Super Kaiju’s 2017 Holiday Gift List of Nerd Stuff

December 8, 2017

Every year, people tell us that we’re “hard to shop for” because we “already have everything”. Well, excuse us, we don’t have everything. But we have a lot of it.

From Twin Peaks to art prints, if you’ve got a difficult nerd who “already has everything”, here are some of Super Kaiju’s surest-bets for this holiday season. Unless they already have some of this stuff. Which they might.

Just check with them first, it’s not tough.

? Blu-Ray / DVDs ?

Twin Peaks: A Limited Event Series

If you didn’t get a chance to watch it upon first broadcast (or were too lazy to subscribe to Showtime), check out what people are calling it one of the best movies of the year. Some people don’t know what a movie is, I guess, but, regardless, this eighteen episode mini-series is beautiful, poignant, sometimes difficult but an incredible return by David Lynch.

(BONUS GIFT IDEA: Pick up Criterion’s recent release of Fire Walk With Me to get one step closer to solving the mystery behind Agent Cooper and who killed Laura Palmer.)

Planet of the Apes Trilogy

Without hyperbole, the modern “reboot” of Planet of the Apes has transformed into one of the most impressive trilogies ever, led by the incredible motion-capture performance by Andy Serkis. Revisit the first installment (featuring James Franco) and watch as the story and effects grow in scope and power. The final part of the series remains one of the best movies of the year, including a very emotional addition to the Apes mythos.

The Walking Dead Limited-Edition Season 7 Spiked Walker Blu-Ray Gift Set

Season 7 of The Walking Dead wasn’t the … best version of the long-running series but, still, there were a few great moments scattered throughout, including Rick facing off this spiked zombie. So give that special Dead Head in your life something they’ve always wanted: a limited-edition, really detailed bust of a very intense-looking zombie. It’ll look great / terrible on their shelf, depending on who you poll.

? Books ?

Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier

Mark Frost, the co-creator of the Twin Peaks universe, delivers his second installment of intensive book addendums to the current canon. I enjoyed his first book, which reads more like a compiled case study than a novel, and The Final Dossier has some major implications for the new series. Some questions are answered but many more are left hanging, a true product of the Lynchian, coffee-filled world we were reintroduced to this year.

Akira 35th Anniversary Box Set

Jason ordered this set and it is beautiful. Hardcover, traditional copies of the original manga are housed in a huge box, complete with an additional (long out-of-print) companion text, as well as the famous patch. A little pricy but worth it, this set is the perfect gift for someone just dipping their toes into the larger world of Neo-Tokyo.

Star Wars: Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Captain Phasma

This book has been sitting on my shelf for a few weeks now, ready for me to power through it during this week leading up to Episode 8. Before we see Gwendolin Christie’s character reappear after her stint in the trash compactor, make sure to catch up on her backstory (which I hope is just 100 pages of her adding shiny plating to her stormtrooper armor).

? Music ?

Twin Peaks Music from the Limited Event Series

One of the most surprising additions to the new Twin Peaks series was its treatment of bands and songs, which were used effectively at the end of most episodes to play over the credits and tell a further story. All of these songs have been re-ordered and placed on this special edition vinyl, as if David Lynch created a special playlist just for you. What could be better?

(And if you want to double up and add the original score to the mini-series, as well, Angelo Badalamenti returned to Twin Peaks, delivering haunting rifts off his famous themes from 20 years prior.)

Batman Returns – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

One of the most beautiful vinyl editions I own, the Batman Returns soundtrack is Danny Elfman at his finest, creating a soundscape that is oddly perfect for your Christmas ambience (and which made a surprise return in the recent Justice League movie). You can’t go wrong with a Mondo pressing, with the entire presentation a work of art on its own.

Fight Club – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Taking the mantra “Destroy Something Beautiful” to heart, this Mondo release encourages fans to break the packaging and delve into one of the best soundtracks ever created for a movie. It shouldn’t be surprising that Fight Club still holds up, even after all these years (and even after two decades worth of frat guys completely misunderstand the themes of the movie). Indulge your consumerism.

? Art ?

Fight the Power – Jason Edmiston – Eyes Without a Face

Jason Edmiston is one of our favorites and both of us have his work framed around our houses. It’s rare that one of his Eyes WIthout a Face don’t sell out immediately and, with Black Panther’s premiere coming up very soon, expect this one to not last long.

Jungle Moments – Scott C. (Predator)

Speaking of favorites, Scott C. is one of the best artists working today, giving a much needed light-heartedness to an ever-darkening world of pop culture. Check out the rest of his shop, which includes some Star Wars prints that are wonderful (his Blue Milk print has been remarqued by the artist and is in my framing queue).

Diana and / or The Major (Japanese Variant) by Craig Drake

In the category of “Things I am Surprised Haven’t Sold Out Yet”, Craig Drake’s prints for Wonder Woman and Ghost in the Shell are both beautiful, stylized renditions of two major pop culture icons. Hang it up on your wall and feel classy.

Planet of the Apes by Marc Aspinall (AP)

There have been a lot of Planet of the Apes posters over the past year but this release by Mondo is both classic and restrained, proving that you can never have too many damn, dirty apes as decoration.