The Far Sidestaked its reputation on boundary-pushing humor, andaccording to creator Gary Larson, one boundary he pushed included “the first naked butt on the comic pages of mainstream newspapers.”Though Larson’s work was never overtly risque, his willingness to test the limits of good taste for the sake of the bit earnedThe Far Sidethis dubious honor.
While it is difficult to fully verify Larson’s claim to this “award,” it’s not as though legions of other artists are clamoring to dispute him.
In any case, the author’s assertion, which he made in 2003’sThe Complete Far Side, is a self-deprecating acknowledgment of the cartoon’s legacy. That is, Gary Larson really did break new ground in the industry.
Gary Larson Says This Late 1980s Far Side Cartoon Holds A Questionable Place In Pop Culture
First Published: July 16, 2025; “Moon Those Saxon Dogs,” Explained
It is late October 1988. It is a Tuesday morning. You’re up early, reading the local newspaper, and when you get to the funny pages, your eyes can’t help but gravitate towardThe Far Side, whether you’re a fan or not, to find out whatoutrageousness Gary Larson has delivered today.
This time, here’s what you find:a medieval soldier with a butt full of arrows being stretchered out of the castle’s watchtower after mooning some enemy troops.Meanwhile, one guard explains to another what happened, as the caption reveals: “So then I says to Borg, ‘So long as we’re under siege, one of us ought to moon those Saxon dogs.”
Maybe you laugh, or roll your eyes. Or, if you don’t vibe with Gary Larson’s humor, you might shrivel your nose in distaste, thinking “they’re putting cartoon butts in the paper now?” And then you move on to reading today’sGarfield, and maybeCathy. If you’re like 99.9% of people, thisFar Sidecartoon gets lost in the shuffle.
The Far Side Rarely Fully Crossed The Line, But It Did Tip Toe Along The Border Of Tastefulness
Gary Larson On “Moon Those Saxon Dogs”; FromThe Complete Far Side
One person who it clearly stuck out to, though, was Larson himself, who cited it inThe Complete Far Sidein an essay entitled “I Remember,” containing reflections on his career. It’s a mix of tongue-in-cheek and sincere recollections, and the author’s comment on the questionable distinction of “the first naked butt” comes across as somewhere in between the two.
Here is how Gary Larson put it:
That time I drew what I believe may have been the first naked butt to appear on the comic pages of mainstream newspapers. (Not that this was ever one of my goals, but you have to grab these awards on your own because no one hands them out.)
Though his trademark wry humor is on display here,in a way this comment also reflectsThe Far Sideauthor’s recognition of his own place in the trajectory of popular culture, particularly the cartoon medium. That is, Larson’s pop culture impact can be hard to qualify, so he distilled it into this anecdote here.
The Far Side’shumor was never egregiously edgyor provocative; especially by modern standards, it comes across as pretty tame. But during the comic’s 1980s heyday, it did test the limits of readers’ sensibilities, in more of a poking, prodding way. In other words, some boundary-pushing artists want to challenge their audience, but Gary Larson was more interested in teasing them.
The Far Side’s Boundary-Pushing Butt Comic Came At A Crossroads In Gary Larson’s Career
It Could Have Been One Of The LastFar SideCartoons
It’s worth taking a moment to look at the point in time at whichThe Far Side’s"naked butt" comic was published. Remember, it comes out in October of ‘88. October 25th, to be exact. For those who don’t know, at the end of that month,Gary Larson stepped away from producing new comicsfor a fourteen-month hiatus.
So, this was one of the final new comics he produced for over a year. That seems relevant, because itindicates that, at the time, Larson wasn’t in “play it safe” mode, to the extent he had such a thing when it came toThe Far Side.Instead, he was willing to take greater creative liberties, including a slightly “risqué” drawing.
The Far Side Complete Collection
Larson did resume cartooning in 1990, but at the time, there was likely no guarantee that he would come back, and so this could have been one of thefinalFar Sidecartoons. WhenThe Far Sidedid resume publication of new comics, Gary Larson was arguably more inclined to take creative risks than ever before.
The Collaborative Side OfThe Far Side
One more point is worth unpacking a bit when it comes toThe Far Side’smore “controversial” strain of cartoons. That is, it is important to note that Gary Larson was not publishing his work independently, the way a contemporary analog of his might.Far Sidecomics weren’t delivered through social media, or the ’80s equivalent, a DIY magazine.
Instead, Larson worked within a conventional system, submitting comics to an editor, who worked for a publishing syndicate, who then distributed them to newspaper editors around the country to place in their papers. All of that is to say, there were many gatekeepers who had to allowThe Far Sideto pass through.
Larson deserves to be given the honor, however dubious, of having drawn “the first naked butt” in newspaper comic history, as a testament to his greater influence.
Meaning, to whatever extent it was socially transgressive, that transgression was a collaborative effort. Gary Larson might have been pushing boundaries as a creator, but in turn,a generation of newspaper editors were also pushing, by including him in their publications.This, in turn, was a response to the risingappetite for weird, edgier humor among readers.
That’s why Larson deserves to be given the honor, however dubious, of having drawn “the first naked butt” in newspaper comic history, as a testament to his greater influence. After all, within a year of the comic’s release,The Simpsonshad become the biggest show on TV;The Far Side’sinfluence on the showseems obvious once you know what to look for.
