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| The Complete Far Side 1980-1994 (2 vol set) | 
| Authors: Gary Larson, Steve Martin
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: $150.00
Buy Used: $77.99
You Save: $72.01 (48%)
New (32) Collectible (4) from $92.54
Avg. Customer Rating:  223 reviews
Sales Rank: 7854
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 2
Pages: 1272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 19.6
Dimensions (in): 14.3 x 10.2 x 4
ISBN: 0740721135
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.5973
UPC: 050837207516
EAN: 9780740721137
ASIN: 0740721135
Publication Date: October 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Excellent collection of The Far Side September 13, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Far Side by Gary Larson is such a great comic strip. This collection of The Far Side consists of two impressive volumes which are beautifully bound and printed. They are also quite heavy! Going through these books entertained me greatly. I saw some strips I don't recall ever reading. I saw some that perhaps I had read before, but since it had been so many years I was able to enjoy them as if I had read them for the first time. And there were still others that I remember from the past, and it was great to be able to relive them again. In all of those cases the comic strips were as funny as ever and I was able to really enjoy going through all of them. Some of the comics appear in color, while some appear in black and white.
This set is a complete collection of The Far Side comic strip, from its introduction in 1980 until the strip ended in 1994. The strips are organized by year, and there are even some strips that have never appeared in print before! The books also contain a variety of other material such as essays by Larson about such things as his childhood and how the comic got started. There are also letters from fans, detractors and editors that were enjoyable to read. However, please note that some of Gary Larson's work is not in this set. For example, the complete material contained in The Prehistory of the Far Side, Weiner Dog Art, and The Curse of the Madam "C" does not appear in these volumes.
These books can be displayed beautifully on a coffee table or on your bookshelf. Just note that the volumes are almost 14 inches high, which may be too high for some bookshelves.
This set would also make a perfect gift for any fan of The Far Side. Highly recommended!
The Far Side July 23, 2008
At last the complete Far Side collection is contained in one set. Every cartoon drawn by Gary Larson is included herein. Far Side fans will revel in the fact that they no longer have to pour through old microfilm versions of local newspapers at libraries to find all the off the wall, bizarre humor of cxavemen in outhouses, or bears, cows, sheep all behaving like nerdy humans, or any of the other strange concoctions Larson came up with. This set is rather expensive, but the tru fan will find the money for it.
A Masterpiece Of Comic Brillance July 22, 2008
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
"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! Some one's been reading my diary!"
Gary Larson, from the preface to The Complete Far Side
How do you explain 'Far Side'? A brilliant comedic view of the absurd and unusual? An inspiring cartoon that entertains and inspires? My family loves cards and for each birthday we all receive more than a few cards, and most of them are from 'Far Side'. We look forward to those cards. At Christmas there are calendars and mugs. We are a family of Far Side. But it took my best friend to give me the gift of Far Side that is impressive.
When the first Far Side appeared millions of us could not get enough. The cartoons debuted in January 1980 and we have bought more than 40 million Far Side books and more than 60 million calendars. The demand for The Far Side has been insatiable. I received the hefty, deluxe, two-volume slip cased set as a gift. The slipcase is gorgeous with a lovely ribbon surrounding it. The volumes are printed in full color, milled paper, The Complete Far Side is a superb gift that takes its place alongside collector's-edition art books.
"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 have never before appeared in a book." publisher.
There are more Far Side cartoons in these volumes that Larson created after his retirement: 13 of them appeared in the last Far Side book, Last Chapter and Worse, and six cartoons that ran as a special feature in The New York Times' Science Times section as The Far Side of Science. Gary Larson offers a glimpse into the mind of The Far Side in quirky and introductions to each of the 14 chapters. Complaint letters, fan letters, and queries from readers appear. Actor, author, and comedian Steve Martin offers his thoughts in a foreword, and Gary 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 to over 1,900 daily newspapers. It has been translated into a total of 17 different languages.
For his work with The Far Side, Gary Larson received the Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year from the National Cartoonists Society in both 1991 and 1994. The National Cartoonists Society also named The Far Side Best Syndicated Panel in 1985 and 1987. In 1993 The Far Side was awarded the Max & Moritz Prize for Best International Comic Strip/Panel by the International Comics Salon. In 1995, Larson's animated film Gary Larson's Tales From The Far Side won the Grand Prix at the Annecy International Animation Festival in Annecy, France. His second animated film, Gary Larson's Tales From The Far Side II, premiered in 1997 in the United States at the Telluride Film Festival and in Europe at the Venice International Film Festival.
Gary Larson has always made use of biology and science. It seems he likes to put animals in human situations, like the praying mantis woman accusing another of having an affair with her mate and being told "Surely you know that I would only eat my own husband", or the cow with a bib and knife and fork sitting behind a big pile of steaks proclaiming to the herd that they tasted a bit like chicken. Surreal, crazy talk, if you like it you'll love it. Some people never understand the humour. It can vary from simple & obvious, to oblique and obscure. However, most of my family and friends understand the humor all too well:-)
It has taken me awhile to read every page of these two volumes. A laugh out loud and/or guffaw, but always, always a smile on my face when I was faced with the humor. Some are so obscure that I am still wondering what they really were all about. but I enjoyed them all the same. This is a gift of a lifetime. My family when visiting all seem to veer toward the two volumes in their slipcase perched so invitingly on my coffee table. One of us will start reading out loud, and soon we will all be engulfed in laughter.
Highly, Highly Recommended. prisrob 07-22-08
Last Chapter and Worse
Unnatural Selections
Beautiful! Fantastic! But.... July 11, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I would love to reccomend this fantastic collection of one of the greatest ever comic artists, except for one thing...
The Far Side should be enjoyed under the covers, by flashlight, when your parents say you should be asleep. That's how I remember enjoying the Far Side. If you really want to LOVE this comic, buy the smaller, more portable books to snuggle up with. Happy reading!
Excellent and comprehensive July 10, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Every Far Side ever published - can't go wrong with that. Hardback with good quality paper. A perfect resource for PowerPoint presentations.
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