Summary
Gary Larson’s longrunning newspaper comicThe Far Sidefrequently poked fun at popular culture, and one fictional character he liked to skewer in particular was Tarzan; over the years,Larson portrayed what is unquestionably the goofiest version of the iconic man of the jungle ever created, suggesting that the artist recognized the inherent potential for absurdity of the character.
In fact, Larson actually drew several distinct versions of Tarzan; in their own ways, each ranks among the silliest, most lighthearted characters to ever graceThe Far Side.For the most part, Larson’s Tarzan panels offer a touch of the artist’s patented absurdity, without going to thedark places Gary Larson’s humor often explored.
Whatever iteration of Tarzan Larson drew, his use of the character always emphasized the “cartoonishness” ofThe Far Sidecartoons. In other words, the character’s appearances stretched the limits of credulity, in the best possible way.
10 Funniest Far Side Comics Starring Apes
The Far Side’s absurd world depicted a thriving animal kingdom, with apes & gorillas of all sizes appearing in many of Gary Larson’s funniest strips.
Gary Larson Highlighted The Silliness Of The Tarzan Character
First Appearance: July 16, 2025
Gary Larson regularly depicted Tarzan as a hapless, if harmless goofball, hilariously at odds with the hardened, barely human warrior that other versions envision as the end result of the character’s “state of nature” upbringing.
Created in the early 20th century by author Edgar Rich Burroughs, the premise of the Tarzan story is fantastical. That is, of course, part of what made readers respond to it, and helped cement the character’s enduring legacy. However, it is that fantastic naturethat Gary Larson tapped intowhen he turnedhis idiosyncratic sense of humoron the famous man of the jungle. Time and again,Larson’s Tarzan was faced with contemporary civilized human problems, transposed into a jungle setting– and most often, the result was a version of the character that amounted to a total doofus.
Gary Larson regularly depicted Tarzan as a hapless, if harmless goofball, hilariously at odds with the hardened, barely human warrior that other versions envision as the end result of the character’s “state of nature” upbringing. Larson’s take on the character is, in fact, more in line with the 1999 Disney animated incarnation – though only to a certain extent, as the Tarzan in that film ultimately has a heroic arc, one thatThe Far Side’sversion would almost surely not be capable of.
The Far Side Complete Collection
Fans of the far side can’t pass up this master collection of Gary Larson’s finest work. Originally published in hardcover in 2003, this paperback set comes complete with a newly designed slipcase that will look great on any shelf. The Complete Far Side contains every Far Side cartoon ever published, which amounts to over 4,000, plus more than 1,100 that have never before appeared in a book and even some made after Larson retired.
The Evolution Of The Far Side’s Tarzan
Gary Larson’s Man Of The Jungle Over Time
Gary Larson’s most successful comics were the result of a perfect calibration between the punchline and the artist’s illustration – with a perfect example being the panel in which Tarzan, swinging from one vine to the next, finds his head clamped down on by an eager python.
Gary Larson was known to revisit the same joke – both in terms of set-up, and punchline – in different waysthroughoutThe Far Side’srun, and his Tarzan cartoons are an apt example of that. What is particularly interesting is charting the way Larson’s visual depiction of Tarzan shifted based on the specific needs of the panel at hand. In his earlyFar Sideappearances, Larson depicted a “hunky” man of the jungle, while several later variations made him as visually goofy to match the silliness of his actions.
In other instances, Tarzan was simply a loincloth-clad version ofThe Far Side’sdefault human drawings. As was always the case withThe Far Side,Gary Larson’s most successful comicswere the result of a perfect calibration between the punchline and the artist’s illustration – with a perfect example beingthe panel in which Tarzan, swinging from one vine to the next, finds his head clamped down on by an eager python. In any case, Larson’s take on Tarzan inThe Far Sideis unquestionably the century-old character at his most irreverent.
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.
