The Painted Tree, The Shops at Hilltop, Virginia Beach
Category Archives: Gifts
THE PAINTED TREE — Shopper’s Paradise
Filed under Art, Comics, Gifts, The Painted Tree, Virginia Beach
Comics Grinder Holiday Gift Guide 2020: Another Top Ten List ❤️
Something as good as a stocking full of cash?
Here are more suggestions for you to consider during this holiday season. See what you think of this next Top Ten List. What do you want most? Maybe stuff a stocking with some cash and glitter? That is hard to beat but let’s see. Look, I’m trying to help. Here, let’s make it an even dozen…
MAX & THE MIDKNIGHTS
A book that is bound to be welcomed by young readers. Filled with jokes, action, and just the right mix of middle school angst, Lincoln Peirce strikes another home run with his latest kid epic. Published by Penguin Random House.
BENEATH THE MOON
A gorgeously illustrated collection of some of the world’s most beloved fairy tales, fables and myths. Yoshi Yoshitani presented time-honored classic with a sly contemporary vibe. Published by Penguin Random House.
SONG OF THE COURT
Here is an appealing book for cat lovers, young readers, and anyone who appreciates an energetic and polished children’s book in a graphic novel format. By Katy Farina, known for creating the New York Times bestselling Baby-sitter’s Club Little Sisters series. Published by Sterling Children’s Books.
THE COMIC BOOK STORY OF BASKETBALL
Fred Van Lente has been attached to some of the most significant educational graphic novels and he brings his A-game to this detailed tribute to basketball. Published by Penguin Random House.
DRAWING FIRE
Bill Mauldin (1921-2003) is one of the all-time great political cartoonists we’ve ever had, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes for his editorial cartoons. Here, collected in one book, is a treasure trove of collected works and substantial essays reviewing Mauldin’s career beginning with his “Willie and Joe” cartoons from World War II. Published by Pritzker Military Museum & Library.
GREAT NAVAL BATTLES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
In the history of civilizations, sea power has always played a preponderant role. This symbol of a nation’s scientific and military genius has very often been the deciding factor during major conflicts, putting the names of several clashes down into legend. With this collection, Jean-Yves Delitte and Giuseppe Baiguera plunge you into the heart of three of the twentieth century’s greatest naval battles. The comics narratives exploring Tsushima (1905), Jutland (1916), and Midway (1941) bring you right up to the action. Published by Dead Reckoning.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER OF MAUTHAUSEN
This is the riveting true life story of Francisco Boix, a Spanish press photographer and communist who fled to France at the beginning of World War II. Boix ended up imprisoned at the notorious Mauthausen concentration camp. But, through some luck and skill, Boix found a way to not only survive but to expose Nazi war crimes. Another stellar title published by Dead Reckoning.
NAUTRALIST
An ambitious graphic novel adaption of Edward O. Wilson’s classic. Keeping to a steady pace, any fan of the original will be satisfied. For new readers, this is an excellent gateway to the life and times of one of the world’s preeminent biologists and to nature itself. Published by Island Press.
GUANTANAMO VOICES
Journalist Sarah Mirk and her team of diverse, talented graphic novel artists tell the stories of ten people whose lives have been shaped and affected by the prison, including former prisoners, lawyers, social workers, and service members.. Published by Abrams.
BAD ISLAND
Cult artist and longtime Radiohead collaborator Stanley Donwood embarks upon an eerie journey in his first foray into comics with this wordless graphic novel. Published by W.W. Norton & Company.
PLEASE DON’T STEP ON MY JNCO JEANS
Here’s a neat little stocking stuffer: a gem of self-loathing slice-of-life comic strips from indie cartoonist Noah Van Sciver. Published by Fantagraphics.
CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND
Kevin Hooyman’s masterwork is a perfect gift for anyone who enjoys an intriguing read. Published by Floating World Comics.
Tick Tock! You’re Running Out of Time!
Comics Grinder Holiday Gift Guide 2020: The First Top Ten List
From Black Friday to Cyber Monday and Beyond!
Comics Grinder has always got you covered for interesting tidbits, insights, and suggestions regarding comics, pop culture, and culture in general. Here are some quick suggestions for discerning Comics Grinder followers:
I’m going to keep this simple and jump right in with 10 items for your consideration beginning with Wes Anderson: The Iconic Filmmaker and his Work, by Ian Nathan, an “unofficial and unauthorised” yet stunning tribute to the beloved filmmaker. 176-page hardcover with deluxe slipcase, fully illustrated. $35. From White Lion Publishers, an imprint of The Quarto Group.
Next up will please any fan of D&D, especially younger players or anyone who enjoys a trading card style description of characters. This is Beasts & Behemoths, the fifth and latest installment in the Dungeons & Dragons Young Adventurer’s Guide series. It is by Jim Zub, Stacy King, and Andrew Wheeler. 112 pages, full-color illustrations. $12.99. From Ten Speed Press and Penguin Random House.
Moving right along, this book will need to be in your kitchen and bar as soon as possible, whether you’re a D&D fan or not yet. Welcome to Heroes’ Feast: The Official D&D Cookbook. Yes, now you can eat and drink like a hero. There are recipes here for everything from Honey-Drizzled Cream Puffs to Sembian Honey-Glazed Rothe Ribs to Bytopian Shepherd’s Bread to Roll Rum! Seriously, this is an impressive cookbook with lavish illustrations alongside charming and meticulous D&D factoids and insights. If you’ve been looking for a way to hook yourself into the world of D&D, then seek out this cookbook. Fully illustrated. 240 pages. $35. From Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Quite honestly, this is the best gift for 2020 on so many levels.
If you are a fan of Critical Role, then you are in very good company as this is one of the most popular role-playing game communities ever. Now, you can join in on all the fun and get all you’ve ever wanted to know about this fantasy RPG livestream phenomena in one deluxe book, The World of Critical Role: The History Behind the Epic Fantasy, by Liz Marsham and the Cast of Critical Role. Just like the name suggests, go deep into this world with up-close and personal features on all the talent involved. Critical Role was established in 2015 by a group of friends with a passion for storytelling and has evolved into a multi-platform media company with a variety of shows, comic books, graphic novels, animation, podcasts and more. Its epic adventures and memorable characters attract millions of viewers live every week. Yes, this is a big deal and, if you’re new to it, then all the more reason to get this book. This is a 320-page fully-illustrated hardcover, $35. From Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Let’s shift over to the Star Wars universe and a most compelling book indeed. For anyone who cares about quality storytelling, and enjoys Star Wars lore, this is a perfect gift. From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back is an anthology celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back with forty acclaimed science fiction writers. You will find such gems as Hank Green chronicling the life of a naturalist caring for tauntauns on the frozen world of Hoth. Or about Charles Yu’s quirky look at what it’s like to be in Darth Vader’s death grip? So much to enjoy here. So kick back with a Roll Rum and get into some serious Star Wars storytelling. This is a 564-page hardcover, $35. From Del Rey, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
It’s impossible not to like the hilarious work by Yehuda Devir and Maya Devir with their comics adaptation of their everyday lives. It all began as a fun spoof on young married life. Yehuda would draw. Maya would art direct. Next thing you know, these candid illustrations went viral on social media. Welcome to One of Those Days, a collection of these funny and touching illustrations that just about anyone can relate to. This is a 272-page full color hardcover, $30. From Penguin Random House.
Dbury@50 Celebrates 50 Years of Doonesbury
Garry Trudeau’s Doonesbury has been around for fifty years and it’s time to celebrate. Enter, Dbury@50: The Complete Digital Doonesbury, from Andrews McMeel Publishing, priced at $125. This includes a 224-page “user manual,” a poster, and a thumb drive which includes what looks like a little website presenting all the comic strips on a per week basis. The fifty-year milestone celebratory package takes readers through each year of the strip, providing historical context and featuring key storylines, and proves to be a valuable first step in preserving a significant comic strip for future generations.
Another huge property is anything and everything to do with Frank Herbert’s monumental novel, Dune. Was it ever really meant to be more than a novel? Well, how about a graphic novel? The answer is yes and no. Apparently, it takes more than one graphic novel to properly attempt to cover the novel. Enter, Frank Herbert’s Dune: The Graphic Novel, Book 1. It offers a good mix of the cinematic and more cerebral that should satisfy true believers and newcomers alike. This is a 176-page hardcover, $24.99. From Abrams ComicArts.
If anyone tells you that they’ve finished reading XX, the new mammoth novel by Rian Hughes, they are lying to you. This work clocks in at 992 pages. It actually weighs in at almost 3 pounds. Isn’t that close to the weight of a newborn baby? No, the average weight is around 7 pounds. Okay, I don’t want to overstate this. What I do want to say is that the book is huge and sometimes big books come with a lot of hype. In this case, we have an art house book with a lot of type, as in fancy footwork with various fonts. This is supposed to be a glorious melding of the literary arts with the graphic arts from a master designer. I’m not sure that I’m buying all that. If you are looking for something really compelling and unusual that is playing with the literary and the visual arts, you may still need to go back to 2000 and House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. That said, I’m still working on this mountain of a book and the basic story hasn’t really hooked me in yet. I’d love to know what you think if you have indeed made it to the end. This is a hardcover, $26.43. From Abrams.
How much do you like Batman? I love me a good Batman story, but I mean something really good. Well, a lot of good things came from Batman: The Animated Series. The higher-ups at the Big Two Publishers can be a mysterious bunch but, when they prioritize, they can achieve remarkable results. Look, iconic characters like Batman are only as good as the creative team behind a certain project. What made Batman: The Animated Series work out so well was the creative team led by Bruce Timm back in the early ’90s. It seems that Timm set the gold standard and it has been honored ever since. I have yet to see a subpar DC Comics/Warner Bros. animated feature. The book, Batman: The Animated Series, honors all that hard work and dedication with stellar artwork. Enjoy. This is a 144-page hardcover, $60. From Insight Editions.
Filed under Book Reviews, Gifts
Holiday Review: FRIENDS: THE OFFICIAL COOKBOOK
FRIENDS: THE OFFICIAL COOKBOOK
Friends: The Official Cookbook. by Amanda Yee. Insight Editions. 2020. 176pp, $29.99. And $44.99 for the GIFT SET which includes a Friends apron.
Did you know there’s an official Friends cookbook? It’s not directly in response to the unofficial Friends cookbook but, let me tell you, that one was very disappointing for one particular reason. That book didn’t incorporate the show enough into the recipes! Wow! You would think that’s TV fandom 101! Of course, you must make such a cookbook relevant to the show you are paying tribute to, right? Am I right? Of course, I’m right! Seriously, this book is the real deal, a perfect mix of pop culture and foodie goodness. And now you can get the book or the special gift set which includes a Friends apron!
Friends. Friends. And More Friends. Can’t Have Enough Friends!
I don’t know about you but I always felt there was a bit of a subversive thing going on with Friends. It was, or it seemed to me, pretty self-concious that it was treading water, a sitcom for the post-modern era that really had nothing new to offer so it would revel in that fact and not in an ultra-clever way like Seinfeld but in a mainstream way, in a way that it could have its cake and eat it too. In other words, it wasn’t out to make a statement or even be especially funny. To me, Friends was amusing, meant to be utterly escapist and fluffy comfy. And so it all adds up, in a weird but fun way, as a show waiting to be turned into a cookbook! Anyway, the book is jam packed with quite an assortment of very practical recipes with intelligent tie-ins to specific episodes. You could actually give this to someone and they could very easily live off eating food prepared from this book for a year, maybe indefinitely. It’s that good a cookbook! Who knew, right?
Definitely Not Vegetarian Lasagna! Yes!
Of course, I gave this a try!
Now, this is one serious cookbook filled with one recipe after another! Check out Definitely Not Vegetarian Lasagna! Yes! Well, of course, I had to give this a try and, if I do say so myself, I achieved excellent results!
And get a Friends apron too!
And, of course, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, this book has got you covered with a sumptuous holiday dinner recipe. Perfect! For this post, I was a bit less elaborate but not by much. So, yeah, I chose to make a lasagna dish from the book to start with and I encourage you to do the same. It actually was a lot of fun and I’m not exactly new to cookbooks. I’ve tried my fair share of them. I think the book, like the show, is oddly amusing while also quite attractive. The layout and design is very upbeat and engaging. Any fan of the show would find that book and show are in sync. That said, I highly recommend you get yourself a copy. And, if you were wondering, yes, Insight Editions does have other pop culture themed cookbooks for you to choose from. Just go visit Insight Editions right here.
Insight Editions’ Friends: The Official Cookbook is one of the bestselling cookbooks of the year. Now, fans of Friends can enjoy the book’s 100+ recipes and an exclusive, new-to-market Friends Apron in the FRIENDS: THE OFFICIAL COOKBOOK GIFT SET (Insight Editions; 11/10). The gift set is on-sale today!
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The Official Friends Cookbook. New for 2020, Friends: The Official Cookbook is the freshest officially endorsed Friends cookbook and features dozens of full-color images and delicious recipes from the beloved hit show. With over 100 recipes, readers will learn how to master Monica’s Friendsgiving Feast, Rachel’s Meat Trifle, Just for Joey Fries, Chandler’s “Milk That You Chew,” Phoebe’s favorite Faceless Foods, and of course, Ross’s Moist Maker.
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Gift Set Includes Exclusive Turkey Apron. Not available anywhere else, this high-quality apron features adjustable straps, a large front pocket, and Monica’s iconic holiday turkey recreated in glorious full color.
Filed under Book Reviews, Cookbooks, Food, Gifts, Holidays
Review: THE WALKING DEAD: THE POP-UP BOOK
The zombie book of the season!
It is ingrained in our DNA to thirst for bloody horror. Oh, wait, I think I just used that opening line recently. Well, it’s a good one and it certainly applies to The Walking Dead. I firmly believe that, when you strike the right balance of evenly spaced blood splatters and evenly paced plotting, it will resonate with an audience. It’s the next phase a horror creator wants to get to and fast just like Robert Kirkman has succeeded in doing. In tribute to horror done right, behold “The Walking Dead: The Pop-Up Book,” published by Insight Editions.
Lots of details and hidden goodies!
This is no mere pop-up book! Look it over form every angle, there is plenty to look at and marvel over. This masterful work is created by paper engineers David Hawcock (Journal of Inventions: Leonardo Da Vinci) and Becca Zerkin, with text by Stephani Danelle Perry, and illustrated by Sally Elizabeth Jackson.
Zombie Surprise!
Based on AMC’s hit television series, “The Walking Dead,” this has got to be the ultimate gift idea for many a friend and loved one into zombies, horror movies, or pop culture in general. It’s big but also compact enough to fit comfortably on your coffee table or wherever you like to keep groovy ghoulies.
THE WALKING DEAD: THE POP-UP BOOK is a hardcover featuring five glorious page spreads and over 20 pop-ups. For more details, visit our friends at Insight Editions right here.
Filed under Books, Gifts, Holidays, Insight Editions, Television, The Walking Dead
Review: The Walking Dead Hardcover Ruled Journal from Insight Editions
With Season 6 of AMC’s The Walking Dead set for this October, a perfect addition for any fan’s gear is The Walking Dead Hardcover Ruled Journal. This is another in a line of pop culture treats from Insight Editions. Take notes. Draw your own zombies. Write your own zombie story. Whatever you choose to pen down, this is a fine specimen, with a durable hide that can withstand any zombie attack.
This is the real deal. A beautiful and rugged journal, 192 pages of archival ruled paper, with artwork gracing the inside cover and endpapers. There’s also a secret pocket on the back cover, just in case you need to save some zombie-related notes. Or just plain notes.
You’ll find a card in that back pocket letting you know about Insight Editions’ The Walking Dead poster books. Each poster is easy to remove and perfect for displaying.
A perfect little gift to give yourself or someone special. You’ve got four versions to choose from. For more details, visit our friends at Insight Editions right here. You can also find this item here and here.
Filed under AMC, Gifts, Insight Editions, Television, The Walking Dead, Zombies
Review: ‘SuicideGirls: Geekology’ by Missy Suicide
Geek out this holiday season with “SuicideGirls: Geekology,” by Missy Suicide, cofounder of SuicideGirls and all-around geek. This gorgeous hardcover art book shares a passion for geek culture among some of the most beautiful women in the world. There’s the ancient stereotype that a beautiful woman is only beautiful but culture in general has become so fluid and interconnected that these tired old assumptions are now, more than ever, a slippery slope.
Filed under Geeks, Gifts, Gifts 2014, SuicideGirls, Tattoos
Gifts 2014: ‘WHAT IF?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions’ by Randall Munroe
Geek out this holiday season with Randall Munroe’s “WHAT IF?” This #1 New York Times Bestseller will undoubtedly make the perfect gift for the science lover, the comics lover, and the geek in your life.
Millions of people visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe’s iconic webcomic. Now, its sister blog has been transformed into a book, “WHAT IF?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.”
“WHAT IF” is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and is available here, here, and here.
You can read a roundup of praise below:
Filed under Comics, Gifts, Gifts 2014, Randall Munroe, Webcomics, xkcd
Gifts 2014: NERD BLOCK
Here at Comic Grinder HQ, we’re constantly looking for cool stuff to share with you. I had just made a fresh batch of hot cocoa and was gearing up for the day when Roy burst into the office with the latest mail bag, which happened to be bursting too, at the seams, no less. “You better step it up, we have a motherload of packages and parcels. Best you get to reviewing straightaway!” And so I did. I picked up the first box and, lo and behold, it was from Nerd Block. I have heard many good things about them and I went right into taking stock of the box’s contents in the video below:
Nerd Block makes a great gift for anyone. If you enjoy pop culture, then Nerd Block has got something for you. Nerd Block is a monthly mystery package delivered right to your door filled with nerdy apparel, toys, and collectables! Every Nerd Block comes with a custom t-shirt (in your size) and 4-6 epic items. There are different themes to choose from. You can stop your subscription at any time. Packages range in price from $13.99 to $19.99. Visit our friends at Nerd Block right here.
Filed under Comic-Con, Comics, DC Comics, Gifts, Gifts 2014, Marvel Comics, Nerd Block, pop culture, Star Wars
