Put on your coats and caps, everybody! There’s pine needles on the living room floor, snow on the ground, and a scent of cinnamon in the air. Your dogs and cats are tearing apart wrapping paper, your family’s in town and you can’t stop drinking eggnog for some reason. That could only mean one thing, folks, it’s the nondescript religious holiday season! And that means that it’s time to go into credit card debt so that you can show those closest to you that you care, you know? And to make it a little bit easier on you guys, we here at Geeks of Doom have been shoveling our driveways so that we can deliver to you this, 2011 The Holiday Geek Gift Guide! The best gifts possible for the geeks on you gift-giving list!
Our geek culture is swarmed with disagreements and differences, and that’s one of the greatest things about it. There is no real defining quality of us as a whole that can pigeonhole us into one singular category. Take comics for example, some of us love the big and bold antics of creators like Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, while others of prefer the slow and methodical pace of a Grant Morrison. And some of us can’t even stand superhero comics! And that’s fine. Some of us prefer Star Trek to Star Wars, and to be more current, there are still people that can’t stand Dr. Who! But if one thing could unite us, if there’s one solitary format that our culture can gravitate towards, it’s collectibles. Y’know, action figures, statues, original art from comics, poster prints. Things of that nature. Sure, not all of us are like that, but a strong, wide-spanning group of us love to collect things. It’s in our nature, so I’ve taken the time to provide several shelf-filling collectibles from across all of geek culture so that you can put these on your lists of things to buy for people you care about. Now, there’s going to be some expensive stuff on here, so make sure it’s someone you REALLY care about. We’re talking share the same bed kind of care about. Or, at least live in the same house. Is this getting too personal? Well, let’s move on, then!
Kotobukiya Star Wars: Stormtrooper ArtFX+ Statue 2-Pack ($98.98): Now here’s something that I think we can all more or less appreciate. Stormtroopers. The Stormtroopers from Star Wars are timelessly iconic and a prized nondescript treasure of many a geek. It’s not a way to show off your personality through your favorite character’s appearance on your shelves, but it is a way to show your allegiance to the Empire. Seriously, pretty much anyone that enjoys Star Wars from a very basic admiration to those who are die hard fans would absolutely love to have some beautifully designed Stormtroopers. I know I would.
DC Direct Batman Black and White Statue by Cliff Chiang ($79.99): Batman doesn’t use guns, but when it comes to this beautifully designed Batman: Black and White statue by Cliff Chiang, who really cares enough to get caught up in the details? Cliff Chiang, who is currently working on the ongoing Wonder Woman comic with Brian Azzarello, is easily one of my favorite comic book artists. He’s got an amazing line style, and while that doesn’t always translate to a sculpted design, his entry into the amazing line of Black and White statues showcases his talent like I wouldn’t expect. His vision of Batman is one perfectly in line with a noir setting showing The Dark Knight as a gun-toting vigilante dressed to give the villainous thugs of Gotham City nightmares of a shadowy creature, which is precisely what happened in First Wave, the inspiration for this design. I’m not always impressed with these Batman Black and White statues, but Cliff Chiang’s is one that I would proudly display to any and all comers.
DC Direct DC Origins: Series Two: Wonder Woman Action Figure Two Pack ($48.79): One of the most popular characters of all time is featured in this two-pack and would be a great gift for someone that may or may not be totally into comics. As a fan, I would loved this because it shows off Wonder Woman’s roots with her character design from her first appearance, while we also get a look at something far more recent. Wonder Woman is a symbol of strength, perseverance, and honor to not only woman and young girls, but to all people world wide. Her recent comic book series (mentioned above) is getting loads of critical acclaim and is becoming a hot seller as well, so why not pick up this awesome two-pack to show your admiration for one of the greatest comic book characters of all time? Or just get it for one of the many people out there who loves the character.
Kotobukiya Mega Man: Rockman Plastic Model Kit ($32.00): Kotobukiya is quickly becoming one of my favorite toy/action figure/statue design companies. Their designs are typically a uniquely Japanese take on pop culture icons, and with this Mega Man set, there is no exception. Well, maybe there is considering the insane level of popularity Mega Man has as Rockman in Japan. So, technically this would be pretty much what it should be. But I’m getting caught up in semantics. What’s important here is that Mega Man is totally awesome and anything relating to the character would be amazing for any nostalgia junkies or gamers on your holiday list. In fact, just add me to your holiday list and buy it for me! Just kidding, unless you’re gonna do it. But seriously, not only is this a great design, but it’s also a model kit! And what’s cool about that is that it comes with several additional accessories to make Mega Man however you want him to look. Model toys are always fun to build, and I couldn’t think of one that would be more fun to build than Mega Man. And what else is cool is that there’s also one for Protoman and Roll, as well! I would absolutely love to have this gift under my tree, and I’m sure someone you know would love one, as well.
Funko KISS “The Demon” Pop Rocks ($10.99): I’m a huge fan of vinyl figures, and while my favorites tend to be designed by KidRobot and Tokidoki, there’s no denying my love for Funko. And what makes Funko unique is their vinyl adaptation of popular culture. They have several different characters like Batman, Beetlejuice, Frankenberry, and even one of the Flying Monkeys from Wizard of Oz! But the one thing they do that I just can’t get past because it’s so hilarious and amazing is their line of KISS vinyl toys. I put “The Demon” on here because Gene Simmons has my favorite look of the group, but they also have “The Starchild“, “The Catman“, and “The Spaceman“. I mean, who wouldn’t want vinyl toys of KISS, right? KISS has always been one to take advantage of merchandising, but I don’t think I ever expected to see this. And you know what? I absolutely love this. It’s perfect for any KISS fan, of which there are many. In fact, many people that write for this site love KISS, yours truly included! But if KISS isn’t up your ally, maybe you’d be more into some Johnny Ramone or Dee Ramone. But then, of course, there’s always Ozzy.
Mike Mignola’s Hellboy 8-Inch Qee ($46.99): As I said before, I absolutely adore the clunky designs of vinyl figures. They tickle my fancy. There’s just something about the bulkiness of the figures that doesn’t look anything like what they’re supposed to. They’re adorable and amazing, and I can’t stop looking at them. But what I love this most is when vinyl toy companies take a character that is really messed up, violent or disturbing and turns it into one of the cutest things on the planet — I even have Dr. Doom Mighty Mugg for this precise reason. But one character that lends itself well to my kind of vinyl figure is Hellboy. Mike Mignola’s demon spawn that destroys and exterminates the forces of evil through graphic ways is not something that you’d consider adorable, but when looking at this toy, how could you think of anything else? Look at that Hellboy, he’s so cute! It’s a fun desk toy to show off your love of the character or, like me, just how weird you are.
Android Mini Collectible Figure 3″ – Green ($8.25): Know somebody that just can’t stand the iPhone? Do they think it’s underpowered and just a toy for the masses? Well my friends, this is for them! If you want me stop writing about vinyl figures, then keep waiting, because I’m not stopping yet! Vinyl figures, to me, are the best looking toys that both appear to be artistic designs while still staying commercial. It’s fine pop art for collectors. And the Android vinyl figure lends itself to that market perfectly. Many a Droid owner would love to have this iconic figure based on their mobile operating system of choice to show their allegiance to the mighty Google. But more than that, it looks pretty freaking awesome. You don’t see any Apple vinyl toys do you? Didn’t think so. Maybe you might think this is a lame idea, but think about this for a second, what are you going to get the IT person that you drew in your office’s Secret Santa party? I’m pretty sure they’ll get a kick out of this.
Punisher Nylon Guitar Strap ($24.99): I’m going to switch this up a little bit and move outside of action figures and statues for the rest of the list. And what a great way to go! Here we have the Punisher Guitar Strap. That alone should make you buy this for any metal musician or musician with a love for comic books. The dangerous Frank Castle can be worn with pride as you shred on your awesomely spiked BC Rich guitar or bass! How have you not already gotten this? The Punisher is tough, and if you want to play tough music, you need this. I know about 30 people who this would love this, and I’m willing to bet that you do, also. So go ahead and buy and make someone’s stocking into a holster for vigilante rock music!
The Goon Lunchbox ($14.99): I’m not sure that a lunchbox featuring The Goon is something that makes a lot of sense, but as I’ve said before, who cares about making sense? This is totally rad! The Goon is one of the funniest, raddest comic books that comes out these days as it constantly mocks popular culture while also provide a great and exciting read in each issue. And I’ll tell you what, even though I don’t know anybody that uses a lunchbox for food, I’m pretty sure I know a handful that would think a Goon lunchbox would be something awesome to put by their computer, on their shelf, or simply use it for storage of other items that I know nothing about. Knives maybe? Anyway. This is a really fun gift to give to someone, and if act fast, you might be able to get it for under $3.00. Just saying, it’s a possibility that you don’t want to miss.
AMAZON SHIPPING INFORMATION
If you’re ordering through Amazon.com in the United States, here’s their ordering deadlines for delivery on or before Christmas Eve (12/24) for items in-stock shipped to physical addresses within the United States and marked “Ships from and sold by Amazon.com” or “Fulfilled by Amazon.com.”
– December 15th – FREE Super Saver Shipping* [Last full day to order]
– December 19th – Standard Shipping [Last full day to order]
– December 20th – Two-Day Shipping (FREE with Amazon Prime), Last full day to order
– December 21st – Two-Day Shipping (FREE with Amazon Prime) – Order as late as 8pm PST (varies by item); One-Day Shipping ($3.99 with Amazon Prime) Last full day to order
– December 22nd – One-Day Shipping ($3.99 per item with Amazon Prime). Order as late as 4:30pm PST [varies by item]
– December 23rd – Last-Minute Christmas Delivery ($9.99/item with Amazon Prime) While available (varies by item)
– December 24th – ($3.99/item with Amazon Prime) While available (select cities, varies by item)
– December 25th – Christmas Day: Email and printable gift cards can be sent immediately, at any time.
For more details about local delivery, see the Christmas Ordering Deadlines For U.S. Shipments page.
*Super Saver Shipping is FREE on orders $25 and over.
Remember, if all else fails, there’s also the Amazon.com Gift Card, you can have emailed to the recipient (arrives immediately) or you can print out the gift card at home and give it to the intended that way. If you order in enough time, you can get the physical gift card sent to you.
Here’s the list of our 2011 Guides:
More Guides to come this week.
excellent holiday round up – i just LOVE the hell boy!
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