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The Far Side Gallery Anthologies #5
The Far Side® Gallery 5
A collective wail was heard earlier this year when readers of 1,900 newspapers discovered that Gary Larson was bowing out of daily cartooning. But fear not! Politically correct swamp monsters, fortune-telling chickens, boxing crabs, cows relaxing in a hay bar, and other creatures wrought from the imagination of this notoriously warped and wonderful wit come into readers' lives once again in his latest collection of uniquely wacky cartoons.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
9 people are currently reading
800 people want to read
About the author
Gary Larson
146 books712 followersGary Larson was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. His parents were Vern, a car salesman, and Doris, a secretary. He attended Curtis High School before attending Washington State University and graduated in 1972 with a degree in communications. In 1987, Larson married Toni Carmichael, an archaeologist.
Larson credits his older brother Dan for his "paranoid" sense of humor. Dan would pull countless pranks on Gary, taking advantage of his phobia of monsters under the bed by, for example, waiting in the closet for the right moment to pounce out at Gary. Dan is also credited with giving Gary his love of science. They caught animals in Puget Sound and placed them in terrariums in the basement; even making a small desert ecosystem, which their parents apparently did not mind. His adept use of snakes in his cartoons stems from his long-standing interest in herpetology.
Since retiring from the Far Side, Larson has occasionally done some cartooning work, such as magazine illustrations and promotional artwork for Far Side merchandise.
In 1998, Larson published his first post-Far Side book, There's a Hair in My Dirt!: A Worm's Story, an illustrated story with the unmistakable Far Side mindset.
Larson credits his older brother Dan for his "paranoid" sense of humor. Dan would pull countless pranks on Gary, taking advantage of his phobia of monsters under the bed by, for example, waiting in the closet for the right moment to pounce out at Gary. Dan is also credited with giving Gary his love of science. They caught animals in Puget Sound and placed them in terrariums in the basement; even making a small desert ecosystem, which their parents apparently did not mind. His adept use of snakes in his cartoons stems from his long-standing interest in herpetology.
Since retiring from the Far Side, Larson has occasionally done some cartooning work, such as magazine illustrations and promotional artwork for Far Side merchandise.
In 1998, Larson published his first post-Far Side book, There's a Hair in My Dirt!: A Worm's Story, an illustrated story with the unmistakable Far Side mindset.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
December 30, 2018
The Final Collection
30 December 2018 – Adelaide
Well, I believe that this is the last of the collections, namely because Larson retired after 15 years. I guess that was probably a good move because, as he said, he really didn’t want to end up in the realm of the mediocre cartoon graveyard. I can sort of appreciate that, but as I have mentioned previously, apparently he really doesn’t appreciate his cartoons being shared around the internet, though when you do receive a takedown notice they don’t tend to be as mean and nasty as some writers tend to send (with the claims that they are starving and what not).
I guess the problem with that is that while back in the day, when we would eagerly open the newspapers to the comic section to see what new and wonderful cartoon had appeared there, these days it just feels as if people simply don’t remember them any more. In fact, the current crop of university students was born some time after The Far Side stopped appearing in the newspapers, and in a way are probably seen as the things that their parents read (and we all know how kids feels about the things that their parents did, you know – simply not hip or cool).
It is a bit of a shame though because it means that these days, despite what people claimed back then, Larson has unfortunately been consigned to the dustbin of history. In fact, I had completely forgotten about him until I appeared at my friend’s house and discovered a number of his works sitting on his bookshelf (though I haven’t seen the third gallery, and I’m not entirely sure if he actually owns a copy). Yet, having spent some time reading through these books, it has been a rather nice trip down memory lane, chuckling at the old cartoons, and also realising that a lot of them have so much depth to them that these days people probably don’t understand what was going on, such as this one.
Another interesting thing is that when I was reading the first book I was a little horrified at some of the cartoons that appeared in there, and honestly, he has got himself in trouble, such as with the Jane Goodall one, though as it turns out while the corporates in the United States were horrified, she actually had a sense of humour and pretty much ordered them to step down, namely because she actually saw the funny side. In fact, she even wrote the intro to this volume, and also told a story as how there was a science teacher that would place a whole heap of Far Side cartoons on his wall, and as the students studied science, they slowly came to actually understand the joke.
However, to finish this off, I won’t end with a Farside cartoon, but instead with another modern meme, namely Storytime with Danny Trejo.
30 December 2018 – Adelaide
Well, I believe that this is the last of the collections, namely because Larson retired after 15 years. I guess that was probably a good move because, as he said, he really didn’t want to end up in the realm of the mediocre cartoon graveyard. I can sort of appreciate that, but as I have mentioned previously, apparently he really doesn’t appreciate his cartoons being shared around the internet, though when you do receive a takedown notice they don’t tend to be as mean and nasty as some writers tend to send (with the claims that they are starving and what not).
I guess the problem with that is that while back in the day, when we would eagerly open the newspapers to the comic section to see what new and wonderful cartoon had appeared there, these days it just feels as if people simply don’t remember them any more. In fact, the current crop of university students was born some time after The Far Side stopped appearing in the newspapers, and in a way are probably seen as the things that their parents read (and we all know how kids feels about the things that their parents did, you know – simply not hip or cool).
It is a bit of a shame though because it means that these days, despite what people claimed back then, Larson has unfortunately been consigned to the dustbin of history. In fact, I had completely forgotten about him until I appeared at my friend’s house and discovered a number of his works sitting on his bookshelf (though I haven’t seen the third gallery, and I’m not entirely sure if he actually owns a copy). Yet, having spent some time reading through these books, it has been a rather nice trip down memory lane, chuckling at the old cartoons, and also realising that a lot of them have so much depth to them that these days people probably don’t understand what was going on, such as this one.
Another interesting thing is that when I was reading the first book I was a little horrified at some of the cartoons that appeared in there, and honestly, he has got himself in trouble, such as with the Jane Goodall one, though as it turns out while the corporates in the United States were horrified, she actually had a sense of humour and pretty much ordered them to step down, namely because she actually saw the funny side. In fact, she even wrote the intro to this volume, and also told a story as how there was a science teacher that would place a whole heap of Far Side cartoons on his wall, and as the students studied science, they slowly came to actually understand the joke.
However, to finish this off, I won’t end with a Farside cartoon, but instead with another modern meme, namely Storytime with Danny Trejo.
March 15, 2023
Incomparable Gary Larson.
No other cartoonist, or commentator, compares to him.
I'm grateful that he gave so much for as long as he did.
No other cartoonist, or commentator, compares to him.
I'm grateful that he gave so much for as long as he did.
February 27, 2007
I used to participate in these annual summer reading contests with my local public library. If you got to a certain number of pages over the course of your vacation, you won prizes that got better and better the more you read. I think at one level I ended up winning one of those canvass bags people bring with them to hippie grocery stores. And, at the highest level - which I achieved - I got to meet the mayor in a ceremony in the Tacoma Dome convention center. She gave some dumb speech on the importance of reading or something, I don't know, I wasn't paying attention because the last time I had to wear a button-down shirt and slacks was also the last time I was ever forced to go to church as a five year old.
The funny thing is, to get to that peak number of pages, I mostly just read collections like these Far Side books (Peanuts, Garfield, Calvin & Hobbes, even the Family Fucking Circus) along with one actual book with text to "prove" that I've been reading when we met with the librarian for our weekly update. That mayor had no idea, no idea at all!!!!
The funny thing is, to get to that peak number of pages, I mostly just read collections like these Far Side books (Peanuts, Garfield, Calvin & Hobbes, even the Family Fucking Circus) along with one actual book with text to "prove" that I've been reading when we met with the librarian for our weekly update. That mayor had no idea, no idea at all!!!!
April 1, 2018
I'll just start by saying I love Far Side!! They are not made for uneducated people. You must have a fair bit of worldly knowledge to "get" most of them, otherwise they're just not funny. There really is no reason I started with Gallery 5 other than I already had it on my shelf. I cannot even recall buying it but evidently I did. I wonder if a few of the comics flew over my head because the book is nearly 20 years old and the references are no longer relevant? Or maybe I'm not as smart as I thought? Hmmm....
I really liked the forward by Jane Goodall! I loved seeing what a great sense of humor she has and that fact alone elevated my already very high opinion of her. I'll just come clean and say this here. When I was in school I wanted to be Jane Goodall. I thought she had the best job in the world. I could still be convinced to move to Africa and take over for her.
*4/4.52
I really liked the forward by Jane Goodall! I loved seeing what a great sense of humor she has and that fact alone elevated my already very high opinion of her. I'll just come clean and say this here. When I was in school I wanted to be Jane Goodall. I thought she had the best job in the world. I could still be convinced to move to Africa and take over for her.
*4/4.52
November 24, 2009
The last collection of far side cartoons. Get them, read them and be glad we had this many. The Far side was a unique cartoon that looked at life with a skewed perspective that has to be seen to be appreciated. From cows who walk around on two legs until a car load of humans appears to an elephant in a top coat who's looking for the hunter who winged him in Africa, life is seen though an odd and distorting, yet so funny glass.
December 30, 2016
I love the humor of Gary Larson and I miss The Far Side in my daily newspaper!
December 30, 2023
Hoo hoo hee hee
September 24, 2013
Oh, books of my past.
I've had The Far Side Gallery 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 Gary Larson's work.
I've had The Far Side Gallery 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 Gary Larson's work.
March 22, 2013
I used to think Gary Larson was hilarious. This one didn't do it for me though. Maybe he seemed funnier back when he was breaking ground. Maybe this collection wasn't as good as some. Maybe my tastes have changed.
September 6, 2011
Goodall's forward needed to be a bit shorter but Larson's cartoons, as always, make me laugh.
September 11, 2018
more of the same, need I say more?
July 4, 2013
Gods how I love Gary Larson. Seriously, I grew up on Far Side comics and I think they are one of the main foundations for my odd sense of humor.
The Far Side is just bizarre, in the best way possible. A different kind of bizarre is the fact that Jane Goodall wrote the foreword for this volume. Didn't see that coming. But then, I didn't know about the controversy surrounding the "Goodall tramp" comic that was really only an issue because Goodall was in Tanzania at the time and the current director of the Jane Goodall Institute took it upon herself to be offended without any input from Goodall herself, who thought the comic was hilarious.
The Far Side is something anyone should consider adding to their collection. If you like funny and strange, this comic is for you.
The Far Side is just bizarre, in the best way possible. A different kind of bizarre is the fact that Jane Goodall wrote the foreword for this volume. Didn't see that coming. But then, I didn't know about the controversy surrounding the "Goodall tramp" comic that was really only an issue because Goodall was in Tanzania at the time and the current director of the Jane Goodall Institute took it upon herself to be offended without any input from Goodall herself, who thought the comic was hilarious.
The Far Side is something anyone should consider adding to their collection. If you like funny and strange, this comic is for you.
July 12, 2015
A wonderful charity shop find - still funny upon countless readings!
November 4, 2021
On Facebook, I got caught in the web of the Far Side and soon realized I AM ADDICTED! This humor can be as challenging as a murder mystery, as snide as a talk show host, as biting as ssibling, and as compelling as a best seller. I love everything Far Side, not only because of the timeless humor of nature versus mankind and misconstruing of sayings, but also, I do love feeling part of that ‘special’ club where old age is a good thing, allowing you to appreciate/solve those special cartoons linked to such iconic history like Bewitched or Saddam or ding pizza, Leona Helmsley bungee jumping… WTF & LOL! And still, some cartoons are so very, very obscure that I still can’t figure them out even with Google as my lifeline (ex. Vacuum cleaner crossing the road???, long cow???, rhino visiting hours at the zoo???) A few are also amazingly risqué (dog licking himself at a meeting of dogs!), and probably the most famous requiring a Forward penned by chimp fan Jane Goodall herself. That anecdote itself is worth the price of admission! (BTW, if you missed the Dennis the Menace eating Hamsters mess-up, that one is worth reading about too 😂)
I miss the Far Side in my long lost morning newspaper, so this Amazon purchase brought me back to the joys of my original reading experiences… Dennis the Menace and Garfield, Batman and Archie, Peanuts and Bugs Bunny. But with the Far Side, I don’t have to feel immature, but rather I feel smart… or dumb… but who cares. Gary Larson was The Robin Williams of cartooning.
I miss the Far Side in my long lost morning newspaper, so this Amazon purchase brought me back to the joys of my original reading experiences… Dennis the Menace and Garfield, Batman and Archie, Peanuts and Bugs Bunny. But with the Far Side, I don’t have to feel immature, but rather I feel smart… or dumb… but who cares. Gary Larson was The Robin Williams of cartooning.
May 11, 2018
Another excellent The Far Side collection.
What more is there to say? It's The Far Side! Gary Larson's nerdy, quirky single-panel comics have endeared in the same way Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes has: outstanding newspaper comics that bowed out before becoming stale and have now achieved the status of "cult classic". And I largely agree with that assessment. To read it, The Far Side feels like anything else the Sunday funnies has to offer. And sure there have been single-paneled gags prior, and plenty of imitators after. But none match the intellect, the wackiness, the humor of Gary Larson's cartoons.
I could pinpoint specific strips or tropes that I find endearing, but The Far Side seems like one of those properties that you either like or you don't: no persuading on either side. But I will say this. I like the way Gary Larson draws. I like his style. And I like it best, I think, when his characters are just existing. Not reacting to anything, but just standing around, staring into the middle distance. The glasses, the neutral expression. The iconic bulbous bouffant of his housewife characters. Classic. And funny in and of itself, even without a punchline.
So yeah, The Far Side is awesome. And this edition has an introduction by THE Jane Goodall. So what're you waiting for? Check it out already!
What more is there to say? It's The Far Side! Gary Larson's nerdy, quirky single-panel comics have endeared in the same way Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes has: outstanding newspaper comics that bowed out before becoming stale and have now achieved the status of "cult classic". And I largely agree with that assessment. To read it, The Far Side feels like anything else the Sunday funnies has to offer. And sure there have been single-paneled gags prior, and plenty of imitators after. But none match the intellect, the wackiness, the humor of Gary Larson's cartoons.
I could pinpoint specific strips or tropes that I find endearing, but The Far Side seems like one of those properties that you either like or you don't: no persuading on either side. But I will say this. I like the way Gary Larson draws. I like his style. And I like it best, I think, when his characters are just existing. Not reacting to anything, but just standing around, staring into the middle distance. The glasses, the neutral expression. The iconic bulbous bouffant of his housewife characters. Classic. And funny in and of itself, even without a punchline.
So yeah, The Far Side is awesome. And this edition has an introduction by THE Jane Goodall. So what're you waiting for? Check it out already!
April 10, 2024
The Far Side Gallery 5 is the last collection of the Far Side comic by Gary Larson. The comics here come from the era of 1992 to 1994. Sadly this marked the end of the Far Side comic, at least until Larson starting making some new comics online later on.
The Far Side Gallery 5 is still a great collection of comics from the Far Side. One would worry that after five collections the quality might go down, but I didn't really think that this was the case. As with any collection there are ones I didn't like as much or didn't quite get.
Just like The Far Side Gallery 4, you get some color comics here which are very nice to look at and are a nice break from the black and white every once in awhile. Also like the previous collection, even some of the black and white comics are of a higher quality than average.
If you like The Far Side, this collection is great just like the previous four collections. I enjoy the Far Side quite a bit, and while it may not be as unique today as what it was when it first came out it is still enjoyable to visit the wacky and absurd world of The Far Side and laugh at the humor of Gary Larson.
The Far Side Gallery 5 is still a great collection of comics from the Far Side. One would worry that after five collections the quality might go down, but I didn't really think that this was the case. As with any collection there are ones I didn't like as much or didn't quite get.
Just like The Far Side Gallery 4, you get some color comics here which are very nice to look at and are a nice break from the black and white every once in awhile. Also like the previous collection, even some of the black and white comics are of a higher quality than average.
If you like The Far Side, this collection is great just like the previous four collections. I enjoy the Far Side quite a bit, and while it may not be as unique today as what it was when it first came out it is still enjoyable to visit the wacky and absurd world of The Far Side and laugh at the humor of Gary Larson.
September 28, 2018
The far side gallery 5 written by Gary Larson. It was actually a pretty good book because it was like a comic book and it was funny i don´t like reading and i didn't really have a problem reading that book. why i didn't enjoy it was cause i don like reading books it´s not my thing and the other reasons is like they were a bunch of short stories i think like not just one hole book just one story but if it is than that´s a weird story.
Although it lasted 2 million years, the awkward age was considered a hazardous time for most species.
Although it lasted 2 million years, the awkward age was considered a hazardous time for most species.
April 12, 2021
Damn, I miss new Far Side comics. Another amazing entry fill of classic cartoons. Just page after page of laughs. Some are stand-up jokes, some are amazing art pieces, and some have so many levels of comedy you'll laugh for a different reason the next time you see it. Not to mention comics that break the fourth-wall. Just a great comedy writer and joke-teller. Be sure to keep checking his website for possible new material!
March 30, 2019
Came across a Far Side cartoon used at a presentation I attended recently and soon after found myself searching for a compilation of Gary Larson’s iconic cartoon strip from the past. Found that he had a Gallery set of 5 so picked up number 5 and read it cover to cover. It’s brilliant! He’s brilliant! Can’t wait to read the other four.
October 3, 2017
I think maybe these don't tickle my funny bone as much as they did when I was a kid. As always, a few strike me as brilliant and laugh-out-loud funny, some strike me as just dumb, and most seem clever and mildly funny. Definitely enjoyable.
January 18, 2021
This is an interesting collection to visit so long after publication.
There's a mix of black and white and in color comics. Some are definitely hit or miss but generally it's a fun collection. It's Larson's absurdist humor and typical comics.
A quick and fun read!
There's a mix of black and white and in color comics. Some are definitely hit or miss but generally it's a fun collection. It's Larson's absurdist humor and typical comics.
A quick and fun read!
July 6, 2024
I have come to the Far Side late in life. I am 69 years old, but I am devouring them now. I love keeping a book in the bathroom, but then I stay in the bathroom way too long. It's embarrassing when I have company.
October 22, 2024
There were good ones in this, there always are. And the intro from Jane Goodall was great, even though it was long. And I was able to read this almost straight through. But there weren't enough good ones. And of course reading this straight through is almost certainly not the best way. 3.5 of 5
June 22, 2025
not sure bingeing a 30 year old comic strip is the best way to consume it but these are basically Season 5-9 Simpsons - mainly time and geography free classics, with the occasional 'oh that's not aged well'
May 29, 2017
Just as humorous as the other Far Side Gallery book I read. It's very hilarious to see one strip comics where the setups explain everything with having to go into detail about happens next.
February 23, 2018
Weird, hilarious, occasionally veer into dude not funny but mostly just an extremely funny sideways look at life.
May 9, 2018
Never fails to tickle my humerus. I go back again and again.
March 26, 2019
3.5 stars
May 10, 2019
17/20.
May 22, 2019
Fun as always!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews