The Far Side stands as one of the most iconic comics of all time, as well as arguably the most unique. Unlike other popular comic strips, The Far Side does not follow any main characters, but rather seemingly random characters who only serve as vehicles for the joke of any given single-panel comic. That allowed the creator of The Far Side, Gary Larson, to experiment with a ton of weird and wacky subjects - including aliens.
✕ Remove Ads
Fans of The Far Side are very familiar with the sight of anthropomorphic cows, humorous depictions of hell, and even the antics of a parody of God Himself, and the same is true for aliens. The Far Side comics featuring aliens range from showing the extraterrestrials flying through the cosmos, to visiting Planet Earth and observing/interacting with humans. And the funniest Far Side comics prove that these aliens are surprisingly relatable.
10 Aliens Greet Each Other the Same Way Humans Do
The Far Side - September 25, 1980
This single-panel comic shows two aliens passing each other in a hallway when they notice that they actually know each other. One of the aliens then offers a familiar greeting: a high-five. Well, technically it's a 'high-six', but it's still the practice of slapping hands together as a way of saying "hello".
✕ Remove Ads
The 'high-five' is easily one of the most recognized greetings in human history, and that apparently stretches beyond the cosmos, as these relatable aliens use this greeting-method as well.
9 When The Far Side's Aliens Visit Earth, They Become Confused Tourists
The Far Side - November 15, 1980
This Far Side comic shows two aliens visiting Earth, presumably for the first time, as they are posing and taking pictures with a common scarecrow, assuredly believing it to be a genuine human. These aliens are exactly like any confused human tourist who finds themselves in a new city/state/country while traveling.
They're excited about being there, and spend a lot of time and money to make this trip happen, but they don't fully understand the culture of where they went. In this case, it's aliens taking photos with a scarecrow thinking it's a human.
✕ Remove Ads
8 Even Aliens are Afraid of Getting Stung by Bees
The Far Side - August 11, 1981
The fear of getting stung by a bee is something practically everyone experiences, and Far Side proves that that includes aliens. These extraterrestrials crash-land on Earth, getting the attention of some people who witnessed the UFO's crash. As they're sitting on the ground in front of their wrecked ship, one alien says to the other, "I can't believe it! One lousy bee gets inside and you just freak out!".
To be fair, getting stung by a bee is pretty painful, though definitely not as bad as crashing a spaceship on a foreign planet, which is why this comic is hilarious.
✕ Remove Ads
7 These Far Side Aliens Go Through a Universal Human Experience: Locking the Keys in the Vehicle
The Far Side - July 16, 1982
At one point or another, most people have locked their keys in their vehicle, and it seems this experience is universal (literally). These two Far Side aliens are trying to leave Planet Earth, but one of them accidentally locks the keys inside the spaceship. Unfortunately, a gang of humans is charging them (potentially to cause them harm), making the situation even more stressful.
The idea that an alien species advanced enough to travel across the cosmos still locks their keys in their vehicles is absolutely hysterical, and incredibly relatable.
6 Far Side Aliens Treat Humans the Way Humans Treat Animals
The Far Side - August 4, 1982
✕ Remove Ads
This Far Side 'alien comic' is a little dark, especially because of how relatable it is. It shows a giant extraterrestrial standing in a pen filled with humans, feeding them from a bag with a label that reads, "Earthling Feed". It's as if these giant aliens took over Planet Earth, and are raising humans for the sole purpose of eating them.
While that may seem horrific, it's actually incredibly relatable, as it's exactly what humans do to animals, subjecting them to a fate that these humans will soon experience for themselves in a cruel (yet comical) twist of irony.
5 Humans & Aliens Have 1 Thing in Common: They Love Fireworks
The Far Side - October 5, 1982
✕ Remove Ads
If there is one thing that is true about the vast majority of people, it's that they love watching fireworks. Two separate holidays, New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July in the United States, are proof enough of that, as fireworks are the main event for both. And it seems aliens are just as captivated by explosions in the sky, even if said explosions mean the death of an entire planet.
This Far Side comic is more of a commentary on humanity's insignificance in the wider cosmos, and that if humans destroy each other with nuclear war, no one in the universe will care. But, beyond that, this comic shows aliens enjoying 'fireworks' - something that is very relatable.
4 Even Aliens Have Hilariously Cringey Moments (Just Like Humans)
The Far Side - April 16, 1984
✕ Remove Ads
When these Far Side aliens decide to make first contact with humans, they wanted to instill a sense of awe. But, one of the aliens trips and falls down the steps of their spaceship, which totally undermines their preferred first impression. Rather than being seen as cosmically unknowable beings from another world, these aliens looked like big jokes, all because of one cringey moment.
However, this moment immediately showed humanity that the aliens aren't so different from them, as people experience no shortage of cringey, embarrassing moments just like this one.
3 Aliens Love Road Trip Snacks Just as Much as People
The Far Side - February 27, 1982
✕ Remove Ads
As two aliens are traveling the cosmos in their spaceship, they come across Earth, and they see it as nothing more than a place where they can stop to get something to eat. It's unclear if these extraterrestrials are fans of Earth's cuisine, or if they plan to consume the flesh of humans. Either way, they're clearly on a road trip (of sorts), and they decide to stop for some snacks.
As anyone who's ever been on a road trip knows, stopping for snacks is arguably the most fun part of the whole experience, making this Far Side comic extremely relatable (if not a bit terrifying).
2 These Far Side Aliens are Basically Just Kids Playing with Bugs
The Far Side - October 26, 1981
In this Far Side comic, one alien is scolding another (whose name is Gorok) about how to keep the humans they've trapped in a jar alive. They tell Gorok, "This time punch some holes in the lid!". This scolding implies that Gorok has collected humans in a jar before, and they've suffocated due to a lack of oxygen, and the other alien wants to make sure Gorok doesn't make the same mistake twice.
✕ Remove Ads
It's as if this comic is depicting a mother scolding her child who keeps collecting bugs in a jar and letting them die by not poking holes in the lid for air. In fact, it's exactly like that, making this comic yet another example of The Far Side portraying aliens as both relatable and terrifying.
1 Even Far Side Aliens Aren't Immune to Awkward Encounters with a Fighting Couple
The Far Side - July 25, 1983
Getting caught in the middle of two couples fighting or just generally being snippy with each other is a universal experience that everyone has endured at one point or another. Whether at a dinner party, out in public, or any social gathering, there's usually a couple that just can't stop bickering, and they don't care who's caught in the crossfire. In this case, an alien is caught in the middle of a couple bickering about a camera being loaded with film (something that seems like a touchy subject between them), and the extraterrestrial's wide-eyed gaze during the awkward situation says it all.
✕ Remove Ads
This alien is going through what countless people have before them, and their reaction to it is spot-on, making this one of the 10 funniest Far Side comics that prove aliens are surprisingly relatable.
The Far Side
The Far Side is a humorous comic series developed by Gary Larson. The series has been in production since 1979 and features a wide array of comic collections, calendars, art, and other miscellaneous items.