Every year, we kick off our end of the year extravaganza with this, our Holiday Gift Guide. Regardless of what holiday(s) you celebrate, we all need gift ideas for the folks in our lives who would rather a comic or a LEGO set than another sweater or a Starbucks gift card. We are here for you! Below are the items our staff selected for this year’s guide and, if you happen to see an Amazon link at the end of the listing, that link will take you to the special Multiversity Amazon Affiliate store, and will help earn us microcents if you buy it through there!
You’ll be seeing a staggering amount of Year in Review content rolling out starting on Monday, as well as a special holiday event beginning tomorrow and running eight nights. Happy Holidays from us, and enjoy the Gift Guide!
Christopher Chiu-Tabet
“Empyre” ($24.63)
We sadly didn’t get a new Marvel movie this year, but Al Ewing, Dan Slott, Valerio Schiti and Marte Gracia’s crossover epic is truly the next best thing. Arguably one of the best event series the publisher has ever put out, it’s a funny, action-packed cosmic battle, filled with shocking twists and turns from the start, as well as a wistful rumination on legacy, and what our children stand to inherit from the violent worlds they live in. It’s an awesome way to check in with our favorite Marvel heroes this year.
Batman: Death in the Family ($14.99)
You may only be renting or buying DC’s animated movie output digitally now, but Batman: Death in the Family — a remix of Under the Red Hood — was made for Blu-ray, as it allows you to relive that fateful decision on whether Jason Todd lives or not, and see what unfolds from there. It’s the ideal gift for anyone who misses Telltale Games’ take on the mythos, and has all the recent DC Showcase shorts for anyone who didn’t get a chance to watch them no less. (One of them is Death: geddit?)
Ghost of Tsushima ($70.61)
It may be nowhere as enormous as Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, or as joyful as Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but Ghost of Tsushima is, hands down, the most beautiful game of the year, and a triumphant final exclusive for the PlayStation 4. A stirring, atmospheric and emotional action-adventure that lets you wreak havoc on the Mongol invaders of 13th century Japan, Ghost of Tsushima is the closest you’ll ever come to starring in a Kurosawa film, and will likely leave you composing haikus or simply watch the wind rustle through leaves for years to come.
Future Nostalgia ($11.99)
2020’s been an incredibly rough year, but one of its shining lights was Dua Lipa’s sophomore album, which, as its name implies, is somehow a modern pop masterpiece and a retro dance party. There will be no New Year’s parties this year thanks to corona (unless you throw one over Zoom), but you’ll be able to pretend you’re partying like it’s 1989 and 2077 because of Ms. Lipa. Ready to get “Physical”?
Dark: Cycle 3 Vinyl ($23.99)
Ben Frost’s score for Netflix’s Dark is one of the most haunting and eerie soundtracks ever made, yet also one of the most soothingly melancholy. This vinyl release for the music for the final season contains nine (nine!) bonus tracks, and is the perfekt companion for any vinyl collector contemplating writing and reflecting on this apocalyptic year.
Ryan Pond
Robert Kirkman & Chris Samnee’s “Fire Power: Prelude” ($9.99 Retail)
Whether you are a Kirkman fan, Samnee fan, or just a sequential art fan, “Fire Power: Prelude” was one of my favorite reads of the year. You don’t need anything before or after this, so it is perfect to just jump into.
Elmeaux Industries’ Hey Bourbon T-Shirt ($25.99 Retail)
Comic book creator and fellow Houstonian Everette Hebert has a new Teespring store with some neat designs. His style is retro Saturday morning cartoons with nostalgic pop culture references. He has a lot of great designs but this Hey Bourbon design is easily my favorite!
Cryptozoic Entertainment’s Rick and Morty: Anatomy Park Game ($29.99 Retail)
I’m probably a terrible parent for this, but Cryptozoic does a great job with the Rick and Morty board and card games, and they are a pretty regular rotation for my kids and me.
BOOM! Studios’ “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Beyond The Grid” Deluxe Edition ($59.99 Retail)
I am a pretty big Power Rangers fan, and this arc was underrated. Plus I think someone is getting it for me for Christmas. And everyone jumping on the “We Only Find Them When They’re Dead” and Simone Di Meo bandwagon can go back and see where he was starting and developing the style that everyone loves now.
Elias Rosner
I’ve been beating the drum for Terry Moore’s series here for a while. Even if I am critical of the length of his newer stuff (10 issues are rarely enough for the stories he’s telling,) I also understand the economic factors that drive that. But that’s neither here nor there for this gift guide because there is nothing slight about Moore’s first, and longest running series, “Strangers in Paradise.” Clocking in at over 100 issues across two massive, 1000+ page books PLUS a color book of every cover, this set is something to behold.
It’s a beast of a book but well worth it for anyone looking to read a classic indie comic series in its entirety. In turns experimental, gorgeous, funny, heartbreaking, weird and intense, there’s something in this series for everyone. The softcover omnibus is very affordable for the amount of comics you’re getting (over 100 issues for $110!) but I find that hardcovers make for a better gift. And if romance/spy/thriller/dramady isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other Terry Moore omnibi available to pick from.
Nightwing Socks ($9.99 retail)
So I don’t know what the going price for licensed socks are but if you’re looking to be both the cliche holiday gift giver AND clearly cool enough to be gifting something related to a superhero with a great color scheme, then this is the gift for you. The company that sells these socks has a whole bunch of superhero related socks, but these are my personal favorites from looks alone. Understated but clear, and that blue just pops. I love ’em and I think your sock loving family member or friend will too.
Or at the very least, they’ll appreciate the attempt to make the usual gift of socks a little more interesting.
“Hellsing” Deluxe Vol. 1 ($49.99 retail)
“Hellsing” is a bloody, violent series that definitely isn’t to everyone (or many people’s) tastes, and has its fair share of problems. I happen to love the over-the-top nonsense that happens in it, what with Alucard continually making upside-down crosses with his big fuck-off guns before getting into a shoot out with an Irish member of the Vatican, who throw pages of scripture around like Gambit throwing cards. Oh and they all end up fighting the Nazis? It’s lunacy, Team Four Star did an abridged version of the anime that somehow makes it MORE LUNACY, and this is the package to read it in.
Dark Horse always puts out the best deluxe packages of their comics and these manga re-releases of their best sellers are no exception. At least twice the size of a regular volume (that’s page size, not page count size,) on archival paper with a sick red cover, it’ll stick out on your shelves in the exact right way. Plus, it collects four volumes of a manga that, I believe, is recently out of print or close to it.
Continued below“John Constantine: Hellblazer, Vol. 1: Marks of Woe” ($19.99 retail)
This was the best damn series to come out of the ‘Sandman Presents’ line hands down. I may have loved many of the books but none came close to how present, thoughtful, brash, and perfectly fit to the character’s history this book was. It getting the can is a travesty and while it won’t do much, getting this for a friend who loves tough launch point Vertigo-esque books or yourself if you happened to miss this absolute gem which LET CONSTANTINE SAY FUCK AGAIN, then you owe it to them/you to read it.
Mark Tweedale
Skelton Crew Studio Enamel Pins ($5–20 + shipping)
Since some of the items on my list skew a bit towards obscenely expensive, let’s kick things off with something small. Skelton Crew makes pins for Mike Mignola’s Hellboy Universe, Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s “Locke & Key,” Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook’s “Harrow County,” Andrew MacLean’s “Head Lopper,” and several other creator-owned comics. They’re a great way to celebrate the comics you love.
12.9″ iPad Pro ($1,199 Retail)
This isn’t really specifically a recommendation for a 12.9″ iPad, but rather for oversized tablets in general, because if you’re reading comics on a tablet, you really don’t want to go smaller than 12 inches. During the pandemic year I bought a lot of comics, and I quickly ran out of space, so I’ve had to make the leap to digital comics. For someone like me that actively avoids digital usually, this tablet was a good compromise. The screen displays at 264 pixels per inch and (as long as I’ve downloaded a nice big file) the colors look fantastic. This isn’t going to stop me reading physical books, not by a long shot, but it’s opened up other avenues to read that I’ve been thoroughly enjoying. It’s freed me up to read books that aren’t easy to attain physical copies of, especially European comics. So, for the comics reader in your life, get them a tablet that makes digital reading a pleasurable experience.
Marvel Studios’ The Infinity Saga Collector’s Edition ($644.99 Retail)
I know some people cringe at the idea of physical media, but the fact is the MCU is currently divided up over multiple streaming services. There’s no one place where you can access it all. Streaming 4K, while it has the resolution, still lacks the depth of color of physical media and has more compression artifacts. Most importantly… special features! So much of what makes this package great are things like the director’s commentaries, the deleted scenes, the behind-the-scenes, the MCU short films, the easter eggs. . . Is this worth double dipping for 4K Blu-rays, new special features discs, and some fancy new packaging? You mileage may vary, but for the hardcore MCU fan, I’d say yeah, I think it is.
Dune ($135 + shipping)
In preparation for Denis Villeneuve’s film adaptation (or even as a follow-up to the “Dune: House Atreides” miniseries from BOOM! Studios), why not pick the Folio Society’s edition of Frank Herbert’s Dune? The Folio Society always produces lavish books and this is no exception. With illustrations by Sam Weber, a map by Martin Sanders, and the full appendices, this is quite simply the best presentation of the science fiction classic.
Modern AGE: Basic Rulebook and The World of Lazarus ($34.95 each, Retail)
Technically two items, but you need both to make this one work. For any fans of Greg Rucka and Michael Lark’s “Lazarus” that also happen to be table top RPG fans, this is a must. The “Lazarus” RPG is built on the mechanics of Modern AGE, which is itself a variation of the Dragon Age TTRPG, so if you’re already familiar with those, this should be relatively easy to jump into. And, “Lazarus” readers there’s a bonus―issues of “Lazarus: Risen” include more RPG material in the special features. Getting a tiny expansion for the RPG with your comics is pretty cool.
Kate Kosturski
Comics Spinner Rack ($359-$399)
I have to thank my coworker Ken who will probably never read this, but deserves the credit for this idea. He called me last week asking for advice on which size of these spinner racks (classic versus collector) to get for his son for Christmas. (We went with classic.) If you have the space in your home to show off some of your favorite comics, it’s really a clever idea. The collector size is perfect to show off those CGC graded books, and the classic will do well for standard bagged and boarded issues.
Izneo Subscription ($7.99/month)
There is a great big beautiful world of comics outside the United States, and Izneo, in its partnership with Europe Comics, has done a fine job in translating and bringing these stories to American audiences. Izneo’s catalogue also includes manga, webtoons, and some U.S. comics (publishers include BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse, and Humanoids). But it’s the exposure to European comics that makes this an excellent sell.
LEGO Star Wars: The Sith ($119.99)
It was really, really hard to narrow down just one Lego Star Wars item for this gift list, but I like these wall hangings for being something new and different from LEGO. And if you’re like me, who’s, ahem, running out of shelf space for her LEGO, expanding to the wall can add an extra touch to your LEGO lair.
HBO Max Subscription (U.S. Only, $14.99/month)
Between the DC Universe originals like Doom Patrol and Stargirl, the back catalog of films and TV shows from Doctor Who to Watchmen to the Christopher Nolan Batman films, and WarnerMedia’s decision to release Wonder Woman 1984 and all of their 2021 films on the service, there’s no better time to just drop the cash. There’s really something for everyone that will keep you entertained in a long COVID winter and beyond. And as of this writing, they are offering a savings of 20% if you pre-pay six months up front. International friends, my fingers are crossed you have access to this service soon. (Note: if you have HBO through your cable provider, you may have free access to HBO Max – check this list of cable providers to see if yours is on there.)
Jodi Odgers
Marvel Villainous: Infinite Power ($59.98 retail)
It may be fun to watch heroes, but there is something intoxicating about a good villain. The ‘Villainous’ series of board games taps into this by letting players take the role of classic Disney villains in an attempt to conquer the world before everyone else. This year, the villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe join the fray in Marvel Villainous: Infinite Power. Players can take over the world as Taskmaster, Hela, Killmonger, Ultron, or Thanos. Gameplay is simple enough to be accessible to new players (including a handy guide on each villain’s playstyle) yet deep enough to be engaging to even seasoned board gamers. Who will control everything in the end? Pick up Marvel Villainous: Infinite Power and decide for yourselves!
PanelxPanel: Year Three Bundle ($20)
For anyone who enjoys deep dives into comics, it’s hard to go wrong with PanelxPanel. The Eisner-award-winning digital magazine has been delivering some of the highest-quality comics analysis and opinion pieces on the internet for years now. All of the 12-issue bundles provide incredible value. The Year Three Bundle is the most recent, exploring recent hit series including “November” and “Something is Killing the Children.” Give the gift of knowledge this Christmas.
Check out all of the bundles available on the ‘PanelxPanel’ Gumroad page (https://gumroad.com/panelxpanel)
“Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen?” ($29.99 retail)
Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber’s riotous creation was one of my favorite reads this year. It uses short vignettes to spin one of the most entertaining yarns to come out of DC in a long time. Each page is crammed full of references and gags alongside a compelling story that the reader has to piece together from the scattered tales. This paperback collects all 12 issues of the series, so you can give a friend (or yourself) the complete Jimmy Olsen experience in one book.
Continued belowDungeons & Dragons vs Rick and Morty (D&D Tabletop Roleplaying Game Adventure Boxed Set) ($29.99 retail)
Tabletop roleplaying, and the Dungeons & Dragons system in particular, has begun to gain more mainstream appeal in recent years. As a result, players who previously would not have touched a character sheet are dipping their toes into the wonderful world of creating your own worlds. This box set includes everything you need to run a short, manic module set in the world of Rick and Morty, including simplified rulebooks, a guide for the game master, a full set of dice, pre-made character sheets, and a damn fine GM screen to boot. Everything drips with humor, which helps ease players into the setting with some laughter. I ran this with a mix of experienced and new roleplayers, and it was one of the highlights of my year.
Satisfye Zen Pro Slim Bundle ($49.99 retail)
The big story in console gaming right now may be the recent release of the next generation of PlayStation and Xbox consoles, but the Nintendo Switch remains a remarkably popular console. If a loved one has a Switch and likes to play in handheld mode, ergonomic the grips from Satisfye make the experience so much more comfortable. The Slim bundle comes with the grip and a hardy carrying case so that you can take your newly beefed-up console out into the world. That way, you can have all of the gaming time with none of the pain.
Johnny Hall
The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Season One) Hardcover ($40.00 retail)
Author Phil Szostak has helmed all the Disney-era Art of Star Wars books, and I find each volume thrilling. Even if the final filmed product is terrible (looking at you, Rise of Skywalker) these thorough glimpses into the pre-production phase of the projects are a delight and should please any Star Wars fan. With 15 Emmy nominations, the first season of The Mandalorian wore its heart on its sleeve and served up a look that is not only pure Star Wars, but also paid homage to the Westerns and samurai films that inspired the original movie, and I’m sure the genesis of that exciting output will show up in these pages.
Critical Role: The Chronicles of Exandria–The Mighty Nein (Deluxe Edition) Hardcover ($124.99 retail)
I’m a huge Critical Role fan, and as much an admirer as I am of the show and the cast, I’m equally as enamored and impressed by the community of creators that also call themselves fans of the Twitch-streamed phenomenon. Contained within this gorgeous Dark Horse produced slipcase is a tome filled with what is, ostensibly, fan art and ephemera for the show’s second campaign. Covering the first 50 episodes of the adventures of The Mighty Nein, this book is a love letter not just to the world created by Matt Mercer and friends, but very much a paean to found family, both in the world of Critical Role and the fandom itself. A perfect gift for that “Critter” in your life, or someone you hope might become one.
Marvel: The Bronze Age 1970-1980 ($225.00 retail)
You will likely find The Folio Society elsewhere on our Gift Guide, and with good reason. This publishing company creates some of the finest “books as art pieces” out there, including this third volume in a series reproducing classic Marvel comics from each of the company’s early eras. Curated by Marvel legend Roy Thomas, you will find Jack Kirby’s “Eternals,” the first appearance of Wolverine, Steve Gerber’s “Howard the Duck,” the heartbreaking conclusion to ‘The Dark Phoenix Saga’ in “Uncanny X-Men #137,” and a host of other issues reproduced here (I’m pretty sure ALL of them without the annoying recoloring that Marvel loves to do). Finally, an oversized “Giant-Size X-Men” #1 facsimile edition is the cherry on top of this delicious comic sundae! (Sorry) At $225, it ain’t cheap, but it WILL be an instant cornerstone piece to any Marvel fan’s collection.
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Robbie Pleasant
Power Rangers: Heroes of the Grid – Rise of the Psycho Rangers ($60 retail)
Do you have a friend who, without fail, will tell you “it’s morphin’ time” any time you ask what time it is? First, stage an intervention with that friend and tell them the joke was stale back in the ’90s. Then, when they’ve accepted that and stopped repeating the same gag, thank them by getting then the Rise of the Psycho Rangers expansion to Power Rangers: Heroes of the Grid.
While most Heroes of the Grid expansions only add a few characters or villains, Rise of the Psycho Rangers goes a step beyond with multiple new ways to play. By introducing the Psycho Rangers, evil opposites of the Space Rangers team, Rise of the Psycho Rangers adds a variety of new villain mechanics, or even ways for a player to take the role of the bad guys in Mastermind Mode. This also includes more footsoldiers and location boards that can be mixed and matched with other locations from Heroes of the Grid and the Shattered Grid expansion. All that’s in addition to new Rangers to play as, each with unique abilities that can bring new strategies and combinations to Heroes of the Grid.
Plus: it has miniatures. If you’re as big a sucker for unpainted miniatures as I am, then this may be pretty appealing to you.
D&D Icons of the Realms: White Dragon Premium Figure ($69.99 retail)
Are you dreaming of a white dragon Christmas? Need something a little more than frosty to deck your players’ halls? Bring a little fear to the holiday cheer when you drop this big, angry dragon on your tabletop players, whether you’re into Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, or any other game requiring particularly large dragons.
WizKids has been releasing a number of larger miniatures as of late, and a particularly noteworthy one is this white dragon. As a CR 13 creature, it’s enough to pose a threat to most mid-level adventuring parties, and on top of that, it just looks so very cool. If you’re running a “Rime of the Frostmaiden” campaign, this will be a great miniature to add to your collection, especially as the book features a dragon in a prominent role. If you’re not running that campaign, it’s still a great miniature to have anyways.
So if there’s a Dungeon Master you’ve been wanting to get a gift for, maybe see if they’re looking for a new dragon. They might appreciate it so much they’ll show you mercy when you inevitably have to fight it.
The tabletop board game Munchkin has seen a multitude of tie-ins and spinoffs, including a number of comic-themed expansions. Munchkin Dungeon, however, is a new game that builds on what Munchkin started. Rather than kicking down door after door, players travel through different levels of the dungeon to fight progressively stronger monsters and gain fame. Of course, it still includes a fair degree of Munchkin-style backstabbing, but it’s enough of a variation from the original game to be something entirely new and fun.
Also: even more miniatures to paint.
Ramon Piña
One Must Imagine Scott Free Happy ($15.99 retail)
Darkseid Is. Also, academic & critic essays about the award-winning book from King and Gerads is.
Watchmen: An HBO Limited Series ($27.59 retail)
This series surprised everyone with how exceptionally good it was, and I believe that to see it on streaming wouldn’t make it justice, it has feel like an event, and to do so, this Blu-ray set is the best option.
“Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man Omnibus” ($125.00 retail)
All of Miles’s adventures on the Ultimate Universe in one tome, there’s no better way to read it.
“Ever: The Way Out” ($17.99-$27.99 retail)
We have to support independent creators and no one is doing what Terry Moore is doing, buy whatever you want from him, but his first-ever OGN is the best option for a gift this Christmas.
Continued belowHumble Book Bundle: Be the Change Supporting the American Library Association (Pay what you want, but $20.00 gives you everything)
Every Humble Bundle makes a great gift, a bunch of comics (or videogames or books) for as little as one dollar, come on it’s a steal!
The best example in the site right now is this bundle featuring PoC creators and characters, with books like “Incognegro,” “Goldie Vance” and “Bitter Root”! Plus, you support the ALA.
James Dowling
“Royal City: The Complete Collection” ($44.99 retail)
There were a mountain of great comics redone, repackaged and reformatted for your reading pleasure this year, so what makes “Royal City” the book to grab? Well it’s accessible, it’s relatable, it’s subversive and even if you bought it for your snootiest, most comics-adverse relative, they’d begrudgingly see the quality in it. This book is an unabashed musical, graphical joy that will bring on waves of introspections for even the most comfortably close of family units over this most festive season.
Shirts by Jesse Lonergan and Erica Henderson (Somewhere between $20 and $30)
There are a bunch of really talented artists just printing weird and wonderful stuff on shirts (and mugs, and stickers, and probably your skin if you brought them a pack of needles, a ballpoint pen and twenty bucks), so if you’re like me and have an unhealthy obsession with graphic tees but also happen to be needlessly allergic to corporate merchandise then these artist-designed shirts are definitely the way to go. I’ve brought some from both Erica Henderson and Jesse Lonergan and I wear them unhygienically often. They’re just inexplicably amazing, and a pretty nifty way to support your hardworking artists.
“Blue in Green” ($17.99 retail)
In a similar vein, “Blue in Green” was indisputably the best original graphic novel I got to read this year. It’s a little more niche than “Royal City” but no less engaging or thematically resonant, with that same power to straddle ideas about family, creation and obsession. If you know someone interested in horror, jazz or the assorted telepathic attacks of David Lynch then “Blue in Green” is as good a gift for them as anything.
Christopher Egan
Waxwork Records’s Release of The Bride of Frankenstein Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ($27.00 retail)
To celebrate the 85th Anniversary of one of the greatest film sequels ever made, Waxwork Records has released the complete score by composer Franz Waxman. Sourced from the original master recordings found at the Syracuse University archives, this score has been meticulously restored and remastered. Waxwork Records worked closely with both Universal Pictures for this historic release, as well as having all likeness artwork approved by both Universal, and the Bride herself, actress Elsa Lancaster’s estate.
Featuring brand new, and simply incredible album art by Phantom City Creative, this is a special vinyl pressing that should not be missed by fans. This is the first time this score has ever been released on vinyl in its entirety. Pressed on a 180-gram black and white swirled colored vinyl, this release also features a 12″ x 12″ booklet with new photos and release information, scoring session photography, and liner notes.
Waxwork still lists the vinyl as a pre-order with a January release, but it is already shipping, I myself already have my copy – and it sounds wonderful.
Original Comic Book Pages, Covers, & Commissions from Splash Page Art
Having your own piece of original comic book art can be a wonderful thing. It’s a one-of-a-kind piece of art that can’t be seen on 1000 t-shirts or endlessly printed from a random website. Sure, you might see prints of the finished product, as it is seen in a book, but it isn’t the original pencils, the page that the artist stressed and sweated over as they tried to craft the best work possible for fans. Now you can gift one of these pieces to the dedicated fan in your life. Splash Page Art carries original pages, covers, and commission openings from dozens of the best artists in the industry.
Continued belowDuncan Fegredo, Charlie Adlard, Sean Phillips, Dave Gibbons, Jason Howards, Jock, Ben Stenbeck, Tonci Zonjic, and many, many more all have original pieces up for sale. Splash Page directly represents 100+ artists and also works as an art dealer for nearly 100 more. Prices range from the 2 to 5-digit range, with most ranging between $50-$250, so there are incredible pieces listed no matter your wallet size.
Not only are you getting something that no one else will have in their collection, you are directly supporting the artists you love. New pages get added frequently so there is always something new coming in.
“Paper Girls” Deluxe Edition, Volume 3 ($27.87)
“Paper Girls” released its final issue over a year ago in July 2019, but the series was getting a full run re-print in three, oversized hardcover ‘Deluxe’ editions. The first two volumes came out fairly quickly, but it’s been a much longer wait for the third and final hardcover. It just dropped on November 18th, but for many fans, they may be waiting for a kind-hearted friend or family member to get them this final volume for the holiday season.
For those unfamiliar, “Paper Girls” follows a group of tween girls in the mid 1980s who get pulled into a fantastical multiverse adventure. An excellent series for tweens to adults, it makes for a great read in our post-Stranger Things existence. Written, drawn, and colored by living legends Brian K. Vaughn, Cliff Chiang, and Matt Wilson, respectively. It’s another hit from Image Comics, and I know more than a few people who would love seeing this appear in their hands as they rip through the wrapping paper.
The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy 4K Bluray Boxset ($89.99)
One Ring to Rule Them All! What LOTR fanatic hasn’t been dying for the film series to get a proper 4K release? It has finally arrived, and it is a spectacle to behold, containing both the theatrical and extended cuts of all three films. There are multiple sets being released, but they all come down to boxset style, and physical bonus items. All materials on discs are the same across the various sets. This is an absolute must gift. You will be the hero of Middle-earth in your favorite Hobbit’s eyes.
Corrina Lawson
“Superman Smashes the Klan”
Superman stands for “truth, justice, and the American Way,” but what does that really mean in these times? And what did it mean decades ago?
Those are the questions this wonderful tale, first published as single-issue comics, attempts to answer. It’s set in 1946, as a family moves from their neighborhood in Chinatown to a more central location in Metropolis, one that is mostly white. Primarily, this is a lovely coming-of-age story, as teenagers Tommy and Roberta Lee struggle to find out who they want to be, complicated by society’s pressure to assimilate. Roberta’s an engaging character, interested in new experiences, and nosy as a future reporter should be.
The illustration is aimed at an all-ages audience but the simpler-style conveys complex emotions and situations well, especially in a sequence when Superman has to rescue a drowning boy.
As you might have guessed given its title, “Superman Smashes the Klan” is about organized societal hatred pushing back against any sort of change that people feel threatens them. The story–and Superman within the story–pulls no punches concerning its villains, especially how society protects them rather than the objects of their hatred.
I would say that this is a great story to create a discussion with children about racism and about how to be actively anti-racist, but that would be incorrect as it’s a great story for anyone to do those things. This is one of those Superman stories that should end up on “Best of” lists for years to come.
Digimon: The Movie (soundtrack MP3) ($9.49 Amazon)
Sample some of the ’90s’s greatest hits as curated within the revolutionary Digimon: The Movie. You’ll never get tired of hearing songs like Smash Mouth’s “All Star,” Barenaked Ladies’s “One Week,” or The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’s “The Impression That I Get.” Cinematic scoring peaked with this one, folks.
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Star Wars: Light of the Jedi (The High Republic) ($28.99 retail)
Ok, so this doesn’t actually come out until after the holidays, but what better way is there to ring in the new year than by reading a new Star Wars story set in a completely unexplored era of time. Charles Soule is a great writer, having penned some of the best of the current era of Star Wars comics. The Star Wars novels have been a bit of a mixed bag under Disney but I’m hoping this one kicks off the next great era of the Star Wars expanded universe.
“Batman” by Grant Morrison Omnibus Vol. 1 ($75.00 retail)
The third and final omnibus of Grant Morrison’s Batmagnum opus came out this year, but I’m highlighting the first volume for two reasons. First, it’s the obvious place to start for new readers who haven’t experienced the greatest run of Caped Crusader comics. Second, I only recently learned that this edition includes to brand new pages by Chris Burnham that summarize the ‘Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul’ crossover. Are two new pages of Burnham art worth double dipping for fans who already own the series in singles or trades. I’m going to simp and say “yes!”
Kingdom Hearts All-in-One Package ($39.99 retail)
This one is aimed at PS4 owners but the games are on Xbox One as well. This is every single Kingdom Hearts game, sans the mobile game and the recently released Melody of Memory. Simply the best deal in gaming, literally hundreds of hours of great gameplay and draw dropping madness. Treat yourself or someone you know to Nomura’s wild ride.
Brian Salvatore
“All Together Now” ($12.99 retail)
The ‘Eagle Rock’ series by Hope Larson are among my favorite books of the past few years, perfectly encapsulating creativity, longing, personal growth, and the general bitchiness of middle school. I recommend this all the time to folks of all ages.
“The Power of Shazam” Vol 1 ($49.99 retail)
The ’90s remain my favorite decade of DC because of the competing realities that lurk within it. On one hand, you’ve got a dead Superman, a Batman with a broken back, a new Green Lantern, and the formation of a new Justice Society. On the other, you’ve got a straight up retro Marvel family book in “The Power of Shazam,” which is by far the longest running Shazam post-“Crisis On Infinite Earths.” It’s such a fantastic book, and one that is often slept on. I’m so glad that DC is reprinting this in these new collections. Jerry Ordway and co. tell some amazing stories here that are timeless and wonderful.
Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection ($29.99 retail)
I was recently sent one of these for…something coming soon to Multiversity…and I was struck by just how beautiful of a collection this is. Treated as art, these lightsabers are beautifully rendered and really show the differences between the various weapons. Of extra interest to me is the first real deep dive into Rey’s lightsaber she debuts at the end of The Rise of Skywalker. A gorgeous book for any coffee table, here or in a galaxy far, far away.
No Thank You Evil ($39.99 retail)
This was a gift from my friend and podcast co-host Matt Liguori, and my kids and I have had so much fun playing it. Introducing them to role playing at a young age is something that I never thought would get the seal of approval from, well, anyone in my house, but we’ve all had fun, and it is helping them tell stories, enjoy themselves, and spend time together. It’s a winner.
