Gary Larson brought his mix of absurd and dark humor to the page, creating some of his most memorable strips about crime. Clueless detectives, strange killers, and the animal kingdom’s take on both crime and punishment all became regular fixtures. Since Larson was famously private, these strips are better read as comedic scenarios than statements on his personal views. Still, one gets the impression he liked older gangster pictures and film noir, as he showed an understanding of both their conventions and how to warp them the only way The Far Side could.

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