Welcome to part two of the annual Chapel Hill Comics Holiday Shopping Guide. If you haven’t checked out part one by Erin, which is all about gifts which cost twenty bucks or less, you should!
What’s our best-selling graphic novel series in the store? It’s Bone, by Jeff Smith! We recommend it to anyone looking for a comic for their kid or for themselves. It’s a fantasy series with wonderful cartoony art, and some of the best-paced visual jokes in comics. It’s a big fantasy epic, but it never loses its sense of humor, regardless of how scary things get for the heroes. It’s great for boys, girls, men or women. If you like fantasy, you will like this series! There are nine volumes, and they are all either $9.99 or $10.99.
You may be saying, “Hey, you’ve already sold me Bone, and we loved it! What else ya got?”
Well, for starters, there is a prequel by Jeff Smith and Charles Vess called Rose, which is about Grandma Ben as a young woman. It’s a single volume story which shows you some of how things came to be the way they are at the time of the main Bone storyline. It’s $10.99.
Read Rose already? How about a Fone Bone plush figure? That’s right, the main character of the Bone story has been immortalized in plush, and is two feet tall, making him “life-sized!” This plush doll is normally priced at $40, but we were lucky enough to get a deal on a big batch of these, and we’ve been selling them at $20 or free with the purchase of $50 in kids’ books! Supplies are limited on this doll; we’re down to around 20% of what we started with.
OTHER COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR THE KIDS:
And hey, Bone may be great, but it’s not the only thing out there. If your kid has enjoyed the Bone series, he or she would probably like these fine items as well:
Mouse Guard, by David Peterson, is an all ages comic about mice with swords. It’s beautifully drawn, and kids who are into the art can spend hours watchingthe mice battle crabs, snakes, owls, and other giant monsters! There are two hardcover collections of this comic, which cost $24.95 each.
Amulet is a series by Kazu Kibuishi, who was recruited to Scholastic by Jeff Smith, so they are definitely thematically linked. This is a series about a brother and sister whose mom is kidnapped by monsters, and they rush to save her. There are two books in the series available so far, and they are $10.99 each.
There’s a good chance you’ve read The Wind in the Willows, the classic kids’ book by Kenneth Grahame, but have you read the comic adaptation by French watercolor master Michel Plessix? It’s the only comic adaptation of a book which I’ve read that I like better than the original. He depicts all four seasons with equal care and beauty; watching Mole, Rat Badger, and Toad move aound in and interact with the world is a treat. I’ve read this adaptation many times, and it is ingrained in my memory. This week, when Vanessa and I were outside walking in the woods on a lovely winter day, I remarked that I was reminded of the Wind in the Willows. Dude, I’m comparing nature to this comic, so you know it’s good. There’s one paperback, and it’s $13.95.
There’s also the Stuff of Legend, a new comic series about a bunch of toys who go rushing into the closet to save their boy when he is abducted by the Boogeyman. This has lovely, atmospheric art, and there are two issues so far. They cost $4.99. I notice Erin’s list includes Stuff to Legend too, but that’s cool; it deserves two mentions.
SIGNED BOOKS FOR ASPIRING WRITERS AND FANTASY READERS
We had a book signing last week with several authors, including fantasy writer Jeff Vandermeer. Mr. Vandermeer was kind enough to sign copies of his books for us to keep available for those of you who wanted to make the event but couldn’t.
Finch is a steampunk murder mystery set in the darkly foreboding fictional city of Ambergris. It’s solid stuff, and should apply to folks who enjoy the work of authors like China Mieville. And hey, not only do you get the book, Jeff was kind enough to leave us with copies of the Finch soundtrack by Murder by Death, which has one of the coolest CD designs I have ever seen. There’s no increase in price for the signature, so for $14.95, you’re getting a signed copy of a great book, and a CD.
And if you’re an aspiring writer or an established one, you’ll enjoy his other new book, Booklife. It’s about writing and about promoting yourself as a writer, which is key knowledge for anyone trying to get ahead in any creative venture. Booklife is also $14.95.
We’ve also got copies of some of Jeff’s other books in stock, to go along with these when you pick them up!
FOR THE ART LOVER:
James Jean is a spectacular artist who grew to prominence as the cover artist on Fables, the series about fairy tale characters who live in modern-day New York. We always do very well with his art books, and since the first three of his art books are out of print, we stocked up heavily on all his stuff which came out in 2009. He’s also designing for Prada now, and while we don’t have any of his dresses in stock, we think these fine items would be more than an adequate substitute:
Process Recess 3 is a beautiful art book which reproduces Mr. Jean’s sketchbooks in all their intricately detailed glory. We’re also one of the few shops out there that have promotional discs which were made from the circular piece die-cut out of the cover, so you have the choice of making your copy of Process Recess whole or carrying around the disc for good luck! $34.95.
Kindling is a collection of frameable prints by Mr. Jean. You can leave them in the book, or you can pull them out and hang them on your wall. Kindling even includes a 23″ gatefold poster. $29.95.
And if you’re thinking smaller, we’ve got copies of Mr. Jean’s postcard book, XOXO. Erin already covered this lovely little item in the budget gifts section, so I’ll crib from her: James Jean’s XOXO postcard collection makes a great gift for an art lover or a prolific postcard-writer. The beautiful illustrations are perfect for decorating in an office or dorm room, too. $9.95.
MY FAVORITE GRAPHIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR:
This has been a good year for graphic novels. We got Incognito from Brubaker and Phillips, the second volume of Umbrella Academy from Way and Ba, and Darwyn Cooke’s superb adaptation of Richard Stark’s The Hunter, the fifth volume in Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim series, and many more. But none of those are my favorite graphic novel of the year.
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli is a straight-up masterpiece. He uses the medium in ways I haven’t seen before, and does things I really don’t think you could do with any other medium. Mr. Mazzucchelli understands that comics is a synthesis of words and pictures, and baby, he synthesizes! So what’s it about, right? Well, the title character, Asterios Polyp is an architect who, prompted by disaster, set out on a journey to discover himself. It’s a love story about how people change each other by being in their lives. It’s beautiful. I heartily recommend it. It’s a big fat hardcover, and it’s $29.95.
READ THE BOOK BEFORE YOU SEE THE MOVIE:
Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim is one of our best-selling graphic novel series. Two of the books are in our top ten best-selling books of the year, and the other three and in out top forty. Why do we sell them so well? Because we love them, and because most folks who pickup the first volume come back for the later volumes. The Scott Pilgrim is a hybrid of action, comedy, and romance which is hilariously entertaining. The gist of the storyline is that Scott has to fight his new girlfriend Ramona’s seven evil ex-boyfriends. In addition to the over-the-top angsty drama of Scott and his friends (and his band, Sex Bob-Omb), you also get awesome video game style fights.
Folks who work and shop at Chapel Hill Comics are not the only ones who love this series, though. Edgar Wright, director of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, is a big fan too, and he is the director of a Scott Pilgrim movie due of in 2010. From what we understand, it’s going to be good, so lots of folks are going to want to see it, and just like with Sin City, Persepolis, and Hellboy, they’re going to want to read the original books before they see the movie. There are five books so far, with a sixth and final book scheduled to drop before the movie in 2010, and they’re $11.95 each.
While this list includes many of the items I expect to work well for lots of people over the next few weeks, it’s certainly not comprehensive, so if looking at our lists doesn’t help you decide on a gift, come in the store and ask the staff to help you find something. Or if you’d rather let your giftee choose for themselves, we sell gift certificates in any denomination!
Well, folks, it’s holiday shopping time, and we realize that those of you who are shopping for gifts may need some help. Well, we’re happy to take some of that burden from you. This is the first part of our 2009 Holiday Gift Guide, as assembled by the ever-knowledgeable Erin!
We’re proud to present Stocking Stuffers & Secret Santa Gifts for every budget!
Under $20:
Baby Oberon by Leah Riley.
We just got in a bunch of super-cute plush from local designer Leah Riley! From the squeezable purple penguin to the teeny tiny acorn with a face, there’s something for everyone to coo over–both kids and kids at heart. $12 and up, though a few are above $20. Click here to Leah’s flickr page so you can check out all the dolls!
Hammer Rose, one of the many Piperoids available at Chapel Hill Comics.
Make it a Robot Christmas with our wide selection of Piperoids! These little papercraft guys are super easy to put together with some fine motor skills and patience. All you need are scissors. The sturdy paper means you can have plenty of robot battles, or just use their vise-like jaws to hold your important memos. They’d even make cute ornaments! Check out the examples we have assembled in the store for more details. $14.99-$19.99 Click here to learn more about the Piperoids characters at PIPEROIDS.COM!
Amigurumi Knits by Hansi Singh.
Amazing Amigurumi! What is that, you ask? Amigurumi are little crochet or knit creatures you can make! We have plenty of pattern books for both methods with a wide variety of creatures inside, including sea creatures and robots! Get one as a present, or give it to yourself and use it to make your own cute presents! $12.95-$21.95 Freak-O-Bags by Julie Armbruster
For the environmentally friendly sci-fi lover in your life, why not get them a Freak*O*Bag? Designed with love by artist Julie Armbruster in Asheville, NC, these little monsters each contain a sturdy, re-useable shopping sack! Choose from a scaredy octopus, a spooky bat, or a tusked walrus! $19.99
ABC3D.
Need a gift for a graphic designer or font lover? Check out ABC3D by Marion Bataille. This amazing pop-up book is mesmerizing for kids and grownups! The red, white, and black color scheme is equally arresting, and the lenticular cover is sure to impress! &19.95
The Fir-Tree, The Gift of the Magi,and A Kidnapped Sant Claus.
If you’re in the mood for something more holiday themed, check out these three small volumes illustrated by well-known comics artists. My favorite is The Fir-Tree, the classic fairy tale accompanied by Lilli Carre’s folk art imagery. Joel Priddy beautifully brings to life The Gift of the Magi, and Alex Robinson’s art adds just the right touch to L. Frank Baum’s Christmas oddity, A Kidnapped Santa Claus. $14.99.
Some of the Many Uglydolls at Chapel Hill Comics.
Of course, there are always Uglydolls! The 7” dolls come in a wide variety of spectacular colors, now including fluorescent pink, vivid orange, and bright blue! Check out your favorite character in a different color combination! $11.99.
Under $10:
Just some of the DC Direct Action Figures available at low prices.
We’re still having a big sale on DC Direct Action Figures, so come by and check that out! We’ve got Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and tons more! The more you buy, the more you save. $6-$10 each.
The Tower of Minimates.
There are plenty of Minimates in the store right now, and they make great stocking stuffers! Each package contains 2 superheroes plus accessories. We have Superman, Wonder Woman, the very popular Wolverine and Deadpool, plus lots of others! $9.99
Ebola, Herpes, the Pox, and many more.
Giant Microbes make great gifts for your friends or your enemies! There are cute, friendly bugs like Bookworm and Sea Sparkle, or gross germs like Swine Flu and Gangrene. Almost guaranteed to produce squeals of delight (or disgust)! $8.99-$9.99
XOXO by James Jean.
James Jean’s XOXO postcard collection makes a great gift for an art lover or a prolific postcard-writer. The beautiful illustrations are perfect for decorating in an office or dorm room, too. $9.95
Uglydoll Keychains.
If you only want a little Ugly this holiday, check out our Uglydoll keychains! We have just about every character in stock. If you’ve had your fill of plushy goodness, there are three Uglydoll Guides for you to enjoy this holiday. We also have two kinds of Uglydoll action figures! The green boxes contain a surprise character with a bendy waist and arms, while the red boxes hold Ice-Bats of varying colors that GLOW IN THE DARK! The super-glow action has been vigorously tested by the scientists here at Chapel Hill Comics, so you know it’ll be awesome. $6.99-$8.99
Ghost World Figures. You can open the box on these guys to see who you’re getting.
Perhaps you find Uglydolls just too ugly? Then take a look at our Ghost Land figurines! Perfect for haunting your desk or bookshelf, the five varieties of ghost come in multiple see-through colors. $8.99
Stuff of Legend, one of the finest debut comics of the year.
For the more literary among you, we have plenty of books and comics to enjoy. Try the two-issue series The Stuff of Legend, a creepy fairy tale for older kids & grownups. $4.99
Lone Wolf and Cub volume 1!
Also under ten bucks is each volume of the classic adult manga series Lone Wolf & Cub, all about a samurai, his baby, and their adventures. Bone, our most popular kids’ series, is under ten dollars per book and always in stock. Bold color and a great story make these books perennial favorites. $9.99
Under $5:
A selection of some of our best-selling mini and small press comics!
If you have not noticed our excellent selection of small hilarious books, let me tell you, you’re missing out. Sad Animals, by local creator Adam Meuse, will have you giggling at the misfortunes of various adorable creatures. Girls Don’t Poop is a delightfully vivid exploration of the feminine mystique. And if you’ve already enjoyed these books, you can check out the other works by their authors: Meuse’s Social Insect and Joe Kimpel’s Prune Hands. Moustaches are quite in fashion these days, so take a look at Leah Riley’s 10 Things to Do With a Fake Moustache and get on trend. My favorite inappropriate humor comics are definitely the Boys Club series. You will find plenty of bodily function jokes and slacker humor within volumes 2 and 3, which can be read in any order. $2.50-$4.95
Wolverine Keychain.
Maybe you are too grown-up for action figures. Maybe your shelves are already overstuffed with mint-in-box Star Wars toys? Either way, we have Marvel Keychains that will satisfy your need for superheroes in a fraction of the space. Clip Wolverine, Hulk, Venom or Iron Man to your keys or your bag, and rock on. $4.99
Pocky!
The holidays are the perfect time for candy, and boy do we have plenty of that! Grab up some delicious fruity gummis in grape, pineapple, orange, and other flavors. They’re individually wrapped to maintain freshness (and avoid melting into a gooey ball), so your friends can enjoy them all season long! To go with your manga, or for that post-finals anime marathon, pick up some dark chocolate or strawberry Pocky. They make excellent stirrers for your coffee, tea, or cocoa, too! $1.99-$3.99
Pokemon stuff. The image includes some items which are priced higher than $5.
Five bucks will take care of your Pokemon needs at Chapel Hill Comics! We have booster packs of cards, tiny Pokemon figurines, and stories & activity books. $3.99 and up.
Hello, folks, and welcome to the 2008 Chapel Hill Comics Holiday Gift Guide! We’re cutting it a little close to the wire here, but, hey! You still have plenty of time to swing by and pick up a present for that special someone. Let’s get to it:
Hilarious Stocking Stuffers:
There are two fantastic mini-comics which make pretty much everyone who picks them up burst out laughing: Sad Animals by Adam Meuse and Girls Don’t Poop by Mario van Buren. They’re perfect gifts for the mature child or the childish adult, and they’re really affordable, too!
Stuff Designers and Toddlers love:
Charley Harper was an incredible designer and illustrator for over 50 years, who worked in a style he called “Minimal Realism.” We have in stock several of his works, in the form of board books and a memory game. His design sense is pretty much unmatched, and the animals he illustrated are instantly recognizable, which make this books great for very young kids or for people who are interested in design. Check them out: Charley Harper’s ABCs, Charley Harper’s 123s, and The Charley Harper Memory Game.
For kids of all ages who haven’t read Bone yet:
Bone! This is one of our best selling graphic novel series. It’s a great fantasy book with nice, cartoony art by Jeff Smith, an epic story, lots of humor (the Great Cow Race is one of my favorite things in a comic), and strong female characters. It works for absolutely anyone who likes fantasy and fun. It’s a great first comic for you to read with your six-year old kid, but be careful, you’ll love it so much yourself that you’ll come back for the second volume as soon as you’re done with the first. This is truly an all ages comic, and it’s in my top ten comics of all time. There are eight volumes of the nine-volume series available in color, with the ninth coming soon, as well as a gigantic black-and-white paperback which includes all nine volumes, and a couple of spinoffs which are also excellent!
For the Buffy Fan:
Do you need to buy gifts for a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Well, you’re in luck! The eighth season of Buffy is currently ongoing as a comic rather than a TV show. There are three paperback collections out so far. The series is overseen by Joss Whedon, creator of the TV show, and the first book was written by him. And speaking as a fan, they’re a very solid continuation of the show.
For those of you who like our diseases to have big, round eyes:
And there are apparently a ton of you out there, because these have been very popular this year: Giant Microbes! They’re plush top versions of microscopic maladies, like Rabies, Chicken Pox, and Polio, as well as other tiny things, like Yeast and Dust Mites!
Uglydolls:
We still have the area’s biggest selection of Uglydolls, which are a perennial seller for us. We got in a huge shipment at the beginning of the month, so our selection is strong!
For when you want to introduce a new reader to the joys of alternative comics:
We suggest McSweeney’s volume 13! McSweeney’s is a quarterly fiction anthology, and its thirteenth issue was edited by Chris Ware, of Acme Novelty Library. It’s been around for several years, but it’s a wonderful anthology so we recommend it regularly. It contains a true all-star sampling of comics by some of the most respected cartoonists in the field, like Lynda Barry, Dan Clowes, and many, many more. If you don’t know where to start, this is the place!
Speaking of Chris Ware:
Did you know there’s a new volume of his series Acme Novelty Library? There is! This has been a public service announcement. Thank you.
And yet another public service announcement:
You may not know that Art Spiegelman, creator of Maus and In the Shadow of No Towers has a new book out which has both new material and a fantastic selection of his underground stuff from back in the day. You know at least a couple of folks who have only read Maus. Why not show them what else he did?
For the Tori Amos fan:
There’s a great big graphic novel full of comics based on the lyrics of Tori Amos. This is a very well-produced book. The design is great, and the production values are through the roof. It’s pretty to look at regardless, but if you’re a big fan of Tori Amos, you’ll love it. If you’ve been looking for a way to introduce a friend to comic, and she loves Tori Amos, this is it! In addition to the standard edition, we also have one copy left of the slipcased hardcover edition signed by Tori, as well.
For the folks who loved The Dark Knight:
Heath Ledger was great in the Dark Knight, wasn’t he? Do you want to read a graphic novel in which the joker is just as disturbingly maniacal as he was in the movie? Then the new Joker hardcover by Brian Azarello and Lee Bermejo might be just the thing!
For fans of sick humor:
Graham Roumieu’s Bigfoot books are hilarious. They are presented as diaries with art which reminds me of Ralph Steadman’s but, well, funnier. They’re perfect for grownups with a sick sense of humor, but you’d have to look through them to see if they’re the kind of thing you’d like your teenager to read!
Hey, did you hear they’re making a movie…
Seen the trailer for the upcoming Watchmen movie and want to read the graphic novel first? Well, we have a ton of copies in stock, in paperback and hardcover, as well as a limited amount to the Watching the Watchmen hardcover for those folks who are interested in the process of creating the book! There’s a reason this has been one of the best-selling graphic novels in the industry and in the store for the last twenty years: because it’s great.
Well, there you go. Hopefully this guide will make your shopping chores this winter a little easier, and if we haven’t suggested anything here that’ll work for you, come on by the store and we’ll help you find something! We’re open from 10am until 9pm, except on Sunday, when we’re open from noon until 6pm, and, we’ll be open Christmas Eve until 6pm. We have a Kids’ Art Show opening Friday, December 19th at 6pm, so you can swing by then and pick up gifts and see art!
What up, everybody! For the third year in a row, we’ve put together a holiday shopping guide for you. It doesn’t reflect the complete breadth of what we carry by a long shot, but it’s a good list of stuff with a wide range of appeal. If none of the items on this page do it for you, just swing by the shop and we’ll be happy to make suggestions! We have gifts for everyone!
Books and Comics!
First of all, we have the Dangerous Book for Boys and the Daring Book for Girls. These are fantastic guides for kids to teach them everything from building a go-cart to being a spy, to manners! These have been fantastic sellers for us; they’re beautiful books chock full of fun stuff! You can click here to read Vanessa’s review of the dangerous Book for Boys.
We hosted Bryan Lee O’Malley and Hope Larson a few weeks ago, and they were kind enough to sign copies of their books for folks who couldn’t make it to the event! We have copies of Scott Pilgrim 1-4, Lost at Sea, Salamander Dreams, and Gray Horses. These comics are fantastic, and if you’re not familiar with them we have links to reviews here! You can’t get these just anywhere, and we’re not charging any more for the signature!
Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier is out, and we’ve got it! It’s currently sold out at the distributor level until the reprint is released after Christmas, but we are more than happy to provide you with the Black Dossier that you need! It’s half-comic, half-sourcebook, some of it’s in 3-D, they’re a tijuana bible bound in, it’s crazy stuff, and it’s a great gift for the Alan Moore fan!
Humongous Little Nemo and Walt and Skeezix from Sunday Press Books! These things are enormous! We featured the Little Nemo volume in our gift guide last year, and I’m ecstatic that Sunday Press has released another volume of comics printed at the original Sunday-paper size. These things are monsters, and some of the prettiest books I’ve ever seen.
Action Philosophers: It’s one of our top-selling graphic novel series year round, and they would make great gifts for the smarty-pants in your life. These are non-fiction comics abot philosophers with great, cartoony art, and the they’re exceptionally affordable! At $6.95, volume one could be in the stocking stuffer section, except that it’s too big for stockings!
Stocking Stuffers!
Tiny little Pokemon figures! We got like 280 of these little dudes in, and they’re ALL DIFFERENT. They’re Japanese imports that come individually wrapped, and are great little gifts for the Pokemaniac in your family at $4.99 each!
Japanese Snacks: from Pocky to Pucca to Gummies to Koala No March, we’ve got a ton of snacks for the Japanophile, or just for the dessert-lover who wants to try something new!
Chapel Hill Comics Apparel!
What do you think of this hat with the embroidered Chapel Hill Comics patch affixed? Pretty sweet, huh? They’re one size fits all, and $18.99!
We’ve also just gotten in the latest shipment of Chapel Hill Comics T-Shirts! They come in several colors and sizes: Mens’ Tees from S to XXL in Black, Brown, and Olive! Womens’ American Apparel Tees from S to L in Black, Brown, and Green! Kids’ Tees from S to L in Black! They’re $18.99, except for American Apparel and XXL shirts, which are $21.99!
Uglydolls!
We have many varieties of many sizes of Uglydoll in stock, for keychains on up to 2-foot Uglies! These are a perennial seller for us, but we restock them every week or so during December! Everybody loves these things!
We’ve got plenty of other stuff too, if this doesn’t suit your fancy: thousands of different graphic novels and books, plush Giant Microbes, art books, kids’ books, and a friendly, knowledgable staff which can help you find what you need! Please swing by Chapel Hill Comics for all your holiday needs!
I intended to write a holiday gift guide at the beginning of the month, but it has been so busy I haven’t had the chance. This has been a very busy week, with new shipments arriving from several different places every day, so even if you made it in yesterday, there’s probably something new in the store that you haven’t seen! Let’s get to it!
AWESOME INDY COMICS Got a pal who loves indy comics? We’ve got a ton of fantastic recent releases which ought to do the trick.
The latest volume of Chris Ware’s Acme Novelty Library is out, and it’s as beautifully depressing as ever! The new Acme Novelty issues have been lovely little hardcovers, which can sit on your bookshelf next to Jimmy Corrigan and Quimby the Mouse! This one is $16.95.
If you think your pals are so in touch that they have already picked up their Acme Novelties, you can try something else, like Kevin Huizenga’s new book, Curses. This is a collection of stories which feature Huizenga’s everyman character, Glenn Ganges, as he deals with starlings, hallucinates, plays golf and tries to pluck a feather from an ogre.
It’s great stuff; I think Huizenga is on the path to being an indy comics superstar. This would be a great gift for the person who doesn’t know what to read once they’ve read Chris Ware, Dan Clowes, and all the other big-name indy cartoonists. At $21.95, it’s a bargain.
BONE
One of our best-selling graphic novel series is a kid-friendly fantasy adventure comic called Bone, which was written and drawn, and self-published by Jeff Smith. A fews years back, Scholastic bought the rights to the series and is releasing them in color, every six months or so. Which means that for most of the year, kids are fiending for the next installation in this fantastic series.
Well, they can read the whole story now, if you pick up the Bone One Volume Edition. It’s over 1300 pages of fun for $39.95, which is a fantastic deal. It is in black and white, instead of the color that the new Scholastic editions are in, but it is still a fantastic story.
We also have in stock Stupid Stupid Rat Tales, which is another black and white Bone comic which won’t be collected in the Scholastic editions. It’s a really fun read too!
ANTHOLOGIES
We stock a wide variety of comic anthologies. These are great gifts for the person who wants to learn about different comics and artists without picking up a whole volume by each of them.
I’ll list a few anthologies here, but be aware that we have plenty more in stock at the store, and will happily help you pick one out if this is the kind of gift you’re interested in giving!
Kramer’s Ergot is a highly experimental and exciting series of graphic novel anthologies; they’re full of different types of comics, created in lots of different ways, from traditional pen-and-ink drawings, to collage, to crayon work. At $34.95, this is a great gift for folks who are into indy, artsy comics.
Project Romantic, from Adhouse press, is all about love. The Adhouse anthologies are some of the best anthologies out there. The quality is very consistent, and there’s always a good mix of different styles. I think my favorite story in Project: Romantic is a story by MK Reed about a woman who wakes up one morning to discover that her boyfriend has turned into a bear. Great stuff, and it’s very affordable at $19.95.
There are lots of other anthologies available as well, from the latest volume of Fantagrahics’ Mome to new anthologies edited by Harvey Pekar and Ivan Brunetti, to the always popular issue of McSweeney’s edited by Chris Ware. Come on in, and we can point you at a good anthology!
LITTLE NEMO
Here’s something we recommended last year, and will probably recommend every year that we can get them in stock: Little Nemo! I’m just going to steal our text and an image from last year’s recommendation:
Little Nemo: So Many Splendid Sundays
by Winsor McCay
published by Sunday Press Books
$120.00
This beautiful book is a collection of Little Nemo comic strips which originally ran from 1905 to 1910. These strips have been reprinted several times, but never at the size they were originally presented; this book is huge! Our lovely spokesmodel Vanessa is tiny, but look at it, man! That’s a huge book!
There are 110 strips here, and they are without exception beatifully drawn and colored. Winsor McCay created what is possibly the best newspaper strip of all time, and this is the first time it has been presented at its original size in over almost a century! This is the treatment it always deserved.
If you’re dying for Little Nemo and just can’t pick up the monster book this year, don’t despair; there is a cheaper version. Little Nemo: 1905-1914 collects all the Little Nemo strips into one book. It’s less than half the height and width of the Sunday Press book, so you lose a little detail, but it is still a fantastic set of strips. I believe it’s the only volume which has collected all the Little Nemo Strips, so this may be a good gift for the completist who only has the Sunday Press Edition as well. It’s a nice book, and at $39.99, it’s a bargain too.
DOODADS, TOYS, and WEIRD FUZZY THINGS!
Here’s one for the kids: we just opened a case of Naruto keychains. They’re going fast, and come in 6 six different styles!We’ve got a ton of stocking stuffers, including the latest Super Mario Brothers Merchandise straight from Japan! We’ve got Mario Stamps, Cell Phone Charms and Dot Dioramas, which all arrived recently, as well as other crazy Mario stuff.We’ve also got cute stuff, from the ever popular Uglydolls, to Nyanco Market Purses (these are the kitty-vegetable hybrid things that everyone is so taken with) to the just-arrived-today and very adorable Sherbets, which are apparently, like, a cross between a bird and a desert item? Check out the images below, or some in the store and check them out!
We’ve got tons of other stuff in stock too, from superhero comics, to a new shipment of Uglydolls, which arrived yesterday. If you don’t know what kind of gift to grab for someone, come on in and let us help!
Got a pal who loves indy comics? We’ve got a ton of fantastic recent releases which ought to do the trick.
ANTHOLOGIES
Kramer’s Ergot is a highly experimental and exciting series of graphic novel anthologies; they’re full of different types of comics, created in lots of different ways, from traditional pen-and-ink drawings, to collage, to crayon work. At $34.95, this is a great gift for folks who are into indy, artsy comics.
