Holiday gift ideas for the comic book geek in your life - Part I

By Ryan Riley, Contributor

The holiday season is well under way, and that means the time has come to shop for Christmas (or Kwanzaa, or Chanukah, or Festivus) present for friends, family and loved ones. If you have someone in your life that is a self-professed comic book geek and are having trouble finding a suitable present for them, this series of articles is meant for the likes of you. If you are a self-professed comic book geek and simply want to scope out some of the goodies to be had this holiday season for yourself, these articles are also for you.

This first article will focus on some of the finer graphic novels that are currently available for purchase. Some of these books are pretty highly priced, but all of them will prove to be a worthy addition to your bookshelf, if for no other reason than they are mostly hardcover editions.

Absolute Watchmen (DC Comics, $75.00)

The trailer for the upcoming adaptation of this book touts it as "The most celebrated graphic novel of all time". There aren't a lot of fanboys that could make a convincing argument otherwise. Any comic book enthusiast worth their salt will have Watchmen in their collection. But this "Absolute" version of the book is an ideal present, as there probably aren't a lot of people that have this premium slipcase hardcover edition. With restored artwork & coloring by Wildstorm FX & John Higgins (the colorist on the original mini-series), you won't find a more visually stunning version of the book. It also contains 48 pages of supplemental material, like portions of Alan Moore's original script, concept sketches by Dave Gibbons among other things.

The Ultimates Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 Hardcover (Marvel, $29.99 each)

Like many other comic book fans, I was blown away by how well-done the "Iron Man" movie was. I even liked Edward Norton as Bruce Banner in "The Incredible Hulk". But the thing I was most impressed with was the fact that they were both interconnected with the intention of bringing these characters together (along with Captain America & Thor after their own films are completed) in an Avengers movie. This unprecedented film-making approach was borne largely from the work done on The Ultimates by Mark Millar & Bryan Hitch. Heck, "Iron Man" even snagged the idea of casting Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury from Millar & Hitch.

The Ultimates, like all of the other titles in Marvel's Ultimate line of books, takes the brainchildren of Jack Kirby & Stan Lee and gives them a more contemporary origin. In this case, Millar reinvented the concept of the Avengers as a government-sanctioned group of superhumans called the Ultimates. Some of the characters in the Ultimates are reimagined by magnifying personality flaws (Tony Stark as a functioning alcoholic, Hank Pym as an abusive, pill-popping headcase) while others are reinvented by Millar asking the simple question "Why have these characters been portrayed a certain way all these years?" Among his solutions to this dilemma were a Captain America that had no compunctions about using guns and a Hulk that went around eating people and robbing the corpse of an obese man for pants that would fit him. These books don't have any special features that you can't find in the normal trade paperbacks, but that's beside the point. This is probably the one Marvel book I would recommend to people that wouldn't normally read a comic book, it is that darn good.

Heroes Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 Hardcover (Wildstorm, $29.95 each)

As a fan of the TV show "Heroes", I will be the first to admit that the show has lost its way a bit. We're all hoping that that the writers will do something to make sure the series turn the corner before it jumps the shark, but until then you can content yourself by delving more into additional backstory from seasons 1 & 2. Both Heroes hardcovers collect the webcomics that were published on the show website between episodes. They are a series of vignettes similar in style to the mini-stories done in the Classic X-Men reprints back in the 1980's. In some cases they offer a little history lesson, such as Noah (a.k.a. HRG) meeting Claire for the first time or the first meeting between Linderman & Papa Petrelli in Vietnam. There are also other tales that offer substantial roles for bit-playing characters like Eden and Hana Gitelman (a.k.a. Wireless). It is a must have for any fan of "Heroes".

World of Warcraft Vol. 1 Hardcover (Wildstorm, $29.95)

This book is meant for the comic book fan that can't seem to tear himself away from World of Warcraft, the MMORPG from Blizzard that has taken many a gamer away from the outside world. With the "Wrath of the Lich King" expansion freshly released, these gamers have been pulled away again. This collection, which contains issues #0-7 written by comics icon Walt Simonson, tells the tale of an amnesiac human that emerges in Horde territory. After his enslavement by an Orc Shaman, he embarks on a quest to regain his lost memories that pits him against Horde & Alliance alike. This story could be just the thing to lure the gamer in your life from his PC long enough to open their Christmas presents and enjoy a holiday feast with your family before he or she disappear back into the land of Azeroth.

The Umbrella Academy: The Apocalypse Suite Limited Edition Hardcover (Dark Horse Comics, $79.95)

I'll confess that I didn't really have high hopes for this book when I heard that it was written by Gerard Way, the lead singer of the Emo-charged rock group My Chemical Romance. But I have to give credit where it is due, it's actually a very well-written and well-conceived story. The Umbrella Academy tells the tale of seven children that were born of women that had shown no signs of pregnancy and developed superpowers. They are brought together and adopted by a millionaire inventor to save the world. They disband, only to come back together when their adopted father dies. This unique story has the potential to get the Emo-kid in your life into comic books.

Bone: One Volume Edition (Cartoon Books, $39.95)

This is the one comic book that I would heartily recommend for readers of all ages. Previously collected in multiple trade paperbacks that are now somewhat hard to find, this single edition presents the perfect point for new readers. Bone is so highly regarded that in 2005, Time Magazine touted it as one of the ten greatest graphic novels of all time. The story opens with the main protagonists are the three cartoon character-looking Bone cousins, the level-headed Fone Bone, the slow-witted Smiley Bone and the avaricious Phoney Bone are smarting from having been run out of their hometown of Boneville due to the antics of Phoney. After being separated and accosted by "stupid, stupid rat creatures", they end up in a mysterious valley, where they meet the lovely Thorn and her grandmother, Grandma Ben, whose hobbies include engaging in protracted footraces with cows. Bone is a wonderful blend of fantasy and humor, and would make a perfect gift for both adults & children.

Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall (DC/Vertigo, $29.99)

In the very first article I wrote for this blog I revealed that Green Lantern is my favorite superhero of all time. But there is a big difference between a great comic book character and a great comic book. In that regard, I'd have to say that Fables is my all time favorite comic book. The book is about storybook characters we all grew up with like Snow White, Old King Cole, the Big Bad Wolf, etc., that have been exiled from their homelands in other dimensions and are living in New York. That in itself is an intriguing notion, but it is the writing of Bill Willingham that makes Fables a must-read story. 1001 Nights of Snowfall is told in similar fashion to Neil Gaiman's Sandman: Endless Nights, featuring stories about many of the core cast of Fables that reveal both what led each character to escape their homeland and hidden, more sinister aspects of each character's origins. Ever wondered what really happened with Snow White and those dwarves or how the Big Bad Wolf gained the ability to blow away the houses of little piggies? This book has the delightfully dark answers. And because it is not part of the regular series, it is pretty safe to give to someone that is already a Fables fan as they might not have bought it for themselves yet.

In conclusion...

As always, if there is a great graphic novel gift idea that you think I left out, leave some feedback in the box below. Who knows, you might just know of a gift that I can have my lovely wife get me for the holidays.

In the days ahead I'll be writing subsequent articles in this series that will highlight gifts for comic book geeks in other media, such as DVD's, video games, collectible books and other items.