10 Dangerous Far Side Inventions You Don't Want To See In Real Life

The Far Side is rightfully praised for its inventive style of humor, and in the case of some panels, creator Gary Larson took that inventiveness to a literal place, coming up with ideas for devices and products that make for hysterical punchlines, in large part because they would be actual nightmares to encounter in the real world.

This list collects and celebrates some of The Far Side’s sketchiest innovations, from highly dangerous toys, to ethically questionable farm equipment, to straight-up murder machines, and more. Save for one idea that readers might be on board with, most of these cartoons will make fans thankful they get to visit Gary Larson’s imagination, rather than live there. One thing it is safe to say, in regard to The Far Side’s inventions, is that they put the strip’s absurdist streak on prominent display, as much as any recurring Far Side trope or gimmick.

10

The Far Side’s “Milk-O-Matic” Takes Industrial Farming Too Far

First Published: December 2, 1980

The Far Side’s “Milk-o-Matic” panel is a classic example of Gary Larson’s use of animals as POV characters to comment on human behavior. “I don’t like the look of this” one frustrated bovine says to another, as they watch their farmer put together a milking robot. Of course, in reality, there are automated milking devices used in industrial farming, and Larson extracts humor from that by anthropomorphizing the robot, reflecting another one of The Far Side’s most common techniques.

That is, rather than just a machine, the “Milk-o-Matic” is an almost Bender-esque robot, with goofy-eyes, and a smile that borders on unsettling, with long mechanical limbs ending in oversized human-looking hands. This gives the cartoon an added surreal note, which helps to make the reader more empathetic toward the cows’ concerns about this advance in cattle farming technology.

9

Christmas Morning Goes Awry Thanks To An Over-Powered Toy In This Far Side Comic

First Published: January 21, 1983

Far Side, January 21, 1983, a rocking horse toy sends a kid through a wall

The sentimental, saccharine feeling closely associated with Christmas was the perfect target for Gary Larson’s subversive humor, and this is a stand-out example of Gary Larson’s “dangerous Xmas presents” gag, which popped up several times over the years. Here, a freshly-unboxed rocking cow, “the X-500” was apparently so powerful that it launched its rider, presumably a child, head-first straight through the living room wall, with only their feet sticking out of the jagged hole, the X-500’s reigns still in hand.

Characters from The Far Side drawing and waving.

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1983 was the year the Far Side’s popularity began to really take off, exposing readers nationwide to Gary Larson’s ability to shock and surprise.

Here, Larson undercuts his potentially abrasive joke about a child getting seriously harmed with the simplest of twists, turning the familiar rocking horse into the absurd rocking cow, while the true humor of the joke lies in the ridiculous power level of this toy’s “advanced model.“

8

Introducing The Murder Robot, The Far Side’s Most Hilariously Deadly Invention

First Published: January 31, 1983

The Far Side, a boy brings in a giant robot for an assignment as revenge against a teacher

In this cartoon, The Far Side’s familiar nerdy kid, identifiable by his horizontal red-striped shirt and glasses, confronts his “Metal Shop” teacher, feeling emboldened to hurl insults at the instructor, including “Mr. Big Nose,” and especially memorably, “squidbrain,” because he has brought back-up, in the form of a giant killer robot, which has treads like a tank, lobster-style pincer claws, and a mouth made out of jagged metallic teeth.

Notably, Gary Larson actually revealed the short story he wrote that served as the “backstory” for this Far Side comic, which charts the development of this automaton from a peaceful shop class project to something highly deadly, and in its final illustrated form, incredibly hilarious. Funny enough that a very similar-looking murder-bot would subsequently appear in a Far Side comic published a full decade later, which is included further down on this list.

7

A Classic Far Side Fake Out; But What Does This Lady Have Against Birds?

First Published: January 21, 1984

Far Side, January 21, 1984, a woman gives fake bird seed to birds outside her house

Here, Gary Larson depicts a woman in the background of the panel, framed through the window of her home, as she fills a bird-feeder hanging from the limb of a tree in her yard, in the middle of a snow storm; except in the foreground, inside her house, sitting on a recliner, is a bag labeled “Henry’s Fake Bird Seed,” revealing to Far Side readers that this is not an idyllic moment, but rather a cruel prank.

This is perhaps an example of a captionless Far Side cartoon that could actually use one, as some further context for the punchline might turn a reader’s response from a quixotic smile to a full-on laugh. That said, the “novelty” product Larson invents here stands as one of his most perplexing creations, which in the case of The Far Side often equates with most memorable.

6

“Rhino Tube Farms,” The Far Side’s Most Space-Consuming Hobby

First Published: June 20, 1984

Far Side, June 20, 1984, a mother asks her son to show their guests his 'rhino tube farm'

The Far Side featured several funny jokes about ant farms over the years, yet here, Gary Larson takes the idea of such a thing to his most absurd extreme, depicting a “rhino tube-farm” instead, in which most of the space in a kid’s bedroom is occupied by precisely that, massive tubes with rhinos crawling through them.

This Far Side punchline fully hinges on the unreal absurdity of the premise; in its black-and-white form, and with the expression intentionally left obscure on the face of “Dennis,” the cartoon offers a limited set of details for readers to react to, forcing their attention to the “rhino tube-farm” and its inherent ridiculousness. The exception of the slight head-tilt of the guest in the comic, as she absorbs this sight for the first time along with the reader, is a subtle but effective aspect of the panel, as fans can only presume she is as confused as they are.

5

A Far Side Near Miss; Who Put That There In The First Place?

First Published: August 20, 1990

Far Side, a woman about to sit down in a chair filled with weapons.

“Oh, wait, Doreen,” a woman says at the last moment, saving her house-guest from certain death as she tells her, “don’t sit there, that chair’s just not safe,” referring to a recliner that has a bear-trap on the seat, spikes protruding from the back, and a snake hanging from a fraying rope dangling over it.

Far Side wide-eyed man (foreground, color) with scientists observing a melted colleague (background, b/w)

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There is a lot going on in this Far Side panel, and all of it is over-the-top. First and foremost, it is left a mystery to readers why this chair is so elaborately booby-trapped, except to say that it isn’t intended for Doreen; or if it was, her host has had a last-minute change of heart. There is also the absurdity, of course, of Doreen not looking at the obviously-deadly chair before almost sitting in it. Finally, the hyperbolic details of the deadly chair itself, especially the angrily hissing snake suspended in the air, are chef’s kiss Far Side perfect in every way.

4

Really, The Far Side Was An “Attention-Getting Device” Of Its Own Kind

First Published: November 8, 1990

Far Side, November 8, 1990, a kid pulls out an 'attention getting device' in class

Here, one of Gary Larson’s most inventive young characters unfortunately uses his skills in a less-than-altruistic fashion, though for reasons readers can sympathize with. As the caption of this Far Side comic explains, “the class was quietly doing its lessons when Russell, suffering from problems at home, prepared to employ an attention-getting device.”

The device in question is an elaborate Rube Goldberg-type machine, which has a Jack-in-the-Box head attached to a spring on it, as well as two loud horns, or gramophone speakers. Though Gary Larson depicts the moment before Russell’s disruption, the joke is made laugh-out-loud funny by the absurdity of his device, as depicted in the illustration, and in fact the uncertainty of what exactly it is going to do, other than successfully “get attention” adds greatly to the humor.

3

The Far Side’s “Didn’t Wash Hands” Panel Gets A Laugh Out Of Poor Hygiene

First Published: February 17, 1992

Far Side, February 17, 1992, a restaurant's 'didn't wash hands' alarm goes off when a man exits the bathroom

To be fair, this is the one Far Side innovation on this list might actually have its share of admirers, for the way that it depicts unhygienic behavior being aggressively shamed, in the form of a giant red “DIDN”T WASH HANDS” sign going off as a man exits the bathroom at a restaurant, drawing all the other patrons’ attention, and harsh judgment, in his direction.

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Public health is usually no laughing matter, but what Gary Larson successfully lampoons here is the hyperbolic depiction of the role that shame, or at least embarrassment, can play in social situations like this. To a degree, these feelings can be read into the wide-eyed look Larson depicts on the face of the man who set off the alarm, as he realizes he’s been caught in the act of being gross.

2

The Far Side’s Murder Robot Returns, As Readers Get A Peak At Fluffy’s Ambitious Project

First Published: August 18, 1993

Far Side August 18, 1993, Fluffy the Poodle builds a killer robot in the basement of its owner's home

Here, readers will recognize the familiar death-machine design from an early entry on this list, which appears here in slightly modified form, with the design adapted by a maniacal dog named “Fluffy,” who has created its own version of the robot, its features poodle-like in reflection of its creator.

As funny as the earlier Far Side murder-bot cartoon might have been, this one belongs in the upper echelon of greatest Far Side comics for the way it elevates the absurdity of the premise in every way. The crazed look on the face of “Fluffy,” the casual attitude of the dog’s owners towards its dangerous invention, everything about this comic is hilarious, but it is all tied together by the genuinely ominous design of the machine, which no one in their right mind would ever want to see unleashed.

1

The Far Side Was Full Of Niche Products For Specialized Clientele

First Published: February 17, 1994

Far Side, February 17, 1994, an ant fakes out other ants using fake picnikers

In this memorable Far Side ant comic, an ant uses “A-1 Fake Picnickers” to fool his fellow insects, watching from a far and laughing as the false humans and their inedible food are quickly covered, while the caption informs readers that “this time his practical jokes had gone too far, and Wally was finally booted off the hill.”

The idea of an ant prankster is silly, and even charming, while the absurdity of this Far Side comic actually resides in the existence of the “Fake Picnickers” set for “Wally” to have purchased in the first place. What other market there might be for this product is a classic Larsonian unanswered question, the kind that lacks an answer because it is deliberately illogical, in the pursuit of delivering a hilarious Far Side comic, which in this case thoroughly succeeds.