Above is my all-time favorite Far Side cartoon by Gary Larson. There was a time when Larson's panel was probably the most popular of daily comics, and people (at least many that I hung out with) endlessly debated which ones were best.
Larson's bent view of the world really captured one's attention, especially since his work often appeared adjacent to the likes of more innocuous single panel cartoons like Marmaduke or Ziggy.
Much like Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes), Larson quit when he was still at the top of his game. I imagine the book-size collections continue to generate healthy sales, and you can still find calendars, mugs, etc. as well.
One of Larson's pet themes (no pun intended) was to imagine a much more complex life for animals than we mere humans typically noticed. Cows seemed a particular favorite for Larson (I wonder if he grew up on a farm?).
Larson inspired a lot of imitators over the years, but I can't think of anyone who tapped into that twisted vein of humor with the same visual wit that he demonstrated throughout his peak. That kind of originality is the hallmark of great art, even popular art.
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