# Is The Far Side Returning? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 15, 2019, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244 "2019-09-15T02:22:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/21 "2019-09-16T20:34:42Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I don’t recall seeing it before in any Far Side collection, and I own all the standard ones I don’t recognize it, either, though it does remind me a bit of [this one](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/69/5a/c2/695ac2d586cab7a674c1c9fb5e8ce795.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/22 "2019-09-16T20:40:10Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is the comic on his site with the guy torching the ice-blocked cow new? There are other Far Side characters there as well, such as the older woman wearing glasses and a housedress, a dog and so forth. It seems clearly to be new art by Gary Larson specifically for this message. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/23 "2019-09-16T21:42:34Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > There are other Far Side characters there as well, such as the older woman wearing glasses and a housedress, a dog and so forth. It seems clearly to be new art by Gary Larson specifically for this message. I thought so. Very nice to see. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/24 "2019-09-16T23:06:13Z")
I remember the (possibly apocryphal) tale that Larson decided to discontinue _The Far Side_ because he did not want his characters, ten years into the future, to be shilling for MetLife. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/25 "2019-09-16T23:30:31Z")
I do miss (besides the comic itself) all the Far Side merch like calendars, greeting cards, t-shirts, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/26 "2019-09-16T23:37:54Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > I do miss (besides the comic itself) all the Far Side merch like calendars, greeting cards, t-shirts, etc. I had the one-a-day calendar for many years in a row. I still have them all in boxes downstairs(I kept them as I ripped them off). ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/27 "2019-09-16T23:44:10Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > I remember the (possibly apocryphal) tale that Larson decided to discontinue _The Far Side_ because he did not want his characters, ten years into the future, to be shilling for MetLife. > > :dubious: But if he doesn’t want his characters shilling for MetLife (or whatever), they don’t. Presumably he controls the rights. Besides, his strip never really had regular characters, so I’m not sure how useful it would be for advertising purposes. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/28 "2019-09-17T12:49:07Z")
I always imagined GL drawing one new comic per month for his own pleasure, and that by now he’d have a nice amount (~300) of material to start slowly releasing. I hope I was right. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/29 "2019-09-17T15:33:19Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > But if he doesn’t want his characters shilling for MetLife (or whatever), they don’t. Presumably he controls the rights. Besides, his strip never really had regular characters, so I’m not sure how useful it would be for advertising purposes. It may have been a “lead me not into temptation” quote. Sure, he’d have to sign on the dotted line, but he might not have had a high opinion of his own sales resistance. Knowing that Charles Schulz’ advert and merchandising revenue drew in more money than the GDP of some third-world countries might put a strain on _anybody’s_ artistic integrity. As for “useful for advertising purposes”… who knows. Madison Avenue, IMHO, lives on a different planet. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/30 "2019-09-17T16:05:06Z")
> [@Krusty the Clown](#): > > They drove a dump truck full of money up to my house! I’m not made of stone! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/31 "2019-09-17T18:53:32Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > I remember the (possibly apocryphal) tale that Larson decided to discontinue _The Far Side_ because he did not want his characters, ten years into the future, to be shilling for MetLife. > > :dubious: Sounds a lot more like Bill Watterson, who resisted merchandising his characters in any way, and fought hard to get total control over them from the syndicate so they couldn’t merchandise them without his approval. Larson pretty clearly never had a problem with merchandising the heck out of his comic. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/32 "2019-09-17T20:00:30Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Sounds a lot more like Bill Watterson, who resisted merchandising his characters in any way, and fought hard to get total control over them from the syndicate so they couldn’t merchandise them without his approval. Larson pretty clearly never had a problem with merchandising the heck out of his comic. Also, I always thought the Peanuts characters selling Dolly Madison and Met Life were quaint. ---
**Author:** ![kirkrapine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@kirkrapine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirkrapine)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/33 "2019-09-17T21:18:11Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > [Gary Larson - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Larson#Retirement) > > Doesn’t really add anything but the implication may be that it will be an official online collection of far side cartoons. I recall when he announced his retirement, he said it was just too much pressure to produce a daily comic strip. Of course, that would not preclude him from adding new ones to the website whenever he feels like it. Please feel like it, Gary! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kirkrapine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@kirkrapine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirkrapine)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/34 "2019-09-17T21:22:01Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > heres an amusing tweet from the guy who writes “questionable content” : > > Full Time Unicron Blogger Retweeted > > Charli XCXKCD > ✔ > @jephjacques > It’s a fuckin sign of the times that Gary Larson is coming back and everyone’s response isn’t “omg yay” but “oh no what if he’s a nazi now” I guess we still haven’t recovered from glimpsing the dark side of Scott Addams. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/36 "2019-09-17T21:39:15Z")
> [@kirkrapine](#): > > I recall when he announced his retirement, he said it was just too much pressure to produce a daily comic strip. > > Of course, that would not preclude him from adding new ones to the website whenever he feels like it. Please feel like it, Gary! 🙂 The Far Side was a daily strip? It’s been so long, I don’t even remember. But I can see how it would be too much pressure. He had to convey the story or joke or whatever in only one panel and maybe a one-sentence caption. It’s not at all easy. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/37 "2019-09-17T22:01:14Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The Far Side was a daily strip? It’s been so long, I don’t even remember. It was. I strongly suspect that it inspired a number of single-panel daily strips with offbeat humor, like Bizarro and The Argyle Sweater (the creator of which has apparently acknowledged the similarity to The Far Side). ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/38 "2019-09-18T01:06:30Z")
Oh please, oh please. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/39 "2019-09-18T01:36:30Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Oh please, oh please. Lol! ---
**Author:** ![kirkrapine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@kirkrapine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirkrapine)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/40 "2019-09-18T02:00:37Z")
I once had a hardbound collection with contained a section of “Censored Cartoons.” One showed a surgical operation, with the surgeon dangling something between his fingers over a begging dog. To which was added the caption, “No, you didn’t see this one. Turn the page.” There was also a hapless snake who was stuck and couldn’t slither out of a crib because of its bulging abdomen. ---
**Author:** ![kirkrapine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@kirkrapine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirkrapine)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244/41 "2019-09-18T02:03:04Z")
My all-time fave (actually appeared in the newspapers): We see a city street corner. Coming from one direction, a nerd rollerskating and grooving to a Walkman. From the other, Tarzan riding an elephant and leading a charging herd. Caption: “Brian has a rendezvous with destiny.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-far-side-returning/840244.md?page=3)