The Far Side Gallery 4
by Gary Larson
The Far Side Gallery (4), The Far Side (Collections and Selections — 10-12)
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This is a compilation of cartoons from three best-selling Far Side collections--Wildlife Preserves, Weiner Dog Art, and Unnatural Selections--featuring more than 20 full-color pages.Tags
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The Far Side Gallery 4 is, naturally enough, the fourth compilation of Far Side comic strips put out by Gary Larson. This compilation includes strips from the previously released collections Wildlife Preserves, Wiener Dog Art, and Unnatural Selections. Unlike some other Far Side collections, the only bit of extra content included is a fairly brief foreword written by comedian Robin Williams.
The primary difficulty in reviewing a book that consists of a series of single panel comic strips is that there is both too much and too little material. Since all of the strips are unrelated single shot jokes, there is no theme, no plot, and no ongoing characters to provide the meat for a review. One could, on the other hand, try to review every show more individual strip, which would lead to a ridiculously long and not very readable piece of work. The only truly overarching things that can be said about the book are that the strips contained in it are from the heart of Larson's comic writing career, they are almost all weird and funny in the way that only Far Side comics are, and that the usual cast of cows, dogs, insects, dorks, cowboys, scientists, and snakes all make their appearance. As a further bonus, several full color strips are included interspersed with the black and white ones, and several strips (both color and otherwise) are presented in a full-page format.
The only unfunny thing about the entire book is, oddly, Robin Williams' surprisingly bland foreword that reads like Williams was trying to maniacially funny in his writing, but simply comes off as manic. Based upon this, it seems clear to me why Williams never became a writer. But Larson is always bitingly funny, even when he is trying to subtly convey a serious message. As one might expect of a man whose output includes so many animals, more than a few of the strips in this collection have an environmentalist message, such as the strip in which two bears create a pipeline into a human home to get rid of animal waste. But these strips are still funny, and the added implied message just makes them even better. But there are plenty of straight up bizarre bits of humors included, such as a family of goldfish escaped from their burning bowl only to observe that they are still screwed, or Leon Redbone hosting a workout video, or the infamous strip (which caused a minor controversy, amicably resolved, with the Jane Goodall Foundation) involving a female ape grooming her companion and finding blonde hair. To sum up, nearly every page has at least one really funny strip, and most have several.
This is, in short, a truly funny collection of the strange and bizarre humor that is Gary Larson's unique genius. From start to finish, the comics give an odd, off-kilter view of the world that is so out of the ordinary that even the mundane becomes hilarious. The collection even includes my favorite strip (which my horseback riding wife and daughter hate) with rifle toting doctors at the horse hospital, which is a personal added bonus for me. If you like the Far Side, then this is a collection you should love.
This review has also been posted to my blog Dreaming About Other Worlds. show less
The primary difficulty in reviewing a book that consists of a series of single panel comic strips is that there is both too much and too little material. Since all of the strips are unrelated single shot jokes, there is no theme, no plot, and no ongoing characters to provide the meat for a review. One could, on the other hand, try to review every show more individual strip, which would lead to a ridiculously long and not very readable piece of work. The only truly overarching things that can be said about the book are that the strips contained in it are from the heart of Larson's comic writing career, they are almost all weird and funny in the way that only Far Side comics are, and that the usual cast of cows, dogs, insects, dorks, cowboys, scientists, and snakes all make their appearance. As a further bonus, several full color strips are included interspersed with the black and white ones, and several strips (both color and otherwise) are presented in a full-page format.
The only unfunny thing about the entire book is, oddly, Robin Williams' surprisingly bland foreword that reads like Williams was trying to maniacially funny in his writing, but simply comes off as manic. Based upon this, it seems clear to me why Williams never became a writer. But Larson is always bitingly funny, even when he is trying to subtly convey a serious message. As one might expect of a man whose output includes so many animals, more than a few of the strips in this collection have an environmentalist message, such as the strip in which two bears create a pipeline into a human home to get rid of animal waste. But these strips are still funny, and the added implied message just makes them even better. But there are plenty of straight up bizarre bits of humors included, such as a family of goldfish escaped from their burning bowl only to observe that they are still screwed, or Leon Redbone hosting a workout video, or the infamous strip (which caused a minor controversy, amicably resolved, with the Jane Goodall Foundation) involving a female ape grooming her companion and finding blonde hair. To sum up, nearly every page has at least one really funny strip, and most have several.
This is, in short, a truly funny collection of the strange and bizarre humor that is Gary Larson's unique genius. From start to finish, the comics give an odd, off-kilter view of the world that is so out of the ordinary that even the mundane becomes hilarious. The collection even includes my favorite strip (which my horseback riding wife and daughter hate) with rifle toting doctors at the horse hospital, which is a personal added bonus for me. If you like the Far Side, then this is a collection you should love.
This review has also been posted to my blog Dreaming About Other Worlds. show less
I needed to lighten up a bit, and this filled the bill nicely. From the boneless chicken ranch to bovine mathematicians you cannot fail to laugh when you take a trip to the far side.
More Far Side goodness. This time with a very interesting (and in retrospect sad) forward by Robin Williams. (Sad because he discusses how he looks forward to a world envisioned by Gary Larson. This collection came out in 1993.)
There was several classics in this one, and this is the first paperback collection to use some of his colored cartoons.
There was several classics in this one, and this is the first paperback collection to use some of his colored cartoons.
Oh, books of my past.
I've had [b:The Far Side Gallery|77281|The Far Side Gallery|Gary Larson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347379733s/77281.jpg|105673] books for as long as I can remember. I grew up reading these comics and giggling to myself. Every time I come back to them I understand some of the more 'adult' and scientific jokes and puns and the comics only get more enjoyable. This collection of five books is fantastic, and brings together all (?) or at least a significant amount of [a:Gary Larson|19928|Gary Larson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1213672623p2/19928.jpg]'s work.
I've had [b:The Far Side Gallery|77281|The Far Side Gallery|Gary Larson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347379733s/77281.jpg|105673] books for as long as I can remember. I grew up reading these comics and giggling to myself. Every time I come back to them I understand some of the more 'adult' and scientific jokes and puns and the comics only get more enjoyable. This collection of five books is fantastic, and brings together all (?) or at least a significant amount of [a:Gary Larson|19928|Gary Larson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1213672623p2/19928.jpg]'s work.
Larson's skewed view of the world seldom fails to delight. He pushes his viewer into new ways of thinking about the ordinary.
One of the great things about The Far Side is that the cartoons are so good that almost everyone is worthy to be cut out and clipped at your workplace. It touches on so many different subjects that it's bound to hit on what you do for a living eventually.
Not his best work. I suppose that the first three collections contained most of the innovative pieces that made him such a renowned cartoonist.
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223+ Works 35,441 Members
Gary Larson was born on August 14, 1950 in Tacoma, Washington. Larson is the genius behind The Far Side, the popular cartoon panel that has been named the Best Syndicated Panel in both 1985 and 1987 and was awarded the Max & Moritz Prize for Best International Comic StripPanel by the International Comic Salon. He is has also received the Reuben show more Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year from the National Cartoonist Society in both 1991 and 1994. Larson has published 20 other Far Side books as well as There's a Hair in My Dirt: A Worm's Story, a non-Far Side related story. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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- Canonical title
- The Far Side Gallery 4
- Original publication date
- 1993
- People/Characters
- Charlie Parker; Satan; Leonardo da Vinci; Mona Lisa; Pinocchio; Victor Frankenstein (show all 76); Bob Ross; Three Little Pigs; Big Bad Wolf; Dumbo; Zorro; Carmen Miranda; Tito Puente; Ella Fitzgerald; Dizzy Gillespie; Oscar Peterson; Zsa Zsa Gabor; James T. Kirk; Spock; Hikaru Sulu; Stephen King; George Washington; Henry Jekyll / Edward Hyde; Tarzan; Frankenstein's Monster; Igor; Mr. Potato Head; Mrs. Potato Head; Tinker Bell; Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe; Johnny Appleseed; Thor; Harry Houdini; Mary Worth; Karl Malden; Big Bird; Invisible Man; Leon Redbone; Uncle Remus; Bride of Frankenstein; Douglas MacArthur; Joseph Merrick; Superman; Lois Lane; Dick Clark; Christopher Columbus; Moe; Larry; Curly; Leona Helmsley; Alex Trebek; Albert Einstein; Thomas Edison; Michelangelo Buonarroti; Don King; Mary Had a Little Lamb; Aladdin; Sigmund Freud; Eve; Gumby; Moses; Mister Ed; Francis the Talking Mule; Death; Glinda; Pink Panther; Bugs Bunny; Woody Woodpecker; Daffy Duck; Wile E. Coyote; Garfield; Bullwinkle J. Moose; Rocket J. "Rocky" Squirrel; Edgar Allan Poe; Norman Bates; God
- Dedication
- When I was a boy our house was filled with monsters. They lived in the closets, under the beds, in the attic, in the basement, and--when it was dark--just about everywhere.
This book is dedicated to my father, who kept... (show all) me safe from all of them. - First words
- Well, this is just going from bad to worse.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Suddenly, two bystanders stuck their heads inside the frame and ruined one of the funniest cartoons ever.
- Original language
- English
Classifications
- Genre
- Graphic Novels & Comics
- DDC/MDS
- 741.5973 — Arts & recreation Drawing & decorative arts Drawing and drawings Comic books, graphic novels, fotonovelas, cartoons, caricatures, comic strips History, geographic treatment, biography North American United States (General)
- LCC
- NC1429 .L32 .A4 — Fine Arts Drawing. Design. Illustration Drawing. Design. Illustration Pictorial humor, caricature, etc.
- BISAC
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- 8,123
- Reviews
- 11
- Rating
- (4.34)
- Languages
- English, German
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 6
- UPCs
- 3
- ASINs
- 10