Customer Reviews

Complete Far Side,The

5 star:		(106)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Here we have the COMPLETE syndicated run of the Far Side Comic series. It was ground breaking for many as one can see from the letters to the editor from newspapers which appear on some pages.
The only thin I didn't like was the fact that they didn't have a major bonus section like the book "Prehistory of the Far Side" had. That one had some which were rejected by his editor as being too racy, I would have loved to see more of those in this release. Still This item is well worth the price.

I hope that Dan Piraro does this type of book If and when his "Bizarro" series ends. If you like "Far Side" you will like probably like "Bizarro"

A few of the "Far Side" comics slightly offend me as a Christian, but almost all of them don't.

This is the Holy Grail for Far Side fans; a two-volume, leatherbound, slipcase edition of every single Far Side strip ever produced, including ones that were never anthologized. It carries a hefty price tag, but this should not be an issue for a true Larson fan; the price of admission pales in comparison to the endless amount of humor and satisfaction that one will get time and time again. The Far Side never gets old, and it's like having a long-lost friend come back.
The pages are thick and glossy and extremely well-bound; it's like an encyclopedia, only with a lot more relevant information and more interesting pictures. Organized chronologically and with a two-page cartoon introducing the year, the Complete Far Side shows the progression of Larson's humor and the transformation of the public reaction to his cartoons (this is done with various letters from editors and such, though not in a way that mimics The Pre-History of the Far Side). Some of the strips are presented in color, something that will perhaps be seen as a disappointment to some, but to the majority it is nothing short of a bonus; most of these that are in color have been previously anthologized in black and white.
I personally find Steve Martin's introduction to be a brilliant homage to Gary Larson, and the comments from Larson's editor prove to be tongue-in-cheek moments where one who truly "gets" The Far Side can laugh at the ignorant masses.
This is the centerpiece of my library now, and while it is somewhat bulky, when it's in your lap or on the table, the ten pounds per book seems irrelevant when you realize the sheer scope of what you have in your hands.
And if you ever visit the Midvale School for the Gifted...pull, don't push.

So many memories! So much fun! Who knew that a cartoonist could essentially define a decade or two before melting into the shadows. Beautifully bound and annotated with love.

Where BILL WATTERSON is philosophical and whimsical, GARRY LARSON is absurdly surprising and devilishly creative! He will come at your funny bone from all directions - including the ones you knew not they existed.

I remember ordering his large sized collections one by one from the Book-Of-The-Month-Club and then laughing out loud all weekend!
Animals and humans never have existed so harmoniously. This is the universe of the absurd, the weird, the what-if, the I-know-this-is-not-possible-but-then-why-does-it-feel-so-familiar?

Own all his cartoons in 2 beautifully bound volumes.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

In terms of content, this is *nearly* the ultimate collection of Gary Larson's wonderful Far Side comics (why do all the good cartoonists like Larson and Watterson retire early, while banal ones like Jim Davis [Garfield] go on ad nauseum?).

Books are very well made, like good art history volumes, with thoughtful notes included between each section (divided by years), and the paper and ink quality is excellent.

However, while this collection features all of the Far Side comics published since inception (and a few more never before seen by the public), it leaves out Larson's hilarious Farsidian take on classic art pieces as featured in the superb "Weiner Dog Art" collection from the 90's. Also, and I suppose this would have made what are already two massive tomes even more unruly to handle, it leaves out all of "Prehistory of the Far Side" material.

So just make sure you get "Weiner Dog Art" and "Prehistory", and then with this collection you'll have the ultimate Far Side opus.

While the price tag may seem hefty, it's easily worth the money.

This "Complete" collection is far more than I ever expected. Since I had so many of the older collections, I made the assumption that this was just a cool way to put all the stuff in one place. Not so... It's not just convenience, it simply better than any combination of older volumes you will ever find.

Here are some observations:

1. The collection includes a ton of cartoons that have NEVER been published in book form. These classics have not been seen anywhere since their original newspaper publication.

2. Even though the original cartoons were in black and white, a large percentage of these classics have been colorized! The color versions are seemlessly sprinkled into the pages, keeping the flow. Both older and newer cartoons are equally colorized.

3. The quality of the package itself is top-notch. They use high quality paper, printing, binding and packaging.

4. The set is very large and VERY HEAVY. You may have trouble lifting it.

5. The cartoons are layed out in a variety of sizes. Some are expanded to the entire page, where others are mixed in about the same size as they were in the original newspapers.

6. Lastly... These cartoons are FUNNY!!!!!! All the fancy packaging and quality are just gravy. The bottom line is that these cartoons will have you laughing for years to come.

I purchased this collection of hilarious comic strips for my husband, just because. He was blown away by such a gift, and continues to read a few pages every night before bed.

Best idea ever!

A great collection of all your favorite Far Side cartoons. If you love Far Side this is the ultimate collection.

What can I say? The collection is amazing. The books are very heavy. The humor is totally funny. I sit and read them and laugh out loud.....repeatedly! Having been a Far Side enthusiast since the first cartoon in the newspaper this was a real treat to have them
all in two books.

I love any and everything with humor, especially the kind that this guys has. 1300 pages of Gary Larson, with four of his great cartoons per page, arranged in mostly chronological order are worth any price. This book also has some explanations of certain cartoons which caused controversy, were mis-understood, or just deserved a word from the creator. The Complete Far Side doesn't have all that is in the Prehistory of the Far Side; I recommend either keeping the Prehistory or, if you don't already have it, picking it up as an 'appendix' to this set. Overall, for a fan of the genius of Gary Larson, a great set to replace all your smaller books, and now at a great price.

Also highly recommended: "Katzenjammer" by McCrae and "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by Sedaris