‘Tis the season for merrymaking, the decking of halls, lighting the menorah and, of course, figuring out what to buy your friends and family. To help give you some ideas, we checked in with a few of our buddies to see:

1. What comic-related gift or gifts would they recommend giving this year, and why?
2. What gift (comic or otherwise) is at the top of their personal wish list, and why?

So pour a round of eggnog, throw another log on the fire and read on …

Scott Kurtz

1. This is going to be a little shameless, but I recommend a subscription to PvP: The Animated Series. The comic geek on your Christmas list will get a brand-new, fully animated PvP short every month all through 2007. It’s the gift that keeps on giving all year long. You can buy a subscription for your friend right off our website. Just enter in your buddy’s email address and a holiday greeting, and Santa will deliver his subscription ID and password right to his mailbox.

2. At the top of my list is the new super-mega Invincible hardcover book. It’s a giant brick of the best superhero comic book on the market. You would think that my friend Robert would just set me up with one, but no. I gotta ask for it for Christmas.

Scott Kurtz is the creator of PvP, the Eisner-winning online comic strip collected into comics form by Image. As Scott mentioned, it will be adapted into an animated web toon beginning in February.

Brian Wood

1. For dads and brothers, a full set of the Punisher MAX trades to date.

For little sisters, nieces and cousins, a copy of Cecil Castellucci’s young adult novel Boy Proof, and see why she is such a perfect choice to head up DC’s new MINX line.

For anyone else, any of the following graphic novels: Fun Home, Persepolis, Sloth or old Tintin reprints.

2. My Amazon list’s full of Criterion releases (including Harlan County, USA) and reference books I need for my upcoming Northlanders series for Vertigo.

Brian Wood is a graphic designer, new father and writer of such titles as DMZ, Supermarket, Demo, Local and the upcoming Northlanders. Learn more about Brian and all his current projects over at his website.

Ed Brubaker

1. The new EC deluxe color hardbacks, because nothing says Christmas like an injury to the eye motif! And seriously, some of the best-looking archive editions of some of the best comics ever printed in America. ShockSuspenstories volume one just came out, and I couldn’t recommend it more. I have some of the old hardback boxed sets in black and white, and I’ll probably be rebuying them in color now, because the new editions look that good.

2. My personal wish list? A vacation that had nothing to do with work.

Ed Brubaker is the writer of Daredevil, Captain America, X-Men and Criminal, and is co-writing the Immortal Iron Fist along with Matt Fraction. Visit his website.

Don MacPherson

1. Given what a splash I think the upcoming (March 2007) film is going to make, I think the hardcover edition of Frank Miller’s 300 would make a good gift for movie buffs. My local comic shop reports strong and steady sales of this item, and I’m guessing it’s only going to increase as the movie’s release date nears.

2. I don’t really have a personal wish list for Christmas gifts. In terms of comic-related gifts, I’m impossible to buy for. Any mass-market item (e.g., Justice League Unlimited on DVD) is acquired long before gift-giving occasions, and there’s no one among my friends and family informed enough about comics to know what to buy me in terms of more specialized items (e.g., original comic art).

My girlfriend is such a great gift giver, I know I’ll be thrilled Christmas morning. I’m always surprised – in part by how much I like gifts to which I’d never given any thought.

Don MacPherson used to do reviews for The Fourth Rail; you can now find him online at his new site, Eye on Comics.

Larry Young

1. Me, I’m a big fan of original art. I was before I became a publisher, and looking at boards from the likes of comic book superstars like Charlie Adlard, Kieron Dwyer and Fabio Moon all day, I really had an original art jones. I limited myself to only one page per artist, and if I found a piece by, say, Howard Chaykin that I really liked, I wouldn’t buy it unless I liked it more than my original splash from Cody Starbuck #1.

And since that was the first piece I ever bought, back in 1984, I’d have to like that new Chaykin quite a bit to give up the cornerstone.

I also like screen-used and replica props from sci-fi movies. Basically, if you want to get somebody a gift, talk to them for ten minutes, find out what they like, and hit eBay. You could probably get all your shopping done in 10 or 15 clicks. Of course, that leads to the demise of the American economy by driving brick-and-mortar stores out of business and by crippling individual worth by usurious credit card fees. Forget I said anything. Plant a tree or something. Happy Holidays. Heh.

Comic writer & publisher Larry Young heads up AiT/PlanetLar. His previous works include Planet of the Capes, Astronauts in Trouble and Proof of Concept.

James Patrick

1. Let’s go with a few fun items that cost a bit more, but are worth it. Who wants to give or get things we buy all the time, right? Spend some money, dammit!

Marvel Zombies Premium Hardcover is an excellent choice for all the Marvel/Horror fans out there. What’s better than seeing your favorite Marvel heroes as zombies? Okay, maybe seeing all your favorite Marvel heroines as strippers, but this is a close second.

Absolute New Frontier. An amazing look at the DC Universe through the eyes and images of Darwin Cooke. It’s pretty much the ultimate book to give this year to DC fans. Hell, to anyone. Give it to a stripper. Put it in their g-string.

2. Money in the form of singles.

James Patrick writes Death Comes To Dillinger, Angel: Masks, Crackurz, Lionxor and the TV show Independent Axis. Go to myspace.com/crackurz or theresafrenchfryinmyfingers.blogspot.com or silentdevil.com/forum to find out more.

Tim Leong

1. Clothes Call: Me? I’m a nerd at heart and I don’t mind showing it. That’s why my dresser is full of comics-related clothes. With so many options, here are a few that will fit you best:

For her: The Zip-Up Wonder Woman Hoodie by Junk Food, $60
http://www.80stees.com/products/Junk-Food-Wonder-Woman-Zipper-Hoodie-shirt.asp

I realize that just because you’re a girl it doesn’t mean you love Wonder Woman, but this hoodie is just too hip to resist. It features distressed printing and is even stylish by having a trail of stars on the back. And with most comic gear relegated to T-shirts, having a hoodie raises the it factor *this* much. Invisible jet sold separately.

For him: The Green Lantern Sublimation T-Shirt, $25

http://www.80stees.com/products/Green-Lantern-Sublimation-T-shirt.asp

Tired of going to parties, dressed in your hippest comic attire, only to realize that someone else is wearing the very same Xavier Academy T-shirt you’ve got on? How embarrassing indeed. If you want to stand out, grab this Green Lantern tee. The prestige is in the printing — it’s made via a sublimation print that runs over the collar and inside of the shirt. And with creases and folds in the fabric where the image didn’t print, each shirt is unique. Now at the next party you can impress the cool girl wearing the Wonder Woman hoodie.

Video Games: Marvel Ultimate Alliance, for Wii, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360

Taking from the X-Men Legends format, Ultimate Alliance uses the team format and lets you build your own foursome. But this game throws in way more bells and whistles than any of its Marvel video game predecessors. You can interact with more than 140 different characters. Who needs to wait five months for the next issue of Civil War when you can just make your own?

Justice League Heroes, Xbox, PS2

After realizing Marvel was killing them in the video game dept., DC wised up and put out a decent game. You can play as any of the Justice Leaguers, obviously, and face off some of the most infamous villains of the DCU. There’s even neat little bonus features like different costume options for the characters, including Zatanna. But, ick, don’t buy it for that reason alone.

They’re both decent options. If you want a straight-up fighting game, go with the Justice League. If you’re looking for a little more depth withe the story and game play, make yours Marvel.

2. Absolute Sandman Vol. 1: The worst thing about getting into comics late is that you’ve missed out on all the good stuff that’s already come out. One of the biggest offenders on my, “Oh my god, you haven’t read that yet” list is The Sandman. One of the biggest books of the ’90s, written by New York Times bestseller Neil Gaiman…and I haven’t read a single issue. And besides it being reprinted in a very delicious Absolute edition, it’s (supposed to be) a great book. And after flipping through the latest Wizard, I’m ready for some quality reading.

Tim Leong is the editor of the Comics Foundry, the former online magazine that will soon find its way to newsstands everywhere. He also works for Complex Magazine.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 4th, 2006 at 11:59 am and is filed under Creators, Site News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.