10 Best Far Side Comics featuring Sharks, Ranked
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In a world where cows play baseball and monsters live underneath beds, surprises lurk around every corner in Gary Larson's The Far Side . Never knowing what could happen next, readers explored the strange world of The Far Side from the far reaches of space to the deepest parts of the ocean. Many of Larson's cartoons featuring the ocean center around one of its most fascinating residents: sharks.
Fear of and fascination with sharks has been a component of humanity since the dawn of time. These sharp-toothed and intimidating predators are often judged based on their prominence in horror and are fictionalized as villains. Drawing his inspiration from his personal interests such as biology, psychology, and social observation, Larson often explored the life of animals, both on land and in the water. With much of the humor of The Far Side being rooted in the danger that Larson puts his characters in, sharks were a perfect subject for some hilarious Far Side cartoons. Finding humor in any situation, Larson's cartoons about sharks perfectly capture the humor and horror that come from encountering one on the open water.
A shark is swimming in the water, looking for its next meal, when another shark comes swimming above it. The male shark stops to talk to her and says, "Say, honey... didn't I meet you last night at the feeding frenzy?" However, while the female shark is distracted by the man's question, a small fish can be seen swimming through to safety.
Exploring the dating life of sharks, this cartoon finds humor in an awkward situation that most readers can relate to. What makes the panel funny on its first viewing is the relatability of trying to approach someone, but also that the shark ruined her chance of securing a meal, and based on her facial expression, she seems pretty annoyed. Larson also directs part of the joke to fellow animal lovers and marine biologists with the small detail of there being a tear in the female shark's tail fin. Male sharks have to bite a female's back or fins to mate, meaning that the sharks in the cartoon most certainly did meet in the feeding frenzy and had a pretty good first date.
Known for their giant mouths full of teeth and never-ending hunger, sharks are one of the most feared predators of the ocean. Being the nightmare of many who venture out into the water, this cartoon shows the aftermath of one scuba diver's encounter. As a shark comes from beneath the water, it spits out the gear of a scuba diver that it has just eaten.
A simple panel and punch line, this cartoon shows Larson's expert use of simplicity. Often just beginning with the seed of an idea and letting the humor guide him, Larson perfected the use of a single panel to give The Far Side readers a comedic perspective of life. Similar to how someone spits out the shell of a peanut, the joke is even funnier with the shark having an annoyed look on his face, as if he didn't realize the human still had the shell on.
While sharks are the deadliest predators of the ocean, humans can't help but insert themselves where they don't belong. This cartoon shows two sharks who have become surrounded by a group of humans. Wearing scuba gear and carrying spears, the humans circle the sharks with the caption "Just stay calm and don't make any erratic movements."
The physical comedy of the sharks being surrounded, and their worried faces, makes the panel work by itself, but the caption makes it a great Far Side cartoon. Being very deliberate in his choice of words in his captions, Larson uses the caption of this cartoon to not only elaborate on the scene but also shine a light on the relationship between humans and nature. Going off the classic phrase, "They are more scared of you than you are of them", this cartoon showcases the concept that sharks most likely view us in the same way we view them, as ruthless and violent killers.
Everyone loves to enjoy a good meal, but sharks get particularly excited during dinner time. In this cartoon depicting a group of sharks gathering for dinner, one of the sharks in the middle of the group decides to make things more interesting. With a giant smile on its face and sweating, the shark screams, "FEEDING FRENZY!"
A parody of a classic food fight, this panel shows Larson's love for pranks. The excited expression on the shark's face compared to the blank stares of the surrounding ones is a great visual gag that makes the parallel instantly recognizable. This humorous look into the life of sharks also has some darker undertones for those who know about real shark behavior, as feeding frenzies cause them to go wild and bite anything that moves. Including each other, making the aftermath of this scene most likely a brutal one.
Putting animals in the role of humans is one of the main themes of The Far Side . Showing how all species are so different from each other, there is a lot of humor that comes from seeing animals or inanimate objects exhibiting human behavior. This cartoon shows a classroom full of young sharks who have decided to play a prank on their teacher. As the teacher comes back into the room, she finds that the kids have written "Mrs. Gallney is a cartilage brain" on the board as they all try to contain their laughter.
Another cartoon depicting a common school prank, applying it to the world of sharks, makes it even funnier. Seeing a shark with glasses and lipstick is already funny, but the expressions on the kids' faces make it hilarious. Especially the kid in the back left corner who looks like he has absolutely no idea what's going on. Sharks' bones are mainly made of cartilage, including their skulls, with the joke meaning she's not just dumb but has no brain at all. A clever twist on an age-old pun.
One of Gary Larson's favorite running gags , including sharks, is where two sharks find various ways to eat an unsuspecting human. Coming back to the joke in numerous panels, they are some of the best featuring sea predators. In this cartoon, using this technique, the two sharks watch as a man floats above them in a tube. While deciding if they should eat the man, one of the sharks questions the health benefits of the meal, saying, "I'm tempted, but it looks really high in cholesterol."
The cartoon is another great example of Larson using animals to highlight humorous aspects of human behavior. Everyone knows someone who has been caught up in a fad diet and can't stop telling everyone about it, and based on the other sharks' annoyed expressions, he is sick of hearing about it. However, the more subtle joke is what really makes the panel funny, as squids, being one of the main food sources of sharks, have the highest levels of cholesterol in any animal, making the sharks' concern about it even funnier.
Being chased by a shark is most people's nightmare, but for other fish, it's a thrilling experience. This cartoon shows how exciting the experience can be as one shark, along with two fish attached to its stomach, chases after a swimmer. As the shark is about to catch the swimmer, the fish are shown smiling with the caption reading, "Wheeeeeeee!"
A funny way of depicting a terrifying experience, this seemingly simple joke shows Larson leveraging his love for biology for a great punch line. The joke works in two different ways, with the first being that the scene is a parody of a parent playing a game with their child and showing how shark mothers would entertain their kids. However, the real joke is that these are not baby sharks at all, but Remora fish who attach themselves to sharks to feed off their scraps left behind from a meal. So, not only are these fish actually attached to the shark, which is why they are so excited about going so fast, but also because they are about to have a meal as well.
Being the most dangerous hunters in the open water, even sharks sometimes get lazy for dinner. In this cartoon, a shark and his wife decide to enjoy some takeout instead of going out hunting themselves. As the husband sits in his living room chair, the wife answers the door for the delivery driver, who is carrying a scuba diver in terror, with the caption reading, "That was fast!... Gunther! The Diver Delivery guy is here."
A funny twist on the mundane experience of ordering takeout, this panel is full of subtle jokes. The absurdity of the situation is where most of the humor of the cartoon is based, but the subtle details take the gag even further, such as the painting on the wall being just of water or that the entire house looks like water itself. A big part of what makes the joke funny is also the caption in which Larson cleverly flips the title from delivery driver to diver, which many may not even catch on their first viewing. Larson took great care in crafting the captions of his cartoons, believing that good art could never save bad writing, making this cartoon a perfect example of both elements working together seamlessly.
Continuing the joke from previous cartoons, two sharks once again debate over the quality of their meal. As a man lies out on a float to catch a tan, two sharks prepare to make him their lunch below. As one of the sharks comes to the surface to see the man, he looks at the other shark and says, "Well, shoot.... I can never tell whether these things are done or not".
Known to eat anything and everything, there's a lot of humor to explore in the idea of sharks being picky about their meals. Often showing humans as being dumb and unaware of their surroundings, much of the comedy also comes from how oblivious the human is to the immediate danger he is in. A concept that can be depicted in unlimited different ways, there's a reason that Larson revisited this theme, with each being funnier than the last.
While not often, The Far Side would sometimes welcome in characters from other cartoons or even movies . Parodying the 1975 blockbuster, Jaws , this cartoon shows Larson's take on the infamous shark. As two fishermen sit in their boat on the open water, the giant shark can be seen coming up from the deep to devour them.
An almost replica of the Jaws poster with a strange Far Side twist, this cartoon shows Larson using one of his best techniques for comedy. There are many cartoons in The Far Side catalog that make fun of cartoons with the characters understanding that they are themselves cartoons and being watched. Applying this method to movies, Larson makes fun of the idea of monster movies with the characters being able to hear the music that signifies the coming of the monster. While Larson used this technique sparingly, it always produced some of the best Far Side panels that showcase Larson's genius and what set T he Far Side apart from other cartoons.
Gary Larson's The Far Side is a single-panel comic strip renowned for its offbeat humor and unconventional take on everyday life. Featuring bizarre situations, anthropomorphic animals, and quirky characters, the strip delves into surreal and absurd scenarios that challenge typical comic norms. Often blending dark humor with insightful commentary, it explores a range of themes from science to society, making readers both laugh and ponder the absurdities of existence.