10 Hilarious Far Side Comics That I Would Wear On A T-Shirt In A Heartbeat

The Far Sidehas an iconic visual style, and many of its classic single-panel cartoons would make great t-shirt designs. While some Far Side shirts were produced over the years, there is still so much untapped merchandising potential in Gary Larson’s creative oeuvre, with the cartoons below offering just a few stand-out examples.

Larson did license Far Side imagery for merch during his career, especially at the peak of his cartoon’s popularity, when it would have been too profitable to pass up.

Nevertheless, though not to the extent of Calvin and Hobbes’ Bill Watterson, Gary Larson left a lot of merchandising opportunities on the table, including producing far fewer Far Side shirts than one might expect.

10

The Far Side’s “Dog Drives Man” Cartoon Is Simply Hilarious

First Published: August 7, 1980

Simplicity at its finest when it comes to The Far Side. Here, Gary Larson inverts the man/dog dynamic, by depicting a canine behind the wheel of a car, while its human sticks his head out of the passenger side window, tongue wagging wildly as he catches a blast of air in the face while they cruise down the road.

The virtue of this Far Side cartoon, especially when it comes to prospective merchandise, is that it grabs peoples’ attention, yet it isn’t hard to “get.” Another way to put it: it is weird, but accessibly weird, not overly weird. In other words, it encapsulates The Far Side’s humor as well as any single panel Larson produced.

9

“Cow Philosophy”: This Irreverent Far Side Cartoon Is A Reminder That Life Is A Joke

First Published: March 28, 1983

Captioned “cow philosophy,” this Far Side cartoon depicts a Buddha-like bovine sitting on a small grassy hill, explaining to another cow seeking enlightenment that “as you travel life’s highway, don’t forget to stop and eat the roses.” It is a hilarious send-up of profundity, one that signifies a sense of irreverence regarding life’s greatest mysteries.

This is the kind of Far Side joke that, if put on a t-shirt, would say as much about the person wearing it as it does about Gary Larson, the person who drew it. Which is to say, it connotes a certain sense of humor, at least partly shared by the two, which involves not taking things too seriously.

8

“First Pants, Then Your Shoes”: The Far Side Was A Predecessor To Humorous T-Shirt Slogans

First Published: April 7, 1983

In this classic Far Side head-scratcher, a man wakes up at dawn and rolls out of bed, and is immediately confronted with a giant note tacked to his wall: “First pants, THEN your shoes.” The joke is funny because of the outrageously obvious nature of the instruction, suggesting this is one of Gary Larson’s most obtuse characters by a wide margin.

This is also what makes it perfect for a t-shirt; the joke has a bluntly silly quality to it, which makes it enjoyable, and moreover, it seems like exactly the kind of phrase that would appear on a graphic tee anyway. In fact, it is arguably a precursor to that kind of comedic sensibility.

7

The Far Side’s “Piano Parachute” Cartoon Is A Killer Visual Gag

First Published: September 25, 1984

Even if a t-shirt version of this Far Side cartoon were to omit its caption, the hilarious visual of a skydiver pulling his cord and expecting a parachute, only to get a piano, and then trying to deploy his back-up, and finding it is an anchor instead, would make a fantastic t-shirt design.

Yet as far as Far Side jokes go, the caption’s explanation that, “Murray didn’t feel the first real pangs of panic until he pulled the emergency cord,” indisputably adds a layer of comedic gold to this punchline. It gives the cartoon a degree of dynamic action, and fleshes out this doomed Far Side character, in ways that make it low-key one of Gary Larson’s best.

6

The Far Side’s “Damned If You Do…” Panel Deserves To Be A T-shirt Option

First Published: July 10, 1985

When it comes to The Far Side’s frequent visits to hell, this is among the most iconic examples. In the panel, an irate devil says, “C’mon, c’mon…it’s either one or the other,” as he prods a man with his pitchfork, prompting him to choose between doors labeled “Damned if you do” and “damned if you don’t.”

It is a classic Gary Larson joke, turning a familiar axiom into an absurd, literal scenario. Of course, the choice is no choice, and that adds to the humor of the bit. As far as merch goes, this Far Side cartoon would work splendidly on a t-shirt both with or without its caption.

5

“You’re Sick, Jesse”: This Far Side Cow Cartoon Is One Of Gary Larson’s Most Recognizable Jokes

First Published: July 22, 1987

This is one of The Far Side’s most unforgettable comics, and one of the most infamous Gary Larson ever produced, although it might seem tame by today’s standards. The joke centers on the idea of a cow committing the ultimate taboo of cannibalism, and flaunting it by standing out in the pasture grilling burgers, all while wearing a chef’s hat.

It is a delirious image, which is taken to another level of hilarity by the pair of cows that confront the grilling cow, with one pointing an accusatory hoof and crying out, “you’re sick, Jesse…sick, sick, sick!” It is a joke that is just edgy enough, without going over the edge, in classic Far Side fashion.

4

“Hot Enough For Ya?”: This Could Be The Far Side’s Hottest Selling Shirt Design

First Published: October 1, 1987

Captioned “nerds in hell,” this Far Side cartoon features a line of suffering souls shuffling through the fires of hell, all of them looking appropriately grim, except for one, who sports an out-of-place grin as he turns to the man in line behind him and asks, “hot enough for ya?“

Again, this is the kind of Far Side cartoon that doesn’t even necessarily need its caption, because its illustration, and single, short line of dialogue, give readers everything they need to get a laugh. This is why it would make a great t-shirt design; Gary Larson’s vision of a “wrong place, wrong time” moment in hell is immediately eye-grabbing, and easy to decipher.

3

The Far Side’s “Photobomb” Comic Encapsulates Gary Larson’s Signature Art Style

First Published: July 3, 1990

This Far Side caption might be a little wordy for a shirt, but the image was made for merchandising. It features two fourth-wall breaking Far Side charactersleaping into frame, in a moment that prefigures the modern “photobomb,” obscuring the action in the background which is meant to be the “real” joke.

The intense, seemingly eyelid-less stares of these characters would be perfect on a t-shirt because passersby would be hard pressed not to stare back, at least for a moment too long, as if transfixed by the wild-eyed “rogue” Far Side characters, who furthermore are shining examples of Gary Larson’s artistic style.

2

“The Moods Of An Irish Setter”: This Far Side Comic Is Cute But With An Edge To It

First Published: June 19, 1992

Few Far Side jokes are as tailor-made for dog lovers as this one, although to be fair, the punchline of the joke does involve an abrupt, hard left turn from innocuous to abrasive humor in its depiction of “how to recognize the moods of an Irish setter,“ which range from “happy” to “suicidal.”

The premise of the joke, of course, is that each of the faces the dog is making are exactly the same, no matter how dire its mood. The result is a cartoon that, if made into a t-shirt design, represents a point of convergence between fans of The Far Side’s darker humor and canine-aficionados.

1

“Recipe For Disaster”: A Classic Far Side Play On Words That Would Fit Perfectly On A T-Shirt

First Published: June 20, 1994

In this classic captionless Far Side comic, a woman lies knocked out, or worse, on the floor, with her kitchen in shambles, after cooking from the “Recipe for Disaster” book. It is the kind of joke Gary Larson excelled at, which takes an extra beat for the reader to put together, even if this process isn’t difficult.

In other words, it is a shirt for Far Side hipsters, those fans who want to rep Larson’s work in a bit of a more subtle way, showing off his art while not necessarily delivering the full brunt of his comedic sensibilities. It is an “if you know, you know” kind of Far Side cartoon, which makes it a great design.