The holidays are drawing ever closer, and for some of you today is already smack dab in the middle of the holiday season. Worry not, the perfect geek gift for your guy or gal is out there, and we’ll help you find it!
Arkham Asylum/Arkham City
This is a great go-to gift this holiday season since most dedicated Batman fans have the hardware to run these critically acclaimed games, but they simply haven’t gotten the money together to actually buy the game yet. Well, it’s been a few years since the release of Arkham Asylum, so we were able to find it for just under twenty dollars, but the sequel, Arkham City just came out, so the price averaged at about $59.99 to buy it new. Luckily, we were able to find it for ten dollars less.
Captain America: The First Avenger or Thor
Although many will argue about which Marvel feature they prefer over the other, it’s pretty safe to assume that fans of the original heroes were pleased by these adaptations and are gearing up for next May’s Avengers. Anyone shopping for a nerd can’t go wrong with a copy of one of these, unless of course they already have it. If you have a girl between the age of 16-25 on your list, Thor might make a good gift for late night sleepovers spent ogling Chris Hemsworth’s biceps.
Here are the Blu-Ray’s for Thor and Captain America on sale for $24.99 each! For those that haven’t upgraded systems, the DVD versions of Captain America and Thor are only $14.99 each at those links!
Superhero Pajamas
For those sleepovers that we mentioned above, this pajama set is more than just a blatant over-sexualization of classic comic book characters. The rave reviews from customers have convinced us that they are still incredibly comfortable nightwear alternatives. Even if you don’t plan on buying them yourself, the reviews on the page of sale are pretty hysterical. An example: “Bought it for my wife and she is kind enough to wear it.”
A pair of pseudo-sexy superhero pajamas will cost you $24.99 and they come in the Captain America, She-Hulk and Spider-Girl varieties.
Superhero Socks
Although they were a dreaded Christmas present when we were younger, a good set of socks, (particularly a pair with our favorite superhero’s insignia on them) are always useful and well appreciated. If you prefer to not give into the over-sexualization of female comic hero garb (and there’s an excellent article about it here, but be sure to read through the arguments as well for a compelling counter-argument), this is an excellent alternative to a skin-tight catwoman leotard.
A pair of knee-high Wonder-Woman socks will run you $10.99, and although this particular line pictured above is sold out, many vendors have similar pairs here and here.
Superman/Batman bookends
Although the set is pretty spendy, if your secret santa is an uber comic collectible snob and you happen to have the $498.88 to fork out for the collectible bookend set this might just end up holding the ultimate collection of comics in between the two heroes.
Superman Snuggie
Okay, so this may be a little too expensive ($69.95) for a gag gift, but for the true Superfan that has trouble utilizing useless sleeveless blankets, the Man of Steel will keep any helpless citizen comfy and warm.
The Green Lantern or X-Men:First Class
One was really really good, the other one was terrible. Can you guess which one is which? We’ll give you a hint, if you’re looking for a DVD for a young kid, you’re probably willing to sacrifice award-winning writing for a boatload of flashy special effects; so The Green Lantern (on DVD for $9.96 and Blu-Ray for $14.96) will be just fine.
If your gift buying subject is a little older and more intelligent, then the critically acclaimed X-Men:First Class (on DVD for $9.96 and Blu-Ray for $14.99) might work out better.
Superhero Cakelet Pan
Who wouldn’t want to dine on the faces of Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, Thor and Wolverine? For only $39.95, you can bake your own likeness of each superhero and conquer them in your own delicious way.
The Art of Marvel Studios
This collection of concept and production art from the major Marvel motion pictures of the past few years would look perfect on any comic nerds bookshelf (right by their Superman/Batman bookends). It might be prudent to wait for next year’s Avengers artwork to join the book, but for those who simply can’t wait, the book of art runs just a little south of a hundred dollars.
Iron Man Hoodie
You have to admit, the way it is positioned to be completely puffed out without anyone inside of it is pretty outstanding. Maybe it’s not actually made out of the 60% cotton 40% polyester blend that it claims. Maybe it’s made out of Iron that can withstand temperatures up to 3000 degrees fahrenheit!
We wouldn’t try that though.
For those who want to pretend that they’re Iron Man without dropping sixty bucks can check out this neat light up Tony Stark shirt for only $29.99!
Superhero Earbuds
These earbuds aren’t just for any nerdy Peter Parker. Wear them to proudly display the colors of your favorite hero. It may be a tiny accessory, but it’s the one part of your life that you still need a Batman version of!
Right now, a pair of super-earbuds will cost $21.99 each, but they come in many varieties including Hulk, Superman, Batman, Flash, The Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman. A Transformers pair is also available, y’know, if you’re into that kind of thing.
Batman Wallet
Oh my goodness, there are just so many different styles of Batman wallets out there. The symbol of the caped crusader could drive away any mugger* who fears the vengeance of the Dark Knight, and with so many of them out there, finding the perfect Bat-money receptacle for your loved one might prove to be the perfect challenge.
*Note: A Batman wallet will not protect you from muggings.
The rebooted “New 52” DC comic series
Recently, the entirety of Detective Comics underwent an overhaul of their material. Although not every continuity has been completely rebooted (Green Lantern and Batman have some backstory covered in earlier comics). This overhaul makes the new 52 line of DC comics way more accessible to the “new fan” who probably just discovered Batman or the Green Lantern from their recent films. We have not provided a link for you to buy them at since the modern comic book shop is in dire need of some assistance, and if you could look up your nearest independent comic retailer and ask them about the “New 52” DC relaunch, they will be able to help you find the perfect gift for your nerdy counterpart.
If you have any good ideas for gifts that any comic fan would love, please leave them in the comments below with a link and description!
Happy Holidays from Hypable!
Check out our previous holiday gift guides: