Christmas is a joyous time of year for comic fans. It's a time for giving receiving comic books and trades from all your annoying family members, family members that you, thankfully, only see once a year.
However, with all your ill-gotten gains comes the burden of buying gifts for people. While we'd all like to just give one of the dozens of copies of X-Men #1 we own, which we bought thinking a new #1 would be worth millions in 5 years time, for some reason it is frowned upon by our friends and family.
So, with that in mind, I've compiled a list of various trades, hardcovers and comics that are coming out this holiday season and organized them into various headings, such as DC Drone, Marvel Zombie and so on. If you're still wondering what to buy that annoying brother or just want to introduce a friend to some comics, this guide should be the one stop shop for all your holiday gift ideas.
However, with all your ill-gotten gains comes the burden of buying gifts for people. While we'd all like to just give one of the dozens of copies of X-Men #1 we own, which we bought thinking a new #1 would be worth millions in 5 years time, for some reason it is frowned upon by our friends and family.
So, with that in mind, I've compiled a list of various trades, hardcovers and comics that are coming out this holiday season and organized them into various headings, such as DC Drone, Marvel Zombie and so on. If you're still wondering what to buy that annoying brother or just want to introduce a friend to some comics, this guide should be the one stop shop for all your holiday gift ideas.
Gifts Any Comic Fan Would Love
These gift ideas are things any comic fan would enjoy. They range from comic book movies to various hardcovers from Marvel, DC, Image and everything in between.
Absolute Sandman
This is the 'absolute' best gift you could get any comic fan. It's more adult oriented than most gifts, so it's probably a little heavy if you're looking for a gift for a child, but, for everyone else, this is the be all and end all for comic book gifts. This year sees Absolute Sandman Volume 2 released and, while I haven't had the opportunity to pick this up myself, seeing as funds are a tad stretched, I have it on good authority that the oversized art looks every bit as good as the digitally restored Volume 1 artwork and, as we all know, Sandman is probably the greatest comic book body of work ever written. There isn't a comic book fan alive that would be upset finding this under the tree for Christmas.
Captain America Omnibus
I've never liked Captain America. If I had to, I'd rank him as one of my least favourite heroes in any comic book. Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting changed all that with the relaunch of the new Captain America series. Ed Brubaker is writing the definitive Captain America, a run which saw the resurrection of Bucky as the Winter Soldier and the death of the Red Skull, just to name a few of the numerous highlights of his run. This omnibus collects all the way up to the death of Steve Rogers in Captain America #25, as well as hosting numerous extras, like sketches and commentary from the creators. I feel any comic fan would love this run after reading just the first couple issues. I know I did and that makes this one of the best comic gifts for any fan this Christmas.
Absolute Watchmen
Watchmen changed the way people look at comic books and redefined the genre for years to come. While this Absolute edition is a few years old, this is still an incredible gift that any fan would like. Most people aren't willing to dish out the high prices for these Absolute Editions, which makes them prime gifts for the holidays.
Absolute DC: The New Frontier
For those that didn't read my DC: The New Frontier Review from a few months back, here's a little excerpt to show just what I think about this series.
Heroes - Season One
Heroes is the epitome of what a comic book television show should be. It became one of the only television shows I watched last year when it launched and this Season 1 boxset is the perfect gift for the comic fan that has everything. Also available on HD-DVD.
300 (Two-Disc Special Edition DVD)
300 is a comic book movie done right. It came out back in February, but is still the best comic book movie released this year and would make a cheap stocking stuffer for any comic fan. Also available on HD-DVD.
Invincible: The Ultimate Collection
Invincible is a book that doesn't get enough love. It combines everything that's great about Spider-Man and Superman and turns it into one of the most original and entertaining comic book series of the past decade. While not a new collection, these Ultimate Hardcover Collections are the perfect gifts for the 'traditional' collectors that rarely stray from their Marvel and DC buying habits. I guarantee they will love Volume 1 and be adding Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 2 & Invincible: Ultimate Collection Vol. 3 to their lists after reading them.
Gifts For A Marvel Zombie
Buying for that Marvel Zombie fanboy? Thankfully, your options aren't limited as Marvel has vastly improved their hardcover collection output over the past few years. Take a look at some of your options for this Christmas.
Annihilation
Easily the best event from last year, the hardcovers have been continuously sold out for the better part of the year. Marvel was kind enough to release some TPBs for the rest of us that missed this excellent series. Know that I hated cosmic stories, with few exceptions, and I absolutely loved Annihilation. I think I was just turned off by all the garbage from the 90's that were always trying to reinvent the Infinity Gauntlet or Secret Wars storylines. Grab these convenient trades for just about anybody on your list and you'll have some happy campers.
Spider-Man 3 (Two-Disc Special Edition DVD)
Personally, I'm not sure if I'd even want this as a gift, as the movie was almost the equivalent of the Batman & Robin Schumacher films from the 90's, but I'm sure there's some Marvel zealots out there that wouldn't mind this as a stocking stuffer. I'm still confused over the 100 ft Sandman though... Also available on Blu-ray.
Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer (The Power Cosmic Edition, 2-Disc DVD Set)
Come on. The Power Cosmic Edition? That's gold, Jerry! While most were upset about Galactus being a giant cloud, along with other various nitpicking, I feel this movie was way better than Spider-Man 3. I know long time Fantastic Four fans might not like it, but as an action, popcorn flick, this movie delivered some laughs and excellent fight scenes. It's worth seeing just for the Silver Surfer in my opinion. Might want to check with the person you are buying for beforehand to find out if they like this movie or not before you buy it for them. Also available on Blu-ray.
Marvel Zombies
I know my holiday is never complete without some zombies and Marvel Zombies, while being beaten into the ground by Marvel these days, is still a fun romp through a zombie infested alternate Marvel Universe. If they've already got the Marvel Zombies trade or single issues, the Marvel Zombies: The Covers is a beautiful collection of all the painted zombie cover variants that adorn the numerous printings of each issue and trade for the series. Also, don't forget the Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 3, which collects the origins of the zombie universe and all the rest of Mark Millar and Greg Land's run on that series.
Planet Hulk
Planet Hulk was the smashing success from earlier this year that lead to the summer blockbuster World War Hulk. While I feel WWH dragged on and, due to delays, ended with little to no impact or fanfare, Planet Hulk managed to deliver some of the best Hulk stories every month throughout the entire epic storyline. It starts with a bang and while it started to drag on a little near the middle, it more than makes up for it with a spectacular finish. Definitely a must own trade for any Marvel fan.
Silver Surfer: Requiem
Many people forget, or missed, the spectacular Silver Surfer: Requiem mini-series from earlier this year, which is a "The End" type story that depicts the final days of the Silver Surfer. It's penned by JMS and features incredible painted artwork by Esad Ribic. While it's a little heavy handed with JMS's political overtones, I'd still recommend this series to just about anyone. It's due out December 19th, so it's a great last minute Christmas gift for anyone.
X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills Premiere HC
There's not much else to say about God Loves, Man Kills. It's a classic story from the golden age of X-Men stories penned by Chris Claremont, back before he went insane. This story is finally being re-released in the Marvel Premiere hardcover collection format. Any X-Men fanatic would kill to own this. You can look for it on December 5th.
Ultimates 2
It took it's time, but Ultimates 2 finally finished earlier this year. The entire epic storyline will make an excellent gift for any Marvel fan when it releases on December 5th.
Various Omnibuses
The last Marvel gift idea I have for you is the various omnibus collections Marvel has put out of the past year. They were all sold out almost the instant they were released, but Marvel is going back for another printing in time for Christmas. These omnibuses include the original Lee and Ditko run on Amazing Spider-Man or the Uncanny X-Men Omnibus that collects the relaunch from Chris Claremont that started with the Giant Sized X-Men special and the introduction of Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Colossus to the title. Personally, I'd love to have that original Stan Lee Silver Surfer run in omnibus format. Here's a short list of the various omnibus available from Marvel.
These gift ideas are things any comic fan would enjoy. They range from comic book movies to various hardcovers from Marvel, DC, Image and everything in between.
Absolute Sandman
This is the 'absolute' best gift you could get any comic fan. It's more adult oriented than most gifts, so it's probably a little heavy if you're looking for a gift for a child, but, for everyone else, this is the be all and end all for comic book gifts. This year sees Absolute Sandman Volume 2 released and, while I haven't had the opportunity to pick this up myself, seeing as funds are a tad stretched, I have it on good authority that the oversized art looks every bit as good as the digitally restored Volume 1 artwork and, as we all know, Sandman is probably the greatest comic book body of work ever written. There isn't a comic book fan alive that would be upset finding this under the tree for Christmas.
released and, while I haven't had the opportunity to pick this up myself, seeing as funds are a tad stretched, I have it on good authority that the oversized art looks every bit as good as the digitally restored Volume 1 artwork and, as we all know, Sandman is probably the greatest comic book body of work ever written. There isn't a comic book fan alive that would be upset finding this under the tree for Christmas.Captain America Omnibus
I've never liked Captain America. If I had to, I'd rank him as one of my least favourite heroes in any comic book. Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting changed all that with the relaunch of the new Captain America series. Ed Brubaker is writing the definitive Captain America, a run which saw the resurrection of Bucky as the Winter Soldier and the death of the Red Skull, just to name a few of the numerous highlights of his run. This omnibus collects all the way up to the death of Steve Rogers in Captain America #25, as well as hosting numerous extras, like sketches and commentary from the creators. I feel any comic fan would love this run after reading just the first couple issues. I know I did and that makes this one of the best comic gifts for any fan this Christmas.Absolute Watchmen
Watchmen changed the way people look at comic books and redefined the genre for years to come. While this Absolute edition is a few years old, this is still an incredible gift that any fan would like. Most people aren't willing to dish out the high prices for these Absolute Editions, which makes them prime gifts for the holidays.Absolute DC: The New Frontier
New Frontier is a sophisticated, adult story that deserves to be mentioned with such classics as Watchmen and A Contract With God. This book manages to blend its comic book heritage with US history to tell a riveting and emotional tale that is about people and their relationships, as well as the values of classical superheroes that serves to show us the different vantage points and philosophies behind each eras' heroes. Truly one of the best comics ever written and if the movie can be half as good as the actual comic book, it will go down as one of the greatest comic book movies ever made.Most people missed this series when it first came out. Don't let the fact it focuses on DC characters dissuade you from giving it to a Marvel fan. This is easily one of my top 5 comic books / series that I've ever read.
Heroes - Season One
Heroes is the epitome of what a comic book television show should be. It became one of the only television shows I watched last year when it launched and this Season 1 boxset is the perfect gift for the comic fan that has everything. Also available on HD-DVD.
.300 (Two-Disc Special Edition DVD)
300 is a comic book movie done right. It came out back in February, but is still the best comic book movie released this year and would make a cheap stocking stuffer for any comic fan. Also available on HD-DVD.
.Invincible: The Ultimate Collection
Invincible is a book that doesn't get enough love. It combines everything that's great about Spider-Man and Superman and turns it into one of the most original and entertaining comic book series of the past decade. While not a new collection, these Ultimate Hardcover Collections are the perfect gifts for the 'traditional' collectors that rarely stray from their Marvel and DC buying habits. I guarantee they will love Volume 1 and be adding Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 2 & Invincible: Ultimate Collection Vol. 3 to their lists after reading them.
& 
to their lists after reading them.Gifts For A Marvel Zombie
Buying for that Marvel Zombie fanboy? Thankfully, your options aren't limited as Marvel has vastly improved their hardcover collection output over the past few years. Take a look at some of your options for this Christmas.
Annihilation
Easily the best event from last year, the hardcovers have been continuously sold out for the better part of the year. Marvel was kind enough to release some TPBs for the rest of us that missed this excellent series. Know that I hated cosmic stories, with few exceptions, and I absolutely loved Annihilation. I think I was just turned off by all the garbage from the 90's that were always trying to reinvent the Infinity Gauntlet or Secret Wars storylines. Grab these convenient trades for just about anybody on your list and you'll have some happy campers.Spider-Man 3 (Two-Disc Special Edition DVD)
Personally, I'm not sure if I'd even want this as a gift, as the movie was almost the equivalent of the Batman & Robin Schumacher films from the 90's, but I'm sure there's some Marvel zealots out there that wouldn't mind this as a stocking stuffer. I'm still confused over the 100 ft Sandman though... Also available on Blu-ray.
.Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer (The Power Cosmic Edition, 2-Disc DVD Set)
Come on. The Power Cosmic Edition? That's gold, Jerry! While most were upset about Galactus being a giant cloud, along with other various nitpicking, I feel this movie was way better than Spider-Man 3. I know long time Fantastic Four fans might not like it, but as an action, popcorn flick, this movie delivered some laughs and excellent fight scenes. It's worth seeing just for the Silver Surfer in my opinion. Might want to check with the person you are buying for beforehand to find out if they like this movie or not before you buy it for them. Also available on Blu-ray.
.Marvel Zombies
I know my holiday is never complete without some zombies and Marvel Zombies, while being beaten into the ground by Marvel these days, is still a fun romp through a zombie infested alternate Marvel Universe. If they've already got the Marvel Zombies trade or single issues, the Marvel Zombies: The Covers is a beautiful collection of all the painted zombie cover variants that adorn the numerous printings of each issue and trade for the series. Also, don't forget the Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 3, which collects the origins of the zombie universe and all the rest of Mark Millar and Greg Land's run on that series.
, which collects the origins of the zombie universe and all the rest of Planet Hulk
Planet Hulk was the smashing success from earlier this year that lead to the summer blockbuster World War Hulk. While I feel WWH dragged on and, due to delays, ended with little to no impact or fanfare, Planet Hulk managed to deliver some of the best Hulk stories every month throughout the entire epic storyline. It starts with a bang and while it started to drag on a little near the middle, it more than makes up for it with a spectacular finish. Definitely a must own trade for any Marvel fan.Silver Surfer: Requiem
Many people forget, or missed, the spectacular Silver Surfer: Requiem mini-series from earlier this year, which is a "The End" type story that depicts the final days of the Silver Surfer. It's penned by JMS and features incredible painted artwork by Esad Ribic. While it's a little heavy handed with JMS's political overtones, I'd still recommend this series to just about anyone. It's due out December 19th, so it's a great last minute Christmas gift for anyone.X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills Premiere HC
There's not much else to say about God Loves, Man Kills. It's a classic story from the golden age of X-Men stories penned by Chris Claremont, back before he went insane. This story is finally being re-released in the Marvel Premiere hardcover collection format. Any X-Men fanatic would kill to own this. You can look for it on December 5th.Ultimates 2
It took it's time, but Ultimates 2 finally finished earlier this year. The entire epic storyline will make an excellent gift for any Marvel fan when it releases on December 5th.Various Omnibuses
The last Marvel gift idea I have for you is the various omnibus collections Marvel has put out of the past year. They were all sold out almost the instant they were released, but Marvel is going back for another printing in time for Christmas. These omnibuses include the original Lee and Ditko run on Amazing Spider-Man or the Uncanny X-Men Omnibus that collects the relaunch from Chris Claremont that started with the Giant Sized X-Men special and the introduction of Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Colossus to the title. Personally, I'd love to have that original Stan Lee Silver Surfer run in omnibus format. Here's a short list of the various omnibus available from Marvel.- Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus Vol. 1
- Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol. 1
- Silver Surfer Omnibus Vol. 1
- Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 1
- Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 2
Gifts For A DC Drone
To be honest, I had trouble finding any major trade releases from DC for this year. There's a few notables, but for the most part, it seems like Marvel has most of the holidays covered for trades. But don't despair, there's still plenty of DC stuff, as this list can attest, for anyone on your list.
Absolute Batman: The Long Halloween
I might give Jeph Loeb a lot of flack over the quality of his recent output, but his Long Halloween run with Tim Sale is one of the best Batman stories of all time and a must have for any DC or Batman fan. This Absolute edition puts Sale's gorgeous artwork on display in the oversized format and it is a joy to behold. A bit expensive, but you won't find any complaints from whoever receives this gift.Tales of the Multiverse: Batman - Vampire
Batman-Vampire is a collection of the Batman & Dracula Elseworlds trilogy. Much like zombies, I know my Christmas isn't complete without some vampire loving, so this collection of my favourite Elseworlds story is a must have for me. If you are buying for someone who is a fan of alternate realities or Elseworlds stories, this is a must buy for you.The Question, Vol. 1: Zen and Violence
The Question died during 52 and was replaced by the female Montoya. If you are looking for some more classic Question action, this recently collected trade is a must have for you.Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis was DC's last major event and its aftershocks can be felt even today. If you are trying to get a long time DC fan caught up on recent events, this book is the first stop. Check with your recipient before buying this if they are a heavy collector. There's a good chance they may have the trade or single issues already.52
52 was the epic weekly comic book series from DC that spanned the end of last year and the first half of 2007. DC has been steadily releasing the trades for the series and you can now have the entire series in four trades. However, I wouldn't recommend buying one or two of these trades for people. If you aren't going to buy all four, don't bother. Each trade is a continuation of one long, congruent storyline and they don't hold up well on their own due to the fact each trade lacks any conclusion to the stories featured in them until the very end of the series. However, each trade is fairly cheap, so it shouldn't be a problem to buy all four. You could also get the World War III trade for completeness, but feel free to skip it if you ask me. It barely adds anything to the story.
Gifts For The Girlfriend
Comic collectors with girlfriends? Well, for all 3 of you out there with one, if you are trying to ease her into comics, here's a couple of 'light' comics that they may enjoy enough to let you blow a $100 on a statue of Mary Jane doing laundry.
Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane
Also known as Bitches Love Spider-Man. Seems chicks dig the costume because everyone wants to shack up with Spider-Man in this series. It's a fun 'teen drama' series that focuses on a high school setting with the illustrious cast of Spider-Man as the focal point. There's little to no superheroing and Spider-Man only really appears to try and hook up with Mary Jane from time to time. I actually like this series, but if you quote me on it, I'll deny it to my deathbed.Runaways
Not so much a superhero book as it is a teen drama that just happens to feature kids with powers. Most girls will fall in love with Molly and the humour and dialogue of this series is excellent.Manga
There's various manga that is specifically targeted at female readers. Things like Fruits Basket and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle are a couple of examples. Death Note, while not targeted directly at females, features two protagonists that most females seem to fall in love with. Take your girl to the local Chapters and lead her down a manga aisle and see if anything catches her eye. There's literally millions of manga produced each year. If she can't find anything that suits her, I'm afraid there's no hope for her.
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5 comments:
Where did you get that picture of Batman and the Bat-Babes? It's Benes, right? Awesome.
I got my brother the Planet Hulk collection.
I also highly recommend the Scott Pilgrim books - for anyone, really, but they make a great girlfriend gift as well. My wife loves them.
How could you compare Spider-Man 3 as the equivalent of the Batman & Robin films? I still don't see why the negative backlash about SM3, but whatever, you keep giving it money and new opening records.
Well angela, what I mean by comparing it to Batman & Robin is that it introduced multiple villains with the idea that more automatically equals better.
There was no story purpose behind it, they just wanted Venom in there to sell toys and get people to the theatre and he was tacked on. Did we really need another Goblin villain with Harry? Sandman turned into a giant Stay Puft Marshmellowman by the end of the movie, which made no sesne whatsoever.
Spider-Man 3 was not as bad as B&R, but it was by far the worst Spidey film. I went to see it because SM2 was good and this one had Venom (yay marketing!). I expected it to build on the previous films level of quality and it failed on that account. Decent popcorn film I suppose, but a terrible end to Raimi's tenure and possibly the Spidey movie franchise (at least for the forseeable future).
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