Nate Fakes Cartoons bring a perfect storm of visual puns, absurd logic, and everyday nonsense wrapped in one-panel brilliance. This comic review highlights 10 of his funniest works, where animals talk, objects evangelize, and the Grim Reaper picks up photography.Thematically, his cartoons explore everything from human relationships to animals doing suspiciously human things. Fakes’ humor is universally accessible — think of him as Gary Larson’s spiritual cousin with a millennial edge. From pun-filled dialogue to unexpected premises, his art is a go-to for daily chuckles.
Artist Bio
Nate Fakes is an American cartoonist known for his sharp one-panel cartoons, comic strips, and clever visual puns. His work appears in greeting cards, magazines, and websites across the globe. A student of the art form, Fakes built his career creating comic panels that blend traditional wit with 21st-century absurdity. His signature style includes vibrant characters, expressive dialogue, and situations that go from zero to ridiculous in seconds.
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1. Ruffus, the Cat Whisperer Dog
In this cartoon, a calm black dog named Ruffus sits at an animal shelter, surrounded by cats who adore him. He’s playing with cat toys and pouring food like a feline butler. The punchline? “If you’re looking for a dog that’s good with cats…” It’s a subtle reversal of stereotypes — dogs chasing cats — and lands with surprising sweetness. Nate Fakes crafts a quietly hilarious panel by anthropomorphizing interspecies friendship in the weirdest, most adorable way.
2. Polly Just Wants Crackers
A breakup is brewing in this cartoon — between parrots. One storms out with a suitcase, declaring, “You just want crackers!” Meanwhile, Polly lounges on the couch, shoving snacks in her beak. This is Fakes at his best: mixing bird clichés with human relationship drama. The visual of a parrot mid-binge while being emotionally confronted is hilarious, and oddly relatable. The emotional depth is feather-deep, but the comedic impact soars.
3. DIY Nesting Regret
A frustrated bird couple sits in their scraggly homemade nest while eyeing a fancy birdhouse nearby. One glares at the other and laments, “That could’ve been ours… but nooo… you and your DIY.” It’s domestic squabbling meets suburban jealousy, only with birds. Fakes turns a common relationship dynamic — DIY ambition gone wrong — into aviary comedy. The expressions and body language are so human, it’s impossible not to laugh at these feathery renovators.
4. Chicken Fingers Existential Crisis
Inside a chicken laboratory, scientists inspect a bag of “chicken fingers.” One bird theorizes that chickens once had extra body parts. It’s darkly hilarious — a pun with horrifying undertones, dressed up in a lab coat. Nate Fakes knows exactly how to hit the line between wordplay and surrealism. This strip leans on visual storytelling and irony, producing a laugh that may be followed by an “oh no.” Finger-lickin’ funny, with existential spice.
5. Giraffe vs. Ceiling Fan
A bandaged giraffe sits in a living room, looking dejectedly at a ceiling fan. The caption? “I really need to get rid of that ceiling fan.” It’s such a simple concept, yet hilarious. The visual setup — the height mismatch and head trauma — makes for an instant chuckle. Nate Fakes doesn’t need elaborate setups to score a win. He just places a tall animal in a regular world and lets the humor spin on its own.
6. Sole-Saving Shoe Evangelist
In this one, a shoe holding a tiny Bible asks another shoe, “Has your sole been saved?” It’s a classic pun cartoon executed with charming literalism. Fakes leans into the ridiculous, imagining a door-to-door proselytizing loafer converting unsuspecting footwear. The look of mild annoyance on the receiving shoe makes it even better. If puns had a religion, this would be gospel. Another walk-off home run for Nate’s pun-laced portfolio.
7. Death’s Cliffside Photo Shoot
Death has taken up photography — and is encouraging a woman near a cliff to “just take one step back.” The timing, the premise, the visual — everything lands perfectly. This cartoon manages to take a grim subject and make it oddly cheerful. Fakes uses simple linework to stage the joke, with Death holding scissors like a tripod. It’s dark humor, but soft enough to leave you laughing instead of spooked. Photo finish brilliance.
8. Mick Jagger Can’t Get Satisfaction
At a diner, a waitress complains that a customer keeps sending food back. Behind her sits a character clearly modeled after Mick Jagger. The line? “I swear this guy can’t get no satisfaction.” The wordplay is subtle genius, referencing the famous Rolling Stones lyric while matching it with a relatable food service frustration. Nate Fakes sneaks a music icon into a slice-of-life panel, and it totally works — satisfying indeed.
9. Birdhouse Rerun
This one revisits the earlier DIY bird nest comic (intentionally or not) with a second look at the disgruntled birds and the coveted pink birdhouse. The recurring theme only adds to the humor — almost like an inside joke. Whether you catch it as a rerun or not, the gag hits with domestic tension, avian style. It’s relatable whether you’re a bird, a spouse, or someone who’s regretted a home project.
10. The Famous Cow Cameo
Two men at a diner notice a stoic cow at another booth. One whispers, “That cow’s famous. It was in a Far Side cartoon.” It’s an affectionate nod to the legacy of Gary Larson’s comics — and a meta-joke that rewards seasoned cartoon fans. The cow’s unimpressed demeanor seals the gag. Nate Fakes knows his audience, and this panel winks at them with reverence and ridiculousness in equal measure.
Final Thoughts
Nate Fakes Cartoons consistently deliver clever, unexpected laughs through surreal situations and smart puns. Whether he’s channeling pop culture, animal behavior, or foot-based theology, Fakes has an uncanny ability to find humor where no one else would look. These 10 cartoons show why his work stands out in the crowded world of gag panels. Be sure to catch more of Nate Fakes’ creations at TheHumorSide.com, where the fun never stops, and neither does the absurdity.
