# Is "The Far Side (first collection)" by Gary Larson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Far Side (first collection) by Gary Larson (Andrews and McMeel, 1982) is identified by: The first Far Side book collection, published by Andrews and McMeel, 1982, oversized paperback, ISBN 0-8362-1200-2, described on the back cover as the first collection of The Far Side. US true first of the first Far Side collection, 1982 paperback from Andrews and McMeel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The first Far Side book collection, published by Andrews and McMeel, 1982, oversized paperback, ISBN 0-8362-1200-2, described on the back cover as the first collection of The Far Side
- The true first is the 1982 paperback; later printings are common and identified by a number line
- The two-volume boxed hardcover Complete Far Side (Andrews McMeel, 2003) is a separate omnibus first-thus, not the first collection
- Correct publisher/imprint: Andrews and McMeel

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Gary Larson |
| Publisher | Andrews and McMeel |
| Year | 1982 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Comic / graphic novel |
| Key point | The first Far Side book collection, published by Andrews and McMeel, 1982, oversized paperback, ISBN 0-8362-1200-2, described on the back… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
The first Far Side book collection, published by Andrews and McMeel, 1982, oversized paperback, ISBN 0-8362-1200-2, described on the back cover as the first collection of The Far Side. The true first is the 1982 paperback; later printings are common and identified by a number line. The two-volume boxed hardcover Complete Far Side (Andrews McMeel, 2003) is a separate omnibus first-thus, not the first collection.

## Is this the true first?
US true first of the first Far Side collection, 1982 paperback from Andrews and McMeel. The strip was syndicated through Chronicle Features, but the book itself was an Andrews and McMeel title. The 2003 Complete Far Side boxed set is the omnibus first and should not be confused with the 1982 first collection.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. Later printings are common; verify the 1982 first printing and the absence of a higher number line. The 2003 Complete Far Side set is later and distinct.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Far Side (first collection)* by Gary Larson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-far-side-first-collection
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.