Comic Christmas List 2010 Part 3: Expensive stuff

For the final chapter of the Comic Christmas List, I thought it would be fun to list the gifts you can only hope to purchase/receive.

Below is a list of comic-geek gifts your broke-ass can't afford.

1. Anything from alexrossart.com



Look at this picture - it's fucking awesome. With this said, there are 24,000 reasons why you will never get closer than you are right now to this piece of art.

2. Conan's Sword



Forged in Spain, this is the sword that Arnold used to carve out a name for himself in Hollywood. It is also the best non-gun burglar deterrent on the market. With this said, this sword is listed at nearly 700 bucks, which is equivalent to selling a kidney at half price.

3. Captain America #100

Unless Grandma adds a couple of zeroes to her regular Christmas check, you don't have a hope in hell of seeing Sideshow Collectible's drool-worthy presentation of Captain America #100 under the tree.



At the risk of inundating my blog with an ultimately depressing list of cool things that only the crazy and/or rich will bother to purchase, I will stop here, and work on my next post, which is more aligned with the general tone of this blog. Before signing off, I will leave you with a Christmas wish and a G.I.PSA courtesy of Roadblock.

Merry Christmas and "Don't jump your bike over downed power lines. Remember, don't play around electric wires or you could be playing with fire."

Comic Christmas List 2010 Part 2: Apparel and Decor

In Part 2 of the Comic Christmas list, I will catalogue and discuss apparel, decor and all the crap we'd love to have but simply cannot afford.

Apparel

Superherostuff.com has an amazing assortment of superhero apparel that will surely make any comic geek's day, not to mention Christmas. Here are some of my personal favourites.

1. Iron Fist Pint Glass



This pint glass achieves the rarely seen coming together of beer and kung-fu - both are awesome in their own right, but when brought together as a single entity are unstoppable. Give your comic-loving friend the gift of awesome with this.

2. Green Lantern Rage Keychain



While I can admit to knowing very little of the Green Lantern universe, I can admit to loving this keychain because it is, in some cases, ironic and in others, very appropriate. Further, this is a great stocking stuffer because it's cheap and cheap is good.

3. G.I. Joe Cobra Messenger Bag



The G.I. Joe love continues with this international terrorist-inspired messenger bag. In addition to looking cool, this bag is also a bully deterrent.

Maybe not.

4. Wonder Woman Cami & Panty Set



Admit it - in some shape or form, you've thought of this.

Pervert.

5. Tokidoki Thor T-Shirt



Tokidoki stuff is original, inspired, not to mention cute as hell, and takes the edge of superheroes. You can find this and other similar t-shirts over at Tokidoki.

Decor
1. Batman Lava Lamp



While not the most friendly lamp by which to read comics, this Batman lava lamp is a cool addition to any bedroom or office. Instructions on "how not to meet women" are not included.

2. Thanos Diorama



In addition to other intellectual properties Sideshow Collectibles pays tribute to Marvel Comics with some pretty amazing pieces. Based on pure bad-assness, I selected this depiction of the mad titan, Thanos, and his woman, Death for display. You'd better have some patience and some deep pockets if you want to get a hold of this one - Thanos is presently listed at 359.99 US$ and you'll need to wait for it.

3. Comic Cubes



The guys at Comic Cubes have developed the best possible storage option for your collection; for, functionality aside, these cubes, unlike your stacks of longboxes, don't stick out like a sore thumb.

4. Iron Man Poster by Marko Djurdjevic



In my opinion, Marko Djurdjevic's art will soon rival Alex Ross' in terms of what he will do for Marvel as far as cover work goes. This widescreen Iron Man piece is amazing and, properly framed, will look great on anyone's wall. You can find this and more at comicsinfinity.com.

5. Comic Art

Finally, no shopping spree is complete without a trip to The Artist's Choice, a one-stop shop for all your original comic art needs. Contrary to other sites that sale original pieces, "The Artist's Choice" offers prospective buyers a broad range of prices. Check it out for yourself.

That's it for today. I know I promised a look some stuff you simply can't afford today, but I am tired. Part 3 will have to wait until tomorrow.

Comic Christmas List 2010 Part 1: Comics and Movies

The best part of the snowy season is nearly upon us. With the true spirit of Christmas in mind (receiving), I thought I'd list some comic book items that deserve a spot under your tree, next to baby Jesus. Today's post will feature a look at books and trades, and movies.

Books n' Trades

1. Captan America Omnibus by Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting & Co.



If "24" was a comic and kicked even more ass, this would be it. The Omnibus collects the first twenty-five issues of one of the greatest current ongoing runs in modern comics. Featuring healthy doses of action and espionage, Brubaker's run brings past and present together, which, to me, is a compelling effort that makes Cap more relevant and interesting than ever.

2. WE3 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely



Although this trade weighs in at a scant three issues, it makes a case for tight story telling (i.e. less is more), not to mention animal rights. While none of the three main characters can speak all that much, Morrison and Quitely evoke a fairly strong emotional response with their story of three experimental weapons on the run from the military.

3. G.I. Joe: Cobra by Christos Gage and Mike Costa



Tired of watching your favourite intellectual property get the Village People treatment? Yeah, me too. If my earlier post about this comic failed to convince you that it's more than worth your money, then simply take my word for it.

4. The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 1 by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn



Zombies are great. 1088 pages of zombies is fucking awesome. You can grab the first eight volumes Kirkman's epic tale of survival horror for bottom dollar at Amazon. This would make a great gift for anyone who's watching AMC's The Walking Dead or anyone who loves zombies.

5. Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross by Alex Ross



If photorealistic water colour paintings of superheroes don't float your boat then you are dead inside. Get this for someone and make sure to pick up a copy for yourself.

6. Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book by Gerard Jones



This gem is a historical review of the surprisingly ruthless early days of comic books in America. Anyone remotely interested in sequential art absolutely needs to read this story of the birth of the comic industry.

Movies
While in my opinion there were only two comic book movies worth watching this year, against better judgement, I am recommending three.

1. Iron Man 2



Iron Man 2 is awesome. With the origin story out of the way, Jon Favreau delved deeper into Marvel lore with an action packed romp through the world of Marvel's iron-clad version of James Bond. Scarlett Johansson literally rounds out the all-star cast with her performance as Black Widow. The Avengers easter eggs alone make this movie a must-have.


2. Kick-Ass



Many people will argue that Mark Millar has sold out and is only writing comics that will optioned in to films. I don't really care because I'd do the same thing.

Kick-Ass is a rare comic book movie as almost everyone likes it. At it's core Kick-Ass is about good samaritans trying to do the right thing but finding themselves in hot water before long. In addition to Chloe Moretz's iconic performance as the potty-mouthed assassin, Hit-Girl, all the actors deliver strong performances that resonate with audience members. Hell, even Nic Cage, who sucks, puts on a great show as the Adam West-inspired homicidal maniac, Big-Daddy.

3. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World



If someone you know has A.D.D., likes drugs, is into Manga-influenced shit and/or likes Michael Cera, then get this for him/her. I needed beer to get through this movie and that didn't even help all that much.

Coming tomorrow - Apparel, decor and stuff you can't afford!