Rating: 
Summary: A worthwhile investment
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: A Piece of History
Review: The first thing you notice about The Complete Far Side is its weight. This is a heavy item. (...) Even the slipcase is made of some super-industrial-strength cardboard, because a regular thickness just wouldn't be up to the task of housing the two absolutely massive bound volumes within. You really can't imagine how big and heavy this thing is. Get a rough estimate in your mind. Now double it. Good, you're getting close. (...)P>The second thing you notice is quality. Everything from the full-color pages (even when the comics are in black-and-white) to the cloth binding with gold embossing, to the full-color plates decorating the outside of the slipcase shouts "We are the nicest-looking books you will ever own."Even if the contents were the Detroit Yellow Pages, these books would still be a pleasure just to look at and feel. Fortunately, the contents are a long way better than the Yellow Pages. And that brings us to the third thing you'll notice: the absolute, pure, unalloyed genius of Gary Larson. You get every Far Side ever published along with a heap that never have been. Lots of old comics I remembered as being in black and white, are redone in color here. Plus you get several meaty essays by Gary Larson himself, that add even more context to the Far Side phenomenon.But the best part of The Complete Far Side may not even be Larson's work -- rather, it's the exhaustive documentation of people's reaction to it. Every time some nutjob with too much time on his hands wrote an angry letter to the newspaper complaining about a Far Side, that letter is reproduced here next to the panel in question. Often, the syndicate's response is included as well. People who complain that they've already read, and bought, many of the comics in this compendium are missing the point. This is the book equivalent of a DVD Ultimate Edition. No, it's better than that. This is more than a bunch of comics; it's a historical record of an artist's life's work and the impact it had on the world around him. This is a work of art that you will keep in your family and hand down through the generations, unless you sell it on Ebay in a few years for five times its current price. It's the highest-quality version possible of one of the highest-quality comics ever created. Ultimately, I can say only this: the Complete Far Side belongs in the collection of anyone who loves books. Or humor itself. Or weiner dogs. Cows. Primates. Scientists. Insects. Grannies in those pointy glasses. Dinosaurs...
Rating:
Summary: Acute and/or Chronic (ChronicAL?) Larsonitis
Review: Hey, OK for the superb quality of the cartoons (of course!), the equally superb quality of the edition, and the weight! But the Larson's introductions and commentaries are on the level too! And the faithful facsimile reproduction of some hate mail make those letters almost as FarSidish as the cartoons themselves (and tell more about their writers, than about the Far Side). Unique stuff, sold out of course (my librarian in Brussels could lay hands on three copies, not one single more). Far Side fans who already own the regular paperback editions plus the "Far Side Prehistory" won't have the idea of having spent too much money, because of the 1,100 cartoons not published in book form previously. Yeehaaaaa!
Rating:
Summary: Nearly the ultimate (comprehensive) collection
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous Set! Great Gift!
Review: As soon as you open the package, you'll notice the weight of these tomes. Each volume weighs close to 10 pounds and is beautifully bound and printed on vellum paper. It's almost like a religious experience to lay the book out on a table. Then you start reading and laughing out loud. Gary Larson is simply brilliant. And the letters from the readers just add to the humor. Buy this for everyone you know who has a quirky sense of humor. They'll enjoy it immensely.
Rating:
Summary: Not just a book
Review: This set is does not just consist of a book. It is a limited edition of 2000, and consists of a signed & numbered, nicely framed print, the two leather volumes that are in turn contained in another "book" for protection.(...)
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Sublime
Review: I didn't know that this book was coming out. I saw it in a book store and balked at the price tag, but was rescued when I received it as a gift. Now that I have seen it I can honestly say that it is worth far more than the list price. This is simply the greatest compendium of comics ever. The books are beautifully bound, and the set is VERY heavy (remember to lift with your legs, not with your back) and very large. That brings me to my only complaint about the set, which is that at a bit over 14 inches tall, the books will not sit in most standard bookcase shelves, so I have to figure out someplace else to put them now. It is a small price to pay for all of Larson's brilliance (and Cow Tools, too)! The books are very well printed and many of the panels are in color (even some of the original black and white panels) which to me adds to the beauty of the books, although I understand some purists have objected to the 'colorization.' To those people I say 'get a life.' This is how Larson wanted them and I totally agree. I couldn't be happier with the set!
Rating:
Summary: The funniest funnies ever printed
Review: Perfect gift book. Take a peek though before you give it away. The smiles and giggles are worth a perusal. You'll find an animated cast of cartoon characters from perplexed aliens to bugs with big eyes. Don't skip over Jake Morrissey's introduction. It sets the stage so well for the complete package of "The Far Side". This kind of humor is my favorite, throws egg on ironies and pokes fun at those who take everything too seriously. Give a cow a personification and no matter what Gary Larson had the cow say or do, the cow made human people seem ludicrous. The hilarity is so real and it's so much fun to find them all here. There are some hints at ideas Larson used, some letters here and there but mostly this is a comprehensive book of creative cartoons filled with foibles and hilarious human idiosyncrasies.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Awesome
Review: I got these books for Christmas last year from my wife. She wasn't sure I liked them until I spent the next four hours chuckling to myself. This is one of the best gift I have ever been given. These books are well made, and the content is just sublime. Steve Martin's foward is great, and the rest will draw you in and have you laughing for hours.
Rating:
Summary: A cartoon that could have run another decade
Review: I just have one question...why in the world does Amazon offer this as a bundle with Al Franken's book? I love The Far Side, and I think Al Franken is terribly unfunny, opportunistic, and misguided. Still scratching my head over that package.
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