Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Cartoon Discussion: Far Side


Though Gary Larson, the creator of the Far Side comics, has retired, Far Side remains one of my favorite comics. I enjoy the simple, yet animated drawings. The comic is typically in black and white, though sometimes it appears in color. The characters have human qualities, but maintain a classic cartoon quality. The one-panel comic provides enough detail to get the message across with out becoming elaborate. Far Side demonstrates timeless humor. Since the comic is often based on real life situations, often those of an embarrassing nature, it is easy for the audience to relate to them. Though some of the Far Side comics depict bizarre and unbelievable events they still make me laugh, mainly because they are still grounded in reality. Whether it’s a talking dog or a human character, the Far Side comic has the ability to make us look at ourselves and the world around us and laugh at the absurdity of it all. Far Side cartoons continue to appear on mugs, t-shirts, calendars, etc. I will continue to enjoy these comics and giggle each time one appears.

This polar bear comic is the perfect example of Far Side humor. The polar bears eating the igloo makes me laugh, because it remains me of two people sitting over a box of chocolates discussing the candies. Though the drawing is simple, it provides enough detail to support the text. We can clearly see that the bears are in the artic. The igloo is clearly outlined. We can see the one polar bear has taken a bite by the crumbs falling from his mouth and his stuffed cheeks. Also, you can tell from the human footprints entering the igloo that someone is inside, which is what the polar bear is referring to as the chewy center. So we can infer the polar bear is eating the person and igloo like candy.

No comments: