Gary Larson on his Houdini Far Side

Here's a classic from The Far Side with a Houdini twist. Pretty funny. Last week, Screen Rant published an interview with artist Gary Larson, who talked about this specific comic. Says Larson, "I remember all too well my long day in hell with this cartoon."

From Screen Rant:

Despite the comic successfully conveying its joke, Larson spent hours trying to get Houdini's 'corpse' right. Larson had to walk a fine line for what was acceptable to publish in newspapers all over the country, but also thought that a corny Halloween skeleton wouldn't achieve the darkness needed to make the joke genuinely funny. 

The Far Side creator recalls: Now, if you will, please pretend that you are the Cartoon Coroner and take a closer look at the "deceased." What we have here is a decomposed body, with the main focus on the head. If it's too gruesome, it doesn't work. If it's too corny, it doesn't work. The expression on that face has to simultaneously capture silliness and scariness, horror and hilarity, sadness and stupidity. For me, this meant draw, erase, draw, erase, draw, erase ... for hours. I couldn't get it, although I think in the end I got sort of close. ... If it hadn't been for my deadline, I might be sitting there to this very day, doomed to draw Houdini's skull for the rest of my life until I, too, am discovered one day looking much like this very drawing, only perhaps funnier.

You can read the full interview at Screen Rant. Below are some (less funny) Houdini corpse-related posts.

Related:

• What remains of Harry Houdini?
• Houdini death photo keeps us guessing
• "Death expert" Bill Bass to examine Houdini's corpse