The Far Side of the Moon

My but haven't we all felt like this a time or two? This has always been my favorite Far Side comic. I had it hanging in many of my offices throughout the years. At one time, it was re-captioned "Uh-oh, Bill's in one of his moods again."

I identify with the man in this frame. I think I have felt like him fairly often in my life. In still life as imagined by Gary Larson, its author and illustrator, here before the reader is the epitome of the utter frustration one feels when things are so clear in one's head, yet reality simply isn't bearing out the clarity.

We are left to wonder what led up to this character's psychotic break, but based on the expressions on the dog and cat, I can only assume it was animal shenanigans that made this man to feel he had to assert, in the simplest and most overt terms possible, the order of things.

Among the items labeled, all seem to be "less than" the man doing the labeling. Without him, no labeling would be possible. Without him, the labeling would be unnecessary.

So, I've managed to ruin the fun behind the joke by deconstructing it to the point where it makes you think rather than just accept the basic premise as it is presented. But Mr. Larson knows, like many other creative people in this world, it is the joke behind the joke that is really funny.

Was Mr. Larson having a bad day when he drew this? Did he ask for a latte and his assistant brought a mocha instead? Was his agent or artistic consultant giving him flack, or worse, suggestions that were not appreciated and certainly not requested?

I will never know. But this single frame is so instantaneously and utterly relateable to me that it has endured as one of my very favorite pieces of humor of all time. This is only one of many many Far Side panels that resonate with me. Larson is a master of making sure there is more going on that meets the eye. In crude drawings and simple set-ups, he creates entire universes. Some authors need reams and reams of paper and entire series of books what Larson does in a simply drawn panel.

The humor challenges the reader to be on their toes. When you are on your toes and you get the joke, you feel smart and witty. When you don't get the joke, you probably don't even know it, so no harm done.

I don't have a point, other than to express my thanks to Mr. Larson and his twisted Id for expressing so much with so little for so long. My hat is off to you sir.