According to according to editor Jake Morrissey, who worked closely with the artist for much of his career, the way Larson illustrated facial expressions, eyes in particular, made them truly the window into the soul of The Far Side.
In his introduction to The Complete Far Side Volume One, Morrissey offered a fascinating elaboration on his involvement in Gary Larson's creative process, and along the way, offered his take on what the "best part" of Larson's humor was.
For readers, when encountering a confusing Far Side comic, it is helpful to take a cue from Morrissey – look to the characters' eyes. While this doesn't hold the key to every Gary Larson produced during his career, it adds a dimension to the humor of so many of them.
Far Side's Gary Larson On the Key To Growing As An Artist
Far Side's Gary Larson was a prolific creator; years after his retirement, he shared one crucial aspect of developing as an artist and author.
The Far Side's Editor Offers Insight Into Gary Larson's Greatest Artistic Trick
Eyes Are The "Best Part" Of The Far Side
That is to say, Far Side characters' eyes are more than just a flourish, they are an essential detail; in a way, they add a level of self-awareness to the humor of a .
As Far Side's editor, Jake Morrissey was as close to a creative collaborator as Gary Larson ever had. Meaning that he knew better than anybody what made Larson such an incredible talent, and what made his work stand out. In The Complete Far Side Volume One, Morrissey explained that however subtle or outrageous one of Gary Larson's cartoons might be, the artist always had a clear sense of his own work. Morrissey wrote:
[Gary] always knew where the true humor was in each – sometimes the best part of a cartoon was the reaction on a character's face, for example – and he knew when to stop fiddling with it, which some cartoonists can't do.
In other words, not only was Larson good at deciding when a cartoon was "done," he was aware that the funniest aspect of his comics was often very subtle.
Readers who have spent a lot of time with The Far Side may very well likely already knew how important the characters' eyes could be, but for new fans of Larson's work, this is a valuable insight. One of the biggest barriers to appreciating Far Side is the inscrutability of so much of its humor; being able to recognize the particular "tells" of a Far Side comic, that readers can look for, in order to guide their understanding of a 's punchline, is essential to fully understanding Gary Larson's work, and his place of high regard in American comics.
That is to say, Far Side characters' eyes are more than just a flourish, they are an essential detail; in a way, they add a level of self-awareness to the humor of a , suggesting that the absurdity, or shock, of a joke was ing on the person in the , as much as on th reader. If nothing else, they serve as a reminder that Gary Larson tended to be as mystified by his comics as anyone else, a truth that, in itself, lent an important quality to his work.
It Pays To Take A Closer Look At The Far Side
A Double-Take Is Worth It
Like any great, memorable art, The Far Side continues to reward readers who return to it, seeking a more nuanced, in-depth understanding.
When it comes to The Far Side, the devil truly was in the details. That is to say, a second-look at a confusing could result in it becoming crystal clear, or an amusing might become outright hilarious, if the reader is able to decipher it properly. Characters' eyes and facial expressions are just the most prominent recurring example of this. A look of horror or dismay on a character's face could go a long way toward elevating the effectiveness of a particular .
Even the most laugh-out-loud, obvious Far Side punchlines can be made even more rewarding by a close inspection of the image, and a deeper scrutiny of the caption. It is true that Gary Larson crafted his comics to get an immediate reaction out of readers, but like any great, memorable art, The Far Side continues to reward readers who return to it, seeking a more nuanced, in-depth understanding. In fact, this ability to have both an immediate and a lasting impact is another reason The Far Side is so enduring.
The Far Side Complete Collection
Fans of the far side can't up this master collection of Gary Larson's finest work. Originally published in hardcover in 2003, this paperback set comes complete with a newly designed slipcase that will look great on any shelf. The Complete Far Side contains every Far Side cartoon ever published, which amounts to over 4,000, plus more than 1,100 that have never before appeared in a book and even some made after Larson retired.
A Peak Through The Window Into Gary Larson's Artistic Process
The Far Side At A Glance
Morrissey's declaration that the "best part" of Gary Larson's work is his characters' eyes confirms that the often difficult-to-understand humor...of the strip was a very much feature, rather than a bug.
Throughout The Complete Far Side, Gary Larson offers unparalleled insight into his artistic mind, and his creative process. As invaluable and endlessly resourceful his own appraisal of his work is, it is also incredibly precious to have Jake Morrissey's perspective. As The Far Side's editor, Morrissey has a perspective as singular as Larson's talent. That is, as much as he helped shape the comic during its run, he also functioned as an outside observer, privy to the darkest secrets of Larson's artistic operation.
This window into the creation of The Far Side is indispensable, and Morrissey's declaration that the "best part" of Gary Larson's work is his characters' eyes confirms that the often difficult-to-understand humor – described by Larson himself as "confusing, obtuse, esoteric, and strange" – of the strip was a very much feature, rather than a bug. In other words, they knew that not everyone scanning the funny pages would "get" The Far Side, especially not after one quick glance, and rather than try to target a wider audience, they tailored the strip to those who were paying close attention.
Gary Larson Explains How the Far Side's "Formula" Got Him Into Trouble
In "The Complete Far Side Volume Two," Gary Larson wrote about how the deceptively simple formula for creating cartoons could quickly get out of hand.
The Beauty Of The Far Side Is In The Eye Of The Beholder
Gary Larson's Legacy Is Still Being Shaped
Editor Jake Morrissey's explanation of the importance of characters' eyes to The Far Side's humor offers guidance to the comic's readers, new and old alike, offering them something to sink their teeth into when one of Gary Larson's cartoons doesn't immediately "click" for them.
The more readers come to understand about how The Far Side was made, the more it seems to open up to them, and offer more and more rewards for their engagement. In its heyday, Gary Larson's comic could be controversial, meaning that even readers who didn't "get" its humor often had a visceral, immediate reaction to it. Truthfully, even those who do develop an understanding of Larson's comedic style might not ultimately appreciate it, and as long as The Far Side continues to find its way to new readers, it will continue to be divisive to some degree or another.
Still, the shifting landscape of American humor over the past several decades – through the entirety of The Far Side's time in publication, well past Gary Larson's retirement – has made contemporary audiences even more familiar with ridiculous, morbid, and edgy jokes, and for many, finding The Far Side for the first time is akin to discovering a comedic missing link. There is, undoubtedly, a strange beauty to The Far Side; not so much a tangible aesthetic beauty, but rather an ephemeral quality that enchants, drawing those with a certain type of sensibility to it, in an almost siren-like way.
In other words, the legacy of The Far Side continues to be shaped even thirty years after it ended, as new fans dive into the wealth of cartoons Gary Larson produced and surface with the many pearls of brilliance that his oeuvre contains. Editor Jake Morrissey's explanation of the importance of characters' eyes to The Far Side's humor offers guidance to the comic's readers, new and old alike, offering them something to sink their teeth into when one of Gary Larson's cartoons doesn't immediately "click" for them.
Source: The Complete Far Side Volume One
- Writer
- Gary Larson
- Colorist
- Gary Larson
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.
