The Far Side has upset fans in the past, but one strip that earned hate mail was originally even darker than the version readers saw.
One of The Far Side's most controversial cartoons was originally even darker than the version that outraged readers. Gary Larson’s The Far Side is noted for its punchy, left-of-center humor, but not every gag landed well with readers. Over the course of The Far Side’s existence, Larson received hate mail from readers over several comics, and one in particular drew ire from animal lovers - but Larson originally intended for it to go even darker.
Gary Larson’s The Far Side is one of the most beloved comic strips in history. After his previous strip, Nature’s Way, folded, Larson created The Far Side. Debuting in 1980, the strip became wildly popular - largely because there was nothing else quite like it at the time. Other popular comic strips at the time, such as Peanuts or Garfield, used recurring characters but The Far Side opted for a different approach, emphasizing surreal, one-and-done gags.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT The Far Side's Alligators Were Originally Playing a Darker Game... The strip, captioned 'Bobbing for Poodles,' is a riff on a human Halloween tradition: bobbing for apples. However, instead of apples, the alligators have chosen a more carnivorous competition. In The Prehistory of The Far Side, Larson shared one piece of reader mail, which reads "You have offended millions of pet owners with this garbage.
Children & Animals Were Touchy Subjects for Far Side “Bobbing for Poodles” was not the first The Far Side cartoon to land Larson in trouble, and Larson notes that the implication of harm to children or animals - even at the hands of a fairy tale witch - would reliably prove controversial.
Larson’s original idea of "Bobbing for Babies" would have certainly drawn even bigger piles of hate mail than "Bobbing for Poodles." If readers had a problem with alligators eating dogs, then they would have really hated them eating babies. Tastes have shifted over the years, thanks in part to strips such as The Far Side, and "Bobbing for Poodles" would not raise the ire today that it did during The Far Side's original run.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
1 killed, 9 injured in multiple-vehicle crash on Far South Side, Chicago officials sayA head-on crash on the city's Far South Side left one man dead and nine people injured, Chicago officials say.
Read more »
65 best summer side dishes to complete your cookoutFrom baked beans to creamy potato salad, these warm-weather recipes are a must-make.
Read more »
Chicago shooting: Man shot to death during argument in South Side apartment building lobby, CPD saysA 30-year-old man was arguing with another person when that offender took out a gun and fired shots.
Read more »
63-year-old man arrested moments after robbing victim on Chicago's Northwest Side: policeA Chicago man is accused of robbing a victim Thursday night on Chicago's Northwest Side.
Read more »