You only think your true love isn’t into comics. With the incredible expanse of comic book themes, characters, and licensed tie-ins being published, there’s never been a better time to gift that comic-enthusiast or potential comic-enthusiast on your list. Here’s a handy list of 12 tomes with which to surprise and delight this year:

1. “Watchmen” (DC Comics, $19.99): This just-published “International Edition” of the 1986 classic is a handsome, affordable hardcover that will remind everyone why the story is one of the greatest-ever examples of the medium ever, just in time the movie hits in March.

2. “Marvel Chronicle” (DK Publishing, $50): Described as a “year-by-year history,” this immense volume tells you everything you need to know about the famous comic company and its 70-year saga. The book is profusely illustrated with Marvel covers and characters and comes in a very cool, very colorful case.

3. “Luke Skywalker: Last Hope for the Galaxy” (Dark Horse, $99.95): Yes, it’s pricey, but this humongous, slipcased volume collects “Star Wars” comic stories from the past 30 years. Focusing on Luke Skywalker, it contains everything from short tales to full mini-series, and the variety in writing and art is noteworthy.

4. “The Best of The Spirit” (DC Comics, $14.99)” Another book to absorb before the film adaptation arrives this month; this archive is the cream of the crop of Will Eisner’s trendsetting Spirit stories. If you know fans of hard-boiled mysteries, these 22 tales are for them.

5. “Diana Prince: Wonder Woman” (DC Comics, three volumes, $19.99 ea.): From 1968 to 1972, Wonder Woman lost her powers and become an Emma Peel-type and had the grooviest of adventures. DC has collected those stories in three volumes — a fourth is coming — and you couldn’t find a better picture of those free-wheeling times.

6. “Marvel Digital Comics” (Marvel.com, $59.88 for 12 months): Not an actual printed work but rather Marvel’s huge online archive of thousands of its famous comics in digital form. There’s even original content — and a subscription’s cheaper than buying all this history from eBay.

7. “Star Trek — Assignment: Earth” (IDW, $19.99): Spinning off from the 1968 episode of the original “Star Trek” TV show, these stories by legendary writer/artist John Byrne give a fascinating glimpse of the “Assignment: Earth” TV series that was never to be. No Trek fan should miss this.

8. “The DC Vault” (Running Press, $49.95): Truly a treasure trove, this hefty book chronicles DC Comics’ long history with the addition of several facsimile objects to remove and pursue separately, such as rare comics, posters and promotional items from more than 70 years of publishing.

9. “Manga for Dummies” (For Dummies, $19.99): Japanese comics — known as “manga” — may seem daunting to some, but this fun book in the famous Guide series makes it easy to enjoy and understand one of the most popular forms of the medium being published today.

10. “Stan’s Soapbox” (Hero Initiative, $14.99): This book brings together every single column of Marvel founder Stan Lee found in Marvel comics throughout the 1960s and the 1970s. The wit, the wisdom, the incredibly engaging hype — it’s all here as a crafty chronicle of Marvel’s progression.

11. “Camelot 3000 Deluxe Edition” (DC Comics, $34.99): This beautiful tome collects the 12-issue series from 1982 that blends Arthurian legend with hard-edge science fiction. The gorgeous art by Brian Bolland is worth the price of admission.

12. “Comic Book Shop Gift Certificate” (priceless) It’s not a thoughtless gift; its something your comic fan will gratefully thank you for and something that will keep giving for years.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 12th, 2008 at 12:00 am and is filed under Arts and Life, Comics.
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