# What other comic strips deserve a set like "The Complete Far Side"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 27, 2003, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813 "2003-10-27T08:52:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/1 "2003-10-27T08:52:32Z")
So I just received my truly awesome _The Complete Far Side_. Two volumes, 1250 pages, thirty pounds, 4300 Far Side comics, essays, and comments, all on very high quality paper. It isn’t perfect–the pages are oversized (9 x 13), but the comics haven’t been increased in size, which leaves a lot of dead space–but it’s as good a comic strip collection as has ever been produced. It’s worth every cent of the $95.00 I paid for it (2.2 cents per comic). What other comic strips deserve this super deluxe treatment? What would you be willing to pay to own a complete collection of in high quality binding on glossy paper? I’ll start with the obvious: _Calvin and Hobbes_. My wife would throw a fit if I were to spend another $100 on a set of “comic books”, but I’d actually be willing to sell some stuff to raise the dough for one of these. At four strips to a page, with Sundays getting a full page to themselves, the complete run of _Calvin and Hobbes_ would take a set about the same size as _The Comlete Far Side_ My second nomination would be _Bloom County_. A relatively short run comic like _The Far Side_ and _Calvin and Hobbes_, it might suffer from having too much topical humor, but I’d buy it. Other great comics might be worthy of this treatment but have too much material to cover. I was going to suggest Pogo, but a complete run of Pogo would require roughly a four volume set coming in at twice the size of _The Far Side_. The comlete run of Al Capp’s _Lil Abner_ (inlcuding only those by Capp himself) would take five or six volumes this size. We’d be looking at a MSRP of roughly $300 for a set that size, which all but the most hard-core would reject. Perhaps decade sets would work for long run comics. I’d personally be willing to buy a complete _Modesty Blaise_ (roughly 8000 dailies, no Sundays), which would require four volumes this size, but I suspect I’d be one of about a half-dozen in the US who’d buy this. What strips would you like to see get _The Complete . . ._ treatment? ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/2 "2003-10-27T08:58:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Number Six \* > **My second nomination would be _Bloom County_. A relatively short run comic like _The Far Side_ and _Calvin and Hobbes_, it might suffer from having too much topical humor, but I’d buy it.** I would definitely buy one as well. You’re right about the topical humor though… I’m pretty sure I’ve read an interview with Breathed in which he said that he didn’t feel the strip had aged well enough to put back into print. ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/3 "2003-10-27T10:18:38Z")
I would buy a complete set of _Calvin & Hobbes_ in a heartbeat. ---
**Author:** ![Adamcomic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/977dab/32.png) [@Adamcomic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adamcomic)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/4 "2003-10-27T10:32:32Z")
The Neighborhood by Jerry Van Amerongen would be a good choice. Personally, I would love a high quality, complete Spy vs. Spy, from Mad magazine. ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/5 "2003-10-27T10:37:19Z")
Imagine how big a complete set of [italics] Peanuts [/italics] would be!! ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/6 "2003-10-27T11:37:09Z")
There are plans to publish a full set of _Peanuts_, every single strip from all nearly-fifty years. Whether the plans amount to anything or not remains to be seen, of course. It won’t be in one boxed set, of course. Still, if it comes to pass, it’s going to take up an impressive chunk of shelf space. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/7 "2003-10-27T12:11:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by flodnak \* > \*\*There are plans to publish a full set of _Peanuts_, every single strip from all nearly-fifty years. Whether the plans amount to anything or not remains to be seen, of course. > > It won’t be in one boxed set, of course. Still, if it comes to pass, it’s going to take up an impressive chunk of shelf space. \*\* Maybe they could put it on CD-ROM, like they did with Mad Magazine? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/8 "2003-10-27T15:27:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by flodnak \* > \*\*There are plans to publish a full set of _Peanuts_, every single strip from all nearly-fifty years. Whether the plans amount to anything or not remains to be seen, of course. > > It won’t be in one boxed set, of course. Still, if it comes to pass, it’s going to take up an impressive chunk of shelf space. \*\* Fantagraphics Publishing recieved permission from the Schulz estate to compile the complete _Peanuts_, and they will. The first volume, covering 1950 to 1952, will be released on April 1, 2004, and I’m not foolin’. Two volumes will be released each year. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/9 "2003-10-27T15:38:17Z")
More on The Complete Peanuts: [http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get\_topic&f=36&t=001454](http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=36&t=001454) –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/10 "2003-10-27T15:50:54Z")
**Krazy Kat**. Fantagraphics is printing all the Sunday strips (two years at a time), but we need a series of the dailies, too. **Pogo** should be printed and made required reading. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/11 "2003-10-27T16:29:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Adamcomic \* > \*\*The Neighborhood by Jerry Van Amerongen would be a good choice. > Personally, I would love a high quality, complete Spy vs. Spy, from Mad magazine. \*\* Allow me to be your new best friend… [Spy vs Spy: The Complete Casebook](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0823050211/qid=1067272757/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/002-3355113-2552030?v=glance&n=507846) And it’s **brilliant**. There are biographical stories on Prohias regarding his exile from Cuba…tales of him berating the MAD staffers (including the ones who _could_ speak Spanish) and various other cool stuff. It sits proudly on my shelf. I think I’ll go read it again right now. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/12 "2003-10-27T17:29:51Z")
Number Six, you took my two nominations: Calvin and Hobbes and Bloom County. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/13 "2003-10-27T19:04:25Z")
I’m debating whether I really want to get the Far Side collection. There would be no debate for a Calvin and Hobbes collection, even at double the price. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/14 "2003-10-27T19:31:51Z")
[The Quigmans](http://www.ucomics.com/thequigmans/2003/10/25/) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/15 "2003-10-27T21:44:02Z")
A sympathy vote for **The Boondocks,** if only because The Man™ would never allow such a thing to happen. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/16 "2003-10-27T22:03:52Z")
Calvin and Hobbes and Bloom County would be my top choices as well. After that, I think the field drops a bit for me, but here are my picks: **Foxtrot** is my favorite currently running strip. As a science teacher, I get a kick out of the strips involving physics homework or similar themes. (Bill Amend was a physics major) **Doonesbury** , like Bloom County, is very topical and older strips might be terribly dated, but a collection would be a great way to look back at the politics and culture of yesterday. **Mother Goose and Grimm** cracks me up pretty often. I might buy a collection of it, too. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/17 "2003-10-27T22:54:44Z")
> **[Maakies](https://www.maakies.com/)** But there ain’t enough of them yet. ☹ * * * She told me she loved me like a brother. She was from Arkansas, hence the Joy! ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/18 "2003-10-27T23:41:19Z")
Dan O’Neill’s **Odd Bodkins**. Though there are two collections extant, neither is complete. Nor do they include his work on the **Dan O’Neill’s Comics and Stories** , a short series of comic books with stories by O’Neill and others showing characters from W_lt D_sn\*y’s empire doing various naughty no-no’s.[check this site](http://www.mogozuzu.com/comix_2b.htm) for more information. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-comic-strips-deserve-a-set-like-the-complete-far-side/209813/19 "2003-10-28T01:09:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \* > \*\*Allow me to be your new best friend… > > [Spy vs Spy: The Complete Casebook](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0823050211/qid=1067272757/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/002-3355113-2552030?v=glance&n=507846) > > And it’s **brilliant**. There are biographical stories on Prohias regarding his exile from Cuba…tales of him berating the MAD staffers (including the ones who _could_ speak Spanish) and various other cool stuff. > > It sits proudly on my shelf. I think I’ll go read it again right now. \*\* But see, it’s not actually _complete_. It has all the MAD strips, but some that appeared only in Spy books have been left out. I was gravely disappointed to find that one of my favorites, which came from a book, was not in the “complete” collection.