Editing The Far Side (section)

===Publication (1979–1995)===

''The Far Side'' made its debut in the January 1, 1980, edition of the ''Chronicle'', and a few months later, Chronicle Features began to offer it to other papers.{{sfn|Larson|1989|p=38}} While it was only in four papers by 1982,{{sfn|Larson|1989|p=139}} by 1983 that number had increased to eighty, and by 1985 it had reached two hundred.<ref name="SalonInter"/> Initially, Larson drew six cartoons a week,<ref name="NPRInter"/> which were sent to papers a few weeks in advance.{{sfn|Larson|1989|p=125}} By 1987, he was drawing seven cartoons a week. From October 1988 to January 1990, Larson took a hiatus from ''The Far Side'' to travel abroad and study [[jazz guitar]] with [[Jim Hall (musician)|Jim Hall]]. When he resumed working on ''The Far Side'' in 1990, he negotiated an agreement in which he would only have to draw five cartoons a week.<ref name="SalonInter"/> The final ''Far Side'' comic was run in newspapers on January 1, 1995.<ref name="SCPR">{{cite web |last1=Solomon |first1=Charles |title=20 years later, 'The Far Side' is still far out, and the new collection is lighter! |url=https://www.scpr.org/blogs/offramp/2014/12/02/17624/20-years-later-the-far-side-is-still-far-out-and-t/ |publisher=SCPR |access-date=September 16, 2018 |date=December 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name="nytimes dec2019"/> Larson wrote a letter to his followers in October 1994 that explained he was ending the series due to "simple fatigue" and avoid having ''The Far Side'' fall into the "Graveyard of Mediocre Cartoons" if he continued.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1994-10-04-9410040026-story.html | title = Cartoonist To Quit Drawing 'Far Side' | first = Karen | last =Schmidt | date = October 4, 1994 | access-date = July 26, 2020 | work = [[Hartford Courant]] }}</ref><ref name="SalonInter"/> Larson also later stated he wanted to pursue a career as a jazz guitarist.<ref name="LJWorldComplete"/>

During its 15-year run, Larson produced a total of 4,337 ''Far Side'' cartoons.<ref name="NPRInter"/> By the time of its conclusion, the series was carried in more than 1,900 papers and translated into 17 languages.<ref name="SalonInter"/> Universal briefly re-syndicated ''The Far Side'' for a three-month period in late 2003 to promote the release of the anthology ''The Complete Far Side: 1980–1994'',<ref name="LJWorldComplete">{{cite web |last1=Cook |first1=Rebecca |title=Gary Larson revisits 'The Far Side' |url=http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2003/nov/30/gary_larson_revisits/ |website=[[Lawrence Journal-World]] |access-date=September 16, 2018 |date=November 30, 2003}}</ref> and many newspapers still publish reprints.<ref name="InfiniteFire"/>