A Ready-Made Holiday Shopping List!
Picking the perfect gifts for the folks on your shopping list can be pretty daunting. And who needs the additional stress during an already hectic season? Well… here's a shopping list that should cover everyone on your list! Admittedly, the list is self-serving, but I'm proud of this stuff and I think your friends and family will dig it. I've provided links to Amazon so you can purchase the stuff online, but you have time to head to your local retailer to get (most of) these books, too.
For the Hard-Boiled Fan…
…Check out The Damned, my first collaboration with Brian Hurtt. This is the story of gangsters, demons, and a gumshoe who cannot die.
This book is perfect for fans of hard-boiled crime, noir, supernatural horror, demons with tommy guns (and who isn't?), The Walking Dead, Hellblazer, and Turf. Readers who want a departure from superheroes but like their crime with a supernatural flavor will get a kick out of this.
In terms of age-range, this book is probably a little too dark for most young readers. I'd give it an "R" rating.
If you want to get a taste of what it's all about, you can check out a 40-page preview!
For Superhero Fanatatics…
… Try Superman/Batman: Sorcerer Kings. This is a Superman/Batman team-up for the reader who doesn't want to worry about a lot of sticky continuity and just enjoy a fun romp through time and space. In this story, Superman is kidnapped by a Batman from a future where magicians have conquered the world. It's a crazy tale featuring some great magical and supernatural characters.
This book is perfect for casual and die-hard superhero enthusiasts. Fans of the Superman and Batman cartoons and movies, magical characters such as Shadowpact and Klarion the Witch Boy and Etrigan the Demon, action, time travel, Detective Chimp, and zombie-like hoards of Solomon Grundies will find something to like in this tome.
In terms of age-range, I think this book has a PG rating and can be enjoyed by a pretty wide audience.
For Fans of 70s-Style Monster Action…
…The Tooth is a safe bet. This is the story of an everyday average schmuck… who happens to have a large demon-fighting dragon's fang nesting in his mouth. Yes, it's as strange as it sounds. This is one part homage, one part parody, one part monster mania–a tribute to the great "horror hero" comics of the 70s.
This book is perfect for readers who fondly remember terrific horror heroes such as Werewolf By Night, Man-Thing, and Swamp Thing. Fans of Godzilla, Jason and the Argonauts, EC comics, old school horror, arm-ripping violence, and monster teeth will find what they've been looking for all their lives in the pages this book.
In terms of age-range, there is some monster violence in the book and a lot of people torn limb from limb. Still, I think it's depicted in a fun way, and I'd put the book in the PG category. Some of the in-jokes, though, may only be fully appreciated by an older audience who remembers the glory days of horror comics.
For the Young and Young at Heart…
…Crooked Hills makes a great stocking stuffer! This prose horror novel presents thrills, laughs, and plenty of chills for middle readers and adults who remember what it was like to be a kid. This is the tale of Charlie, who moves to the Ozarks town of Crooked Hills–the most haunted town in America–and runs afoul of a cruel witch!
This book is perfect for fans of Cirque Du Freak, Goosebumps, The Goonies, Monster Squad, and Super 8. If you have a kid in your life who loves to read… especially scary stuff… this is the book for them!
In terms of age-range, the book was written with a primary audience between the ages of 8 – 12. That said, some younger readers have enjoyed the book, and adults have gotten spooked by Charlie's adventures, too!
And the Whole Enchilada…
…would have to be The Sixth Gun. While the book can be boiled down into the "supernatural western" category, I believe there's something for everyone in the adventures of Becky Montcrief, Drake Sinclair, and Gord Cantrell. Fantasy, horror, gunslinging, adventure, action, swashbuckling, romance, humor, mystery–its all there. This is the tale of the Six, a set of mystic six-shooters that could doom the entire world. There are two trade paperback collections currently available.
This book is perfect for readers who simply enjoy great comics with a healthy dose of magic, ghosts, zombies, and monsters; loads of action; and a strong female lead.
In terms of age-range, this book fits into the PG13 category. Some younger readers might enjoy it. Basically, if they are old enough to watch Raiders of the Lost Arc, they're probably fine to read this.
