The Far Side's Weirdest Comic, "Cow Tools" Just Became It's Most Prophetic...Seriously

The Far Side's infamous "Cow Tools" comic is having a moment, thanks to the first cow in recorded history to actually use a tool. That's right, Gary Larson's most nonsensical joke, which has mystified generations of fans, somehow just became his most prophetic panel, 44 years after it was originally published.

Video of a cow in Switzerland, named "Veronika," picking up a broom between its teeth and using it to scratch itself has elicited a wave of comparisons to "Cow Tools."

Often called The Far Side's "most confusing comic," "Cow Tools" now has a new claim to fame: creator Gary Larson's most surprisingly accurate prediction.

"Cow Tools," Published October 28, 1982

The truth is, "Cow Tools" isn't the hardest Far Side joke to figure out. Nor is it the funniest, by far. Yet it's the cartoon that earned The Far Side mainstream media attention in 1982, which helped make Gary Larson's syndicated newspaper comic a household name. Now, in 2026, "Cow Tools" and The Far Side are back in the news.

Veronika the Swiss cow and her ingenuity with a broom is a curious story in itself. The kind anyone would stop scrolling for a moment to appreciate, before throwing it a like and resuming scrolling. For anyone acquainted with The Far Side, though, it is a wild instance of life imitating art.

As a humorist, Gary Larson was ahead of his time in many ways. Notably, The Far Side is often cited as an analog forerunner of modern internet humor. Over the course of his career, Larson made a few accurate predictions about the future, but nobody expected "Cow Tools" would eventually rank among them.

Another Reason "Cow Tools" Is The Far Side's Most Notorious Cartoon

Despite its reputation, the punchline of "Cow Tools" is simple: if cows made tools, they would be primitive, and likely straight-up poorly designed. The joke reflects Gary Larson's lifelong obsession with anthropology, the history of civilization, and the dividing line between human and animal behavior. Which is what makes it an essential Far Side, if not the "best" or "weirdest."

It's obviously a huge leap from Veronika the cow's tool-usage to bovines actually forging their own tools, like in the notorious Far Side gag. Larson's joke isn't really prophetic or predictive; instead, Veronika the cow is further proof of how perceptively The Far Side nailed the strangeness of reality, while operating under the guise of cartoonish absurdity.

The fact that legions of people were quick to connect Veronika the cow back to "Cow Tools" is further evidence of the impression The Far Side left on popular culture. It has been 40+ years since "Cow Tools" was published. and over thirty since The Far Side ended, but it is still a touchstone reference for countless people around the world.