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The Complete Far Side, Volume 2
First published 2003 · 1272 pages
A massive, irreverent dive into a brilliantly twisted mind, offering a relentless stream of bizarre and hilarious pictorial humor.
What it feels like
Reading this collection feels like flipping through the delightfully twisted diary of a comedic genius. The pace is brisk and entirely self-directed, allowing you to consume the bizarre, single-panel pictorial gags one by one or in massive, laugh-out-loud binges. The mood is relentlessly quirky and unpredictable, steeped in an irreverent atmosphere that constantly provokes a bewildered, amused reaction. Instead of a traditional narrative, the emotional arc is a steady, joyful immersion into pure, unadulterated absurdity. The style relies on sharp visual caricatures paired with punchy, concise captions. It is a perfect experience for readers who crave offbeat American humor and want to lose themselves in a massive, surreal archive of classic comic brilliance.
- Mood
- bizarre
- lighthearted
- quirky
- unpredictable
- Tone
- irreverent
- twisted
- humorous
- absurdist
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- absurdity of everyday life · surrealism · humor and wit · unconventional perspectives
- The writing
- Visual and punchy, relying on single-panel pictorial gags and sharp, concise captions.
- The arc
- A steady stream of unpredictable, laugh-out-loud moments that provoke a sense of bewildered amusement.
- Who it's for
- Fans of irreverent, offbeat humor and classic American comic strips who appreciate a twisted, surreal perspective on the world.
About the book
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 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...?”-inspiring 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.
Description from Open Library.
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