Revenge is a dish best served cold, andThe Far Sidefeatures many hilarious revenge schemes that take payback to a twisted level. Taking the high road may be the better option in most cases, but it can’t be denied that revenge can be utterly satisfying to watch unfold. Underdogs rising up and carrying out wacky schemes to take down those who belittle them is as sweet as it gets, as Gary Larson proves in his work.
From animals rising up against their abusive owners to students giving teachers a piece of their mind, there’s no shortage of revenge plots in Larson’s cartoons.
These 10Far Sidecomics depict the wildest acts of revenge that are taken throughout the series' run.From animals rising up against their abusive owners to students giving teachers a piece of their mind, there’s no shortage of revenge plots inLarson’s cartoons, and this is a selection of the most satisfying examples as only he could have depicted them. Without further ado, here areThe Far Side’s funniest showcases of righteous revenge.
10"Scene FromDinner on Elm Street"
First Published: May 30th, 1990
This first comic is a seriously haunting one, and it shows how dark revenge can get inThe Far Side. As a family eats what they assume to be chicken for dinner, their pet dog suddenly removes its skin, and it’s revealed that achicken has taken its place. This chicken proclaims,“I’m the chicken you thought you fixed for dinner! Would you like to know where your little Fifi is?“It then erupts in maniacal laughter, as a horrified realization dawns on the humans.
The implication here, of course, is that the chicken made a switch so that Fifi was cooked into their meal instead. Rather than accepting death, this chicken has sought revenge on these humans by forcing them to dine on their own dog.
9"I Bet Your Kids and Bruno Would Like to Go Outside”
First Published: September 11th, 1986
Sometimes, the idea of revenge is just as satisfying as the fully realized act of taking revenge. In this example, adog named Brunois subjected to playing with two rough-housing children. One tugs on the dog’s ears, while the other gnaws on its tail. A woman watching the scene unfold remarks,“I bet your kids and Bruno would like to go outside where they’d have room to really play.”
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The Far Side hilariously tests the relationship between dogs and their owners, conveying the strength of their bond despite many ups and downs.
In reality, the dog does indeed want to go outside with the boys, but not to play. Instead,Bruno fantasizes about digging a hole and burying the children as an act of righteous vengeance. Though it’s unclear whether Bruno will follow through with this plan, just the thought of it is enough to bring him pleasure.
8"You’ll Never Get Away with This!”
First Published: June 24th, 1980
As much as we love our pets, there’s truth to the idea that they aren’t always treated the way a living being should be. ThisFar Sidecomic flips the treatment of pet birds on its head as one gives its owner a taste of her own medicine.A bird is shown flying away as a woman is trapped within a birdcage, crying out,“You’ll never get away with this!”
Pet birdscan be nice to have around for many owners, but there’s always a question of whether it’s ethical to keep a bird locked up in a cage rather than allowing it to fly freely. Here, a bird subjects a human to its prison so that she can understand how being caged up feels for a change.
7"I Always Knew He’d Be Back One Day to Get the Other One!"
First Published: August 11th, 1993
Pets aren’t the only animals who suffer from abuse inThe Far Side, as those who are turned into food have reason to seek revenge as well. In this cartoon,two frogsare lying in bed together when a chef suddenly enters their bedroom with a knife. One of the frogs has already had his leg cut off, and he looks like he’s been ready to defend his other, as he has a gun at the ready and uses it to shoot the chef where he stands.
As the chef drops dead, the frog declares,“I always knew he’d be back one day to get the other one!“At long last, this amphibian victim has gotten payback for this chef using him to cook frog legs.
6"Hey, Bucko…I’m Through Begging”
First Published: June 3rd, 1987
Dogs are known for being “man’s best friend”, but despite their reputation for being loyal, they’re capable of snapping when pushed to their limit - at least, they are inThe Far Side. In this comic, a dog has gotten tired of begging for scraps beside the table and resorts to a drastic measure of demanding food from his owners. Hepulls a gunon the humans and says,“I’m through begging.”
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One ofThe Far Side’s staples involves shifting the dynamics betweenhumans and animals, and having a dog take his frustration out on his owner rather than remaining loyal is a key example of that concept. This dog is doing what many likely wish they were capable of and making sure he gets the table scraps he’s owed.
5"You Better Be Prepared to Finish the Job”
First Published: November 24th, 1984
Once again, an animal seeks vengeance against a human to right a past wrong in this cartoon, and it’s been a long time coming in this instance. A man is fetching his mail in an apartment building as a mysterious elephant in a trench coat lurks in the shadows. The elephant then states that they met before in 1947, and he says,“If you’re going to shoot an elephant, Mr. Schneider, you better be prepared to finish the job.”
This elephant has waited decades to avenge himself after being shot on a hunting trip in Kenya, and the time has finally come for Mr. Schneider to pay for his past actions.Gary Larson loves to give animalsmuch-needed victories in his work, and this revenge trip exemplifies that.
4"My Project’s Ready for Grading, Mr. Big Nose"
First Published: January 31st, 1983
This comic should be especially satisfying to anyone who’s had a teacher they wanted to put in their place. Nerdy Kid - one ofThe Far Side’s recurring characters- enters the Metal Shop classroom and tells his teacher that his project is ready to be graded. His insulting nicknames for the teacher, including “Mr. Big Nose” and “squidbrain”, suggest that they aren’t on the best terms, but it’s the project itself that proves this teacher crossed the wrong student.
Behind the student is a massive metal robot with claws and pointed teeth, and its purpose is presumably to attack the teacher out of revenge.Whatever this teacher did to deserve such a gruesome fate must have been terrible, and it makes this vengeance all the sweeter.
3"The Brain! Hold Up the Big Brain!"
First Published: July 19th, 1994
As mentioned before, Gary Larson’s work onThe Far Sideoften involved him siding with animals over humans, and this comic portrays one of the most hilarious - yet dark - instances in which animals triumph over people. Twopredatory catsappear to have killed someone observing them on a safari, and they pose with the body the way hunters do with their victims. One of the cats says,“That’s just not impressive, Doris…. The brain! Hold up the big brain!”
This ominous taunt shows that they’re mimicking the behavior of hunters who take pictures of the animals they slaughter and treat them like trophies. InThe Far Side, humans tend to get what’s coming for them, and this vengeful moment is one such example.
2"Laugh At Me, Will They?"
First Published: June 10th, 1991
As funny as clowns can be, no one wants to find themselves on their bad side - unless, of course, they want to face their hidden wrath. Here, a clown has had enough of being mocked by those around him, and he finds himself at a gun store looking for a weapon to take down his detractors. As he prepares to fight back, he thinks to himself,“Laugh at me, will they?”
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These Far Side comics depict clowns in the most frightening ways possible as Gary Larson reminds readers that they aren’t as silly as they may appear.
It may seem likeclowns want to be laughed at, given their choice of profession and ridiculous appearance, but Gary Larson warns about the dangers of pushing them to an extreme. For this clown, his work is no laughing matter, and he’s ready for a revenge spree after being crossed one too many times.
1"Their Revenge Was Meted Out"
First Published: January 7th, 1992
This last comic strip features perhaps the most unsettling revenge plot of all. After being milked by farmers,a group of cows decides to take a stand and approaches humans with an auto milker that can subject them to the same torment they’ve had to endure. The caption hints at the result of this horrific scheme, stating that"police investigators found a scene that they could describe only as ‘grisly, yet strangely hilarious’".
The images that this description springs to mind are undoubtedly disturbing, though it can’t be denied that thesecows deserve justiceafter being used for milk by Farmer MacDougal. This act of vengeance is as horrific as it is satisfying, and it once again shows that what goes around comes around inThe Far Side.
