Pre-write #2

Everyone remembers the random comics that gave you that “Ah-Ha!” moment. The simplistic ones like cows standing and talking until cars pass by. The Far Side comics are loved by many and continue to provide humor today. The author of the Far Side comics, Gary Larson, developed humor in his comics with many reoccurring themes. He used more or less simplistic panels and text that still evoked many people to laugh, causing them to come back for more.


Larson’s comics were mostly based on uncomfortable social situations, improbable events, the meaning in life and many other topics (The Far Side, Wikipedia). You could find many of his works featuring animals, aliens, cavemen, and people stranded on desert islands. Unlike many other comics that were produced over the years, there was no “main character” that was featured in every edition. They consisted of random every day people in weird situations or places, or animals with human qualities. The one paneled comics were printed from January 1, 1980 to January 1, 1995. It was carried by over 1,900 daily newspapers, and reruns are still printed (The Far Side, Wikipedia).


Larson used a combination of visual and verbal elements in each of his comics. The pictures would explain the type and in turn, the type also explained the picture. These comics would consist of text put at the top or bottom of the image as a header, explanation, or the dialogue itself; while some would have dialogue boxes in the picture itself. However many of them contained both to explain why the character in the panel was doing or saying something. Larson’s comics allowed a lot of room for the audience to interpret it in their own way. They tapped into what experience or knowledge you have with the topic and caused you to come up with your own response.


Taking away from the history or background of Larson’s comics and the topics and information from Compose Design Advocate, you can better understand some of the rhetorical and aesthetic elements that make up the chosen topic. The animals in this comic are given human-like qualities, like many of Larson’s comics. Readers know that in reality, dogs don’t stand on their back legs to behind a dryer and plot against the cat. We also fully know that a dog can’t write and a cat can’t read. But yet we interpret it and let the dog have the ability to develop a trap for the cat.


Typography allows us to look deeper into the text provided in the comic. The text written in each of the comics is able to adequately describe, explain, or give insight to the meaning and purpose of the comic. The combination of chicken scratches that misspell the word “food”, and the dog’s “Oh please, oh please…” thought bubble makes it easier for us to assume the dog hiding wants to cause the cat to jump in the dryer. Gary Larson combines the aesthetics of the picture, i.e. the dog and cats placement in the picture, and typography to influence the thoughts and interpretations of his comics.

Works Cited

Far Side. Wikipedia. Retrieved (2009, October 29) from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Far_Side

WP2: Comic Strip

I chose the Pickles comics, by Brian Crane, to select the comic in which I would use for my next writing assignment. Pickles has been one of the comics I have enjoyed since I started reading comics in the newspaper. My family never subscribed for the newspaper. So whenever my brother and I were able to get our hands on a newspaper, we went straight to the comics

Pickles follows a retired couple in their seventies. Earl and Opal go back and forth with bickering. Earl is a difficult and stubborn man, and Opal is more kindhearted. In this comic strip, Opal is trying to convince Earl to volunteer with her to give back to the community. Earl slings back saying that he has given back to the community by helping an old lady cross the street. By this statement he was trying to get out of the work and insulting his wife at the same time. Opal realizes this and gets upset with his remark. Readers that have never read the Pickles comic strip before are able to assume, from just a short four paneled comic, that Opal is a kinder individual that just wants to help those around her. On the other side it is also easy to see Earl’s behavior and individualistic emotions. The format of this comic allows for readers to pick up on the emotions and information from the simplicity of four pictures and four dialogue bubbles. Its simple background is made up of a couch and its foot rest. Opal and Earl are just sitting in what can be assumed as a living room, Earl with his paper and Opal trying to talk to him while he is focusing on his paper.

Each of the panels is able to connect together and thus work together to help the reader to relate to the comic and get the main ideas. They are also forced to look more at the two characters sitting in what the readers are made to believe is the living room because of the lack of other objects in view. When the comic starts out the view is more spread out and you can see both Earl and Opal, while in the two center panels you are focused on the face of Opal and then the face of Earl. This makes the reader focus on what the character is saying instead of focusing in on the whole scene. Then at the last panel the focus is then brought back out so that you can see the broader picture. When the reader is brought back to see both Earl and Opal they are able to see that Earl is no longer in the conversation anymore and has gone back to reading his paper and ignoring Opal.

The font in the dialogue bubbles makes the mood of the comic more care free and relaxed as opposed to a very blocky font that would evoke the thought of seriousness. Instead, readers are able to view this comic strip as a lighthearted comedy.