It is indisputably the case that I know more about Dylan than anyone on this board. It's not even close.

I have all official releases - including the expensive deluxe box sets - a LOT of bootlegs, and plenty of imports.

I have also detailed - across multiple threads over multiple years - the changes I would have made to cover art, song selection, lyrics, ect.

As to the question of the greatest comic strip of all time, there are 3 contenders: Peanuts, Calvin & Hobbes, and The Far Side.

Unfortunately, things get fairly subjective fairly quickly from there. I personally would choose The Far Side, but we would have to establish a rubric and a hierarchy of what qualities should be most valued (i.e influence, duration, drawing skill, consistency).

I have always been a huge far side fan. Looking at every strip in this thread, some I had never seen before, I instantly laugh. It's one frame with few words, sometimes none needed at all.

I read through all the calvin and hobbes strips in this thread too, and I only really laughed at the one where he's nailing the table.

It's amazing to me what Larson did with one frame. Some of these calvin and hobbes are long and drawn out (like the one where he's selling lemonade), and then the punchline is predictable and/or just moderately funny.

Larson def. had a Stephen Wright/Mitch Hedberg type of vibe, and I love both of those comics. Very normal, mundane, everyday stuff, but makes you look at it a different way.

The far side is instantly recognizable, even though he never reused characters. You could change the look of the art, and likely still know it's Larson.

And as someone said before.. the topics are just so unique.. death, destruction, stupidity.. all in a one frame comic. This is completely unique and innovative. Then you have the ongoing look into what animals are thinking, which just connects with anyone and everyone.

CE Lounge Lizzard said:

---

Belton Ag said:

---

hph6203 said:

---

Corporal Punishment said:

---

Dude was a legend...and I generally don't like comics. He was the best in his day

---

I respect your perspective, but I submit Bill Watterson as a challenger to that claim.

---

The Far Side was funny as hell and my favorite comic strip. I'm so glad it's coming back.

But Calvin and Hobbes is easily the greatest comic strip of all time. The genius of it being hilarious and silly while genuinely reflecting so many facets of human nature, youthful innocence and even a tad of cynicism hasn't been matched.

---

The Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes are without a doubt my two favorite comic strips of all time.

Does anyone remember an animated Far Side special that aired about the time Larson retired the strip? The only thing I seem to remember from it is cowboys are sitting around a campfire and break out into singing "Deep in the Heart of Texas". When the get to the clap clap clap clap part one of the cowboys claps one too many times and gets shot. Upon his demise he's revealed to be a green tentacled shape shifting alien of some description. It was quite random and I remember laughing my butt off.

---

Gary Larson's Tales from the Far Side TV

Damn, I thought this was my thread.

https://texags.com/forums/13/topics/3060199

Rex Racer said:

---

I had this on a t-shirt back in the day.

---

Had that one too. Other one I had was "Midvale School for the Gifted" with the kid pounding on the door, trying to push it in and there was a sign just above his head that said "Pull."

Another cool thing about the shirts was there was a "frame two" on each of them. The bears one had a small, black and white cartoon where both were dead and mounted and the one of the left is looking over angrily at the pointing bear. The Midvale one had the kid slumped over, dead tired, leaning against the door. I don't remember what "Bummer of a birthmark's" picture was.

You guys are making me want to bust out my Complete Farside Collection (already referenced by Redstone).

Thing weigths about 50 pounds though

Diggity said:

---

You guys are making me want to bust out my Complete Farside Collection (already referenced by Redstone).

Thing weigths about 50 pounds though

---

I got the paperback version for my dad a few years ago. He was surprised and enjoys reading thru them now that he's retired and has the time.

Haven't heard of Bloom County. Similar to Doonesbury?

62strat said:

---

Urban Ag said:

---

He really had a way with selecting the perfect names for his characters as well.

---

---

This.

"McCallister" absolutely slays me on that bug spray one that was posted earlier.

Somehow it's perfect.

Diggity said:

---

Haven't heard of Bloom County. Similar to Doonesbury?

---

Honestly don't know as I never really got in to Doonesbury. I would guess similar in that much of the commentary is political/cultural satire. I think Bloom County probably appealed more to the right and Doonesbury to the left. Obviously Trudeau was doing something right with Doonesbury as it's still in syndication.

Quad Dog said:

---

Classic TexAgs.
I have this thread in my head that will probably get nuked by staff calling out the worst takes on TexAgs Entertainment boards.

• atmAg complaining about First Man without having seen it
• atmAg's posts about Calvin and Hobbes
• Redstone's posts about his knowledge of Bob Dylan
• I remember some rant about karate in movies, and how getting better at karate is always the solution
• I remember another rant about actresses having "circus boobs"
• Batzarro claiming Emma Watson is basic.

---

I'm not sure what is meant by circus boobs but I want to say it was Iceman who ranted about, in martial arts fights, whomever wanted it more and made the meaner face won.

So getting back to The Far Side, and knowing a bit about his history, but not much actually about the guy...are we sure this isnt just going to be "I felt the need to write some new cartoons to fight Trump and against climate change!"

To the person that mentioned Peanuts as being in the conversation:

I think it was solid for it's time and impressive with its longevity, but it was WAY more depressing than it was funny or insightful.