When Gary Larson initially stepped away from his comic strip The Far Side, only one opportunity brought him back to the world he helped create. In 2003, Larson, who had been retired from his iconic series for nearly a decade, was offered the chance to draw the cover for The New Yorker’s cartoon issue. The cartoonist revealed that getting the opportunity to create a cover for the magazine was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
In 2003, Larson drew the cover art for the “Cartoon Issue” of The New Yorker, as the Far Side creator surprisingly came out of retirement for the project. While Larson retired from his syndicated newspaper comic in 1995, The Washington Post revealed that the “prestigious offer” was one that Larson said he couldn’t refuse, as illustrating the cover of the issue was something he wanted to do. So, in November 2003, Larson’s cover ran on the front of The New Yorker, featuring two cowboys in the wild west doing a “quick draw,” only in a more literal sense, as they drew portraits of one another instead of drawing guns.
Gary Larson’s Far Side Comeback Caught Readers By Surprise
Gary Larson’s return to the world of cartooning was a pleasant surprise for readers who watched the legendary cartoonist retire in 1995 after a storied run on The Far Side. Larson admitted that after the initial 15-year run of The Far Side, while he enjoyed creating the comic, he became exhausted with the process and needed to step away. But, with the chance to draw the cover of The New Yorker’s cartoon issue, Larson decided to bring his signature style back in an excellent image that remains one of his best pieces to date.
Thankfully for readers anxious for more Far Side from Gary Larson, the cartoonist would officially come out of retirement after nearly 25 years in 2019. After learning to draw digitally, Larson was inspired to return to The Far Side, as he began publishing the comic strips on his website, which he still does. However, his comeback would still be more than a decade and a half after his New Yorker cover.
Ultimately, doing a cover for the “Cartoon Issue” of The New Yorker was an opportunity Larson couldn’t refuse, as he accepted the offer to draw the front page for the acclaimed magazine. With the image nearly becoming the last Far Side comic cover Gary Larson ever drew, if it ended up being his swan song and he never un-retired, it would have been an excellent final comic for the talented artist.
