- Gary Larson’s use of the desert landscape in The Far Side allowed for a perfect balance of familiarity and absurdity in his cartoons; the desert setting provided a context readers recognized, into which Larson could insert out-of-place elements in order to elicit a reaction.
- The Far Side’s “lost in the desert” panels showcased Larson’s ability to blend dark humor and silliness, as the peril of wandering lost in a hostile wilderness environment was regularly undercut by Larson’s characteristic goofy humor .
- The Far Side’s desert comics are representative of the overall creative ethos that led to Gary Larson’s success, as he had the keen ability to recognize how the discrepancies between elements of his art were where the funniest punchlines were to be found.
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