Gary Larson had a true gift for capturing the strange and wonderful chaos of the human experience throughThe Far Side. In fact, Larson often took on some of life’s biggest questions, tackling the mysteries of our world and even what might lie beyond it. So, if you’ve ever found yourself staring into space, quietly spiraling into an existential crisis, you might just find a few answers here. Or at least, a few laughs.
Have you ever asked why we dream?Or caught yourself wondering what your pets are really thinking about?Maybe you’ve questioned whether heaven is real, and what it might actually be like. Or considered whether aliens are out there, watching us struggle with basic tasks. And if your questions tend to get even more specific, such as whether good and evil are real, and if so, which moral alignment your shoes fall under, then you’re not alone. The answers to these and other oddly profound questions await you here.
10Do Aliens Exist?
Yes, and They’re Weirdly Like Us
One of the most pressing and hotly debated questions humans have been asking for centuries iswhether there is life beyond our own blue planet, or more simply put, are aliens real?Given that Larson has dozens of comics starring aliens, the answer is a resounding yes, at least inThe Far Sideuniverse.
One comic strip, in particular,shows that aliens may be more like usthan we’ve initially thought, as two astronauts land on a foreign planet only to discover thatthe mountain range features the faces of various aliens, much like the United States’ Mount Rushmore National Monument, which features the stone visages of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
9Is There a Heaven?
Yes, But You Might Not Love It
Perhaps even morehotly debated among humans is the question of whether Heaven is real. Larson is no stranger to portraying bothHeaven and Hell in his comic strips, and in one notable example, it’s clear that Heaven does indeed exist. However, it might not be everything it’s cracked up to be.
Larson depicts a recently departed soul sitting on a cloud with his halo and wings, only to be thinking,“…wish I’d brought a magazine.”It’s clear that while this soul has achieved eternal paradise,paradise can be a bit boring when there’s nothing to occupy your time.
8Do We Have a Purpose?
Yes, But It’s Nothing to Write Home About
Most humans are guided by one central question in life:“What is my purpose?”The answer varies from person to person, with some finding their purpose in careers, others in serving God, and still others in family or relationships.
However, the one consensus most people share is that their purpose should be meaningful. Larson flips this assumption on its head in a comic strip with the caption,“Edgar finds his purpose,”accompanied by an illustration showing thatwhile we may all have a purpose, not everyone’s is game-changingor even understandable to an outside observer.
7Is Time Travel Possible?
Sure, But Be Careful How You Use It
“Is time travel possible?”remains one of the most entertaining and debated questions in the scientific community, and that’s not even accounting for the ethical and moral dilemmas that usually come with it.
In this Larson comic,time travel is most definitely real, but it comes with unintended consequences, especially when your cleaning lady mistakes the time machine for a new washing machine and ends up transported to the prehistoric era. Would this qualify as a bad day at work? That probably depends onhow the cleaning lady feels about dinosaurs.
6What Makes Earth So Unique?
Spoiler: It’s a Balloon
Debate over whether the moon landing was faked and if humans have actually set foot on the moon has recently been reignited on social media platforms and discussion boards. Skeptics claim it was all staged on Earth. Whether you believe in the moon landing or not,Larson suggests that the real question isn’t about the moon, but about Earth itself.
In this comic strip,our life-filled blue planet is revealed to be just a giant balloon floating in space.While flat-Earthers have their own controversial theories about the planet, convincing people that the Earth is actually a balloon might even be a harder sell than the idea that it is flat.
5Can True AI Be Achieved?
Yes, But It’ll Have the Same Problems We Do
One of the most pressing questions in modern times is how far artificial intelligence will go.When people imagine AI reaching its peak, they often picture humanoid androids living among us, possessing abilities that surpass human limitations. Larson agrees that AI may walk among us, but he also reminds us that they aren’t immune to the same faults that trouble humans.
In this comic,two robots are depicted in the midst of a marriage counseling session, venting their frustrations and demonstrating their skill at“pushing each other’s buttons,“a scenario many human couples can relate to.
4What Are Our Pets Trying to Tell Us?
Honestly? Not Much
If there’s one thing all pet owners have wondered at some point, it’s what their pets are thinking, especially dogs.Dogs are among the most vocal animalcompanions, expressing themselves through barks, growls, yips, and whines. Naturally, people have long wondered what those sounds actually mean.
In thisFar Sidecomic, Larson proposes an answer. Unfortunately, it’s not very exciting.According to Professor Schwartzman’s canine decoder, dogs are simply barking,“Hey! Hey! Hey!”While slightly disappointing, it’s a surprisingly believable explanation, even if we’d prefer to think they’re waxing poetry about how much they love us.
3Are Ghosts Real?
Yes! And They’re Real Clumsy!
Despite the many shows that aim to prove or debunk the supernatural, particularly ghosts, this remains a question humanity can’t agree on.InThe Far Sideuniverse, however, ghosts definitely exist,even if they happen to be remarkably clumsy. In this comic strip, an old mansion sets the stage.
Larson depicts wumps and bumps sounding down a staircase, with no one visible. The implication? A ghost has fallen.What makes it even funnier is the flattened cat shown at the bottom of the stairs, suggesting the ghost fell on it. If anyone believes in ghosts, it’sdefinitelyThe Far Sidecat.
2Are Good and Evil Real?
Yes, and Your Shoes Could Be Either
The concept of Good and Evil is another widely debated topic, with many arguing that nothing and no one is purely one or the other. Most people agree we all fall somewhere along a spectrum, some leaning more toward good, others toward evil. Larson takes this philosophical debate and turns it into a hilarious absurdity.
In this strip, a character’s shoes have differing moral alignments,one shoe scheming to make the man trip, while the other worries about protecting his feet from the grass.You’ll probably never look at your shoes the same way again, especially after a stumble.
1Why Do We Dream?
There Are Little Gnomes With a Control Panel That Decide What We See at Night
Scientists have studied dreams for decades, trying to determine why we have them, but still haven’t reached fully satisfying conclusions. According to Larson, though, the answer is already clear:it’s little gnomes who control our dreams, especially our nightmares.
In this comic, the gnomes are seen choosing from options like“dragon,” “wolf,” “monster,” “falling,”and“lost”to decide what to inflict on our sleeping minds. So the next time you wake up from a terrifying dream, don’t blame the true crime episode you watched before bed. BlameThe Far Sidegnomes.
