2014 Holiday Gift Guide: Jemmy and Zhaoyun

Jemmy's Weird Wide World of Wonderment

1. For Those Who See President Obama as a True Superhero...

Yes, we can. We can see our president in saving the world without even breaking a sweat. We can see our president battling evil ninja, wielding samurai swords or even lightsabers, and fighting his old nemesis, Darth Vader. We can see our president whip out a gun, or even an ooze, as he takes down the latest drug lord. We can see him combating all the nation's, nay, the world's ills, and witness the rise to greatness of toydom everywhere. Yes we can.

 

In all honesty, this might be a tough one to get. This was made by Japanese company Gamu Toys in 2009, and as far as I can tell, they have never assigned a price to it. For more details (for those of you interested in learning Japanese), check out Gamu-Toys Super Obama.  

**Incidentally, Zhaoyun just informed me that this action figure was in his 2013 gift guide. Great minds think alike!

2. For Those Who Love Hodor a Bit Too Much... 

Yes, Hodor has always been my favorite character in GRRM's masterpiece. After all, what character in modern fantasy can possibly match the wit and panache of Westeros's most poignantly lovable giant? The man has a comeback for everything, and has a knack for explaining very difficult concepts using one brilliant word: Hodor. Brevity, as they say, is the sole of wit. And Hodor has brevity in spades...

 Hodor is even known for making truly meaningful haikus. My favorite? Of course, it's this one:

Hodor Hodor Ho-

   dor Hodor Hodor Hodor

Hodor Hodor Ho. 

No Westeros collection is complete without a T-shirt to remind us of the best character in the series...

3. For Those Who Want to Send a Bit of a Surprise...

Okay, now this is not really a gift I recommend getting for... er... well... anyone. But if somebody has irritated you enough, then why not let them spend their holiday season knowing full well how you think of them... all for the low price of US$16.95? Feel free to make use of Shitexpress, a company that specializes in sending its namesake: a piece of shit in a box. Heck, they will even include the animal excrement of your choice! Remember, there's nothing that will ever say "Surprise!" like a steaming pile of shit, straight from China.    

Incidentally, they accept bitcoin, which makes this the first service that will actually sell you shit for bitcoin. Checkout a review of shitexpress at Motherboard.

Holiday Gift Guide — Zhaoyun

In search of that truly quirky masterpiece of a holiday gift? Want something that is both funny and bitingly sardonic? Look no further than this year's Fantabulous Holiday Gift Guide!

1) Toilet Shots

Is your life going down the crapper? Are all your hopes and dreams slowly circling the drain? Then it's time to drink, and not from just any shot-glass. How about a glass that perfectly symbolizes your current existential crisis? (Alternatively, you could give this set of two to a set of two friends of yours whose lowest-common-denominator existence you wish to mock!)

Yummmmm.

Buy it here!

2) Combination sunglasses/safety glasses that shut out all the light of the world

Reviews claim you can still see with these on, despite the impressive matte black finish, but with these glasses, it's not about what you can see, it's about what everyone else can't—your eyes, two lifeless puppies sunk deep in the lethargy of despair after being kicked by the world one too many times. Plus, they double as safety glasses to handle all your slicing and chopping needs! I'm definitely buying a pair this holiday season...and in all seriousness, they look pretty cool, not to mention the glorious feeling of total anonymity. I could be napping for all you know, suckahs!

Lifeless puppy-dog eyes not included.

Buy them here.

3) Bacon Band-aids

What could possibly go together better than America's favorite fat-tastic breakfast food and boo-boos? Though sadly not made of actual bacon, this simulated experience of laying greasy slabs of pig on your open wounds is sure to please just about anybody! For the perfect trifecta, get your bacon-loving lover/relative bacon balm and, for the best balance between taste and dental care around, the bacon-flavored toothpaste! And you can put all these gifts in the ultimate gift bag! But hold on, naysayers. I realize some of us are vegetarians and/or find pigs distasteful (literally—bam!), which is why, as a special courtesy in honor of the holiday season, tree-hugging vegan hippies like you can enjoy the mac and cheese band-aids instead! What's that? Think mac and cheese is a no-no for vegans? Think again, Bah Humbuggers—what about the "cheese" in mac and cheese possibly convinced you it was made from milk (or indeed, anything other than the sort of chemicals that gave the Joker his poker-face)?

And that, friends, is the true meaning of Christmas!

No, I didn't forget about gifts for kids—as proof, here's the best-tasting formula imaginable!

Buy the bacon band-aids here, or if you're a Jainist, the mac and cheese ones!

2014 Holiday Gift Guide: The G

Hard to top all the excellent gift ideas my fellow nerds of a feather have already suggested, but in case you need some last-minute ideas, here goes...

-The G 

1. Kindle Voyage/Paperwhite or Kobo Aura

At $99, the Paperwhite is an incredible value. The Voyage, meanwhile, is arguably just a dressed up Paperwhite at twice the price. However, the higher resolution and better backlighting do make a difference to those who, like me, suffer from chronic headaches/migraines. I mean, that’s why I bought a dedicated e-reader in the first place—to be easier on the eyes—so if that’s a priority, and you plan to use the thing a lot, it makes sense to spend a little more to get the one that best fits your needs. For those wary of getting sucked into the Amazon ecosystem, the Kobo Aura also has a great reputation. 

Buy: Kindle Voyage; Kindle Paperwhite; Kobo Aura.

2. True Detective: Season One Blu-Ray

The Best Show Ever, says two random guys you should definitely listen to. And at under $20, the DVD edition is practically a steal (you'll spend a bit more for the blu-ray). Sit back, relax and mainline the secret truth of the universe.

Buy: True Detective: Season One Blu-ray or DVD.

3. LEGO Bricks & More Creative Bucket (607 pieces)

Have kids? Don’t have kids but wish you could recapture the creative wonder of childhood? Well, look no further than this big ol’ bucket of Legos! Note these are just the colored blocks—no themes, no branding, just your imagination and 607 pieces to build whatever you can think of.

Buy: LEGO Bricks & More Creative Bucket

Holiday Gift Guide - Dean and Charles

Dean's Holiday Gift List

In a surprise to exactly zero people, holidays are not my thing. I hate anyone feeling like they're obligated to get me anything, but here's what you should get other people.

Funko Pop Figures: I love these little buggers. Like, way too much. There are enough to suit any even vaguely geeky interest and will only set you back between $10-20.

LEGO: Seriously, can't go wrong here. Or if you can, you really shouldn't be friends with the person who doesn't like Legos. You can go as large or as small as you want here, so price can go either way. If you're buying for me, the UCS Slave I comes out in January.

Board Games: If they are not already a big gamer, buy the Settlers of Catan and make them play it (if you don't, they'll assume it's a Monopoly clone and shelve it). If they already play a lot of games, you might have to get creative. A Catan or Arkham Horror expansion would probably be a welcome gift for someone who already has a couple hundred bucks sunk into those games. On the cheaper end, Forbidden Island is fantastic and under $20. If you have non-geekly friends who think Apples to Apples/Cards Against Humanity are good games (they are not), may I humbly submit Pit? It is way funner, and intellectually stimulating and you can yell at your family and get away with it.


Charles' Holiday Gift Guide

Salsa Nocturna by Daniel José Older
The reason for this pick has more to do with Half-Resurrection Blues not coming out until early January and so being ineligible for this list. As a fan of urban fantasy and Daniel José Older, it looks amazing. For those unfamiliar with his work, though, Salsa Nocturna is a great sampling of short fiction. Published by Crossed Genres, it's a great way to get a taste for a very talented writer, and a way to whet your appetite for the new novel.
Check it out HERE. 

Anything from The Signed Page
As a book lover there are few things as sublimely awesome as a book signed by the author. There's just something magical about it, something powerful about holding that in your hands. Enter The Signed Page, a site dedicated to bringing signed new books into your greedy little paws. Available for pre-order (so they can be personalized) or from stock, I love this site. And what's more. Because of moving, all in-stock signed stock is on sale. I'm talking as low as $10 for a signed book!
Go now, HERE.

Munchkin Adventure Time Game
And now for something completely different. Because Adventure Time is amazing. Like my favorite show. And now it's combined with one of my favorite infuriating, I mean fun card games. Probably much easier to just pick and play than the Adventure Time Card Wars (which is a little confusing), this game combines the characters and ridiculousness of Adventure Time with the random and wacky Munchkin system. Seems like a good match to me.
Available HERE.

The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
Now in one volume. With extra content. Extra content! I really shouldn't have to say more about this. But I will. This is a tremendous deal. Three novels and the bonus content all for about $20. And out just in time for the holidays. I absolutely loved the Dreamblood books, and have thoroughly enjoyed Jemisin's short work as well. And with everything included in this omnibus, it's sure to please both die-hard fans and new readers. Seriously, this is a no-brainer. Go out and get this.
Maybe from HERE.

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
Like horror? This is the best I have read in a long, long time. Like ever. The art is disturbing, beautiful yet twisted, and the stories are deeply chilling. Carroll's art bleeds from the page and right into our world, twisting images like the iconic Goodnight Moon room into something much, much darker. And nothing says Christmas like unbridled terror, right? 
Get it HERE.

Subscriptions! (I'm talking SFF zines, of course)
There are so many worthy places to throw your money at this holiday season. Or to give as a gift through something like Weightless Books. There are honestly too many magazines to really list them all, but anyone looking to narrow down the list can check out my suggestions in the last two Monthly Rounds. You really can't go wrong with subscriptions, and it supports,  you know, actually paying SFF writers for their craft. Most places release their stuff for free, but there are perks to subscribing and, if you can afford it, why not?

So there it is! I hope you're a little more prepared for this holiday season now!

Thursday Morning Superhero: Holiday Gift Guide Edition

My wife often complains that I am a hard man to shop for during the holiday season.  Partly because I already have too many comic books and board games, but nonetheless it can be quite tricky shopping for the comic loving person in your life.   In lieu of my weekly comic book round-up, I thought it might be helpful if I provided some handy comic related gift suggestions.

For the comic book fan who thinks he or she has everything:

With licenses like Hell Boy, Chew, Locke and Key, and Mouse Guard, there is a good chance that the Skeleton Crew Studio will have something unique.  I have a number of their products (some Locke and Key keys and a pink Chog) and their attention to detail is stunning.







For the old school comic book reader:

Somehow Boom! Studios acquired the rights to produce officially licensed Big Trouble in Little China tanks.  For the inner Jack Burton in all of us, these extremely limited shirt will without question be one of the biggest hits this holiday season.  It is going to take crackerjack timing as only 200 of these babies are being printed!








For the comic book risk taker:

Do you know someone who isn't afraid to jump into a new series?  Someone who looks forward to the big events despite the repercussions (there usually aren't any real repercussions) that may occur?  If you don't mind taking a stab in the dark, the good folk at J and K Stuff offer custom mystery boxes.  They range from $10 to $100 and they even offer a mystery  Wolverine box.  The items are guaranteed to be new and the value is guaranteed value of the purchase price.  I have seen some posts of people's hauls on various forms of social media and these are a lot of fun.





For the person who actually wants a comic book:

Unless someone tells you, it is usually quite difficult to know what comic to actually purchase for someone.  What if they already have it?  If you are concerned about these things, but know what types of comics they are a fan of, you should consider getting him or her a limited edition trade.  One of my favorites is the Sixth Gun: Gunslinger edition (limited to 1,000 units), but if you want some more options you should really check out IDW Limited.   They offer a range of items from G.I. Joe to My Little Pony.  While you are there feel free to order me a shiny Locke and Key Black Label book.  I'm not picky and will accept any of them.











POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Holiday Gift Guide (for Girls?) - Tia and Vance

Here at Nerds of a Feather, we're big believers in women in the sciences and the science fictions. And since I have three daughters, the oldest of whom is actively building up her nerd cred more and more, I pitched co-contributor Tia the idea of doing a gift guide for girls that goes in a totally different direction than your mainstream pink-and-princesses type guides we all see everywhere this time of year. The gifts that follow, then, are not really gender-specific, but we hope that if you're shopping for a special kid with an interest in nerdy things, regardless of their chromosomes, these will give you some ideas.

Gift Guide - Vance

I bestow upon you earned knowledge. Each of the gifts below has been kid-tested in my own home, so I've seen these things in action in grubby little kid paws, and pronounce them winners.

Board Games

The two most popular games in my house this year have been Labyrinth and King of Tokyo. Labyrinth is a board game made up of moving tiles that you can shift on your turn in order to create a path to the next piece of treasure you must collect. It's fun, and a wonderful exercise in spatial reasoning. In King of Tokyo, you are a monster battling other monsters for control of Tokyo. What's not to love?
Labyrinth from Amazon King of Tokyo at Amazon

Batman

I loved the 1960s Batman TV series when I was a kid, but in a new world that includes sprawling effects spectacles like The Avengers, I wasn't sure how the campy antics of Adam West and Burt Ward would go over. I needn't have worried. All three girls come from wherever they are in the house to dance when they hear the theme song begin, and all those "Pow"s "Biff"s and "Zowie"s have been tremendous fun for somebody who just learned to read. Now the complete series is available on disc for the first time, and even comes packaged with a snazzy die-cast Batmobile.
Amazon

Monster Feet

My eldest daughter loves monsters and Godzilla. Somebody gave her some pink monster-feet house shoes, which are fine, but she and I both prefer the Godzilla feet slippers she has. Seeing a little kid walk around the house in these things is simply the best. It's the best.
Amazon


Gift Guide - Tia

Dealing with Dragons: Book One of the Enchanted Forrest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede

This was my all time favorite book growing up. It’s about an improper princess named Cimorene, who doesn’t behave as a princess ought to. She tries to learn fencing and cleaning and magic and Latin…all subjects that are denied to princesses. But uncovering her parents’ plan to force her into an arranged marriage is the last straw and Cimorene skips town, eventually finding herself in the company of some dragons. She volunteers to be the dragons’ “captive,” a position she thoroughly enjoys, despite all the annoying rescue attempts by knights in shining armor.

I think I loved this book so much because it was different than all the other princess stories. I was condemned to Catholic school as I kid, so I could fully relate to being expected to act a certain way and not being able to learn anything cool. I can’t speak for the trilogy as a whole, because I never even knew there was more than one book until recently, but Dealing with Dragons is a story that will live in a little girl’s heart forever (well mine at least).
Amazon.



Harry Potter Gryffindor Jersey

This is the all time most awesome Harry Potter shirt EVER! When I finally made it to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter this summer, I was so overwhelmed with nerdiness I couldn’t handle it. Not to mention, the Diagon Alley expansion was finished but not open to the public yet, so I had to deal with that crushing blow at the same time. Talk about mixed feelings. I’m not going to lie, I did contemplate jumping the fence. There was only one guard on duty and I know I could have outrun him. But anyway, I saw so many little folks rocking this top around Orlando and it was fantastic. It’s not your typical flimsy T-Shirt, it has a little more substance to it and even some embroidery. I opted not to buy myself one while I was there and purchased a wand instead, a decision I regret. At a recent Harry Potter festival in Philadelphia I saw a mother-daughter duo sporting these matching HP jerseys and it was to die for. Universal Studios.

National Geographic Archaeology Kit: Pyramid Dig

Lets face it. Archaeology is cool, mythology is cool, and digging in the dirt is really, really cool. I worked as an archeologist for a time and was the only girl on the field crew (i.e., dirt diggers). All the other girls at the company worked in either administration or as researchers. If you ask me, we need more girls in the dirt digging department. This Ancient Egypt archaeology set looks like so much fun, and may be just the type of thing to get more of today’s youth interested in history and digging. It comes with a little chisel, brush, hammer, mummy, and sarcophagus. It even has directions on how to mummify an apple! Be aware though, this kit contains choking hazards, so make sure that the recipient of this gift isn’t one to eat non-food items.  Amazon.  

(Editor's note: Tia and I had overlapping gift recommendations, although mine involved digging up dinosaur bones, not ancient civilizations. Both are super cool. Here's the T-Rex skeleton dig we have here. - V)