What's Hot   All Categories     Email this Page     Upload Your Video     Your Account  
Home > Books > Comic & Graphic Novels > Comic Strips > The Complete Far Side 1980-1994 (2 vol set)
Smarter Video Review now playing for this product:

The Complete Far Side 1980-1994 (2 vol set)

From: $83.65

Gary Larson calls The Complete Far Side, the massive two-volume collection of his Far Side cartoons, an "18-pound hernia giver." Sure to give any coffee table a solid workout, the handsome and heavy 1,272-page "legacy book" is a must for fervent fans; over 4,300 single-panel comics with more than half in color and 1,100 that have not appeared in any book form before (the popular--and far less weighty--paperback collections).

Set in rough chronological order, the comics share pages with occasional letters from fans, detractors, editors, folks made famous by a particular cartoon, and those begging for explanations. Though few explanations are provided (Larson personally supplies merely one, plus a single apology), this collection helps answer the inevitable "how do you think up these things" conundrum. Before each year's cartoons, Larson provides insight with essays about his childhood, various travels, occupational hazards, and his official rules for dealing with bedtime monsters (which often turned out to be his older brother). Most wonderful is the first essay on how the comic started. (His longtime editor Jake Morrissey's long introduction is a must read on The Far Side's story).

Despite no central characters, it's easy to spot patterns in Larson's wild and wacky cartoons. Animals, insects, and inanimate objects often exhibit all-too-human impulses. Larson's subjects are often in scenes of peril--disasters, visits to hell, and perhaps a hundred cartoons set on a one-palm tree deserted island. It is what Larson's fertile imagination mined from those situations that created fans and enemies for 14 years. (Larson retired at his peak and then went into jazz music). The comics are not indexed (how could they be--first lines? listings of cartoons with cows?); finding a favorite requires a great memory for its publication date. Best simply to peruse the pages of this beautiful collection in which you will certainly find more than a few new chuckles before landing on your beloved Larson sketch. --Doug Thomas

Let the fanfare begin! The crowning glory of Gary Larson's cartooning career and the publishing event of 2002 is brewing right now in The Far Sider laboratory, and what a masterpiece it will be. Surpassing the standards of any luxury art book, this sumptuous, full-color, two-volume slipcased set will feature custom-milled paper and an elegant design, making it an automatic collector's edition. o Every single Far Sider cartoon (4,081 to be exact) will be included by year, including more than 1,100 that have never been published in a book. o Gary Larson is writing a comprehensive introduction to the book , original essays to kick off each of the 14 chapters, and random annotations throughout. o The wild 'n' crazy Steve Martin shares his pithy thoughts on The Far Sider in "The First Word." o Fan letters, outraged letters to the editor, and snippets of reviews are sprinkled throughout. The Far Sider holds a unique place in the history of cartooning, one that makes it incomparable to any other comic. Far Side fans are like no others; six years after its end, they still clamor for calendars and books, as reflected in phenomenal lifetime sales: more than 40 million books and 60 million calendars have been sold.o

Not Yet Qualified

At Smarter.com, we aim to ensure we give you the most sound buying advice possible. With our 'Cumulative Product Rating' system, in order for a product to receive a rating score, it must have a minimum number of ratings to qualify.

This system is not intended to diminish the value of products with a low number of ratings and reviews, they're great, and hopefully very helpful, but if you want our advice, we want to make sure that the product you're thinking of buying has been rated and reviewed by enough shoppers like you to be a valuable indicator of product quality.

Additional Product Information

More Video Reviews

Sold at 3 Stores

Get price with tax & shipping*   Sort by Price | Sort by Merchant
deepdiscount.com
DeepDiscount.com
Smarter Certified Store
460

460 reviews
83.65
barnes & noble
Barnes & Noble
781

781 reviews
    close

    Barnes & Noble coupon info

    • Offer: Save 25% off any single item
    • Code: A8P8N9P
      Click icon to copy Code to Clipboard and
      press [Ctrl+V] during checkout to paste Code.
      *If prompted, please allow access to Clipboard
    • Expires: Aug 4, 2008
    • Click to use
    • Restrictions: New customers only.
    • Offer: Save 20% off any single item
    • Code: X4H8W9U
      Click icon to copy Code to Clipboard and
      press [Ctrl+V] during checkout to paste Code.
      *If prompted, please allow access to Clipboard
    • Expires: Aug 4, 2008
    • Click to use
    • Restrictions: Only for members.
    • Offer: Save 10% off any order
    • Code: no code required
    • Expires: Dec 31, 2008
    • Click to use
    • Restrictions: Valid only for members.
    • Offer: Fast & FREE Shipping on most orders over $25
    • Code: no code required
    • Expires: Dec 31, 2008
    • Click to use
    • Restrictions:

  • (4 coupons)
150.00
amazon
Amazon
8,705

8,705 reviews
    close

    Amazon coupon info

    • Offer: FREE Shipping on orders over $25
    • Code: no code required
    • Expires: Dec 31, 2008
    • Click to use
    • Restrictions: Some restrictions apply. See site for details.

  • (1 coupon)
94.50

Reviews

Love it (96%)  |  Hate it (2%)  |  On the Fence (2%)  |  Didn't Rate it (0%)
From: Amazon Posted: May 27, 2008 Type: User Review excellent

Prompt delivery, perfect condition, excellent product. I've waited a long time to get me hands on this gift for my wife. She's a Far Side nut!
read full review | report as inappropriate





5.00 Star Rating
5.00/5
From: Amazon Posted: May 23, 2008 Type: User Review Unique Perspective @ insects, scientists and life

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.
read full review | report as inappropriate





4.00 Star Rating
4.00/5
From: Amazon Posted: May 09, 2008 Type: User Review $100 bucks for the funny pages?

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.
read full review | report as inappropriate





5.00 Star Rating
5.00/5
From: Amazon Posted: May 03, 2008 Type: User Review Beyond belief

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!
read full review | report as inappropriate





5.00 Star Rating
5.00/5
From: Amazon Posted: May 03, 2008 Type: User Review far side

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.
read full review | report as inappropriate





5.00 Star Rating
5.00/5

Similar Products:

*Shipping costs are based on an estimate of the lowest shipping rate available within the contiguous US, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. Only merchants with this product in stock are listed (Merchants with this product back ordered have been removed from this list).

Do you see a pricing error? Please let us know by filling out a simple form: Click here

Note: Smarter.com is a comparison shopping website that compares prices and products at online stores to help consumers save money. Stores are responsible for providing us with accurate price and product information, including the proper codes for coupons, discounts and rebates. Tax and shipping costs are estimates. Please confirm all costs before making your final purchase at the online store. All merchant ratings, product reviews and video reviews are submitted by shoppers or third-party websites. We are not responsible for their content. If you have any concerns about content on our website, please contact us.