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The Complete Far Side
[
Box Set
| Book One | Book Two | Book Three ]
The Far Side is back in this much-anticipated three-volume slipcased paperback edition of The Complete Far Side!
Every one of these cartoons is just something that drifted into my head when I was alone with my thoughts. And, for better or worse, I jotted them down. It was only later, when perhaps I received an angry letter from someone, that it struck me: Hey! Someone's been reading my diary! -- Gary Larson, from the preface to The Complete Far Side
Originally published in hardcover in 2003, The Complete Far Side was a New York Times bestseller. Now it's back as a paperback set with a newly designed slipcase that will delight Far Side fans.
Revered by its fans as the funniest, most original, most What the ... ?&nspiring cartoon ever, The Far Side debuted in January 1980 and enjoyed an illustrious 14 years on the world's comics pages until Gary Larson's retirement in 1994. The Complete Far Side celebrates Larson's twisted, irreverent genius in this ultimate Far Side book.
A masterpiece of comic brilliance, The Complete Far Side contains every Far Side cartoon ever syndicated--over 4,000 if you must know--presented in (more or less) chronological order by year of publication, with more than 1,100 that had never before appeared in a book. Also included are additional Far Side cartoons Larson created after his retirement: 13 that appeared in the last Far Side book, Last Chapter and Worse, and six cartoons that periodically ran as a special feature in the New York Times Science Times section as The Far Side of Science. Creator Gary Larson offers a rare glimpse into the mind of The Far Side in quirky and thoughtful introductions to each of the 14 chapters. Complaint letters, fan letters, and queries from puzzled readers appear alongside some of the more provocative or elusive panels. Actor, author, and comedian Steve Martin offers his sagacious thoughts in a foreword, and Larson's former editor describes what it was like to be the guy who could explain every Far Side cartoon.
During its 14-year run, The Far Side was syndicated internationally to over 1,900 daily newspapers. It spawned 23 books and has been translated into 17 different languages.
Copyright 2014 by FarWorks, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Far Side and Tales from The Far Side are registered trademarks of FarWorks, Inc.
The Far Side is back in this much-anticipated three-volume slipcased paperback edition of The Complete Far Side!
Every one of these cartoons is just something that drifted into my head when I was alone with my thoughts. And, for better or worse, I jotted them down. It was only later, when perhaps I received an angry letter from someone, that it struck me: Hey! Someone's been reading my diary! -- Gary Larson, from the preface to The Complete Far Side
Originally published in hardcover in 2003, The Complete Far Side was a New York Times bestseller. Now it's back as a paperback set with a newly designed slipcase that will delight Far Side fans.
Revered by its fans as the funniest, most original, most What the ... ?&nspiring cartoon ever, The Far Side debuted in January 1980 and enjoyed an illustrious 14 years on the world's comics pages until Gary Larson's retirement in 1994. The Complete Far Side celebrates Larson's twisted, irreverent genius in this ultimate Far Side book.
A masterpiece of comic brilliance, The Complete Far Side contains every Far Side cartoon ever syndicated--over 4,000 if you must know--presented in (more or less) chronological order by year of publication, with more than 1,100 that had never before appeared in a book. Also included are additional Far Side cartoons Larson created after his retirement: 13 that appeared in the last Far Side book, Last Chapter and Worse, and six cartoons that periodically ran as a special feature in the New York Times Science Times section as The Far Side of Science. Creator Gary Larson offers a rare glimpse into the mind of The Far Side in quirky and thoughtful introductions to each of the 14 chapters. Complaint letters, fan letters, and queries from puzzled readers appear alongside some of the more provocative or elusive panels. Actor, author, and comedian Steve Martin offers his sagacious thoughts in a foreword, and Larson's former editor describes what it was like to be the guy who could explain every Far Side cartoon.
During its 14-year run, The Far Side was syndicated internationally to over 1,900 daily newspapers. It spawned 23 books and has been translated into 17 different languages.
Copyright 2014 by FarWorks, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Far Side and Tales from The Far Side are registered trademarks of FarWorks, Inc.
1278 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2003
190 people are currently reading
2893 people want to read
About the author
Gary Larson
143 books711 followersGary 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
May 21, 2012
Gary Larson’s Far Side was pure MAGIC...
...and when it burst on the scene like a talking, cow-shaped comet in 1980, the strip was like nothing the newspaper funnies had ever seen.
While its single panel format and light-hearted depiction of awkward social situations and shared pain bore some resemblance to earlier comics like Ziggy and Larson’s own Nature’s Way, The Far Side was an anthropomorphic animal all its own, and dominated the public’s consciousness for the decade and a half that it was being produced.
Its unpretentious, surrealistic humor had broad appeal and could be enjoyed on multiple levels. At times, it was silly and sweet and designed simply to spread smiles.
Other times, the humor had such a cleverness to it that the smiles didn’t simply spread so much as explode across the reader’s face.
Larson’s genius knew no sacred cows, and he probed and needled at just about everything. Whether providing insight into the meaning of life, by depicting God as an over adventuress chef...
...or using absurd juxtaposition to subtly show the marriage between big business and the war.**
** This interpretation is probably a bit of a stretch, but it does seem to fit.
In addition, Larson used his talking nature and human/animal relationship reversals to highlight those little moments in life that everyone could relate to...
And sometimes, he was just a lunatic jokester casting a bizarre-filtered folk wisdom or pop philosophy in a comedic, fell good light...
But always...always, there was humor. Larson’s work was beloved for its blending or humor and satire with a sense of genuine warmth. Even when poking fun or envisioning catastrophe, his work never seemed pessimistic, and there was just something oddly comforting about Larson’s skewed view of the world that warmed the cockles and made you feel good.
I can’t tell you how many hours I spent replenishing my stores of good will perusing Larson’s work. So, after re-visiting his singular work in this massive, uber collection of his complete catalog, I thought I would share the love and try to bring a few moments of bright into your Sunday (and whatever additional days I eventually float this review).
Hope it brings a smile.
5.0 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!
...and when it burst on the scene like a talking, cow-shaped comet in 1980, the strip was like nothing the newspaper funnies had ever seen.
While its single panel format and light-hearted depiction of awkward social situations and shared pain bore some resemblance to earlier comics like Ziggy and Larson’s own Nature’s Way, The Far Side was an anthropomorphic animal all its own, and dominated the public’s consciousness for the decade and a half that it was being produced.
Its unpretentious, surrealistic humor had broad appeal and could be enjoyed on multiple levels. At times, it was silly and sweet and designed simply to spread smiles.
Other times, the humor had such a cleverness to it that the smiles didn’t simply spread so much as explode across the reader’s face.
Larson’s genius knew no sacred cows, and he probed and needled at just about everything. Whether providing insight into the meaning of life, by depicting God as an over adventuress chef...
...or using absurd juxtaposition to subtly show the marriage between big business and the war.** 
** This interpretation is probably a bit of a stretch, but it does seem to fit.
In addition, Larson used his talking nature and human/animal relationship reversals to highlight those little moments in life that everyone could relate to...
And sometimes, he was just a lunatic jokester casting a bizarre-filtered folk wisdom or pop philosophy in a comedic, fell good light...
But always...always, there was humor. Larson’s work was beloved for its blending or humor and satire with a sense of genuine warmth. Even when poking fun or envisioning catastrophe, his work never seemed pessimistic, and there was just something oddly comforting about Larson’s skewed view of the world that warmed the cockles and made you feel good.
I can’t tell you how many hours I spent replenishing my stores of good will perusing Larson’s work. So, after re-visiting his singular work in this massive, uber collection of his complete catalog, I thought I would share the love and try to bring a few moments of bright into your Sunday (and whatever additional days I eventually float this review).
Hope it brings a smile.
5.0 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!
November 4, 2016
This is the best collection of Gary Larson's artwork simply because it includes (almost) every single one of the daily syndicated comics that he penned over the years, from 1980 to 1994. As a bonus, the reader gets posters and yearly introductions from the author, detailing the creative process, the source of inspiration and wacky anecdotes related to the series. I've spaced out my lecture over almost a whole year, in order to prolong the pleasure and avoid 'overeating' a favourite 'dish', yet the first thing I did when I ended was to go back to the beginning and re-read a couple of early 'months'. I would say "The Complete Far Side" is a keeper, a manual of life-hacks guaranteed to pull you out of a funk and to make you look at your troubles and worries from a different angle. What's Larson's secret? How does he do it?
A few examples of his comic panels would be self-explanatory, as in the old adage that a picture paints a thousand words, but the artist has kindly requested that his art should not be made freely available on the interwebs. Actually, this makes my task easier, because I would find it impossible to narrow down my favorites to the limited space granted by Goodreads.
No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality explains Shirley Jackson in the opening paragraph of her classic horror "The Haunting of Hill House" . Well, that's what Gary Larson does here : he keeps us sane by taking us on a trip to the wild side of reality. He's the jester who dares to shout out that The Emperor is naked, that his new clothes are a hoax; the stand-up artist that mocks us for hiding with our heads down in the sand, pretending that global warming is a hoax, that the wildlife is not facing extinction, that our jobs are interesting and rewarding, that our politicians are honest or that our kids will have a better life that ours. Again, how does he do it?
By turning everything we know down on its head, upside-down and sideways, holding up a mirror of black humour and practical jokes to demonstrate that humanity does not deserve its place at the top of the food chain, that our pets are watching us and judging us, that animals in the forest are out to get us, aliens are laughing their heads off at our antics, scientists are as clueless and prone to eraser fights as kids in school, that even amoebas, flies and ticks like to sit in a comfy chair in the evening, reading the papers and gossiping about the neighbours.
Sugar Plum Fairy came and hit the streets
Lookin' for soul food and a place to eat
Went to the Apollo
You should have seen him go, go, go
They said, hey Sugar, take a walk on the wild side
I said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side, alright, huh
[Lou Reed]
Some people like to let the Holy Book fall open and find wisdom by randomly pointing a finger at one of the stanzas. I would rather find my answers by picking a new Farside cartoon each day. If ever I am stranded on a desert island, or visiting a cannibal village, if deers suddenly start knocking on my door or crocodiles invite me to a cocktail party, if aliens ask me directions to the nearest fast-food restaurant or if monsters are lurking under my bed, if I'm confused about rocket science, art, prehistory or politics - I know what to do and what to say to them : Go visit the Farside! All you need is to leave your prejudices behind, get in touch with your inner child and enjoy the cowpocalypse!
Thank you, Mr. Larson for redeeming my faith in the future. It may be a future without humans, with bugs, cows, ducks and dogs (but not cats) taking over the planet, but life does go on in unexpected directions.
September 4, 2020
The Complete Far Side - Book One collects Far Side comics from January 1980 to June 1984.
I had this on my wishlist forever, waiting for it to fall into my cheapness zone. Fortunately, my wife bought it for me sometime after the collapse of society. It may have been an effort to stave off cabin fever for another week or two or perhaps a Father's Day gift.
Anyway, The Far Side is one of those legendary comic strips. I was a little young for the humor during its initial run so I had an ambition to reread it. I'm sure Gary Larson never intended for anyone to read four and a half years of his strip in less than 24 hours but this was a great read.
The strip is a little rocky at first as Larson finds his footing but things heat up pretty quickly. Some of the humor is a lot darker than I remember. I wouldn't say any of the strips had me laughing out loud but I grinned or smirked quite a bit. Some of them were thinkers and others flew over my head altogether.
While the strip was just getting rolling, all the pieces were in place, from the absurdist humor to the bumbling scientists to those damn cows that are in one strip out every six. The temptation for me to compare this to Calvin and Hobbes is strong but that's like comparing apples and oranges. The Far Side is more like the Family Circus and it beats the living shit out of the Family Circus on every conceivable level. Fuck the Family Circus.
While I consumed it in a way far faster than nature and Gary Larson intended, The Complete Far Side - Book One was an amusing read. Bring on the next four year chunk! Four out of five cows.
Merged review:
The Complete Far Side - Book Two collects Far Side comics from July 1984 to June 1988.
Man probably wasn't meant to digest this much dark, absurdist humor in such a short time span but I seem to be okay. Anyway, The Far Side was hitting its stride at this time. The artwork is a notch better than the first volume and Larson certainly found his groove. I actually laughed out loud a few times and made my wife read some of the best cartoons. Such as...
The humor skews a little darker than the first volume so it was right up my alley. The angry letters to Far Side printed in this collection show that a lot of people didn't have much of a sense of humor even in the pre-Internet days. I don't really know what else to say. It's a collection of funny newspaper strips.
The Complete Far Side - Book Two: Witness one of the greatest newspaper strips of all time in its prime. Five out of five stars.
Merged review:
The Complete Far Side - Book Three collects the Far Side strips from July 1988 to the end in December 1994.
Well, all good things must come to an end. I have to say that Gary Larson went out on top, much like Bill Watterson. The Far Side was in top form when Gary ended the strip. After wolfing down the entire run of the strip in five days, I have to say there's nothing the Far Side in regard to witty observations and dark absurdist humor. Five out of five cow tools.
I had this on my wishlist forever, waiting for it to fall into my cheapness zone. Fortunately, my wife bought it for me sometime after the collapse of society. It may have been an effort to stave off cabin fever for another week or two or perhaps a Father's Day gift.
Anyway, The Far Side is one of those legendary comic strips. I was a little young for the humor during its initial run so I had an ambition to reread it. I'm sure Gary Larson never intended for anyone to read four and a half years of his strip in less than 24 hours but this was a great read.
The strip is a little rocky at first as Larson finds his footing but things heat up pretty quickly. Some of the humor is a lot darker than I remember. I wouldn't say any of the strips had me laughing out loud but I grinned or smirked quite a bit. Some of them were thinkers and others flew over my head altogether.
While the strip was just getting rolling, all the pieces were in place, from the absurdist humor to the bumbling scientists to those damn cows that are in one strip out every six. The temptation for me to compare this to Calvin and Hobbes is strong but that's like comparing apples and oranges. The Far Side is more like the Family Circus and it beats the living shit out of the Family Circus on every conceivable level. Fuck the Family Circus.
While I consumed it in a way far faster than nature and Gary Larson intended, The Complete Far Side - Book One was an amusing read. Bring on the next four year chunk! Four out of five cows.
Merged review:
The Complete Far Side - Book Two collects Far Side comics from July 1984 to June 1988.
Man probably wasn't meant to digest this much dark, absurdist humor in such a short time span but I seem to be okay. Anyway, The Far Side was hitting its stride at this time. The artwork is a notch better than the first volume and Larson certainly found his groove. I actually laughed out loud a few times and made my wife read some of the best cartoons. Such as...
The humor skews a little darker than the first volume so it was right up my alley. The angry letters to Far Side printed in this collection show that a lot of people didn't have much of a sense of humor even in the pre-Internet days. I don't really know what else to say. It's a collection of funny newspaper strips.
The Complete Far Side - Book Two: Witness one of the greatest newspaper strips of all time in its prime. Five out of five stars.
Merged review:
The Complete Far Side - Book Three collects the Far Side strips from July 1988 to the end in December 1994.
Well, all good things must come to an end. I have to say that Gary Larson went out on top, much like Bill Watterson. The Far Side was in top form when Gary ended the strip. After wolfing down the entire run of the strip in five days, I have to say there's nothing the Far Side in regard to witty observations and dark absurdist humor. Five out of five cow tools.
May 31, 2019
One of the benefits of working in a public library was opening those boxes of new books.
With the Far Side series, I usually ordered multiple copies, sending a couple to a bindery for extended shelf life. Many, most, of the worthy cartoon format books, the 741.5s, don't have library quality bindings.
Of course I read a copy, when it was fresh out of the box, then re-read as needed in following months and years.
This review represents my pleasure for all of Mr Larson's books. Wonderful humor and perspective.
With the Far Side series, I usually ordered multiple copies, sending a couple to a bindery for extended shelf life. Many, most, of the worthy cartoon format books, the 741.5s, don't have library quality bindings.
Of course I read a copy, when it was fresh out of the box, then re-read as needed in following months and years.
This review represents my pleasure for all of Mr Larson's books. Wonderful humor and perspective.
December 21, 2024
If you know about The Far Side, loved the cartoons, have the space, can afford it, then get this collection. It's a bit of a gluttonous luxury, but don't we deserve them every now and then? I used to insert a few of these cartoons into my semester exams when I taught decades ago and having them again in this form is wonderful.
The contents are, of course, mind-bendingly funny and insightful. Been reading them in small bits over the past year. But the packaging is special. Each volume weighs about ten pounds. These are not for casual reading, you have to make the space, take the time, and treat the volumes with the care they deserve. And they come in a nicely made slip cover with a differing work of Larson art on each side. I'm having new bookshelves built in soon and have already reserved a place of honor for this wonderful set.
The contents are, of course, mind-bendingly funny and insightful. Been reading them in small bits over the past year. But the packaging is special. Each volume weighs about ten pounds. These are not for casual reading, you have to make the space, take the time, and treat the volumes with the care they deserve. And they come in a nicely made slip cover with a differing work of Larson art on each side. I'm having new bookshelves built in soon and have already reserved a place of honor for this wonderful set.
May 13, 2007
In my opinion, this is by far the funniest and most brilliant cartoon collection out there. This 2 book set contains all the Far Side cartoons that Gary Larson created, and there are some real gems in here. (I also have all the earlier Far Side books as well. I've been a huge fan from the beginning.) Exceptionally funny and intelligent.
June 23, 2008
I built a lectern/bookshelf just to keep this collection on display. My favorite? Hard to say, but it's tough to beat "Early chemists discuss the nature of dirt."
November 22, 2016
Warning: If you keep it in your bathroom your guests stay in there much longer than should be necessary.
December 14, 2012
I've loved The Far Side since my first brush with it. My local paper used to publish a lovely, full color comic book with their Sunday edition. Alas, it's gone now. If there's anything in the Sunday paper of the same quality as The Far Side or Calvin and Hobbes, I would dearly like to know about it.
At any rate, I always loved The Far Side, though I didn't always understand it. Like so many other childhood memories, there's always the question of if it'll hold up when revisited. Not a problem here. Like I said, I didn't understand every Far Side comic back then, and I think I got it now. Funny, irreverent, cheerfully strange, and full of cows. It's still second only to Calvin and Hobbes in my affections, and that's some lofty company to keep in my eyes.
(Note: My local library only had volume one for some reason (?) so I still need to get my hands on volume two to finish.)
At any rate, I always loved The Far Side, though I didn't always understand it. Like so many other childhood memories, there's always the question of if it'll hold up when revisited. Not a problem here. Like I said, I didn't understand every Far Side comic back then, and I think I got it now. Funny, irreverent, cheerfully strange, and full of cows. It's still second only to Calvin and Hobbes in my affections, and that's some lofty company to keep in my eyes.
(Note: My local library only had volume one for some reason (?) so I still need to get my hands on volume two to finish.)
June 8, 2015
Like most techies of the 80s I was a huge fan of The Far Side. It is pretty surprising how many of these panels I still remember after nearly 30 years: they must have made quite an impression. And some of them can still make me snort laugh (and, really, I almost never snort laugh).
The collection contains a few of the complaint letters received by the newspapers that carried the strip: people complainging about the "poor taste" of some of the cartoons; or complaining because Larson had strips about hell (aerobics in hell, dog hell, etc.), and Christians don't want that, naturally; or "think of the children". The letters are so outraged or pompous that they are funny in their own right.
My only complaint about the book is that is so very large: it is quite difficult to hold for any length of time!
The collection contains a few of the complaint letters received by the newspapers that carried the strip: people complainging about the "poor taste" of some of the cartoons; or complaining because Larson had strips about hell (aerobics in hell, dog hell, etc.), and Christians don't want that, naturally; or "think of the children". The letters are so outraged or pompous that they are funny in their own right.
My only complaint about the book is that is so very large: it is quite difficult to hold for any length of time!
July 24, 2012
What a beautifully-designed, slip-cased set! Lots of extras by Larson, his friends, and his readers. Whenever I can't decide what to read (which is often), I'll turn to these volumes.
This goes well with my Gahan Wilson slip-cased set (although it dwarfs Gahan) and my Don Martin slip-cased set.
What can I say? I love slip-cases, and I love good cartoons! These guys are among the best ever, in my humble opinion.
Some day, maybe I'll buy the Complete Calvin & Hobbes.
This goes well with my Gahan Wilson slip-cased set (although it dwarfs Gahan) and my Don Martin slip-cased set.
What can I say? I love slip-cases, and I love good cartoons! These guys are among the best ever, in my humble opinion.
Some day, maybe I'll buy the Complete Calvin & Hobbes.
September 13, 2007
this was one of the best gifts I have ever received. I love Larson's warped, intellegent humor. An enjoyable part of these books are the hate mail and letters he gets from confused and humorless readers. This collection always brings a smile to my face, and the frequent out-loud chuckle.
June 12, 2020
Yes, this collection does have "cow tools."
August 31, 2021
People are divided into those who love the Far Side, and those who don't. The latter ones probably don't understand satire at all. They must be knuckleheads and morons from Gary Larson's cartoons. His drawings depict pretty often some real life stupidity and intolerance we meet every now and then. I admire Larson's perception and sensibility. His impact on contemporary culture I'd compare to Monty Python's. Great book and marvelously issued. Worth every penny of its price.
April 7, 2018
I'm dinging this a star for presentation. Often, there are three or even four strips a page, which, even in this oversize format, means that some strips are printed at smaller than their original size which wasn't generous to begin with). I get that even so the book is over 1200 pages long, so there were practical reasons for such a decision, but it nevertheless impacts negatively on the reading experience. Otherwise, it's hard to complain about a comprehensive collection of one of the great funny (if often bizarre and occasionally incomprehensible) one-panel strips. Even having read all the previous collections, I found I did not recognize or remember many strips here, either because they were previously uncollected, or just because I simply forgot about them. Either way, the effect was sort of like discovering a trove of new Far Side strips, and that's a good thing. There is occasional editorial and contextualizing material (e.g. a short introduction for each year's worth of strips, or occasional reproduced letters from baffled or offended readers--sometimes with responses), but I'd have liked to see more of this, as well. One can only imagine how many letters from irate and/or baffled readers remain unreproduced. And given how Larson pushed the envelope (even now, I was surprised when I hit the first cartoon about sperm and an ovum), a history of objections to the strip might be fascinating. Nevertheless, this is all the strips, about which one really can't complain. Essential for any fan of weird humour, especially in cartoon form.
August 6, 2008
This belongs on the shelf with my ‘Complete Calvin and Hobbes’ collection. This set is beautifully designed and presented. Gary Larson's cartoons are brilliantly perverse and funny. Larson is an artist/cartoonist who is never afraid to challenge his readers, and his ‘Far Side’ is a collection of the strange, the bizarre and the downright weird. I particularly like the fact that he sides most often with the animals he portrays more so than the humans (another similarity with Calvin and Hobbes) and how he often uses animals acting like people to show us just how silly we are.
So why doesn’t it get 5 stars like The Complete Calvin and Hobbes? Well the simple answer is that while the Calvin and Hobbes set includes every Calvin and Hobbes strip, poem and short story ever penned, the ‘Complete’ Far Side only includes every strip ever published in the papers, so all the extras from the books, like the story, ‘The Curse of Madame C’ or Larson’s collection of ‘Wiener dog Art’ are missing! This really bugs me every time I read through it. Here we have a stunning collection and it’s incomplete. It’s like someone went out of their way to ruin a potentially awesome collection for no discernable reason. If they ever publish a fully complete Far Side collection like this, I’ll have to sell this copy and buy the better one. Until then, this keeps the 4 stars.
So why doesn’t it get 5 stars like The Complete Calvin and Hobbes? Well the simple answer is that while the Calvin and Hobbes set includes every Calvin and Hobbes strip, poem and short story ever penned, the ‘Complete’ Far Side only includes every strip ever published in the papers, so all the extras from the books, like the story, ‘The Curse of Madame C’ or Larson’s collection of ‘Wiener dog Art’ are missing! This really bugs me every time I read through it. Here we have a stunning collection and it’s incomplete. It’s like someone went out of their way to ruin a potentially awesome collection for no discernable reason. If they ever publish a fully complete Far Side collection like this, I’ll have to sell this copy and buy the better one. Until then, this keeps the 4 stars.
May 1, 2011
This compendium weighs a ton. No kidding.
A delightfully inspired packaging of "all things FAR SIDE" from the looney talking cows all the way to conspiratorial chipmunks. Wonderfully packaged but very, very, very expensive, this two volume set includes occasional essays (yes, I said essays) from the genius Larson himself covering such items of the nature of "what I was thinking when I drew ___" to "gosh, I'm sure sorry this thing is going to weigh so much." Of course, there's no apology for the price (snicker, snicker), but, having grown up on his simplistic renderings of single panel humor, I have to admit that this collection is honestly worth every penny.
The best two-volume investment I've ever made, THE FAR SIDE should be required reading for high school graduation, as far as I'm concerned.
A delightfully inspired packaging of "all things FAR SIDE" from the looney talking cows all the way to conspiratorial chipmunks. Wonderfully packaged but very, very, very expensive, this two volume set includes occasional essays (yes, I said essays) from the genius Larson himself covering such items of the nature of "what I was thinking when I drew ___" to "gosh, I'm sure sorry this thing is going to weigh so much." Of course, there's no apology for the price (snicker, snicker), but, having grown up on his simplistic renderings of single panel humor, I have to admit that this collection is honestly worth every penny.
The best two-volume investment I've ever made, THE FAR SIDE should be required reading for high school graduation, as far as I'm concerned.
June 20, 2016
Love love love The Far Side. It has long been my favorite comic strip. Back in the early 90s I used to clip the daily cartoon out of the newspaper and collect them. Later I enjoyed several years of the daily calendar.
I have learned one thing from reading this collection, though. The Far Side is best enjoyed a little at a time, and for me isn't as good when reading through dozens of cartoons in one sitting. I began to notice certain themes or jokes that recurred in various cartoons, for example.
Five stars for being what it is. Just take your time getting through it. The Far Side was created as a daily strip and works better when consumed that way.
I have learned one thing from reading this collection, though. The Far Side is best enjoyed a little at a time, and for me isn't as good when reading through dozens of cartoons in one sitting. I began to notice certain themes or jokes that recurred in various cartoons, for example.
Five stars for being what it is. Just take your time getting through it. The Far Side was created as a daily strip and works better when consumed that way.
January 26, 2008
Realistically, I having delved through all three volumes of this set, but it is a great compilation. Not only does it have a nice, library-bound profile, but it also has detailed information about almost every comic. Sometimes this information is a chuckle from the author, other times it is a complete explanation of how the joke came to be.
It sits up in my room next to my Calvin and Hobbes set. They're both so heavy, that I can't put them on the bookshelves in the library downstairs.
It sits up in my room next to my Calvin and Hobbes set. They're both so heavy, that I can't put them on the bookshelves in the library downstairs.
August 2, 2011
The greatest single-panel comic ever, no question about it. There are dozens of head-scratchers in here (and I'm reasonably intelligent), a few duds and hundreds of laugh-out-loud funny comics. My only complaint is that there's just too much. Better to leaf through on a cold winter afternoon than sit down and try to bomb through the whole thing at once.
June 23, 2008
for humor the delights the brain, as well the heart and soul, this set is a must for all the grieved and wore cow bands in mourning, then this twisted comic stopped it's run. i still refer to cat food as fud because of this man's evil genius.
March 27, 2017
All of Gary Larson's work in 2 volumes, an excellent and ultimate collection for any fan of the Far Side. His offbeat and often dark humor is great.
October 22, 2024
Of course it's getting all the stars. How could it be otherwise? The rating is for the content, not the books themselves, though. This is in two hardback volumes, and each one is about a foot and a half tall and weighs nine or ten pounds, so there is no easy way to read it leisurely. I don't know if the paperback version is any easier, but I doubt it. I was using this for late night reading in bed, ten or so pages a night, and had to prop up on my elbow to manage the task. If I laid on my back and held it up the way I normally do with a book, it would've fallen as I nodded off, caved in my face, and left me looking like a WWI trench warfare casualty. But it probably would've been worth it because it's the frocking COMPLETE FAR SIDE!!! All of them! PLUS! PLUS! PLUS! About 20 bonus comics at the end which he did as special projects.
The comics are presented chronologically and divided by years. Before each year is a two page essay by Gary Larson which adds something special. These are on various topics, but all relate to the comics in some way, shape, or form. On rare occasions he'll explain a comic that is rather confusing. These are ones that received so much mail that he felt an explanation was due. Some were misunderstood and people took serious offense due to it. Some of the misunderstandings were most amusing. E.g. the three scarecrows which were mistaken as depictions of Jesus' crucifixion. It never would've crossed my mind that they could be Jesus and the two robbers because they were clearly scarecrows, but different people see different things. Others weren't misunderstood at all, but some peeps will get offended over the silliest things. The hate mail for those was a trip.
I think everyone is familiar with The Far Side, and you know whether or not you like it, so I won't bother describing it here or recommending or not recommending it. If you aren't familiar with it, just do a google search and check out some of the images. You'll find out quickly enough whether or not this is your bag.
I was going to post a few of my faves, but narrowing it down to even a couple hundred is an impossible task, so I discarded that plan. Instead I'll post some that relate to points I want to make. The first is one that I have hanging inside a cupboard door of my hutch at work:
I find this inspirational, and I put it up during last tax season. It serves as a reminder that I can deal with any bitches and assholes and their bitchery and assholishness without becoming a demon myself. After all, pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. So if someone pisses me off with piddly fiddle-faddle because they're stressed the hell out and using me as a receptacle for their misdirected anger because I made a minor misstep, (or made no mistake at all; some people are unsatisfiable), I wait for them to leave, sigh, open up the cupboard, take a gander at this and a couple other things I've put there, then go on with my work. If the Far Side doesn't do the trick (it usually does), then I read a couple things I have tucked away in a drawer.
I've been a fan of the Far Side for as long as I can remember. It was one of my favorite parts of the daily paper when I was a kid, and a friend at school used to make his book covers with Far Side comics. We sat next to each other often, and I'd look at them. He'd sometimes have to explain some of them because I was a bit of a dunce back then. During the last reread of this at age 38, there were very few I didn't get, though I think there are plenty that the younger generation would find confusing because the punchline is related to current events or pop culture. I'm guessing you'd have to be in your late 20's or have an understanding of pop culture history to follow this:
Others are timeless:
Well, I guess this is timeless. Do people still moo at cows? I probably haven't done it in a good 10 or 15 years myself. I need to correct that at the next opportunity. Perhaps this falls more into the category of regional humor. Here's a better example of timeless:
For years a friend of mine gave me a Far Side daily page-a-day calendar for Christmas, and it was a highlight of the day to get to the next page. In college I would post some on the front of my door and label the people in the comic as various hallmates if the joke was apropos (and sometimes when it wasn't), even if it was a little offensive. This is something my dad used to do at work with his coworkers, and I just took the fun with me to my place of higher education where such BS was sorely needed for my amusement. The only one of these I remember clearly is this one:
I crossed out Palmer's name and put in the name of a friend, then labeled the others as other friends. There was a running joke about "Palmer's" head being really big, and he was a little miffed by this jab at him. I told him it was just coincidence, and I picked people at random, but it's time to come clean and atone for this grievous sin; it was totally about the size of his head. But before you start feeling too sorry for how we picked on him I'll point out he gave as good as he got, and he was a tough one to best in a game of quick wits. All of those friends were, and I miss those days. I haven't found a crew since who can keep up anywhere near as well as they could, just a couple of individuals here and there. In fact, I was often the one trying to keep up back then, but I learned and eventually managed to hold my own in most of our banter.
But I've strayed from the review. Looking at this with the sensibilities inherent in man living in 2017 where political correctness has been running insanely rampant for nearly a decade and there's been a huge push against guns, I notice how violent and risque some of these are now. Frankly, I love it all because I know not to take it too seriously, and I'm pretty sure that's how Larson intended it to be. I saw very little that was intentionally mean or cruel like you find in some comic strips or political cartoons. It was actually a breath of fresh air. I should've reread these years ago. One of the exceptions to that assessment was the one that showed the public execution of the ring around the collar ad man, but it turns out the guy loved the comic, was flattered to be a part of the Far Side, and wrote to Gary Larson about it with a little bit of history behind the campaign.
And that's about it. If you're a Far Side fan, this is the perfect book for you. If you're not, then, well... I'll still try to be your friend if we have other interests in common.
The comics are presented chronologically and divided by years. Before each year is a two page essay by Gary Larson which adds something special. These are on various topics, but all relate to the comics in some way, shape, or form. On rare occasions he'll explain a comic that is rather confusing. These are ones that received so much mail that he felt an explanation was due. Some were misunderstood and people took serious offense due to it. Some of the misunderstandings were most amusing. E.g. the three scarecrows which were mistaken as depictions of Jesus' crucifixion. It never would've crossed my mind that they could be Jesus and the two robbers because they were clearly scarecrows, but different people see different things. Others weren't misunderstood at all, but some peeps will get offended over the silliest things. The hate mail for those was a trip.
I think everyone is familiar with The Far Side, and you know whether or not you like it, so I won't bother describing it here or recommending or not recommending it. If you aren't familiar with it, just do a google search and check out some of the images. You'll find out quickly enough whether or not this is your bag.
I was going to post a few of my faves, but narrowing it down to even a couple hundred is an impossible task, so I discarded that plan. Instead I'll post some that relate to points I want to make. The first is one that I have hanging inside a cupboard door of my hutch at work:
I find this inspirational, and I put it up during last tax season. It serves as a reminder that I can deal with any bitches and assholes and their bitchery and assholishness without becoming a demon myself. After all, pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. So if someone pisses me off with piddly fiddle-faddle because they're stressed the hell out and using me as a receptacle for their misdirected anger because I made a minor misstep, (or made no mistake at all; some people are unsatisfiable), I wait for them to leave, sigh, open up the cupboard, take a gander at this and a couple other things I've put there, then go on with my work. If the Far Side doesn't do the trick (it usually does), then I read a couple things I have tucked away in a drawer.
I've been a fan of the Far Side for as long as I can remember. It was one of my favorite parts of the daily paper when I was a kid, and a friend at school used to make his book covers with Far Side comics. We sat next to each other often, and I'd look at them. He'd sometimes have to explain some of them because I was a bit of a dunce back then. During the last reread of this at age 38, there were very few I didn't get, though I think there are plenty that the younger generation would find confusing because the punchline is related to current events or pop culture. I'm guessing you'd have to be in your late 20's or have an understanding of pop culture history to follow this:
Others are timeless:
Well, I guess this is timeless. Do people still moo at cows? I probably haven't done it in a good 10 or 15 years myself. I need to correct that at the next opportunity. Perhaps this falls more into the category of regional humor. Here's a better example of timeless:
For years a friend of mine gave me a Far Side daily page-a-day calendar for Christmas, and it was a highlight of the day to get to the next page. In college I would post some on the front of my door and label the people in the comic as various hallmates if the joke was apropos (and sometimes when it wasn't), even if it was a little offensive. This is something my dad used to do at work with his coworkers, and I just took the fun with me to my place of higher education where such BS was sorely needed for my amusement. The only one of these I remember clearly is this one:
I crossed out Palmer's name and put in the name of a friend, then labeled the others as other friends. There was a running joke about "Palmer's" head being really big, and he was a little miffed by this jab at him. I told him it was just coincidence, and I picked people at random, but it's time to come clean and atone for this grievous sin; it was totally about the size of his head. But before you start feeling too sorry for how we picked on him I'll point out he gave as good as he got, and he was a tough one to best in a game of quick wits. All of those friends were, and I miss those days. I haven't found a crew since who can keep up anywhere near as well as they could, just a couple of individuals here and there. In fact, I was often the one trying to keep up back then, but I learned and eventually managed to hold my own in most of our banter.
But I've strayed from the review. Looking at this with the sensibilities inherent in man living in 2017 where political correctness has been running insanely rampant for nearly a decade and there's been a huge push against guns, I notice how violent and risque some of these are now. Frankly, I love it all because I know not to take it too seriously, and I'm pretty sure that's how Larson intended it to be. I saw very little that was intentionally mean or cruel like you find in some comic strips or political cartoons. It was actually a breath of fresh air. I should've reread these years ago. One of the exceptions to that assessment was the one that showed the public execution of the ring around the collar ad man, but it turns out the guy loved the comic, was flattered to be a part of the Far Side, and wrote to Gary Larson about it with a little bit of history behind the campaign.
And that's about it. If you're a Far Side fan, this is the perfect book for you. If you're not, then, well... I'll still try to be your friend if we have other interests in common.
August 8, 2018
On the one hand, I love Larson's wry, sometimes obscure sense of humor (this edition includes several letters from readers begging him to explain specific comics). His art style is one of my all time favorites in the world of comic strips. On the other hand, this kind of compendium does his comics a disservice. They are, it seems, best suited to the kind of one-a-day format one gets from the newspaper or even a desk calendar. Seeing/reading them all in succession like this I was able to pick up on repeated jokes and it made them seem staler overall. For instance, I counted 5 Humpty Dumpty comics, which all boil down to "he died after he fell off the wall," and more desert island comics than I can remember. Now, this isn't to say that he wasn't creative or that he isn't funny, only that this format does not work as well for him as it does the more narrative-based comics like Calvin & Hobbes or Fox Trot.
January 11, 2018
Gary Larson was an innovator. On the edge of ‘the fine line’ sometimes, weird, odd ball, and satiric. I hated that the odd time there would be one I didn’t get ... I feel like (probably smugly) there is a certain amount of smarts required to fully enjoy The Far Side and I didn’t like feeling I didn’t have those smarts. I will say that the majority of his comics are awesome, but I especially love the ones that catch you by surprise and make you snicker or spit laugh out loud.
June 6, 2017
Awesome nostalgia trip. Gary Larson's one panel stories about crazy animals, strange people, aliens, and everything inbetween will always be a classic for me. Although it's not as popular as Calvin and Hobbes, I would definitely recommend this comic series to the younger generation.
July 8, 2018
Done! It took a long time to read The Complete Far Side. It was worth it. For the last couple of years I've worried that I'm losing my sense of humor. Nope. Humor has changed, not me.
August 30, 2017
Because this is a complete set, you'll be easily able to pick up on variations of theme. Old west, islands, deserts, fish out of water, people in water, cows, etc. As I flipped through the pages I'd sometimes feel as if I could set up a 3 axis model with elements of the comics and predict what I would come upon next. Which isn't to say he was repeating himself (though sometimes it felt repetitive).
January 3, 2017
Yes, at 18 pounds for the two-volume hardbound set, it's a mite hefty, but it's worth it. Genius must be respected.
July 25, 2025
It's the Far Side! What can I say?
I got this collection eleven years ago (20-Oct-2011). Of course, I had seen most of the cartoons already. Some of the text material was interesting. I was surprised to learn that Gary Larson was sometimes difficult to work with -- he was a perfectionist, and would on occasion agonize forever about seemingly trivial details of his cartoons. They were not simply random thoughts dashed off in a moment as he pretends.
Now, of course, The Far Side is not to everyone's taste. In The Complete Bloom County: 1980 - 1989 Berkeley Breathed quotes a letter one of his newspaper distributors got, asking them to cancel Bloom County, Calvin and Hobbes, and The Far Side. I immediately wanted to know what other comics this woman hated!
Blog review.
I got this collection eleven years ago (20-Oct-2011). Of course, I had seen most of the cartoons already. Some of the text material was interesting. I was surprised to learn that Gary Larson was sometimes difficult to work with -- he was a perfectionist, and would on occasion agonize forever about seemingly trivial details of his cartoons. They were not simply random thoughts dashed off in a moment as he pretends.
Now, of course, The Far Side is not to everyone's taste. In The Complete Bloom County: 1980 - 1989 Berkeley Breathed quotes a letter one of his newspaper distributors got, asking them to cancel Bloom County, Calvin and Hobbes, and The Far Side. I immediately wanted to know what other comics this woman hated!
I am sorry to report, given the occasion of this very important publication, that many of the scenes depicted in this book are actually false.
-- Steve Martin, Foreword to The Complete Far Side, Volume 1, by Gary Larson
Blog review.
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