On May 27, 1982, The Far Side cartoonist Gary Larson published what would become one of his most famous cartoons ever. It features a classroom full of cavemen being taught by a caveman instructor. The instructor is pointing at an image of a Stegosaurus tail, specifically the spiky thing at the bottom of the tail. The caption reads, “Now, this end is called the thagomizer … after the late Thag Simmons.” While it was just one of Larson’s many silly comic strips featuring cavemen, this one ended up taking on a life of its own.
At the time this comic was published, that spiky apparatus at the end of a Stegosaurus’ tail actually had no name at all. So scientists began to jokingly use the word “thagomizer” to describe it. Eventually, the usage became so common that it came to be scientifically recognized and used by such distinguished institutions as the Smithsonian, confirming that one little Far Side joke made scientific dinosaur history.
But while that comic may be Larson’s most famous and historically significant dinosaur comic strip, it was far from his only one. Larson regularly drew dinosaurs in his cartoons, oftentimes doing normal human things or being completely unaware of their impending extinction. The Far Side ran from 1980 until 1995 and Larson created over 4,000 strips during that time. Dozens of them featured dinosaurs. And while only one made dinosaur history, there have been lots of unforgettable ones for Far Side fans. Here are 10 of the most unforgettable Far Side comics about dinosaurs (besides the thagomizer one).
10
A very human concern
Larson regularly depicted dinosaurs as doing normal human stuff, and the comedy came from these giant prehistoric monsters acting so calmly. Like this one, there’s nothing that funny about flossing, but when a T-rex talks about it, it’s hilarious.
9
Breakfast
This strip, about a juvenile T-rex looking for the prize in the bottom of a cereal box, is another one with dinosaurs acting like humans. The comedy is only enhanced here by the writing on the box, “Free kid inside!”
8
An important announcement
Here, Larson depicts a dinosaur press conference where one dinosaur declares that the climate is changing and mammals are taking over. It’s a really clear example of Larson’s other big dinosaur theme: extinction. A lot of Far Side comics are incredibly dark in their humor, and with dinosaurs, Larson seemed to love depicting them as doomed creatures, usually with no idea that their destruction is imminent.
7
An involuntary time traveler
In this woman’s defense, that does look a lot like a dryer.
6
Ptero in the skies
This one, from August 9, 1985, is a bit of a play on the difficulty people have with dinosaur names. As a dinosaur nerd, though, I feel compelled to say that pterosaurs, like the one pictured here, are not dinosaurs. They are a completely separate group of reptiles which existed at the same time as dinosaurs, but are not dinosaurs themselves. Technically, it would be more accurate to put a comic strip featuring a chicken on this list, as birds are dinosaurs (and Larson did a ton of chicken comics).
5
A fierce predator
Okay, I’ll add one chicken comic to this list, only because it’s also a dinosaur comic (and again, birds are dinosaurs).
4
Bad advice
Again, pterosaurs aren’t dinosaurs, but this joke, from January 18, 1986, is too funny to resist. It becomes all the funnier when you take a look at the limbs of the caveman in the back.
3
Paleontologists just gotta have fun
Some of Larson’s best dinosaur jokes are actually about the paleontologists, like this one. While people might expect paleontologists to be dull, sober scientists, Larson loved to depict them, and other scientists, as ridiculous children.
2
What a stupid-looking mammal
This is one of Larson’s best Far Side comics without any words. The visual of dinosaurs as schoolyard bullies, picking on a mammal for its fur, is funny enough, but the dinosaur in the back, noticing that it’s snowing, gives the comic levels. Again, it’s Larson poking fun at dinosaurs who have no idea their days are numbered.
1
A beloved joke
Aside from the thagomizer comic, this has got to be Gary Larson’s most famous dinosaur image. From December 15, 1982, this absurd cartoon shows dinosaurs smoking cigarettes with the caption “The real reason dinosaurs became extinct.” The comic combines Larson’s two big dinosaur themes, in that it shows them doing normal human stuff and it’s about their extinction. It’s also an image that is both smart and profoundly silly, like the very best Far Side comics.