Fun Swag For Fans Of All Ages

Looking for the perfect something for the comics/sci-fi/gaming/anime fan in your life? Black Friday comes early this year, and with it the holiday shopping season. Here are a few fun pieces of merch to put a smile on the face of that special fan – including the one in the mirror! – for all tastes and budgets.

Marvel Comics Library: Fantastic Four 1961-63 (Taschen Books). Comic fans are blessed with a wealth of amazing deluxe editions of classic material, but editions don’t come any more deluxe than Taschen’s series of hefty tomes chronicling the early days of Marvel. And material doesn’t come more classic than the first 20 issues of Fantastic Four by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, reprinted here in jumbo size, on paper stock that perfectly captures the feel of newsprint. Jam packed with extras, photos, original art and an extensive intro essay by Mark Waid. Hardcover, 700 pages, $200.

Star Trek: First Contact Day T-Shirt. Celebrate the historic day when Vulcans first appear to humans, setting in motion the chain of events leading to the founding of the Federation. What, your favorite Trekkie couldn’t make it? That’s ok – they can still enjoy this commemorative t-shirt, sure to get a rise out of fellow fans. Available from The Haul in various sizes, $30.

House of the Dragon Designer Jewelry. You don’t need to be Westeros royalty to rock some of the gorgeous jewelry designs featured in HBO’s hit fantasy series. UK-based Ottoman Hands has been bringing fantasy bling into the real world using sustainable materials and methods. Their Goddess collection includes several handcrafted treasures including this pearl pendant necklace, $125 plus international shipping where applicable.

Harley Quinn Collectible, Holiday Edition. The latest addition to Cryptozoic Entertainment’s popular Holiday Edition series is this sweet 7.5 inch Harley Quinn variant, tricked out in a seasonal green and red ensemble. The deluxe collectible comes in a display-worthy window box with a unique design and sticker. Limited to 750. Get ‘em while you can, $44.99.

Rodan Jacket. Looking to stomp on Tokyo but don’t have anything to wear? The geek fashion gurus at Hero Within have got you! Radon is a giant Pteranodon kaiju who first appeared in Rodan (1956) and made his first appearance alongside Godzilla in the 1964 Godzilla film Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. This handsome unisex jacket features a bold Rodan print, quilted lining and multiple interior/exterior pockets. Limited edition, list price $99, on discount now.

The Songs of Weird Al Yankovic Graphic Novel. If the recent feature film biopic of longtime nerd fave “Weird Al” Yankovic left you hungry for more, Z2 Comics has you covered with the this brand new anthology. Some of the world’s funniest cartoonists take a crack at illustrating Weird Al’s deathless lyrics, packaged in a nice edition with a forward by comic Emo Phillips. Publishing December 20, available for pre-orders now, $29.99.

Custom Pokemon Skateboard Decks. Acclaimed skateboard designer and uber-fan Bear Walker has been mashing up skater culture and geekdom with lines of gnarly, high quality skateboard decks featuring licensed characters from Marvel, Invader Zim, Spongebob Squarepants, and Pokemon. The Pokemon lineup features Haunter, Sableye, Mimikyu, Snolax, Psyduck and more. Each $249.

Heavy Metal Hoodie. Legendary sci-fi imprint Heavy Metal is back in a big way for the 2020s and just announced a new line of merchandise and apparel. This rugged cotton-polyester blended hoodie features a reimainged Heavy Metal logo designed by the late, great Korean artist Kim Jung-Gi. Various sizes, $60.

Cassian Andor Funko Pop. Nothing captures the gritty angst of the latest entry in the Star Wars cannon better than this adorably intense Cassian Andor Funko Pop. If this exclusive licensed item doesn’t get your metachlorians buzzing, don’t turn to the Dark Side. There are Funkos for everything under the sun, at stocking-stuffer prices, available literally everywhere. Cassian Andor Pop, $15.00.

Give the Gift of Art! Let me end this column with my annual appeal to give the fan in your life the gift of art. There is none of this stuff without art, and no art without artists who can afford to eat. Conventions, Instagram, Etsy and your local community are full of artists doing gorgeous original works, and I’m sure most of them would love to hear from you with your special requests and commissions. Be generous, be polite, be patient, and get rewarded with something truly unique and special.