Gary Larson: World's Greatest Cartoonist: In Two Volumes

[RonPrice]

CARTOONIST AND POET

Reading about the work of cartoonist Gary Larson and how he works I could not help compare and contrast his modus operandi and my own with respect to writing prose and poetry. Larson draws inspiration from similar sources to my own: interests, experiences and memories. He is sensitive about his readers and whether they understand his work. And so is this the case with me and my literary opus. I have one eye on my readers most of the time, but another on the world and all that is therein. Sometimes I shut one eye and open the other; at other times I open both eyes one, I like to think, to “the hallowed beauty of the Beloved.â€

[Zaaphod]

Fascinating.

[Muninn]

Larson draws inspiration from similar sources to my own: interests, experiences and memories.

Aren't those like where almost all, if not all, inspiration is drawn from?

[KJ Fellie]

I draw inspiration from disinterest, inexperience, and... uh... What was it again? Oh, yeah! Forgetfulness.

[Bocaj Claw]

I draw inspiration by looking at my life and then wondering what it would be like if I had executive control over the script and also a fifty-thousand dollar coke habit.

[Tom Flapwell]

I draw inspiration on paper with a pencil. Or at least I try, but I can never get it to look right. It's hard to find a good photo reference for inspiration itself.

[Doc Sigma]

I find inspiration at the bottom of a handle of J&B.

[rabid_fox]

Gary Larson is a wonderful cartoonist. I remember coming in contact with The Far Side Galleries 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 at a young age and being absolutely fascinated by the off-beat, quirky sense of humour. I'd never realised that 'suspended doom' could be funny before.

"The Pre-History of the Far Side" is a must-have for all Larson fans.

[Steve the Pocket]

Gary Larson and Bill Watterson were the funny pages from the late '80s through the early '90s. When they retired, every other cartoonist died on the inside. Except for Jim Davis, who was already dead inside from too much commercialism.

[Bocaj Claw]

Personally, I would add Berkeley Breathed onto that list.

[rabid_fox]

Gary Larson and Bill Watterson were the funny pages from the late '80s through the early '90s. When they retired, every other cartoonist died on the inside. Except for Jim Davis, who was already dead inside from too much commercialism.

God bless you, kind ma'am. That gave me an honest bellylaugh.

[KJ Fellie]

I thought Octan was a guy.

[Baconsticks]

I thought Octan was a guy.

I'm not sure if anybody really knows that.

[Tom Flapwell]

At the very least, Octan claims to be a guy. Let's be polite about it.

[rabid_fox]

All I can say is "whoops" and offer some kind of delicious ice-cream layer cake by way of apology.

To keep this relevant and on-topic - does anyone recall the animated "Far Side" show? It was very short lived, probably because when it aired over here the BBC must have gotten a thousand complaints within the first five minutes of the show being televised - it was a rather depressing affair with very little of the Larson humour, but a lot of the Larson darkly cynical view on the world.