10 Funniest Far Side Comics About Cows That Only Get Better With Age

Cows in unfamiliar territory

One panoramic comic turns the tables on tourists who stand out in an unfamiliar place. Carrying cameras and a cow-buffalo dictionary, the visitors walk upright as buffaloes stare at them in bewilderment.

The scene finds humor in how awkward it can feel to be either the outsider or the local watching outsiders. Its reversal makes the cows’ perspective part of the joke.

A clever spin on farm life

Cows and chickens share farm settings, but their diets differ. Larson imagines separate gathering places, then adds a pun by turning a cow establishment into a “hay bar.” The comic takes a familiar fish-out-of-water setup and gives it an unexpected wordplay twist.

Cows strike back

In a darker comic, cows target Farmer MacDougal and his wife with an Auto Milker. Police investigating the scene reportedly find the situation hilarious, adding another layer of absurdity. The scene can be read as a joke about human ingenuity and what might happen if cows developed greater consciousness, rather than simply a story about cruelty to animals.

Consciousness and concealment

Another strip imagines a cow becoming aware of grass and feeling disappointed by it. The moment resembles the familiar idea of suddenly switching off autopilot, while the other cows continue grazing.

A 1984 comic offers a different glimpse of cattle awareness: cows watch for humans and hide their ability to stand on two legs. The gag plays on the thought that people might not be ready for such towering animals.