First, I must apologize for being away from my blog for so long. Since I started my new job as a freelance editor/proofreader, working at home has turned all of my free time thoughts into , "I could be working right now instead of other things," but luckily I need a break every once in a while from that. I was really surprised last month when one of my friends heckled me about not blogging last month. I suppose I should be happy to know someone who reads (and enjoys?) my blog.
I might deserve this
I finally thought of something clever to talk about this month, and how much more appropriate can you get for the Christmas season. This is my top ten list of gifts to consider getting your comic book loving friend, spouse, boyfriend, or, I may even go as far as... self, for Christmas this year. With less than a week before the big day, this list may help out a few of you who are needing something quick and thoughtful for those nerds in your life. Even I, from time to time, hesitate when my fiancee asks me what I want for Christmas, simply because I know that in less than a year she might not be letting me bring it into our new home. So, with the short amount of time I have left of being a bachelor, I must be very selective in the things I ask for. Needless to say, this list is purely from my own perspective and may not reflect on the person who you are buying for. But, I want to make it very clear that buying a rare book or single issues for a hardcore collector might not be the approach you want to take. Some people are sticklers about every detail of their books being in mint condition, that they would rather you not waste money of single issue purchases. So, on this list you will not see me telling you to buy This book or That book, but if you want to go that route, I might recommend cash or a gift card to your friends favorite comic shop. But, money has no thought and gift cards are lame, unless for groceries, so lets see what else we can come up with. Keep in mind that this list is in no particular order.
#10. Loose Action Figures
Yes, loose. Preferably not broken or dripping with child spit either. From the nerd perspective, action figures are really cool, but from the collector perspective, a sealed toy is another dust collector. You can find some really great open action figures online which have been lightly used. Being able to customize your work area with your favorite characters in different poses never gets old, but lets face it, if you give a collector a sealed toy, it's as good as saying, "Look at all the fun you could have... if I wasn't MIB, (Mint in Box for those newbs.)" But, I must warn you that if the person you are giving the toy to has a child, you may want to move onto the next gift.
#9. Busts or Statues
This is the gift that most collectors want to have, but never want to buy for themselves. Statues are really great motivators to get your friends to dust their apartments more often and can be great conversational pieces. Not being articulate like action figures, there is no fear of wanting to play with it and breaking it. For the collector, it means that if they were to resell it for more money later, they can still open it, much like any buyer would, to inspect it for damages. Beware that these can get very pricey, and too many of them in a home can cross the line from collector to herder. So please, only one every couple of years.
#8. Christmas Ornaments
There is such a thing as going overboard with comic book related Christmas decorations. The idea behind this gift is that once every year your friend gets to reopen the Christmas decoration box and reintroduce themselves to that favorite super hero ornament you gave them 3 years ago. Beware that if you want to keep surprising them with a new ornament each year, it can become expected and boring. This may make a great, one time, gift for an office party.
#7. Novel Adaptations
Sometimes you just want to slap your friend and tell them that comics books are not real books. Well, now is your chance to politely tell them. There are many great novelizations to some really great graphic novels out there. Not only will you give them something that will increase their vocabulary, but I assure you that they will feel more confident when showing their book collections to their friends down the road. Making people think you are more literary inclined is the gift that keeps giving. (PS: We don't want mainstream stuff like Twilight, Harry Potter, or Lord of the Rings.)
#6. Comic Book Accessories
Nothing says, "I encourage your habit" like buying long boxes, organizers, and bag and boards to a collector. Its pretty expensive to store comic books properly, and it must be done properly. Take not as to what type of accessories your friends may be short of, what kind of sleeves they use, or just pick up a couple picture frames that your friends can put comic books in to rotate on their walls all year round. Just be sure the frame can hold the comic and the bag and board comfortably.
#5. Be Creative
If you have an artistic talent, put your interests aside for a few days and try to make something custom that is comic book related. I have recently seen people doing custom art on long boxes that are much more aesthetically pleasing than just labeling the box "Spider-Man" comics. Custom wall art is always eye catching to guests throughout the year, and it may even give you a job down the road if someone else commissions your work because of it.
#4. Home Accessories
I am not quite sure how to describe the euphoria of hopping out of a hot shower lined with an X-Men shower curtain, drying off with your super soft Batman towel, slipping on your Superman bathrobe and making an ice cold drink with a few ice cubes from your Deadpool ice cube tray. Take your pick of any of the above, all are great ideas.
#3. Banks
It became, increasingly, aware to me that there is a huge saturation of comic book related money banks out there. This is coming from personal experience, because, I too received an amazing Infinity Gauntlet bank from a friend this year. It is definitely becoming a focal point in my living room. What better way to save for comic books each month, than saving in a bank specifically designed for your needs. There are many figures to choose from. Think of this as a statue, only with a use, and less chance of being broken...unless your planning on breaking the bank!! (oh snap)
#2. Apparel
This one is relatively simple. T-Shirts, wallets, hats, belt buckle, anything you can use on a daily basis. I feel like this is a pretty weak gift simply because you can get all this stuff whenever and almost wherever you go throughout the year. It's simple, safe, and almost not exciting enough to bother with. But, if you see a friend whose Superman shirt has fades from a giant S to a 5, you might be having their best interest in mind.
#1. Backpack
Shoulder bags, book bags, man purse (satchel... Indiana Jones had one,) all are exceptional gifts. A friend from a show once told me, from the retail perspective, that the people that don't carry a bag to a show are not their to buy. I think he is absolutely right. If your making a sale rests on spending time talking to a customer with a bag or talking to the guy in the Deadpool costume, you better believe you will be getting more service while carrying a bag. It only makes sense that people would go to shows and not want to fill their hands with swag, when they could simply have a designated back pack. Going the extra distance to get a back pack that is comic book related is where your true thought and effort goes into getting this gift. Like me, I just buy buttons and put them on my bag at each show, and I love it. It is a must for every comic book collector, in my opinion.
That's the list! I hope you enjoyed reading over it and, as always, I would love to hear your feedback about the articles. What would you add or take away from the list. Let me know if you actually go buy something from the list for a friend. In the meantime, I hope everyone has a great holiday season and a safe new year.
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