It is decision time for replacing "Far Side."

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Gary Larson, creator of "Far Side," is retiring. He is probably much too young to retire, but he wants to end the daily and Sunday comic panel before it gets stale.

Some readers may be happy to see "Far Side" end. Its humor is on the warped side, but there are many readers who like a different humor perspective.

Anyway, we have been besieged by comics syndicates who want to sell us a replacement for "Far Side." I think there were 17 possibilities in all that came in the mail.

In an unscientific process involving members of the news staff, those 17 have been winnowed down to four finalists: "Bizarro," "Farcus," "The Quigmans" and "Rubes." The process was pretty simple: Members of the news staff were asked which ones they liked. On Madison Avenue they call this a focus group. It is difficult to get unanimity on something like a comic strip, but a decision has to be made.

So I thought you might like to be part of the process. On the Perspectives page today (see it over there, just to your right?) are the four finalists to replace "Far Side." I would like for you to take a look and pick one. Then jot your favorite panel on a postcard, letter, napkin, business card, grocery sack, notepad or a piece of trash paper from the wastecan. Sorry. This isn't a contest, so there will be no prizes for originality of your entries.

But what you think of these four finalists is extremely important. I need to know what you think by Friday. This Friday. Dec. 9. You can mail your choice to "Comics," Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702. Or you can drop your selection by the office during the day.

Thanks for your help.

~R. Joe Sullivan is the editor of the Southeast Missourian.