Gary Larson is one of the most distinctive cartoonists of the 1980s. His panel feature, "The Far Side," has a slant unmistakably all its own, a unique angle of vision, described by "People" magazine as "the inner workings of his eerily unconventional mind."

Born in Tacoma, Washington, Larson studied communications at Washington State University with unclear professional goals. It was on an impulse, late in the 1970s, when he sketched six animal cartoons unlike any he had ever seen before. He offered them to the nature magazine, "Pacific Search." To his amazement, they were all purchased. He received $90, which encouraged him to repeat the experiment. Despite the bizarre nature of his cartoons, he succeeded in selling the "Seattle Tim...