As fans of Gary Larson’s The Far Side know, the comic strip doesn’t feature recurring characters in the traditional sense. Unlike Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts or Jim Davis’ Garfield, The Far Side doesn’t follow a fixed cast. However, several characters have appeared more than once, either by name or through a recognizable character design.
While The Far Side is well known for its recurring themes, like cows, ducks, and other animals, this list will focus on something different. Instead, it highlights characters such as Igor, Fifi, the Nerdy Kid, and others who have appeared multiple times and stood out, whether by being given a proper name or having a distinctive, consistent look.
8
The Nerdy Kid: The Far Side’s Most Iconic Recurring Character
Defining Traits: Glasses, Freckles, Buck Teeth, and a Red & White-Striped Shirt
While Charlie Brown and Snoopy serve as the unofficial mascots of Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts, and Garfield is the face of Jim Davis’s comics, the closest that The Far Side has to a starring character is the Nerdy Kid. This character has become one of the defining faces of the strip, often appearing on the covers of Larson’s Far Side collections and across numerous comic panels.
He is typically portrayed as the quintessential outcast, frequently bookish, awkward, and the target of various jokes. One of the comic’s most iconic strips, “Midvale School for the Gifted,” features the Nerdy Kid trying to push open a door clearly labeled “pull.”
7
Igor: The Mad Scientist’s Assistant We All Love
Defining Traits: Hunchback, Doesn’t Get Paid Enough
Igor is perhaps one of The Far Side’s most beloved yet underrated recurring characters and has the special distinction of having both a proper name and an instantly recognizable design. He is commonly shown as the assistant to Larson’s recurring mad scientist and is usually depicted as loyal, though often fumbling and failing to live up to the scientist’s expectations.
Related
10 Hilarious Far Side Comics Starring Igor, the Iconic Mad Scientist’s Assistant
Something of a mad scientist himself, The Far Side creator Gary Larson made some iconic jokes about Igor, the ultimate laboratory assistant.
He is a classic parody of horror film clichés, especially the “yes, master” trope. Igor most notably pokes fun at film adaptations of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which introduced the assistant character even though the original novel did not.
6
Devil: Even Hell’s Ruler Found a Place in The Far Side
Defining Traits: Horns, Pitchfork, Obvious Preference for the Color Red
The Devil is another favorite character in Larson’s comics and is likely one of the most frequently recurring figures in The Far Side. Larson portrays Hell as a bureaucratic nightmare, drawing comparisons to the frustrations of everyday work life and bad management.
As a result, the Devil isn’t portrayed as pure evil, but rather as a petty administrator or an annoyed boss. Visually, he embodies the classic caricature, characterized by red clothing or skin, horns, and a pitchfork, adding a lighthearted twist to a traditionally fearsome figure.
5
Arlene Carmichael: The Woman with the Horn-Rimmed Glasses
Defining Traits: Horn-Rimmed Glasses, Patterned Dresses, Beehive Hair
The woman in horn-rimmed glasses is arguably one of the most recognizable recurring characters in The Far Side. Like the Nerdy Kid, she often appears on the covers of Larson’s collections and features prominently in a wide range of strips.
Related
Gary Larson’s Far Side doesn’t have many recurring characters, but when they do appear, they’re used for some of his best comics in the whole series.
She is instantly identifiable, and fans learned her name in a comic that introduced The Far Side’s “cast,” where she is revealed to be Arlene Carmichael, the “actor” who plays many of the women with horn-rimmed glasses in the strip. She frequently represents social awkwardness, comical nonchalance, and occasionally the nagging wife archetype.
4
Fifi: The Toy Poodle Who Deserves Better
Defining Traits: Small White Dog & Secret Pilot
Fifi the dog is another member of the select group of Far Side characters to be given a proper name, something few of Larson’s many canine characters have received. However, despite being named, Fifi doesn’t get any special treatment.
Instead, the comics featuring her often involve dark humor or looming disasters. One of Larson’s darkest and most surreal comics depicts Fifi being skinned by a chicken, which then uses her skin as a disguise to avoid becoming dinner, serving her to guests instead.
Related
Gary Larson’s 20 Funniest Far Side Comics About Dogs
Gary Larson’s Far Side comic featured plenty of panels starring man’s best friend, but his funniest dog comics have kept fans barking with laughter.
3
Thag Simmons: The Far Side’s Most Famous Caveman
Defining Traits: Animal Skins, General Caveman Look, Victim of Natural Selection
Cavemen are one of Larson’s favorite recurring elements. Among them, one caveman stands out for receiving the rare distinction of a name: Thag Simmons. Thag is typically shown meeting a tragic or foolish end.
He achieved unexpected fame in the scientific community when a Far Side comic introduced the term “Thagomizer” to describe the spiked tail of a dinosaur. The comic joked that Thag was killed by it (hence the name), and paleontologists adopted the term informally to describe the tail spikes of a stegosaurus.
2
The Detective: The Far Side’s Fedora-Wearing, Crime-Solving Expert
Defining Traits: Fedora, Trench Coat, Not the Best at His Job
Although the detective in The Far Side doesn’t have an official name, his consistent look (a fedora, trench coat, and oversized cigar) makes him one of the comic’s more recognizable recurring characters. He is usually featured in spoofs of the “hard-boiled detective” genre, trying to solve cases that are either laughably obvious or completely ridiculous.
Related
16 Funniest Far Side Comics Starring Gary Larson’s Best Recurring Character, The Detective
Gary Larson’s recurring detective character is the best in Far Side history, playing the perfect straight man to a world of truly bizarre crimes.
One of his most infamous appearances involves investigating the murder of Sesame Street’s Big Bird, which drew significant backlash from parents when it was first published. The backlash came from the fact that parents didn’t want their kids to see their favorite puppet dead.
1
God: Even The Far Side Recognizes Divine Power
Defining Traits: Long White Beard, Robe, Unibrow
No list of recurring Far Side characters would be complete without mentioning the big man upstairs: The Far Side’s take on God. In addition to having a name, he also has one of the most distinctive designs in the strip. He is portrayed as an older man with a long white beard, flowing hair, a robe, and a thick unibrow that often hides his eyes.
Larson’s God-themed comics usually take a humorous approach to divine power, such as showing him baking the Earth like a cake or pressing the “smite” key on a celestial keyboard. So, who is your favorite recurring Far Side character?
- Writer
-
Gary Larson
- Colorist
-
Gary Larson
