Many people tend to overlook or forget the kind of cultural impact that animation and newspaper comic strips have had all around the world. While the characters of such major comic book publications as Marvel and DC have been the inspiration behind some of the most popular films in recent years, other works like Charles Schulz’s Peanuts have had just as much of an impact. Gary Larson’s iconic The Far Side comic, for example, continues to be held in high regard for its sense of humor, unique art style, and how it pioneered the concept of a single-panel comic. So, what exactly do The Far Side and the long-running animated comedy The Simpsons have in common? Aside from the fact that The Simpsons is also highly regarded for similar reasons, it also happens to have had a brief stint of involvement with Larson himself.
For more than three decades, The Simpsons hasn’t just become the most iconic and definitive series in adult animation for its biting satire and unique art style, but for its ongoing ability to score some of the most impressive guest stars in all television history for one-off or occasionally recurring voice acting roles. In 2010, Larson emerged from the depths of retirement from both comics and the public eye, agreeing to appear in a voice-over cameo as himself on the show.
Gary Larson’s The Far Side Comics Had a Great Effect on the Zeitgeist
When it first debuted in 1979, The Far Side became something of a phenomenon for comic strip fans. Readers were vastly intrigued and drawn in by its bizarre humor, social commentary, and its seemingly endless ability to make fun of almost every topic and subject imaginable. What made it stand out the most from all the other strips, however, was that Larson never reused any recurring characters, leading each new comic to feel completely fresh and original. Even those who haven’t read a single comic may still find them hard to avoid, as they’ve also inspired merchandise such as calendars. In a rare interview with The New York Times, Larson opened up about the influences that were behind his own influential and game-changing creation.
I had always liked to draw as a kid, and I remember being grabbed visually by that strip. I was especially fascinated with the dinosaurs, and that’s when I started drawing my own, along with other animals. No cows, though. Later came a major influence from Mad magazine, especially the style and humor of Don Martin. I think that’s the first time I actually laughed at a cartoon. Still later I was taken with the cartoons of Gahan Wilson, B. Kliban, and George Booth. All these cartoonists seemed to attach a lot of importance to nuance and composition. There was something almost organic going on between the humor and the art that conveyed it.
The comic even inspired an animated Halloween special, Gary Larson’s Tales from the Far Side, which aired on CBS in 1994. Even though it featured the same art style and was extremely reminiscent of Larson’s humor, he had no creative involvement whatsoever. Similar to Bill Watterson of Calvin and Hobbes fame, Larson has been quite famous for remaining out of the public eye, often refusing to appear on camera or take part in interviews. It wasn’t until fifteen years after his retirement that he made one exception, becoming another addition to the long and prestigious list of celebrities to have lent their voice to The Simpsons.
What Did Gary Larson Do on The Simpsons?
Although It Was Only For a Brief Gag, Larson’s Reemergence Was a Happy Occasion For Far Side Fans
|
Special Guest Stars of “Once Upon a Time in Springfield” |
Voice Role |
|---|---|
|
Anne Hathaway |
Princess Penelope |
|
Eartha Kitt |
Herself |
|
Maurice LaMarche |
Nuclear Power Plant Security Guard |
|
Gary Larson |
Himself |
|
Jackie Mason |
Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky |
Promoted as Episode 450 of The Simpsons’ “Once Upon a Time in Springfield” was treated as a special 20th-anniversary episode for the show, airing alongside the Morgan Spurlock-directed documentary, The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice! Surprisingly, however, it’s also an episode that puts very little focus on the Simpson family as a whole. The main plot follows Krusty the Clown, who becomes romantically involved with and later engaged to his new co-star (voiced by Anne Hathaway), who was brought in to appeal more to the female demographic. This leads to Bart and Milhouse attempting to break them up as they’re less-than-pleased with how much their romance has impacted the quality of Krusty’s show. The subplot of the episode, while nothing too special, does feature some humorous gags and an unexpected cameo from one of the world’s most beloved comic strip artists.
The secondary story of the episode has Homer, Lenny, and Carl contemplating quitting their jobs at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant in favor of the new ones at the Capital City plant after Mr. Burns eliminates donuts from the break room due to budget cuts. During their tour of the Capital City plant, they’re drawn in by all the luxuries it has to offer, including sushi, free massages, and even exclusive new Far Side strips drawn for employees by Gary Larson himself. The show had made tributes and references to Larson’s work before, but getting him on the show itself created a special moment. As brief as his appearance was, and even though it was only a voice-over, Far Side fans were ecstatic to see Larson emerge from his long-held reclusive nature. In his appearance, Larson states that even though he had retired, the opportunity to work for the plant was too good an opportunity to pass up, and in a way, this very much reflects his agreement to do the show.
Sure, he may have retired and had been reluctant to make any public or media appearances, but when a show as legendary as The Simpsons asks a famous person to make a guest appearance, how could any one of them possibly say no? In a strange retrospective way, Larson’s cameo could also be seen as a bit of foreshadowing regarding what exactly the future had in store. It was as if he was indirectly telling his fans that he wasn’t gone for good, and if they just waited patiently, there would indeed be more good things from him to come.
What Has Gary Larson Done Since Appearing on The Simpsons?
In 2020, The Far Side Came Back In a Big Way
- New episodes of The Simpsons premiere every Sunday on Fox and are available to stream the next day on Hulu.
While 2020 was a stressful time for everyone amid a global pandemic, Larson did manage to bring some comfort to Far Side fans. During that time, he announced on the Far Side website that he would be coming out of retirement and would release new comics to appear exclusively on the site. He claimed that his creative interests were renewed due to no longer having to adhere to deadlines and having gained a new interest in experimenting with digital art after he began to draw on a tablet rather than paper.
Finally fed up with my once-loyal but now reliably traitorous pen—I decided to try a digital tablet. I knew nothing about these devices but hoped it would just get me through my annual Christmas card ordeal. I got one, fired it up, and lo and behold, something totally unexpected happened: within moments, I was having fun drawing again. I was stunned at all the tools the thing offered, and all the creative potential it contained. I simply had no idea how far these things had evolved. Perhaps fittingly, the first thing I drew was a caveman.
If there’s one thing that could’ve been taken away from his cameo on The Simpsons, it’s that he was never going to stay away forever. No matter how long Larson continues to produce new material, he’s made it pretty clear that neither The Far Side nor its relevancy as one of the best and most influential comic strips will ever truly die.
- Release Date
-
December 17, 1989
- Network
-
FOX
-
Dan Castellaneta
Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)
-
Julie Kavner
Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)
