Дальняя сторона
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Many comic strips have aged poorly, but Дальняя сторона remains largely timeless. Gary Larson’s jokes about talking dogs and the misadventures of stick figures are just as funny today as they were in the ’80s and ’90s. However, while the comic itself holds up, not all of its humor transcends generations.
Times have changed, and some Дальняя сторона strips include gags that might not make much sense to kids today. Whether Larson was riffing on then-modern technology, using now-outdated slang, or referencing public figures of the time, certain strips are best appreciated by those who remember the era in which they were created.
10 You Can’t Leave It to Beaver In The Far Side
Original Publication Date: Sep. 26, 1987
Image via The Far Side
The family sitcom Оставьте это Бобру originally aired in the ’50s and ’60s, but it was still well-known during Дальняя сторона era. The show, which followed the exploits of Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver, was regularly syndicated, spawned an ’80s revival series called Новый Оставь это Биверу, and even inspired a 1997 film.
В эти дни, Оставьте это Бобру has faded from the public consciousness, which makes this Far Side comic a little hard to follow. It’s clear that a couple of kids have gotten into trouble, but younger readers may not know who the Cleavers are or why one of them is called “the Beav.” Maybe it would make more sense with Modern Family символы.
9 The Far Side Remembers Photo Slideshows
Original Publication Date: Aug. 1, 1983
Image via The Far Side
In the years before social media, one common way to share pictures was by projecting photo slides on a wall. Slideshows actually date all the way back to the 1600s, when people used lanterns to project images that were hand-painted on glass. While slideshows haven’t completely disappeared, most modern slideshows are digital and don’t involve any physical slides.
Advancements in technology mean that этой Дальняя сторона comic might not make sense to those too young to remember slide carousels. In the strip, a man attempts to showcase a slide of a bomb detonation but accidentally places it upside down. To younger readers, it might simply come across as a weird joke about an explosion coming from the sky.
8 Dutch Rubs Are Forbidden In The Far Side
Original Publication Date: Jan. 6, 1994
Image via The Far Side
Language is constantly evolving, and that means that jokes that involve slang don’t always stand the test of time. It’s clear that a man is doing something strange to birds in this Дальняя сторона полоса, but even with visual context, readers might not be able to figure out what a “Dutch rub” is or why they would be banned.
Apparently, a Dutch rub is what some people might call a «noogie,» where someone rubs their knuckles along the top of another person’s head. The origin of the term is unclear, and it’s not commonly used today. Regardless of its history, it’s pretty weird that enough birds got Dutch rubs that they had to put up a sign about it.
7 This Far Side Comic Is Strictly Analog
Original Publication Date: June 26, 1980
Image via The Far Side
Эти Дальняя сторона strip references Лаверн и Ширли, but surprisingly, that’s not the most dated aspect of the comic. For decades, TVs relied on antennas to receive broadcasts, and any interference—like, say, an alien invasion—could disrupt the signal and cause the screen to display static.
By the 2000s, most of the world switched from analog to digital TV, which means that younger Дальняя сторона readers may have never had to wrestle with an antenna or have a signal cut out when they wanted to watch TV. Maybe a modern version of this strip could show UFOs cutting out the wifi.
6 Phone Booths Are Everywhere In The Far Side
Original Publication Date: Jan. 26, 1984
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The world’s first telephone booth opened in 1881, and for more than a century, they were a common sight. Before cell phones, people relied on phone booths to stay connected while away from home. When this comic was published in 1984, phone booths were everywhere—outside gas stations, inside schools, and apparently, even on deserted islands, a favorite Дальняя сторона пятно.
For the one-hundredth time in as many days—I HAVEN”T GOT A QUARTER.
For someone who’s grown up with smartphones, the idea of needing a physical quarter to make a phone call might be hard to grasp. The stranded travelers could have tried to call collect, but that might have made this strip feel even more dated.
5 The Far Side Cracks Jokes About Dick Clark
Original Publication Date: Jan. 5, 1990
Image via The Far Side
For decades, Dick Clark was a constant presence on American television. He hosted Американский эстрада и Рок-канун Нового года Дика Кларка (which was later taken over by Ryan Seacrest) and even appeared on the 1960s Batman TV show. Clark was famous for his youthful appearance and was often referred to as “America’s oldest teenager.”
Gary Larson pokes fun at Clark’s seemingly eternal youth by having him age centuries in a matter of seconds. Fittingly, the whole thing is happening on live TV. To readers who didn’t grow up seeing an ageless Clark on TV, this might seem like a random reference or even a joke about Вещество.
4 Only The Far Side Can Prevent Forest Fires
Original Publication Date: May 12, 1980
Image via The Far Side
Smokey Bear has been a fire safety mascot since 1944 and has appeared in posters, books, comic strips, and animated shorts urging people to prevent forest fires. He’s appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and is even the subject of an unauthorized song, “Smokey the Bear.”
While Smokey hasn’t completely disappeared from the public eye—the character is currently voiced by Brian Tyree Henry—he’s not as well known as he used to be, and that might make this Far Side strip a little hard to get. To readers who aren’t familiar with Smokey and his never-ending mission, this might look like a harmless and sweet strip about a bear celebrating his birthday.
3 The Far Side References the Veg-O-Matic
Original Publication Date: Oct. 22, 1983
Image via The Far Side
Благодаря История игрушек фильмы, most readers will recognize the Potato Heads in this Дальняя сторона комический, but the rest of the strip might be a bit harder to follow. It depicts a courtroom scene featuring the Veg-O-Matic, a household appliance that has faded into obscurity.
It slices! It dices!
The Veg-O-Matic was a simple food processor and one of the earliest devices sold with the “As Seen on TV” logo. It was famous for its TV ads, which proclaimed, “It slices! It dices!,» and was the subject of countless parodies, from Saturday Night Live sketches to Weird Al songs to this Дальняя сторона strip. It’s hard to say exactly what Mr. Potato Head was doing with the Veg-O-Matic, but it seems clear he was up to no good.
2 Willy Isn’t Free In The Far Side
Original Publication Date: Apr. 29, 1994
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Дальняя сторона loved to make jokes about movies, and while most of those gags are still relevant today, there are a few comics that didn’t really hold up. Not every franchise has staying power, and some films, like 1993’s Освободите Вилли, were successful in their time but aren’t well-remembered today.
Пока оригинал Освободите Вилли spawned multiple sequels, the series never went in the direction Gary Larson imagines here, with a film called Catch Willie (And Make Him Do Tricks). It’s not the weirdest movie in the Дальняя сторона universe, but this one probably wouldn’t have resonated with audiences.
1 The Far Side Put a New Spin On Milk Cartons
Original Publication Date: Feb. 24, 1992
Image via The Far Side
There’s a fantastic sight gag in this Дальняя сторона comic, but younger readers might not understand why a giraffe is being displayed on this giant milk carton in the first place. The Missing Children Milk Carton Program began displaying photos of missing kids on cartons of milk around January 1985. This practice continued into the early 90s, but it gradually declined with the rise of more efficient systems, like Amber Alerts.
Kids might not fully get this Дальняя сторона полоса, but it’s funny enough to work without the reference. Even if someone has never heard of faces on milk cartons, the mere thought of a giraffe trying to pour that milk carton is hilarious. Gary Larson has also hidden some great details in the background of the comic, like the name of the giraffe’s cereal, Acacia-O’s.
Дальняя сторона
писатель Гэри Ларсон Издатель Универсальный пресс-синдикат Художника гэри ларсон
