It's that time again; Holiday Gift Guide time! We kick off things with books and will also feature guides on videogames, blu-ray/DVD's, collectibles and apparel, Black Friday deals, and finish up with Cyber Monday deals!
If you're a geek like me, then you've probably got rows upon rows of pop culture books that hold a strong sense of nostalgia and importance to your nerd habits. From written works of fiction, behind-the-scenes art books, movie-related tie-ins, or comics and graphic novels, there's a bevy of book-bound goods that bring joy and happiness to satiate any fanboy/girl and help fill those lonely shelves. This year is no different, with plenty to offer in all those departments. Take a gander at some of the coolest (and timeliest) books for this Holiday season!
DISCLAIMER: These prices can be fickle, so there's no telling if and when a money-saving opportunity might end or if the price may change. So if you want something – snap that shit up quick! Don't wait, only to have Festivus roll around and discover you've nothing to give or the price suddenly changed and you no longer have the bread. And remember that if you want to support JoBlo.com, please use our links below for your purchases. We thank you in advance!
The X-Files: Earth Children Are Weird ($11.25)
In advance of the upcoming tenth season of the iconic scifi series, creator Chris Carter has partnered with illustrator Kim Smith to turn our fearless UFO hunting FBI agents into cute kids afraid of aliens. It is a very cute and fun way to introduce one of TV's best series to a new generation. The art is fun and not at all scary. Hopefully this turns into an ongoing series.
The Bad Movie Bible: The Ultimate Modern Guide to Movies That Are so Bad They're Good ($17.58)
A true movie fan knows how to find beauty in even the most awful movies. There is an art to appreciating trash. No, I don't mean Adam Sandler's recent run of films but movies that are so bad you have to love them. Think THE ROOM, TROLL 2 and even SUPERMAN IV: THE QUEST FOR PEACE. This insightful catalog of bad movies works more like an encyclopedia of trash cinema. Full of photos and details, you should treat this as your guide for what to watch instead of binging bad TV.
The Coen Brothers: The Iconic Filmmakers and Their Work ($25.22)
An unofficial guide, this is a deep dive into the world of Joel and Ethan Coen. Following their career from the very beginning through their never realized projects, this book will make fans of everything from FARGO to BURN AFTER READING water at the mouth. A great read from cover to cover, this hardcover is also a ton of fun to just thumb through as a casual coffee table book.
Bonfire by Krysten Ritter ($17.10)
Better known as Jessica Jones or the girl who Walter White let choke to death, Krysten Ritter is more than just an actress. With this novel, she proves she is an adept author who can hold her own with more established bestselling novelists. Fans of GONE GIRL and THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN should give this book a shot as it combines the thriller elements of those books with the noir side of Ritter's own Netflix superhero show.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Official Grimoire: A Magickal History of Sunnydale ($22.48)
Buffy debuted 20 years ago and still has a dedicated fanbase all these years later. To celebrate the anniversary of Joss Whedon's teen drama, tons of things have been released including this book which serves as a fictionalized history of Sunnydale. Written as if it were penned by Willow Rosenberg, this grimoire is a great addition to any Buffy fan's library.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Guide to the Buffyverse ($27.19)
Unlike the previous book, this authorized compendium serves more as a resource guide for the series itself rather than a meta-fictional tome. Compiling everything from the Buffy canon, including the beloved comic book series that followed the live action show, this book is a completionist's dream. Full of great photos and detailed explanations of everything you could think of (and many you would have overlooked), this is a must buy for the Slayer in your life.
It Came From the Video Aisle!: Inside Charles Band's Full Moon Entertainment Studio ($25.96)
Full Moon Entertainment was a staple of video stores throughout the 90s and generated cult favorites like PUPPET MASTER, SUBSPECIES, DOLLMAN and my personal favorite, ARCADE. While the studio never quite made the successful transition to the modern era of streaming services, their output remains one of the most fun of any company. This book chronicles founder Charles Band and the rise and fall of Full Moon. A fun read and a great reminder of a bygone era.
A Die Hard Christmas: The Illustrated Holiday Classic ($11.91)
You have two types of people during the holiday season: those who look at DIE HARD as a Christmas movie and everyone who is wrong. Turning the Bruce Willis classic into a "children's book" works just as well as the similar X-Files illustrated book, but this is definitely not appropriate for kids. Full of blood and swearing, this deceptive book should not be mistaken as anything other than a great present for the grown up movie fan with the heart of a kid.
The Art of Aardman: The Makers of Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run, and More ($24.95)
Aardman has long been on the fringe of the world of animation. But, as soon as anyone discovers the greatness of Wallace and Gromit, they become life long fans. With the studio's latest film, EARLY MAN, set for release in the upcoming year this book is a great way to revisit the genius stop motion animation icon along with a glimpse into how these projects become beautiful realities.
Tarantino: A Retrospective ($31.61)
With buzz building towards Quentin Tarantino's ninth film, reflecting back on his body of iconic work has never been timelier. Few filmmakers have as varied a career as Tarantino while still maintaining the edge and originality that makes him the master he is. This book, while not an officially sanctioned biography is nonetheless a great view of the talented writer and director.
The Grip of Film by Richard Ayoade ($10.48)
Best known to fans from his work on the British series The IT Crowd, Richard Ayoade is a hilarious writer of books as well. His latest takes the guise of the moderator of an Internet movie forum who is not exactly Ayoade's biggest fan. It is surreal, bizarre and incredibly funny. Definitely one of the most unique books on this list, it is sure to please the most hard to shop for movie nerd.
The Tao of Bill Murray: Real-Life Stories of Joy, Enlightenment, and Party Crashing ($9.90)
Every year I try to include at least one Bill Murray book. This year's is a reflection on the real stories we have all heard about the famed actor. Often passed off as urban legends, most of Murray's party crashing tales are actually true which makes this book even more incredible. The fact that Murray just loves to be alive and make those around him feel a bit of that magic is as inspirational as it is hilarious.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Ultimate Visual History ($28.90)
There are a ton of visual dictionaries released around this time every year and the one for Steven Spielberg's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS is worth every penny. Chock full of huge images and tons of behind the scenes stories and details, this book will make you appreciate the level of craftsmanship that went into making this movie as timeless as any film ever made.
The Dark Crystal: The Ultimate Visual History ($35.10)
We are close to getting the long awaited sequel to THE DARK CRYSTAL thanks to Jim Henson's son and Netflix, but while we wait for that event series, we can thumb through this extensive dictionary of every detail that led to Henson's passion project making it to the silver screen. The big coffee table sized book is both a conversation piece and a reminder of a movie every generation should grow up watching.
The Art of Horror Movies: An Illustrated History ($25.47)
Even at their lowest budget, horror films have always had the best posters. In my opinion, the sheer creativity and art in horror marketing helped even the cheapest production make a hefty budget. This book collects posters and art from the world history of horror cinema. Not for the squeamish but definitely for fans of the genre.
Cinemaps: An Atlas of 35 Great Movies ($17.54)
Cinemaps is a very cool concept. Taking the three-quarter view most commonly seen in games like Sin City or the thousands of mobile games you see people playing on the train. Cinemaps chronicles the worlds of the most famous movies in film history. With thirty five incredibly detailed maps collected in this book, it serves almost like a Where's Waldo for movie geeks. I know I cannot stop scanning every square inch to find easter eggs I forgot about.
Mondo started out revolutionizing the art of the movie poster but have since gone on to create vinyl soundtracks, clothing and lots more. Memorabilia takes on a totally different meaning when it is branded with Mondo, who are the Criterion Collection of movie art. This book is absolutely stunning to thumb through and will make you drool and want to buy full sized posters of each and every item the company produces.
Star Wars Stormtroopers: Beyond the Armor ($28.46)
A couple of years ago, we got a slew of books leading up to THE FORCE AWAKENS and now the same is happening for THE LAST JEDI. But, instead of cash grab books focused on the snippets of trailer footage, Lucasfilm has made some really cool additions to any STAR WAR fan's library. I chose to feature this stormtrooper book because it chronicles everything about our favorite disposable bad guys to show that a lot more went into creating them than just plastic armor and awful aim.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die 7th Edition ($27.42)
This regularly updated list is released every year and you may think you don't need to buy a seventh edition of the same book, but even the non-movie fans on your shopping list can use this as a guide for learning about the most important films in cinema history, Updated to include films released in the last year, this new edition is still full of great summaries of each film and a lot of high quality photos.
Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok – The Art of the Movie ($45.00)
Taiki Waititi's comedic action film is as visually unique as it is tonally original. This art tome follow the same formula as the Marvel art books that came before it, blending actual film stills with the extensive storyboarding and pre-production art generated for the movie. See how every character evolved from multiple stylistic ideas into the finished product we see on screen.
Justice League: The Art of the Film ($28.77)
Love it or hate it, JUSTICE LEAGUE is a good looking film (excluding certain mustache-related work). This book shows not only how the finished product was reached but also teases what could have been. DC fans will love this book that paints all of the iconic DC heroes in some of the most stunning artwork you will see. Hell, you could frame practically any page in this book!
Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic ($11.99)
While the world waits for the next FANTASTIC BEASTS film, there is still a market for Harry Potter related books. This massive collection of historical artifacts blends JK Rowling's fictional world with the history behind magic and folklore in the real world. Kudos to the British Museum for compiling a unique look at a widely traversed fictional landscape.