Readers might not immediately think of knights, kings, and castles when they reflect on The Far Side's many recurring elements, yet they appeared far more often than fans may realize, especially early in the comic's run. The medieval world was a frequent source of humor for Gary Larson, and the first several years of The Far Side alone produced many iconic jokes about the Middle Ages.

Between cowardly jousters, clownish kings, and cumbersome attempts to repel attacks from atop castle walls, The Far Side displayed Gary Larson's keen knowledge of historical fact, and his unrivaled ability to twist those facts in revolutionary ways, with riotously funny results.

It is worth taking a closer look at Larson's early medieval comics, in particular, in order to give readers a sense of where The Far Side's signature humor started out, so they can in turn have a more complete picture of how it evolved over time.

These medieval Far Side cartoons are taken from the years 1980 and '81, the first two years of The Far Side's publication; they are arranged in chronological order.

10 Readers Shouldn't Lose Their Heads Trying To Understand The Far Side

First Published: March 9, 1980

This early Far Side depicts two dueling knights, with one shouting at the other, "give up, Sir James...you've lost!" – after having apparently decapitated his opponent. Published just several months into The Far Side's run, it is safe to say that many readers would have been puzzled by this punchline, and that was perfectly fine with Gary Larson.

That said, it is on s like this one that Larson quickly staked his reputation as a cartoonist. It was as though he was jousting one-on-one with each and every Far Side reader, looking for weak points in their armor that he could exploit. Whether a comic got a laugh out of a reader, or unsettled them, or left them to ponder what exactly the artist meant, as long as Larson was able to get past someone's defenses, in some way, he was satisfied.

9 The Far Side Often Found Humor In Life Or Death Situations

First Published: June 10, 1980

Many Far Side characters were doomed, but these knights are in the particularly precarious situation of knowing that they will soon have to fight to the death, but first they must indulge the king's whims and compete in an egg toss. "And the last gladiator alive will win the contest!," the king shouts down to the combatants from his throne, before adding "but first..." with a pause before he reveals the inane penultimate trial in this life-or-death game.

This was one of the many early Far Side cartoons that established Gary Larson's affinity for mining humor from mortal peril. In this case, the "egg toss" bit is a silly climax to the punchline, but the real dark humor of the comes from the forstalling of lethal combat in order to partake such an innocuous contest.

8 According To Gary Larson, Men Ruining Brand New Clothes Is A Timeless Tradition

First Published: June 20, 1980

In this , a woman onishes her husband as he arrives home, irate that he's "been fighting again...and in [his] new suit, too!" – which, of course, is made funny by the fact that the suit in question is a suit of armor, and the husband is a medieval knight.

While Gary Larson's wordplay here is certainly amusing, what boosts the humor of this Far Side cartoon is the way the husband's armor is depicted as absolutely pounded, to the point where he's just lucky to have miraculously survived, and therefore, catching some guff from his spouse is the least of his worries. Evidently on the losing end of the battle, he slinks home a crumpled dragging his mace limply being him – the opposite of being covered in glory.

7 The Far Side's King Arthur Gathers His Knights Of The Round Table To Deliver A Very Serious Edict

First Published: July 18, 1980

In this Far Side , Gary Larson depicts the mythical King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table – except he catches them at an embarrassing moment, as Arthur onishes "Lancelot, Galahad, and the rest" of the famed knights for "stickin' [their] gum under the table."

Of course, these characters are revered for their legendary exploits, and as silly as it might sound, the Round Table itself is one of the most well-known pieces of furniture in history. So, for Larson to "demystify" them, so to speak, by showing them being chastised for behavior more likely to be found in a school cafeteria, is an effective comedic device that he would employ again and again throughout The Far Side's run.

6 Inspiration Struck Gary Larson When He Came Up With This Hilarious Historical "What-If?"

First Published: July 31, 1980

The Far Side's unique brand of observational humor involved more than just Gary Larson looking at the world around him; Larson also had a singular ability to look at the past to find unexpected humor in historical situations. In this case, he envisions a group of medieval knights in full armor, riding forth on horseback carrying lances pointed toward the sky – which is unfortunate for one of them, as his spear is struck by lighting, leading him to be unquestionably cooked in his suit.

This morbidly funny joke comes from Larson imagining something that might not have made it into any extant historical records, but could have easily happened. It is a great example of something he did routinely throughout The Far Side, which was to ground a punchline – however absurd, or inane, or obscure – in actual facts, with his attention to detail adding depth to his humor.

5 The Far Side's First – But Not Last – Guillotine Joke

First Published: August 6, 1980

The guillotine appeared multiple times in The Far Side, as it must have seemed like a quixotically comedic device to have been used for so many personal tragedies. Especially considering its close association with the French Revolution, the guillotine is among the most recognizable – and horrifying – inventions in history.

Here, Gary Larson offers an innovation on the execution device, which completely undercuts its gravity, as a king is depicted looking approvingly a a clown body a painter has added around the neck-hole, with the king solemnly stating, "I like it...I like it." While The Far Side rightfully earned a reputation for its punchlines being easy to miss, this is a prominent early example of how Larson could just as easily deliver jokes that were straightforward and laugh-out-loud funny.

Though most commonly recognizable as a symbol of the French Revolution (1789-1799), the final execution by guillotine in the history of came, remarkably, in 1977 – just a few short years before The Far Side entered publication.

4 An Early Example Of The Subtle Darkness Of Gary Larson's Comedy

First Published: November 1, 1980

One thing that readers will realize about The Far Side as they become more familiar with Gary Larson's humor is how much faith he placed in his readers. Meaning, his jokes were not always overt, and often the reader needed to actively engage with the cartoon to "get" it. That is the case here, as two knights roast marshmallows over a campfire on the tips of their swords – with a bag labeled "Joan of Arc Marshmallows" at their feet.

This joke isn't subtle simply as a result placement of the bag toward the edge of the frame, or the lack of caption to contextualize the humor, but because the actual punchline occurs off-, in the inference the reader makes to the historical Joan, who was burned at the stake in 1431, during the Hundred Years War between and Britain.

3 A Classic Blink And You Miss It Far Side Punchline

First Published: March 14, 1981

This is another subtle Far Side joke, but at least the reader doesn't need to supply their own knowledge of history to find it funny. All they have to do is look closely, as the depicts two medieval jousters at the moment of truth, just before they reach one another – with the one coming toward the reader holding a hand in front of his visor, unable, or unwilling, to watch what is about to happen.

A reader skimming the comics section of the newspaper could – and all-but-certainly did – glance quickly at this Far Side cartoon and miss out on the punchline entirely. This was a risk Gary Larson was willing to take, because, for him, the reward for doing a double-take was worth it to both him and the reader alike.

2 This Far Side Depicts The Loyal Bond Between King And Dog

First Published: June 17, 1981

Many of the most memorable Far Side s feature dogs; here, a canine companion runs after its human, who is currently marching off to battle, as one soldier cries out, "hey, Richard, your stupid dog's following us again!" Given Gary Larson's choice of "Richard," as a name, and the character's place at the head of the army, it seems he is intended to be the king, and evidently his dog's behavior is a consistent embarrassment.

One small but essential aspect of The Far Side is the way Gary Larson drew eyes. In this , the wide, surprised eyes of Richard and the angry eyes of the shouting soldier are given a place of prominence, and rightfully so, because they are vital to making the reader do more than just understand the punchline, but feel it.

1 Gary Larson Depicts A Moment Of Deadly Innovation In Medieval Warfare

First Published: June 19, 1981

In what is by far the funniest medieval Far Side from early in the comic's run, a chaotic attempt by a besieging army to scale the walls of a castle leads to an escalation in the brutality of warfare. "Hot oil! We need hot oil!" one of the defenders shouts, adding, "forget the water balloons!" as their balloons are met with return volleys of spears and arrows.

The punchline of this is unequivocally goofy, and that tone is accentuated by the contrast between the colored water balloons in the defenders hands, and the sharp projectiles being flung up at them. That said, the humor of this belies the fact that Gary Larson was meditating on the nature of war, and extrapolating an absurdist joke from that grave topic in a way that he proved, throughout The Far Side's history, that only he could.