Oh crap, is Christmas less than a week away and you haven’t gotten anything or started shopping anywhere because who has the time or the money even with online retailers? Same, which is why, while I was shopping, I came up with a list of books, accessories, and goodies that I think would make fine gifts for anyone still trying to get something a week before Christmas.
Thankfully, express shipping is a thing.
Books:
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – The Art of the Movie
(image: Titan Books)
“Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the creative minds behind The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street, bring their unique talents to a fresh vision of a different Spider-Man Universe, with a groundbreaking visual style that’s the first of its kind. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduces Brooklyn teen Miles Morales, and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse where more than one wears the mask.
“Unmasking the artistry behind the hotly-anticipated movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse The Art of the Movie contains concept art, sketches, storyboards and will give you fascinating insights into the creative process. With exclusive commentary from the creators, plus a foreword written by Brian Michael Bendis, this extraordinary collection of art will take readers into the Spider-Verse.”
The Art of Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2
(image: Chronicle Books)
“In the follow-up to the Oscar–nominated film Wreck-It Ralph, our hero leaves his arcade for the expansive universe of the Internet. Disney’s artists have brought the world of the Inter¬net (a world you may think you know) to life in an all-new, imaginative way. Through never-before-seen concept art, character sketches, storyboards, and colorscripts, along with interviews with the production team, The Art of Ralph Breaks the Internet reveals the artistic process behind Disney’s highly anticipated sequel.”
Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down: The Official Behind-the-Scenes Companion
(image: Del Rey)
“Stranger things have happened. . . .
“When the first season of Stranger Things debuted on Netflix in the summer of 2016, the show struck a nerve with millions of viewers worldwide and received broad critical acclaim. The series has gone on to win six Emmy Awards, but its success was driven more than anything by word of mouth, resonating across generations. Viewers feel personal connections to the characters. Now fans can immerse themselves in the world—or worlds—of Hawkins, Indiana, like never before. Inside you’ll find
•”original commentary and a foreword from creators Matt and Ross Duffer
• exclusive interviews with the stars of the show, including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, and David Harbour
• the show’s earliest drafts, pitches to Netflix, and casting calls
• insights into the Duffers’ creative process from the entire crew—from costume and set designers to composers and visual-effects specialists
• deep dives into the cultural artifacts and references that inspired the look and feel of the show
• a map of everyday Hawkins—with clues charting the network of the Upside Down
• the Morse code disk Eleven uses, so you can decipher secret messages embedded throughout the text
• a look into the future of the series—including a sneak preview of season three!”
Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy
(image: Chronicle Books)
“They are heroes and villains, Sith and Jedi, senators and scoundrels, mothers, mercenaries, artists, pilots. . . .
“The women of the Star Wars galaxy drive its stories and saga forward at every level. This beautifully illustrated, fully authorized book profiles 75 fascinating female characters from across films, fiction, comics, animation, and games. Featuring Leia Organa, Rey, Ahsoka Tano, Iden Versio, Jyn Erso, Rose Tico, Maz Kanata, and many more, each character is explored through key story beats, fresh insights, and behind-the-scenes details by author Amy Ratcliffe. Also showcasing more than 100 all-new illustrations by a dynamic range of female and non-binary artists, here is an inspiring celebration of the characters that help create a galaxy far, far away.”
Dungeons and Dragons Art and Arcana: A Visual History
(image: Ten Speed Press)
“From one of the most iconic game brands in the world, this official DUNGEONS & DRAGONS illustrated history provides an unprecedented look at the visual evolution of the brand, showing its continued influence on the worlds of pop culture and fantasy. Inside the book, you’ll find more than seven hundred pieces of artwork—from each edition of the core role-playing books, supplements, and adventures; as well as Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance novels; decades of Dragon and Dungeon magazines; and classic advertisements and merchandise; plus never-before-seen sketches, large-format canvases, rare photographs, one-of-a-kind drafts, and more from the now-famous designers and artists associated with DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. The superstar author team gained unparalleled access to the archives of Wizards of the Coast and the personal collections of top collectors, as well as the designers and illustrators who created the distinctive characters, concepts, and visuals that have defined fantasy art and gameplay for generations. This is the most comprehensive collection of D&D imagery ever assembled, making this the ultimate collectible for the game’s millions of fans around the world.”
(image: Bloomsbury YA)
“When magic has gone from the world, and a vicious king rules from his throne of glass, an assassin comes to the castle. She does not come to kill, but to win her freedom. If she can defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the greatest assassin in the land, she will become the king’s champion and earn her freedom. Her name is Celaena Sardothien – beautiful, deadly, and destined for greatness.
“But as dark forces gather on the horizon-forces which threaten to destroy her entire world-Celaena must fight to protect everything she holds dear, thrusting her into the epic, heart-stopping fantasy series that has turned #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas into a worldwide phenomenon.
“Fans new and old will dive into this special box set that contains a 4-color poster and hardcover editions of the entire series: The Assassin’s Blade, Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows, Empire of Storms, Tower of Dawn, and the thrilling finale, Kingdom of Ash.”
ABCs of D&D (Dungeons & Dragons Children’s Book)
(image: Wizards of the Coast)
“A is for Adventure.
Our journey has begun.
B is for Book,
the source of all the fun!“Start your little gamer on an adventure to last a lifetime with this alphabetical children’s book and introduction to the greatest roleplaying game of all time, Dungeons & Dragons.
“Written in the rhyming style of classic children’s books and filled with adorable owlbears and darling beholders, it’s the perfect book to share the joy of Dungeons & Dragons with a new generation as they learn the alphabet—a precursor to every new path in reading.”
Accessories & Jewelry:
Bracelets made by Summer of String have been featured on Orphan Black as friendship bracelets between on the Clones, as well as work on actresses like Jodie Whittaker, Tatiana Maslany and cast members from Star Trek: Discovery. They’re a great simple bit of nerd style in your daily look.
(image: AWE)
These are no doubt the priciest things on the list, but I threw them in here for those people who might want to splurge this holiday season. AWE has this series of necklaces showcasing seven women, real and fictional, in 14k yellow gold vermeil. The women featured are Joan of Arc, Cleopatra, Medusa, Mulan, Sojourner Truth, Athena, and Susan B. Anthony.
Rock Love’s Charmed, Firefly, and Black Panther Jewelry
(image: Rock Love)
Rock love usually kills it with their jewelry, but this year, they’ve taken it to a whole new level with their Black Panther and 20th anniversary Charmed swag.
From Black Panther, my favorite item is the Kimoyo Bracelet, which is a “screen-accurate bracelet with silver Wakandan glyphs & Glow-in-the-Dark Prime Bead.” It glows in the dark if you leave it out in the sun or under a light to “charge” up. A cute, but bittersweet, couple gift is the “Leaf on the Wind” pair of necklaces, inspired by that scene from the Firefly movie, Serenity, but the items from their Charmed collection are a real treat.
(image: TM & CBS Company)
There are three to choose from: There’s the Crystal Scry Necklace (which is my personal favorite; I would wear it all the time) where each amethyst crystal is unique, and it’s secured by a sterling silver bezel, three twists converge to secure a hexagonal amethyst double-pointed crystal. Next is a Triquetra Necklace with “The power of three will set you free” cast in solid sterling silver. Finally, for all the pet lovers out there, we have the Familiar Pet Tag, a Charmed pet tag engraved with the iconic triquetra on the front and the show name on the back to get witchy with your favorite familiar.
Nerd Goodies:
Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy Notebook Collection
(image: Chronicle Books)
“This inspiring trio of notebooks celebrates three iconic heroes of the Star Wars galaxy: Leia Organa, Rey, and Ahsoka Tano. Each notebook features lightly ruled interiors with notable quotes from each character, along with bonus artwork on the inside and back covers.”
“Marrying Mr. Darcy is a role-playing game where players are one of the female characters from Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice. Players work to improve themselves and become more desirable as potential wives for the available Suitors.”
One of the happiest days of my life was when I discovered that there is a Pride and Prejudice card game. Also, there’s an Emma expansion pack, as well as an Undead Zombie one.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Nintendo Switch
(image: Nintendo)
I mean everyone else is playing it and our very own Dan Van Winkle just reviewed the game telling you all you need to know about what comes next.
- “New fighters, like Inkling from the Splatoon series and Ridley from the Metroid series, make their Super Smash Bros. series debut alongside every Super Smash Bros. fighter in the series … EVER!
- “Fast combat, new items, new attacks, new defensive options, and more will keep the battle raging whether you’re at home or on the go.”
(image: Hasbro/WoTC)
We did a video unboxing some of these little guys, and it was so much fun! Not only are they really cute, but for older kids who like Shopkins, this is an easy addition to their toy collection, while sharing a love of Transformers with someone special. We’re look forward to sharing our unboxing!
- “TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS THAT CONVERT TO EVERYDAY OBJECTS: Not long ago, an energy called Energon came down from the sky and covered a shopping mall. The inanimate objects inside sprang to life as bite-sized Transformers robots! These teeny tiny mall bots are a rare type of Transformers robot called BotBots. These mischievous little bots can disguise themselves as random everyday objects hidden around the mall, then pop to life as silly little robots!
- “2-IN-1 TOY: Each Transformers BotBots character has 2 fun modes! Figures change from regular things you can find in the stores of a shopping mall — like French fries, a video game controller, or a baseball bat — to small, silly robots. BotBots convert between modes and have movable parts to imagine fun stories and adventures. Each bot belongs to a themed team based on what kind of store they belong in: Backpack Bunch, Sugar Shocks, Techie Team, Jock Squad, Greaser Gang, Shed Heads, Toilet Troop, or Lost Bots.”
Magic: The Gathering: Guild Decks
(image: Hasbro/WoTC)
“As the original trading card game that inspired a generation of fans and game designers, Magic: The Gathering lets players take on the role of powerful magicians known as Planeswalkers as they summon monsters and cast spells against opponents in order to win the game. Guilds of Ravnica is Magic’s latest expansion set, with five distinct in-game guilds representing different colors and mechanics. Guilds of Ravnica’s Guild Kits include everything a player needs to represent their guild, from defending nature with the Selesnya Conclave to spreading the vengeance of the underworld with the Golgari Swarm.”
Contents include:
- “1 ready-to-play 60-card deck, based on one of Guilds of Ravnica’s 5 guilds
- 1 Spindown life counter
- 1 official guild pin
- 1 guild symbol sticker
- 1 insert with mission instructions”
Happy shopping!
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