covers more arcade and gaming culture. Those planning a home setup can also browse the Arcade Machine Buying Guide or explore the available arcade machines.
Leave a Reply