The Complete Far Side

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Summary: Weighs as much as a cow too.
Review: At over 19 pounds in weight and containing some of the funniest cartoons ever drawn, this book can be a real side-splitter.

More than half of the cartoons have been colorized, and they actually look very good done this way, so even if you have all the individual books there are still good reasons to get this compilation (including the ~1100 or so strips that have not previously been collected I believe).

There are three or four panels per page typically, and a couple page intoduction to each chapter (year) by the author.

Steve Martin's short introduction isn't all that funny in my opinion.

For any Larson fan, this certainly is a must-have work.

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Summary: FAR SIDE fans HAVE to get this collection!
Review: This collection of FAR SIDE cartoons is awesome. If you love the Far Side, you have to have this! The two hardcovers books weigh a ton, and they have every cartoon Gary Larson ever drew, plus letters to the editor, essays from Larson, and more.

Rating:
Summary: The Far Side
Review: Wow. A complete far side book. this is absolutley amazing. The price is a mere dime for what you are actually reciving. absolutley amazing.

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Summary: Hilarious, disturbing, insightful . . . completely different
Review: If you have to buy one book on Amazon, please, please, please, make it this. Large though it may be, you won't be disappointed! God, I love this guy. I can't imagine life without Gary Larson and his wonderfully twisted sense of humor. A day doesn't go by that I don't laugh to myself over one of his cartoons. And when I was interviewing for employees, I used to show them some of his work---if they didn't laugh, they didn't get hired! Truly, he's is one of the planet's funniest animals! What I enjoyed most about this volumous work was Larson's hilarious and insightful essays that preceded each year's comics, Steve Martin's great foreword, and, more than anything else, the countless letters from the public on various subjects. Most of them are enemies, shaking their finger at Gary Larson for some kind of offense they took from a cartoon. But my all-time favorite: The Modern Anteater. If you like this type of humor, you'd probably enjoy David Sedaris' books or "The Bark of the Dogwood" by Jackson McCrae. True, humor such as this is not for everyone, but darn it's funny to me.

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Summary: The Greatest Comic Strip Ever gets the Treatment it Deserves
Review: Without a doubt Gary Larson's iconic "The Far Side" is the greatest comic strip ever. Each single panel story is sublime, surreal, and superb.

"The Complete Far Side" is a huge, dual volume tome that collects every single one of the more then 4,000 comics that appeared during The Far Side's still too brief 14 year run. Each comic is given a full 1/3 of a page, often referenced with reader's letters and newspaper article that mention the strip. About a quarter of the strips are in full color.

The book is chronologically indexed into chapters with each chapter representing a full year of the strip. Anyone of these chapters in and of itself would make a glorious book. Gary Larson writes a whimsical introduction to each chapter and the entire collection is forwared with wonderful wit by Steve Martin.

The books themselves are sturdy and well constructed. The two volumes are housed in a slipcover with a "Far Side" motifed cover.

Very few real down sides to this volume other then it's hefty price and the fact that it is rapidly getting hard to find. I hope a paperback version of this collection appears for less devoted "The Far Side." This is NOT a compact book. It's a huge, coffee table book, not something you can slide into your back pocket. The excellent behind the scenes material from "The Prehistory of the Far Side" is not contained, nor are the wonderful prefaces written by Jane Goodall, Stephen King, Stephen Jay Gould, and Robin Williams for the previous "Far Side Galleries." Some of the Sunday strips (which are wider then the standard square weekday strips) are truncated back into squares for this volume. And oddly a couple of dozen of the strips are later versions of the cartoons that have tacked on "Christmas" motiffs that were added later for Christmas cards and t-shirts.

Still this is without an incrediable collection that I have waited many years for. It's the ultimate collection of "The Far Side."

Rating:
Summary: Bodacious
Review: First of all, you'll need to take steriods just to lift this collection. But it's worth every pound. The quality is remarkable, with color cartoons and brilliant and witty comments every now and then. The detractors who've written into the papers over the years also make an appearance, looking more foolish than ever. If you're one for great humor (think Sedaris in his "Me Talk Pretty" or McCrae in his "Bark of the Dogwood"), humor that is sometimes dark and multi-layered, then you'll love Gary Larson. This, of course, if you've never been exposed to him, in which case you're probably fodder for one of his cartoons. A++++++ material and presentation on this one.

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Summary: Missing classic inserts, but still indispensible collection
Review: I recently bought this for my fiance for Valentine's Day, and we continue to get infinate amusement from it.
It's complete with all the cartoons that appeared in newspapers, the "Beyond the Far Side" bits that were published after Larson's retirement, and many amusing letters he has recieved throughout his career. It misses, however, the classic inserts featuring "Weiner Dog Art" and "Cows of our Planet" that graced the centers of their respective Far Side Books. Nevertheless, the comics are wonderfully printed in color and thankfully ordered chonologically, and the books are marvelously bound--a wonderful tribute to a genius and his classic works. The set was well worth the money, and I expect that my soon-to-be husband and I will enjoy relaxing with the beloved comic of our youth for years to come.
My reccomendation--This book alone is perfect for the true Larson connosieur. For the full Larson experience, make sure you add "There's a Hair in my Dirt: A Worm's Story" (a lovely storybook by Larson) as well as "Cows of our Planet" and "Weiner Dog Art" (if you are set on getting the center gallaries from those) to your arsenal.

Rating:
Summary: As Heavy as it is Good
Review: Have long been a fan of The Far Side and when I saw it I knew I had to have it. But no sense in buying it at B&N when you can get it cheaper and in better condition from Amazon. Got it within a week and am very pleased. Books are of exceptional quality and weight! Books are so heavy that it becomes awkward when reading it on your lap after awhile, I recommend reading it on a table top.

Don't let the price keep you from buying this, it should last forever(the books and the humor!)

Rating:
Summary: Funny!
Review: This is the first review I've written for any product. Therefore, The Complete Far Side impressed me immensely. There are over 4,300 comics to enjoy in this collection! While I may not get every single panel, the fact that there is one punchline per panel and there are 3 or 4 panels per page ensures much mirth. I've laughed myself to tears with some. And unlike some other cartoonists which just aren't funny to me, when I don't laugh at a particular Far Side panel, I feel as if I've missed out on some joke, rather than just grunting and thinking the strip is not funny. After reading some of the letters published in the books, if you get offended easily, then maybe these books aren't for you. But if you have a healthy comedic appetite, you'll be granted many HOURS of laughter from these two wonderfully bound books spanning nearly a decade and a half of comic genius. Off the wall humor with talking animals and dumb people just tickles my funny bone.

Rating:
Summary: The Greatest Comprehensive Edition
Review: This is the greatest thing I have ever owned. I am so happy to own this. This starts from day one to day whatever, basically from beginning to end of the entire comic. It really is everything. One of the greatest thing is the letters from readers and editors to Gary Larson. It is great. I highly suggest this collection.