It Came from the Far Side

Far Side Collection #6

by Gary Larson

The sixth in the bestselling series of collections from Gary Larson. THE FAR SIDE voted Best Syndicated Panel of 1985 by the National Cartoonists Society

Genres: Comics, Humor, Graphic Novels, Comic Strips, Fiction, Comedy, Cartoon

Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Gary Larson was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. His parents were Vern, a car salesman, and Doris, a secretary. He attended Curtis High School before attending Washington State University and graduated in 1972 with a degree in communications. In 1987, Larson married Toni Carmichael, an archaeologist.
Larson credits his older brother Dan for his "paranoid" sense of humor. Dan would pull countless pranks on Gary, taking advantage of his phobia of monsters under the bed by, for example, waiting in the closet for the right moment to pounce out at Gary. Dan is also credited with giving Gary his love of science. They caught animals in Puget Sound and placed them in terrariums in the basement; even making a small desert ecosystem, which their parents apparently did not mind. His adept use of snakes in his cartoons stems from his long-standing interest in herpetology.
Since retiring from the Far Side, Larson has occasionally done some cartooning work, such as magazine illustrations and promotional artwork for Far Side merchandise.
In 1998, Larson published his first post-Far Side book, There's a Hair in My Dirt!: A Worm's Story, an illustrated story with the unmistakable Far Side mindset.

Reviews

[Jim Kuenzli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I laughed out loud at some panels, smiled at some, and thought quite a few were meh. I used to love this stuff more. Maybe it’s me.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's easy to appreciate the Far Side, and if you like what you have seen in Far side books, this short book provides plenty of what you'd be looking for from it. As this book was published in 1986, it's worthwhile to reflect at least a bit on what material was considered topical by Larson when he was writing this particular work. The author finds himself drawing pictures of dorky animals and people, which is something that he would keep up during his entire career, it must be admitted. There is also a particular interest on punks, tropes from science fiction movies like Frankenstein, and the strange absurdity that comes from pondering giant killer butterflies and wheelbarrow games where people's heads are being ground into the mud and the funny ways of snakes, dogs, cats, rhinos, and other animals. If these ways are as funny to you as they are to many and have been to many other people, then this book is certainly well worth a read. It is also an easy enough book to appreciate having in one's own collection when one wants a laugh, because there are surely times when one needs it.

This book is about a hundred pages long, and one can get a sense of some of the preoccupations that Larson had in the mid 1980's when this book and its cartoons were being used. As is the case throughout Larson's career, there is a great interest in animals and their interactions with human beings as well as each other. One of the characteristic strengths of Larson's as a cartoonist is his rather straightforward approach in drawing figures and also in appreciating absurdity. Over and over again here we find the cartoonist seeking to combine elements of thinking and reversals that make perfect sense but that many people simply would not come to on their own. One wonders how it was that he cultivated this skill and where he got his start. Whether it is reflecting on the awkwardness of human beings and animals, or the humor of ancient history and the Old West, among other places, Larson is able to mine a great deal of humor out of situations that obviously likely never happened but that could happen in the imagination of someone who was sufficiently odd. And if you are reading this book, the odds are that you are someone who is sufficiently odd to appreciate this.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love The Far Side comics and have since I was a teenager, when I was first introduced to them. There's a little something for everyone here and it's guaranteed to make you crack a smile. Gary Larson's style is inimitable. Perfect book for anyone looking for a chuckle.

[Lee Osborne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was always a huge fan of The Far Side back in the day, and was keen to leaf through this when I found it in my mother-in-law's bookcase.

It hasn't aged well at all, for reasons I can't fathom. Really failed to make me laugh like I used to, which was disappointing. Shame.

[Conan Tigard · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Came From the Far Side puts the "fun" in "funny." A lot of these comic strips made me smile and a few of them made me laugh out loud. They are just plain absurd.

Gary Larson is a master of taking the all the stupid things humans do and putting them in the the strangest positions, like that of cows speaking or a caveman working with a crescent wrench. This is just plain funny. Where does he come up with all of his ideas? Who knows? But for years, he had the most humorous comic strips in the papers.

I know that many of us out there would love the see the strip return to the newspapers. But since it won't, the only way to remember these wonderful moments of humor is to pick up a copy of It Came From the Far Side.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a change of pace, I decided to revisit one of the slim, landscape Futura editions that gave me my first exposure to the wonderful world of The Far Side. Published in 1988 (I have the 1991 edition), this features comics from 1986 and has plenty of fantastic material in it. Highlights for me included “Randy’s going down”, the wonderful “You are mine, all mine” with the bird over the man washing his car, a caveman trying to save his friend but not being able to say pterodactyl, snakes at the zoo, the eyeball in the mirror (closer than [it] appears), birds or little m’s, Dogzilla, flattened Donald, fish excursions on the beach and Farmer Brown and his cows (“somewhere, off in the distance, a dog barked”). Great fun, full of invention and highly recommended.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember being introduced to the Far Side by a very good friend after a heavy session of serious alcohol...

I know that it's nothing to be proud of [but it felt good at the time], yet I have often wondered if my state of alcohol-induced giggles was entirely down to the Far Side...

ANSWER = IT WAS....

The books are outstandingly still funny.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wicked, wicked good fun that helped pass the time, a while ago, while I was in the throes of a Stomach Bug. I laughed so hard, it really did hurt.

Subtle humor, slightly desperate at times. Middle School "funny", for the smart kids!

Go forth, visit The Far Side

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another Far Side. Again I find this smaller book more readable. A mixture of ones I recognize and ones I don't. As always, this is not really the right way to experience Far Side. I tried reading this just a little bit slower this time. But I think I'd have to read them a lot slower. Maybe read them with someone else.

[Kevin Keating · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of guffaws. What can I say that hasn't been said. Awesome humor. Along with Calvin and Hobbes, the best merger of humor, intellect, and unsurpassed artistry. If there were a Pulitzer category for it, he deserves it.

[Bobsie67 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Far Side, so this was so much fun. I readily admit that every know and then there is a joke that I don't get. Mostly lots of guffawing on my part. Received this as a nice freebie when I bought the MAD Magazine 60th Anniversary book!

[Mr. Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barely any comic strips make me laugh...and then there is The Far Side! Love it.

[Ianju Gytnnrq30 4y3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

romantic

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many, many more laughs. So funny.

[Geert van Rooijen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alles, maar dan ook echt alles van The far side laat me meermaals echt ROFL!!

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Far Side never disappoints.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, Larson hits the nail on the head with his wry humor. I completely enjoyed this collection.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Justin Greer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always charming!

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, Gary Larson delivers. It Came from the Far Side is funny, provocative, and insightful, like all of Larson's books. Unfortunately, as with most comics strips, it's either all or nothing, love it or hate it. If you like Larson, then you are guaranteed to love this book. If you don't care for Larson...why are you here?

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good stuff.

[Anthony Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Larson's sense of humour is the most tonge-in-cheek of any cartoonist I know. I just love the way he humanizes animals. Hilarious!

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gary Larson is really a Genius

[Ryan Parman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the Far Side, filled with the genius of Gary Larson — the only comic strip artist who even comes close to Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes).

[Abraham Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

good book with far side comics in it!

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid and consistent humor.

[alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-reading this is like replaying all the conversations I've had with my dad since childhood. Love.

[Barbara Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

I very likely read this book as a young person. The Far Side was never my favorite cartoon, but I do enjoy the subtle, tongue in cheek ones. Some of them are too gross for me though.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

What with one thing and another this hasn't been a great reading summer for me. My inexhaustible thanks to Larson for giving me guaranteed delights.

Library copy.

[Cynthia Corrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

lol