 "Excellent collection of The Far Side" | 2008-09-13 |
| - Reviewed By jingeno |
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! |
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| "A Masterpiece Of Comic Brillance" | 2008-07-22 |
| - Reviewed By prisrob |
"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 |
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| "Beautiful! Fantastic! But...." | 2008-07-11 |
| - Reviewed By seanthered |
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! |
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| "Excellent and comprehensive" | 2008-07-10 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3MDK5IPE0F4BN |
| 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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 "Unique Perspective @ insects, scientists and life" | 2008-05-23 |
| - Reviewed By User: AJDGPI3EG7DDB |
| After years of glancing at Far Side from the Library and the occasional Newspaper, this collection is a highly valued addition to the few personal posessions that I hope a few of my descendents or friends will appreciate. |
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| "$100 bucks for the funny pages?" | 2008-05-09 |
| - Reviewed By fcchambers |
| Darned straight. And it's a bargin at that. Timeless, hilarious, and a fantastic respite from serious thinking. If you're not amused by this, you must be a "Ziggy" fan. |
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| "Heavy !" | 2008-05-03 |
| - Reviewed By lash1467 |
| This is heavy man! Not the material but the weight of this two set volume! The twisted view of Gary Larson shines through on every page of this The Complete Far Side 1980-1994. Some may say this is light weight material but they haven't spent time with this sitting in their lap. It made quite an impression on me through my years growing up. Now as I near retirement age myself I get to appreciate his humor all over again. |
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| "Beyond belief" | 2008-05-03 |
| - Reviewed By User: A21Z2BKI59GHVG |
| The Complete Far Side is enough to keep you in laughs for a very, very long time. An incredible collection! And Amazon had the best price! |
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| "far side" | 2008-05-03 |
| - Reviewed By User: AOGR0AIE47GKA |
| I orderd this for my 27 year old son. He was thrilled with the set. The binding and overall structure will ensure this set is enjoyed for many years. |
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| "Therapist in a Box" | 2008-05-03 |
| - Reviewed By judkins29 |
| I owned this book when it first came out, then lost it in a house fire. Amazon had it as Deal of the Day recently, so I was finally able to afford to replace it. The two volume set is my "therapist in a box". It is guarantied to make you laugh out loud and raise your spirits. Also, you gain muscle tone by hefting it up to read it, as it is a pair of weighty tomes. |
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