Surprise Gifts Don’t Work For Comic Fans

Christmas is rolling around and I’ve ordered my gift from my children at my local comic shop. That’s correct, I order my own gift to take away the uncertainty of getting something horrific. Two reasons for this: they’re 4 and 5 and don’t have any money so going into the comic shop and picking up my gift using my store credit makes them feel like they’re contributing, plus I’m guaranteed to get a book I want and can look happy and contented on Christmas morning. I realize this won’t work for much longer but no point in looking to a bleaker future.

This could be you Christmas morning. “But honey, you like Batman”. Notice how all alone he is in the picture: friends stopped dropping by after seeing him in his superhero “blanket with sleeves”. As a public safety I’m not providing a link to the aforementioned item.

My wife bought me my first comic statue: she went into my local comic shop and asked them what I’d like. They showed her the Iron Man statue I’d had my eye on for some time but it took a solid convincing from the staff to get her out the door with the statue. She was convinced they were taking her for a ride: who in their right mind would want a statue of a comic character? And this was at a shop where the staff knew me: I can only imagine how this plays out for those who buy their comics more anonymously. (Hey, I mentioned my local comic shop once: I guess this means I “champion the local comic shop”, right Walt?)

For those with friends and family trying to get a gift for the comic fan there is no greater resource than the local comic shop (championed again!) but Amazon’s Wish List comes a strong second. Here you can add books you want and share the list with all, even giving them a priority level; sadly it ends at highest, with no “must have now or will surely die” as an option. It’s also a great way to keep track of books that are on the horizon; you forget about them after a few months and magically they appear under your tree for Christmas. Amazon offers to share your list with anyone via email and even put your wished for items on your social media accounts. It seems a tad like begging but better than getting random crap.