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Summary

Gary Larson’sThe Far Sidelaunched in 1979 , just a twelvemonth after the press release of Richard Donner ’s iconicSupermanmovie . It ’s therefore not surprising that Larson referenced the Man of Steel multiple time over his laughable strip ’s run , reimagining DC ’s mankind - celebrated superhero in the surrealistic , sometimes goofy wayFar Sidefans bang . But which of Larson ’s Superman strips is the funniest?Screen Rant portion out the best ofThe Far Side ’s Superman funnies and take readers to vote for their number 1 .

write February 3 , 2024 , Screen ’s Rant’s5 Best Far Side Comics make Fun of Supermansharedall Larson ’s Superman comicsand asked fans to vote for their favorite . With over 1300 answerer , it was a heavily - fought battle with all of Larson ’s strips getting some major love . However , there was a clear winner among the inner circle .

While Screen Rant readers enjoyed Superman as a grouchy married man and unretentive elder , the winner was in reality the strip that deviated least from the Man of Steel ’s public image , show Clark Kent checking for spare change in a telephone kiosk while changing into his costume .

5 Best Far Side Comics Making Fun of Superman- Your Votes

Comic

Percentage of Vote

berth

Superman In His Later Years

12 %

5

calling card with the Millers

19 %

4

Tension Enters the Kent Household

21 %

Custom Image by Robert Wood (from Gary Larson)

3

" Kill the Lights , Murray ! "

22 %

2

Telephone Booth

28 %

Custom Image by Robert Wood (from Gary Larson)

1

Screen Rant readers vote for The Far Side ’s funniest comic star a clown , and one Gary Larson jest won by a Swedish mile - here ’s why .

Screen Rant Fans Chose Far Side’s Best Superman Comic

The Far Side Recreates an Iconic Superman Image

Only 6 % of the voting ahead of its nearest competitor , Larson ’s comedian is one which it would n’t be surprising to see DC itself publish . The jest takes the iconic image ofSuperman change in a phone cubicle , but opine him taking a s to check for coin . It ’s a perfectlyFar Sidegag , taking a fantastical moment and sum up a relatable , everyday twirl . The strip ’s victory is interesting reach that its competitors show Superman in a more negatively charged light , circling a lighthouse like a moth and using his X - ray vision to cheat at cards .

Larson create great deal of comedian taking bearing at iconic movies and television , with references toKing Kong , Psycho , A Nightmare on Elm Street , BambiandJaws .

The lowest - ranked comic shows Superman in his old twelvemonth , unable to remember why exactly he ’s been preparing to soar over the city , and still get mass of votes from fans , with a closer spacing than inotherFar Sidefan votes so far . It ’s likely that the strip got a gibbosity from drawing on such an iconicSupermanimage , stoking the fire of nostalgia , and yet interestingly , Clark Kent change in a phone booth was never meant to be part of the hero ’s lore .

The Far Side ’s Gary Larson worried that he was " hitch for a lightning bolt " when it came to these 10 Far Side comics starring the Almighty ..

Superman Changing in a Phone Booth Is a Bizarre Pop Culture Story

The Iconic Moment Was Never Meant to Matter

It ’s a far-famed picture inSupermanstories - Clark Kent senses incoming danger and flit into the nearest phone cubicle , quickly disinvest off his suit toreveal the Superman costume underneath . But while this imagery is synonymous with the character today , it only became so thanks to a weird pop cultivation stroke .

In the original DC comics , Superman does n’t make any particular habit of changing in speech sound booths . While it take place a twosome of times , it was in the context of Superman using a large number of different places to quickly switch theatrical role , with no particular emphasis as a meaningful image . That deepen with 1941’sThe Mechanical Monsters , which happened to adapt one of the funny stories where Superman had used a phonebooth .

One of Gary Larson ’s The Far Side funnies is really a barb at his editor , who admits the comic strip " does n’t cast me in the most flattering light . "

Once the image was up on the big screen , it became a pop cultivation consultation point for the hero , with various character reference and mockery popping up in the picture ’s wake . finally , enough multitude link changing in a telephone booth with Superman that the strip started using it as a go back icon , and future movies and TV appearance follow lawsuit . From 1993’sLois & Clark : The New Adventures of Supermanto 2006’sSmallville , mostSuperman adaptations now let in some referenceto this iconic image that was nevermeantto be iconic .

The most comical use of the phone cubicle imagery was in 1978’sSuperman , where Clark looks for a booth to change in , only to regain they ’re all of a new ' innovative ' design that makes it unsufferable . Christopher Reeve ’s Italian sandwich ends up choose for a revolving threshold instead .

Many of The Far Side ’s contemporaries like Peanuts feel like a metre capsule in the pop civilisation and real multitude they cite , but The Far Side ’s careful plan of attack to its references leave it genuinely uproarious even today .

Far Side Never Shied Away from Parodying Pop Culture

Gary Larson Had a Great Instinct for What Would Stand the Test of Time

It ’s no surprise that Larson zero in on the phone John Wilkes Booth estimate when spoof Superman . Not only is it an incredibly democratic image , but Larson had an impressive inherent aptitude for what details in pop cultivation would stand the trial of time . WhileThe Far Side ’s bread and butter is create fun of nature and reckless scientists , Larson make plenty of comicstaking bearing at iconic movies and TV , with character reference toThe Lone Ranger , The Godfather , Star Trek , The Sound of Music , Lassieand more .

The Far Side ’s first ever strip acquaint some of Gary Larson ’s most enduring theme , include landing strip which are just as funny over 40 year after .

In each case , Larson 0 in on an look-alike or moment that audiences would never bury , fromPsycho ’s shower scene toThe Brady Bunch ’s iconic opening . While there are a few pop cultivation references that are n’t immediately conversant to the modern lector in Larson ’s comic , he uniformly identify moments that would be just as resonant 45 long time later . Another example of this are Larson ’s many comicsparodying classical Disney moving-picture show , putting a dark twisting on characters including Dumbo , the Seven Dwarves , and Pinocchio .

Larson had a similar bird of Jove eye for celebrities , taking aim at icons like Elvis , Stephen King and Madonna . Many ofThe Far Side ’s coeval likePeanutsfeel like a time capsulein the dad culture and real citizenry they reference , butThe Far Side ’s careful approach to its character reference forget it genuinely hilarious even today .

With a newSupermanmovie come fromJames Gunn in 2025 , the Man of Steel is as relevant today as he ’s ever been . The Far Side ’s Gary Larson made the good bet on the graphic symbol stay on relevant decade later , allow a whole fresh coevals of fans to enjoy these comics today .