One of The Far Side's initial run, mixing surreal sensibilities with pitch-perfect observations about nature and everyday life. However, one incredibly relatable strip has a dark origin.
The Far Side ranks as one of the greatest, and most influential, comic strips in American history. The brainchild of Gary Larson, The Far Side presaged the rise of memes and internet culture with its left-of-center humor and single- gags. The Far Side was syndicated in newspapers for fifteen years, and during that time, Larson produced a number of classic and controversial strips. In 1986, Larson published a strip titled 'The Monster Snorkel.' The strip features a young boy hiding from two monsters standing over his bed. A snorkel tube is coming out from underneath the blanket, allowing the boy to breathe.
Far Side's Monster Snorkel Gets Dark Fast
In The Prehistory of the Far Side, Larson reveals 'The Monster Snorkel' originated with a nightmare his older brother Dan had when they were children. His brother described the dream to young Gary, telling him of a wolf with "pure, white eyes... walking on its hinds legs, trying to get him." Ironically, Larson's brother was able to put it aside quickly, yet the description was so vivid, Larson was troubled by it for years. Larson notes:
I was so scared of this and other monsters that I nearly suffocated trying to stay completely under the blankets. Any exposed skin meant certain death. The monster snorkel would have been a wonderful thing in my little world.
Larson Credits His Dark Humor to His Family
In interviews, Larson has cited his brother Dan’s influence on The Far Side, attributing his own warped sense of humor to his brother. Dan would play pranks on Gary as they grew up, and this would go on to inform The Far Side’s skewed world view. While 'The Monster Snorkel' did not originate with a prank by Dan, it still shows his influence on The Far Side. In this case, he literally provided Gary with "nightmare fuel." Larson has described his family's sense of humor as "morbid," and there is definitely an ease with death that personifies The Far Side.
In creating 'The Monster Snorkel,' Larson was not only tapping into his own childhood fears - but those of many other children as well. 'The Monster Snorkel' perfectly captures a widely applicable element of childhood fear, while also secretly starring a very specific monster which terrified the strip's creator! Some of The Far Side’s best known strips angered or confused readers, but 'The Monster Snorkel' was well received by fans. Gary Larson revisited a childhood nightmare in 'The Monster Snorkel' and created an intensely relatable installment of The Far Side.
