The Complete Far Side 1980-1994 (2 vol set) by Gary Larson, Steve Martin
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Book Reviews of The Complete Far Side 1980-1994 (2 vol set)
Book Review: Absolutely Sublime
Summary: 5 Stars
I didn't know that this book was coming out. I saw it in a book store and balked at the price tag, but was rescued when I received it as a gift. Now that I have seen it I can honestly say that it is worth far more than the list price. This is simply the greatest compendium of comics ever.The books are beautifully bound, and the set is VERY heavy (remember to lift with your legs, not with your back) and very large. That brings me to my only complaint about the set, which is that at a bit over 14 inches tall, the books will not sit in most standard bookcase shelves, so I have to figure out someplace else to put them now. It is a small price to pay for all of Larson's brilliance (and Cow Tools, too)!
The books are very well printed and many of the panels are in color (even some of the original black and white panels) which to me adds to the beauty of the books, although I understand some purists have objected to the 'colorization.' To those people I say 'get a life.' This is how Larson wanted them and I totally agree. I couldn't be happier with the set!
Book Review: The Greatness of Comic Strips in the '80's
Summary: 5 Stars
The Far Side is something that I miss from my younger years. The truly great comic strips of the 1980, which include Calvin and Hobbes, Bloom County, and even every now and then, Doonesbury (who's true greatness was exhibited in the '70's), along with the revered Far Side... Don't know what else can really be said. There aren't many strips today that are worthwhile. Maybe Dilbert and Get Fuzzy. But Dilbert jumped the shark a while back. And Get Fuzzy is not consistently great. They don't make strips like Far Side any longer. The greatness of The Far Side can probably be summed in the fact that Gary Larson never looked down on the people who read his strip. He always (1) assumed that people were intelligent enough to figure out what he was trying to say, even when they weren't, and (2) never assumed that what he was saying has great cosmic significance. This, of course, gave The Far Side great cosmic significance.
To have all the Far Side in one place... can, if only for a brief moment, make this planet an all right place to be.
Book Review: HEIRLOOM QUALITY
Summary: 5 Stars
There are lots of FAR SIDE books out there, but this two-volume set is all you need.
PROS:
--Both are hardcovers.
--Comes with an extra-thick "case" to store them in.
--The pages are thick and glossy.
--Over 4,000 cartoons!!!
--Some are in color and enlarged.
--No matter what page you turn to, the margins do NOT get in the way of the cartoons, allowing you to enjoy each and every one of them in all their cow and duck glory.
--Excellent binding along the spine of the books.
--Hours of side-splitting laughs.
--Extra commentary from Gary Larson himself.
CONS:
[NONE]
NITPICKINGS:
--These are very large books.
--These are very heavy books--might want to wear steel-toed shoes when handling these.
For me, THE FAR SIDE not only captured some of the funniest moments in the human experience, but also some of the funniest moments in natural experience--all with a square box, a caption and a few pen-strokes.
Book Review: Nearly the ultimate (comprehensive) collection
Summary: 5 Stars
In terms of content, this is *nearly* the ultimate collection of Gary Larson's wonderful Far Side comics (why do all the good cartoonists like Larson and Watterson retire early, while banal ones like Jim Davis [Garfield] go on ad nauseum?).Books are very well made, like good art history volumes, with thoughtful notes included between each section (divided by years), and the paper and ink quality is excellent.
However, while this collection features all of the Far Side comics published since inception (and a few more never before seen by the public), it leaves out Larson's hilarious Farsidian take on classic art pieces as featured in the superb "Weiner Dog Art" collection from the 90's. Also, and I suppose this would have made what are already two massive tomes even more unruly to handle, it leaves out all of "Prehistory of the Far Side" material.
So just make sure you get "Weiner Dog Art" and "Prehistory", and then with this collection you'll have the ultimate Far Side opus.
Book Review: Funny!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the first review I've written for any product. Therefore, The Complete Far Side impressed me immensely. There are over 4,300 comics to enjoy in this collection! While I may not get every single panel, the fact that there is one punchline per panel and there are 3 or 4 panels per page ensures much mirth. I've laughed myself to tears with some. And unlike some other cartoonists which just aren't funny to me, when I don't laugh at a particular Far Side panel, I feel as if I've missed out on some joke, rather than just grunting and thinking the strip is not funny. After reading some of the letters published in the books, if you get offended easily, then maybe these books aren't for you. But if you have a healthy comedic appetite, you'll be granted many HOURS of laughter from these two wonderfully bound books spanning nearly a decade and a half of comic genius. Off the wall humor with talking animals and dumb people just tickles my funny bone.