Somebody explain today's "Far Side: Last Impressions" to me! (1 Viewer)

[Bill Buklis]

Gary Larson stopped making Far Side cartoons quite some time ago - I think at least 5 years ago (could it be 10?). The panels in the calendars have been recycled quite a few times, so I think he's stopping the calendar this year because it's just getting too old and repeated too often.

Not that I would think so, but that's the theory anyway.

My favorite panel has to be that famous classic (printed Dec 30 in last years calendar and on many mugs and T-shirts) "Midvale School for the Gifted":

There's a sign next to a building that reads "MIDVALE school for the gifted". The sign is next to a set of steps leading to a door. There's a kid leaning into the door vigorously trying to push it open. Above the kid and on the door is a sign saying "PULL".

In reference to similar panels mentioned above, there's always the one with a dead body (stabbed) in the middle of the floor surrounded by a detective and many people dressed in tuxedos. Above them is a banner reading "Butlers Annual Banquet" The detective says (something like, I can't remember exactly) "I hate cases like these"

 

[Graeme Clark]

Some of the previous calanders have had the year that the comic was originally printed. Anything like that on this one?

 

[Keith Mickunas]

Nope, no date or anything associated with the comic. Unlike Dilbert which has the original print date in between the frames.

 

[Ashley Seymour]

Ashley, you're putting way too much thought into this. The idea is what kind of problems would Tarzan encounter if he had to commute to work each day. There's nothing to analyze.

Keith, I do not feel that I have over analized, but here is an an over analyzation:

Gary Larsen is one of Americas great satirists and belongs in a Panatheon of great writers like Twain and Will Rogers. Not in a vicious way, but he still gets his digs in on the less noble aspects of our human nature. I've heard him explain the effort he put into angle of a dog's smile to convey a particular meaning.

At first I missed the mistake made by Jay H when he referred to him as the caveman. He is Tarzan and Tantor. This makes the cartoon even more funny.

Tarzan is our noble savage. Possessor of almost god like virtues of honesty, humility and the edification of a simple life style. Thoreau at Walden Pond, only he gets to ride elephants, kill lions, save Jane from the other noble savages. For what end? To set her up on the top branch of a tree like a 19th century Ivanhoe. Left unspoiled and untarnished by lust that Tarzan was able to keep in check.

So what does Larsen say? Tarzan is a man and can be corrupted like any other man, noble savage or no. And if he was what would he do? Larsen has him build some manifestation of an icon from his world, the elephant. Larsen's Tarzan is Jethro Bodine who tries to be 007 by making absurd adaptations of common items into armor plated hats, and shoe radios.

We don't want Tarzan to be corrupted, but when he is it is dig at our preconceptions and our own selfish needs and wants. When I see photos of American Indians wearing stove pipe hats with a feather and a cavalryman uniform I am offended that my vision of the noble savage is corrupted. But why can't my noble savage be just as silly and as petty as I am? At least they are being human and I can rejoice that I can recognize a common trait that all people have.