Activation warning: This list includes Distant side Comics that refer to sensitive issues such as suicide, war, and other potentially distressing topics. Some readers may find them offensive or in bad taste. Reader’s discretion is advised.
Gary Larson is known for the incredible variety of humor in his The distant side comics, ranging from cheerful gags to dark and controversial themes that have sparked debate among fans about whether he has ever gone too far. Among his darker material are comics where death itself is the punchline.
Whether it’s the end of the human race or the demise of fictional characters, death has been a recurring theme in Larson’s work. Some of these comics are undoubtedly amusing, while others may push the boundaries. It is recommended to the reader’s discretion, as what may be funny to one person could be deeply offensive to another, especially in the current climate of uncertainty and global conflicts. If you are a fan of Larson and familiar with his unique perspective, enjoy this list of Distant side strips where death takes center stage as the punchline.
10
Monarch Butterflies Season
Spiders with Shotguns: A Twisted Version of Hunting
Gary Larson has the strange ability to take things we often take for granted and give them a unique twist. In this case, he reinvents hunting: the hunter is a spider, and the prey is a swarm of monarch butterflies. Instead of using webs to catch their prey, these spiders take a page from human hunting manuals and use shotguns. The scene unfolds much like duck hunting, with hidden spiders in tall grass taking shots as butterflies take flight. While hunting may not be a laughing matter for many, this peculiar subversion of expectations could still elicit a chuckle or two.
9
The World Did Not End with an Explosion, but a «Oh, Disgusting!»
T.S. Eliot Meets Far Side’s Disgusted Extraterrestrials
«The Hollow Men» by T.S. Eliot is a famous poem known for its haunting line: «This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper.» While Eliot offers a tragic and poetic end, Larson imagines the world ending with an «Oh, disgusting!» from disgusted alien observers. Seeing Earth’s destruction from space, these aliens are visibly repulsed, showing that in the Distant Side universe, the end doesn’t come with a bang or a whimper, but rather with disgust, as in «Oh, disgusting!»
8
Quicksand: A Much Bigger Threat in the Distant Side
Childhood Fears Come True (More or Less)
Most adults can recall how childhood fears made us believe quicksand would be a much greater threat than it turned out to be. With movies and shows like Indiana Jones and Power Rangers making us think quicksand was a looming danger, reality often proves otherwise. However, in the Distant Side universe, where the deaths of six explorers are the punchline of this comic, quicksand remains a significant threat.
7
Famous Last Words Before the Irish Potato Famine
A Joke with an Amazing Death Toll
Keep reading to discover more darkly humorous Distant Side strips that explore death in unexpected and thought-provoking ways.
