Gary Larson's few certified recurring characters, the detective; this list focuses on the funniest of these cartoons in the context of how Larson was able to use the mystery trope and crime scene setting to his comedic advantage.
Certainly, The Far Side fostered its own share of unanswered questions, often in the form of its most perplexing, "What the?"-inducing jokes, yet there is something distinct about Larson's "murder mystery" jokes, as well as his occasional dabbling with real-world mysteries, a few classic examples of which are represented here.
In any case, as much of The Far Side mystifying nature has been debunked, and explained in detail over the years, these legitimate mysteries still continue to throw readers for a loop, in Gary Larson's patented manner of doing things.
10 A Big (Bird) Mystery; The Far Side's Perfect Mix Of Crime Scene Satire And Pop Culture Humor
First Published: February 26, 1991
In this classic Far Side murder mystery cartoon, Sesame Stteet's Big Bird runs afoul of an unknown killer, who uses "big bird shot" to take out the children's TV programming legend. The punchline here relies on the dissonance between the serious "Law and Order"-style tone of the detective characters and the immediately-amusing visual of Big Bird lying prone on the floor of an average-looking apartment building.
For The Far Side's mystery humor, the most crucial creative decision Gary Larson had to make was the choice of victim, which would make or break the joke. In this instance, it makes it, while also managing to deliver one of The Far Side's hilariously irreverent pop culture references.
9 These Far Side Cops Try And Worm Their Way Out Of Working To Solve A Murder Mystery
First Published: October 8, 1988
"We appreciate your concern, ma'am, but this just isn't enough for us to go on" a worm detective tells a distraught wife, in this iconic Far Side insect cartoon, as her husband lies cut-in-half in the middle of their living room floor, with the investigator elaborating that, "find the other half of your husband, and now we've got a case."
In this way, Gary Larson slyly uses his worm characters to lampoon the bureaucratic incompetence that often leads to the police being less-than-helpful when it comes to "whodunnit" murder investigations. Here, the worm detective immediately shifts the onus of uncovering leads in this case to the family of the victim, rather than taking it upon itself, in a great example of a Far Side cartoon that combines absurdist humor and keen insight into contemporary culture.
8 The Far Side's Bird Detective Isn't Optimistic About Their Chances Of Solving This Case
First Published: October 1, 1988
A mystery is once more at the center of another unforgettable Far Side bird cartoon, and yet again, investigators find themselves amusingly obfuscated in their attempts to get to the bottom of it. "Aha! The murderer's footprints" an avian detective says, in a revelatory moment, shining a flashlight on a set of prints leading up to the victim's window, before throwing cold water on the potential hot lead, by noting, "of course, we all leave tracks like this."
13 Hilarious Far Side Comics Starring Secret Recurring Characters You Never Noticed
The Far Side had more "recurring characters" than readers realize, as Gary Larson went back to the well time and again with certain key details.
In this way, Gary Larson hilariously uses bird physiology to his comedic advantage here, allowing for a joke that highlights the potential problems inherent in a world of anthropomorphized birds. The ridiculous quality of bird cops, their ranks signified by hats and nothing more, does a great deal of work to get a laugh out of readers with this Far Side cartoon, while the mystery will leave readers wanting to know more.
7 Gary Larson Delivers A Hilarious Interpretation Of The Real Mystery Of D.B. Cooper
First Published: May 3, 1988
This Far Side cartoon actually stands out from the others listed here, because it offers a potential solution to an actual mystery, rather than posing an open-ended question for readers to puzzle over. However, it merits inclusion for precisely this reason, as Gary Larson gleefully puts forth a possible "untold ending" of legendary thief D.B. Cooper.
In Larson's interpretation, Cooper did not survive parachuting from the plane he hijacked because he landed in a pen full of ravenous rottweilers, who devoured him, leaving no evidence behind. It is a clever supposition about one of the 20th century's greatest mysteries; The Far Side always had a speculative strain to its humor, but this gave Gary Larson one of his best opportunities ever to offer a unique, and honestly gruesome, guess at this perennial uncertainty.
6 The Far Side's Duck Detective Doesn't Have Much To Go On To Quack This Case
First Published: December 6, 1986
"Suddenly, there was this tremendous, bloodcurdling 'quaaaaacck.' That's when I called," a witness tells a police officer in this Far Side duck cartoon, which once again finds its humor in a clash of disparate elements. The features a crime scene in a state of upheaval, with evident signs of struggle all around the body of the victim, which lies with its webbed feet sticking up in the air, with the joke being born out of the way the seriousness of this imagery butts up against the silliness of Gary Larson's use of duck characters.
Funniest of all is the note of the final cry of "quaaaacck" before the killing blow is struck, of course, but the overall impression of this mix of gravity and levity is what will make it the most memorable for Far Side fans; the level of detail in both the image and the caption are certain to stick with readers, who will recall this Far Side crime scene cartoon fondly.
5 This Far Side Penguin's Untimely Death Has A One-In-A-Million Chance Of Being Solved
First Published: August 26, 1986
Of all The Far Side's cartoons featuring unexplained murders, this stands as perhaps Gary Larson's funniest elaboration on this premise. In fact, this is also an arguably even funnier version of the "Bird Detective" cartoon from earlier in this list, which chronologically, was published several years later.
“What Bothered People Most About The Far Side”: Gary Larson’s Editor Explains What Made the Comic "Disturbing"
Many people considered "The Far Side" disturbing and outrageous; according to the comic's editor, there is a root cause that explains these reactions.
In this Far Side penguin cartoon, a dead penguin is surrounded by hundreds of identical birds, as one among them confirms that it was "beaked in the back," before adding that "you know this won't be easy to solve," given the sheer number of suspects, each armed with their own personal murder weapon, who will be largely indistinguishable from one another. This is as much of a laugh-out-loud use of the "murder mystery" joke premise as The Far Side ever featured, delivering a punchline that invites the reader to find amusement in the fact that this is a nigh-unsolvable crime.
4 What Did This Far Side Cat Do To Deserve Being Hauled Off To Jail? We'll Never Know
First Published: May 24, 1985
"I suppose you think this is a dream come true,' an upset woman says to her dog, while they watch together through their living room window as the household's cat is carted off to jail, at gun point no less, by the local police. Of course, once more this is a "mystery" without an answer, yet unlike the previous entry on this list, is one that will have Far Side fans begging for more context.
To be fair, more Far Side punchlines had backstories outside of their single than the average reader might expect, and this feels like exactly the kind of cartoon where it wouldn't be surprising to learn that Gary Larson has an answer to what exactly the cat did, but it is one fans of his work should not ever expect to learn, a reminder that sometimes it is better to get comfortable with the unknown.
3 The Far Side Visits The Starting Point Of The Great Amelia Earnhart Disappearance Mystery
First Published: August 19, 1980
This classic Far Side comic tackles real world history, touching on the legendary disappearance of early aviator Amelia Earhart. Similar to the way he revealed the "truth" behind D.B. Cooper's disappearance, Gary Larson would subsequently return to Earhart's disappearance at least once, to confirm the grim reality of her fate, yet with this Far Side comic, he openly revels in the mystery.
Far Side Fans, Ever Noticed That Most of Its Characters Wear Glasses? There's a Reason Why
The majority of characters in Far Side history wore glasses, and there is actually a very simple, but very important explanation for the reason why.
Larson does this by depicting a gathering of people eagerly awaiting Earhart's arrival home, with one woman quietly noting "I'm just starting to worry about that roast in the oven," indicating they've been waiting much longer than expected. As most Far Side readers will know, they will be waiting indefinitely, adding a hint of tragedy to this otherwise amusing cartoon.
2 A Closet Full Of Ducks Is A Common Far Side Crime Scene Complication
First Published: May 9, 1980
"Ahh...," a detective says in the caption to this Far Side cartoon, as he discovers a bunch of ducks stacked in the closet of a murder victim, with the investigator musing to himself that "the plot thickens" as a result of this revelation. However, his thought process is not elaborated on further, leaving the reader to have to do their own detective work to piece together the connection between the details of the crime scene here.
This is a classic Far Side , an early example of Gary Larson's knack for throwing an absurdist twist at the reader, and letting them stew on it, as well as his ability to raise a lot of questions with a minimal use of words and imagery.
1 The Far Side's Obtuse Detective Needs To Take A Second Look Around In This Classic Far Side Case
First Published: May 5, 1980
In this timeless Far Side cartoon, a detective stands over the body of a slain horologist, a clock collector, and holds up a machine gun, stating "we've got the murder weapon and the motive," though this latter evidence goes unexplained, before adding "now if we can just establish the time of death," as though that seemingly weren't the easiest part of the investigation, given the surplus of clocks at the crime scene, most of them stopped at the precise moment of the murder, a result of catching stray bullets.
It is an iconic Far Side use of overly obvious humor, one in which Gary Larson masterfully displays his use of details to make a laugh-out-loud punchline, making this stand up as one of The Far Side's greatest mysteries.
