Gary Larson’s comic strip, The Far Side, was known for its unique brand of dark humor, often venturing into territory far more macabre than its contemporary newspaper comics. While Peanuts might have featured Lucy pulling a football away from Charlie Brown, and Garfield had its share of slapstick, The Far Side tackled themes of hangings, murder, and the afterlife.
Larson frequently found comedic inspiration in Hell, making Satan a recurring character in his strips. Here are six examples of The Far Side comics that prominently feature the devil and his domain.
“We Deliver Anywhere”
This comic from June 11, 1988, depicts Satan receiving a pizza delivery in Hell. Unamused, he declares, “First of all, this is going straight back — and I’ll just have a little chat with whoever placed the order.” The pizza box, from “Jerry’s Pizza,” proudly states “We Deliver Anywhere,” a promise it apparently fulfills even to the underworld. The humor stems from the incongruity of such a mundane earthly pleasure as pizza being a point of contention in Hell, especially given the presence of what appears to be a perfect pizza oven.
The Literal Interpretation
Larson often played with common phrases by interpreting them literally. In a 1982 comic, he dissected the idiom “To Hell and back” by presenting Hell as a mere tourist destination. The strip shows a man displaying vacation slides, one of which features his wife posing with a surprisingly cheerful Devil. The wife, however, appears unimpressed by the encounter.
Splitsville
The Far Side also explored distinct versions of Hell tailored to specific torments. A 1990 comic titled “Bowler’s Hell” shows a bowler facing an impossibly difficult split. The Devil remarks, “Whoa! Another split?... What a bummer!” This comic suggests that for a bowler, an eternity of such challenging splits would be the ultimate punishment.
Gary Larson on Banjos
Larson seemed to have a particular dislike for banjos, often featuring them in unfavorable contexts. One comic depicts a specific Hell for banjo players: an orchestra filled exclusively with the instrument. This plays into a recurring theme in his work where banjos are presented as obnoxious. Another comic shows a conductor recoiling in horror at the sound of a banjo within his orchestra.
See?
Another comic contrasts Heaven and Hell, highlighting the different instruments received upon arrival. In Heaven, one is presented with a harp, while Hell distributes accordions. This juxtaposition humorously implies that the choice of instrument can dictate one's eternal fate.
All Dogs Don’t Go to Heaven?
A 1986 comic presents a unique Hell where dogs sentenced to eternal damnation are forced to work as mail carriers, their natural adversaries. While it predates the 1989 animated film All Dogs Go to Heaven, the concept offers a humorous inversion of the idea that all dogs ascend to a blissful afterlife.
