In the 1980s and 1990s, newspaper comic strips reached their peak as The Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes became just as popular, if not more so, than classics such as Peanuts. What Gary Larson created with The Far Side was quite different. Rather than trying to tell a short story with the same characters in a few panels, he used just one panel for both the setup and punchline to a clever joke.
Larson had several recurring themes he returned to, whether it be goofball scientists or talking animals. Then there’s what he did with dinosaurs, using creatures long extinct for surrealist satire about modern society. There are so many great examples of this, but these five Far Side comics in particular are so hilariously over-the-top.
5
‘Smoking Kills Dinosaurs’ (1987)
Most kids grow up fascinated by dinosaurs (and continue on to enjoy thrilling dinosaur movies as adults). They seem unreal, and it’s unfathomable that such creatures could exist on the same planet we now inhabit. With the immense size of some species, how could animals so intimidating, who ruled the Earth through so many eras, disappear? It’s eerie to know that an asteroid swiftly destroyed life as it was. It’s part of the reason why our fascination with dinosaurs hasn’t died with them.
In today’s era, smoking is what is killing so many humans. By the 1980s, when Larson drew this comic, everyone knew the dangers of cigarette smoking, which now kills millions across the globe annually. It’s our own little slow-burn meteor of sorts. That’s dark. Showing the absurdity, however, of dinosaurs sneaking off for a cigarette break is silly and lessens the impact while simultaneously driving the point home.
4
‘Caveman Bubblegum’ (1980)
Although popular in over-the-top movies and cartoons, dinosaurs and cavemen didn’t exist at the same time. The asteroid that wiped out the dinos crashed into Earth around 180 million years ago. Neanderthals, the first humans, didn’t evolve until 40,000 years ago. That’s just a wee bit of a time gap. But if dinosaurs and humans shared the same world at the same time, we wouldn’t rule. People would easily be prey for creatures that towered over us.
Larson’s comic shows how we’d be easy picking for dinosaurs. Poor Neanderthals wouldn’t have a chance. We’d be nothing more than a fun, unserious hobby, with T-Rexes playing with their food and treating us like a game. If humans existed in their era, we would have been extinct long before an asteroid.
3
‘The Thagomizer’ (1982)
Dinosaurs have such strange names. Get past the popular ones, like the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Velociraptor, and it quickly becomes a confusing list of species. There’s Alosaurus, Brachiosaurus, and all kinds of saurus you’ve never heard of and would likely have a hard time pronouncing. Then there’s the Stegosaurus.
The Stegosaurus is a popular dinosaur because of its fascinating shape. Although an herbivore, it’s not one to mess with due to the plates that run down its back and the sharp spikes at the end of its tail. If a predator got hit with one of those spikes, they would be in trouble. But just what the heck do you call it? In this comic, which makes fun of the strange names given to all things dinosaurs, a Neanderthal calls it a Thagomizer, with Thag Simmons presumably meeting his end by one. What’s amazing is that, while this isn’t the official name (there isn’t one), paleontologists now call the Stegosaurus’ tail spikes a thagomizer out of respect for the iconic Far Side comic.
ABecause I wanted to be where it matters most — right at the edge when someone’s life is actually on the line.
BBecause I wanted to help people — genuinely one patient at a time in a system that makes it hard.
CBecause I was drawn to the intensity of it —the stakes drama feeling of being fully alive.
DBecause medicine is the most interesting puzzle there is —and I needed a problem worth solving.
EBecause I wanted to make a difference —and also honestly I didn’t know what else to do with my life.
NEXT QUESTION →
03
What do you actually want from the people you work with?
Who you want beside you under pressure is who you are.
ACompetence calm — I need people who don’t fall apart when things get bad.
BTrust reliability — I want to know that when I pass something off it’s handled.
CConnection — I want colleagues who become family even if that gets complicated.
DIntelligence willingness to be challenged — I have no interest in people who just agree with me.
EFriendship people I actually like spending twelve hours a day with because those hours are going to happen either way.
NEXT QUESTION →
04
You lose a patient you fought hard to save.
How do you carry it?
Every doctor who’s worked a long shift has had to answer this question.
05
How would your colleagues describe way you work?
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
How would your colleagues describe way you work?
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
Your reputation floor usually more accurate than self-image.
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Taunting Mammals at Worst Time (1987)
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Many times Gary Larson’s Far Side comics didn’t even need words say much. Take this one example shows trio dinosaurs encountering small weird-looking furry mammal As two them point laugh third distracted watching these odd little white balls solid water fall ground.
After asteroid hit Earth all those millions years ago not all dinosaurs immediately died The destruction caused lasted millions more years changing Earth’s temperature ushering ice age<strong As dinosaurs froze death those small funny-looking mammals covered fur found way survive. Soon enough with dinosaurs out picture they would thrive evolve That’s no laughing matter you’re confused T-Rex.
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Meaties (1981)
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Taunting Mammals at Worst Time (1987)
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