December is a magical time of year. The weather cools down, snow blankets some parts of the world, and we celebrate holidays. A big part of those celebrations is the joy of giving gifts to our families and friends. If you are buying gifts for comic-loving folks or want to introduce other people to the hobby that you love, the Scoop staff would like to offer some cool suggestions on trades and graphic novels they might enjoy.
The Legend of Zelda Legendary Edition Volume 1: Ocarina of Time – Viz Media
It’s dangerous to go alone – take this! The Legend of Zelda is one of the most enduring and influential game series of all time, but it’s also inspired a number of manga adaptations over the years. Ocarina of Time is perhaps the single best-remembered title within the series, and this first volume of the Legendary Edition focuses on the story from that game.
The manga, written and drawn by Akira Himekawa (who has done most of the other Zelda manga adaptations too) is a stunningly beautiful representation of the world of Hyrule. Follow Link as he travels through time in order to save Princess Zelda and the Seven Sages from the evil influence of Ganondorf.
For fans of video games, this is an absolute must-read – and Viz has done a wonderful job at repackaging the books for this special edition release.
Sex Criminals TP Vol. 1: One Weird Trick – Image Comics
Suzie and Jon seem like just everyday folks. Except for the part that when they have sex, they can stop time, so they rob banks. It seems like an absolutely ludicrous idea for a comic book, but it really works. This raunchy comedy, written by Matt Fraction with art by Chip Zdarsky, has managed to combine laugh-out-loud moments with some truly heartfelt and emotional storylines.
Sex Criminals has been one of the funniest books on the market for the last couple of years, and it returns with a new story arc in early 2016 – making right now a really good time to start catching up via the trade paperbacks.
The first volume collects the first five issues and serves as a great hook for people looking to get into the series for the first time.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood Vol. 1 – Viz Media
Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is one of the longest-running manga series ever, having debuted on January 1, 1987. Though it now spans eight distinct story arcs (and has been collected into 117 volumes and counting), the story got started with the very first JoJo – Jonathan Joestar – in Phantom Blood.
This action-packed series follows Jonathan as he tries to put an end to the evil of his foster brother, Dio Brando, who has turned himself into a powerful vampire with the use of a mysterious stone mask. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is full of high-energy action that’s somewhat reminiscent of Fist of the North Star. It’s definitely a manga for people who don’t often read manga, too – the action definitely echoes that seen often in western superhero comic books. With the anime now being shown on the Adult Swim Toonami block, it’s a great time to start reading the manga that got everything started.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up the Marvel Universe – Marvel
This original graphic novel for The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is a perfect snapshot of everything we love about the series – it’s quirky, funny, and still full of action. This self-contained story follows Doreen Green as she takes on her most formidable enemy yet: herself. And that should say something seeing as she’s already taken down Galactus and Doctor Doom in the ongoing series!
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up the Marvel Universe is a really great standalone story; it’s a great companion for people who are already reading the ongoing series, but also a great introduction to The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl for people who aren’t yet reading it. Doreen has been a funny and relatable heroine, and this book definitely highlights all the best things about her.
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin – Vertical
Mobile Suit Gundam has influenced the entire mecha genre around the world, and the story that started it all gets revisited in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin. Taking place in Universal Century 0079, the book follows the battle between the Earth Federation forces and the Principality of Zeon. Amuro Ray pilots the Gundam mobile suit as the Earth Federation seeks to put an end to the Zeon rebellion.
The Origin is a retelling of the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime series from 1979, but it does make some small changes, namely expanding on the stories of important characters like Ramba Ral and the Black Tri-Stars. Longtime fans of the Gundam franchise will probably enjoy this best – though fans who jumped in during the mid-’90s boom might enjoy reading this rather than going back to the original anime. The Vertical release of this manga is also gorgeous, featuring hardcover editions that highlight the artwork in new ways.
-Carrie Wood
Stay tuned for more holiday gift suggestions from Gemstone’s comic-loving staff.