The Complete Far Side

Rating:
Summary: At last, they're all here in one place
Review: For those who got this book before the price drop, I feel sorry for you. I got it for Christmas and I'm afraid my mom paid the full, original price for the Complete Far Side. If she did, it's still worth it. 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 explainations 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 recomend either keeping the Prehistory or, if you don't already have it, picking it up as an 'apendix' 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.

Rating:
Summary: All This...and Wiener Dogs Too!
Review: This is a terrific collection by one of the finest cartoonists ever. Cows, strange little children, aliens, and of course, the beloved wild herds of dachshunds abound.

Gary Larson is sorely missed in today's comic pages; the greatest testimony to this is of course the insipid imitators lining those pages.

Each cartoon is a joy to see once again.

Rating:
Summary: Tomes of Humor to be treasured
Review: At one point Gary Larson's work was featured at a museum in New York City as an exhibit. I saw it in the late 80s, (1988?) The exhibit covered the first part of the 1st book this series comprises. Its rare to see a crowded museum with people laughing, but that's just what I experienced. Since that day, I've been blessed to receive a few Far Side books and calendars. This past christmas I received "The Complete Far Side". Myself and other reviewers have left praise for Mr. Larson's work for good reason. How can a man who did these strips for over 10 years NOT be good? It would be unfair to judge these works against other strips such as Dilbert or Garfield or any other work that can come up with characters and plot. The one panel snap-shots are a genre all their own. (and have spawned some less-talented knock offs since Gary stopped drawing) The books illustrate not only the depth and breadth of humor it covers, but also the evolution of Mr. Larson's creative ability and his illustrative ability as well. (The drawings of the 80s are not like the 90s... you'll see what I mean.)
If you are reading this review, you are more than likely one of the converted to Gary's humor. If you haven't purchased it for yourself, put it on your wishlist as I did. While it weighs as much as a bowling ball, these books are a testament to one of the most creative artists to ever fill the "funnies" section of a newspaper.



Rating:
Summary: Just Plain Awsome!
Review: This set is a terrific idea from Larson. Now it is possable to have all of his cartoons in one nice pile o' paper! This is a must have for any "Far Side" fan.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful in Alaska
Review: This is more than I exspected. I purchased as a gift for a not so run of the mill person and it is great!!! Just perfect! Highly recommend!!

Rating:
Summary: Genius gets the coffee table treatment
Review: With his pithy, skewed, offbeat observations about the truths of the human condition--as portrayed by an assortment of cows, bugs, and aliens--Gary Larson has become a favorite cartoonist and social commentator. In one panel and a few words, Larson can not only make you laugh out loud, but he can shed a lot of light on how people think and act. Which is, as luck would have it, usually remarkably similar to the behavior of bovines. This handsome 2-volume deluxe set comes in a fine slip cover box and requires Popeye forearms to lift and read. This is a must have collection for Larson's fans and for anyone with an appreciation for classic cartooning. The price is a steal.