Holiday Gift Guide!

H O L I D A Y   G I F T   G U I D E !

Good news! Your holiday shopping woes are over! Everyone knows that comics make the best gifts...and that Philly creators make the best comics. Here some outstanding choices for begifting the comics readers on your gift list—or anyone who enjoys creative, engaging visual storytelling—with the best work that Philly-area comics makers have to offer. Shop from this gift guide and you'll support local, independent artists and businesses in the process. Everybody wins! Especially you, who now has more time to toss back some eggnog and cozy up to a yule log. In fact, why not buy something on this list for yourself? You deserve it for being such a good gift-giver.

ASTRO NUTS by Corey Bechelli Behold a comic that will gaze back at you: 32 mind-blowing psychedelic pages, a wordless depiction of cosmic enlightenment and transformation, in eye-popping color. Ride the wave of celestial awareness to experience All Sight! $5 at coreybechelli.com and at Partners and Son.

BUTTON AND STICKER BUNDLE by Nate Garcia Twenty smackers gets you Hornrim Comix No. 1, a 16-page, seven-story anthology, plus Jambalaya Sketchbook Zine Volume 1, with sixty pages of sketchbook drawings, and a button and sticker, AND a signed 8x10 art print. $20 at etsy.com/shop/Cartoons2go .

CHILD STAR by Box Brown NYT best-selling author Box Brown explores whatever happened to fictional 80s child star Owen Eugene in this pseudo-documentary, which proves once again that he's a master of graphic storytelling.  $19.99 wherever books are sold; locally at Brave New Worlds.

CUSTOM PET PORTRAIT by Steve Teare   Any pet-owner in your life will be thrilled with a commission to have their four-legged friend immortalized in custom portrait by illustrator and art teacher Steve Teare. Now scheduling for January; contact the artist on instagram .

DECAY by Bianca (Bee) Fanty Photography, illustrations, and text meld and remix in this 20-page zine that explores the deterioration of source material removed from its original purpose. $5 at biancafanty.com and Partners and Son.

DOODLE TOWN POSTCARD BUNDLE by Melissa Lomax With this super-cute six postcard bundle by cartoonist and greeting card designer Melissa Lomax, you're just one stamp away from sweetening somebody's mailbox. $5 from lomaxandpatch.bigcartel.com. All orders in December also receive a free Beetlejuice poster, while supplies last.

FEMUR PIN by Patch This hard enamel pin by cartoonist, teacher, and monster artist Patch is a perfect companion for anyone who needs a friend...or a reminder to take a calcium supplement. $10 from lomaxandpatch.bigcartel.com. All orders in December also receive a free Beetlejuice poster, while supplies last.

GRID OBSERVER by Pat Aulisio A mysterious grid appears. A mysterious observer investigates. The result is a 120-page graphic novel that's untethered from the reality we know. Enter the grid and leave the mundane world behind! $25 from yeah dude comics.

INK AND WATER vol. 1 by Derick Jones This 27-page book collects 27 astounding illustrations of the Philadelphia cityscape by artist Derick Jones, so you can carry a bit of the city with you wherever you go. $15 at derickjonesart.com; stock is limited, but many prints and originals are also for sale. Or wait for the next printing, coming soon.

INK BRICK no. 10 by various   For ten issues, this micro-press dedicated to comics poetry asked "what else can comics do?" The final volume  offers 136 full-color pages by 23 creators exploring the overlap between poetic and visual expression. $19.95 at inkbrick.storenvy.com.

JIMOTHY JIMBLE'S BIG CITY ADVENTURE by Lawrence Scales    Can a little blob boy dance his way to happiness in the big city? Find out in this all-ages adventure. Holiday promotion through Dec. 23: two copies plus a hand-written thank you card for $5. DM author @luwh_runce  on instagram to buy.

MARVEL EAT THE UNIVERSE via Brave New Worlds The crew at Philly's venerable vender of comics and all things related tells us this cookbook is a hotter than the Human Torch. And why wouldn't it be, with recipes like Green Goblin Pumpkin Bombs, Hulk Smashed Potatoes, and Phoenix Hot Chicken and Egg Bowl? Save us one of those space donuts! $29.99 the shop's website or at the shop, 55 n. 2nd street, open 11-8 daily. Gift certificates available.

MEATHAUS SOS by Jeffro Kilpatrick and co. Special deal alert! Philadelphia Cartoonist Society co-founder Jeffro Kilpatrick is selling remaindered copies of this 2008 276-page anthology by the legendary Meathaus art collective, with work by notables like Jim Rugg, Farel Dalrymple, and more. $10 plus shipping (cover price $30!); contact JK via instagram to order.

MICROCOSMICS by Christine Larsen Comics creator and teacher Christine Larsen has chronicled tales of licensed properties like Adventure Time and Kung-Fu Panda, but her own original stories are always especially glorious.  This oversized 26-page anthology brings four wordless, trippy fantasy tales in gorgeous color. $7 at christinelarsenillustration.com/store. Act fast; CL tells us depleted inventory won't be replenished while she preps a major project coming Feb. 2021: ORCS!

NATIONAL BIRD PRINT by Anuj Shrestha Illustrator and comics creator Anuj Shrestha is offering a limited edition of this remarkable image as an 18 x 25" screen print, with proceeds going to Decarcerate PA. Purchase via instagram; $40, or $50 for a signed edition plus small original drawing.

NO MORE MERMAIDS by Salvatore Marrone Author Salvatore Marrone draws on his own experiences in this chronicle of  a young man coming to terms with his sexuality. Can starving artist and former mermaid wannabe Guilinao find true connection with the right guy? Or is he doomed to a life of hook-ups and one night stands? Vol 1. collects six chapters of the tale, for mature readers only. $20 at Partners and Sons.

NSFW DANGLER by MechanicalPencilGirl True original MechanicalPencilGirl takes her penchant for bizarre, absurd, and erotic comic-making off the page and into the third dimension with these colorful, anatomically R-rated resin keychain danglers. Probably the most out-there gift on this list! $10 at thoughtghetto.com.

PATREON SUBSCRIPTION by Beth Heinly Buy someone a patreon subscription to a creator they like, and they'll thank you every time another reward comes their way. Beth Heinly's patreon offers exclusive comics by mail and online, plus access to videos of her thought-provoking performance art (which in the past have included guerilla performances at art museums). $1, $5, and $10 tiers available at patreon.com/bethheinly. (BH has a new redbubble shop, but the deadline for holiday delivery has passed.)

PHILADELPHIA JOKE STICKER and PREGNANCY COMICS by Alli Katz Move closer to your world, my friend, with a comic strip sticker that handily summarizes every joke about Philly ever made. Amuse local pals or befuddle out-of-towners!  $4 each. For a more universal experience, try AK's minicomics on the glories of pregnancy (9 Months but actually 10 Months but Actually Forever) and breastfeeding ("Just Pretend Your Boob Is A Hoagie)," $7 each. Message @allikatz on instagram to purchase

SOVIET DAUGHTER: A GRAPHIC REVOLUTION  by Julia Alekseyeva This graphic memoir by Penn professor Julia Alekseyeva shares the story of two extraordinary women swept up in the history of their tumultuous times: a rebellious, independent woman coming of age in the USSR, and her American great-granddaughter. $14.95; available at Partners and Son, from Microcosm Publishing, and the usual online booksellers.

TOP 5 PLACES/WAWA POSTERS by Meghan Turbitt If you have a friend with a newish baby, they'll be sure to appreciate some parenting advice that they can post in the nursery for quick reference. If not, surely you have a friend who appreciates Wawa! $10 each at  meghanturbitt.com/store.

VERY OFFICIAL GIFT CARD from Partners and Son Part art gallery, part comics shop, all nice, this south Philly store prides itself on carrying the work of local comics makers (as you may have noticed from reading this list). But if you can't make up your mind, one of their snazzy gift cards is bound to please. E-gift cards also available. 618 S. 6th street, open Th-F 12-6, Sa and Sun 12-5; partnersandson.com.

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? by Andrea Tsurumi Comics maker and children's book author Andrea Tsurumi transforms poodles, public pools, desserts, clothing, eternal damnation, and other familiar things into waking dreams in this collection of cartoons and drawings. $10 from Birdcage Bottom Books.

WORDS TO A TRAIL OF LOVERS PAST by Alex G. Carol In this zine, artist and writer A. G. Carol uses poems, illustrations and recollections to reflect on past crushes, lovers, and pursuers.  $15 at etsy.com/shop/AGCarolillustrations or the South Street Art Mart.

FOR MORE PHILLY COMICS MAKERS AND THEIR WARES, CHECK OUT OUR INDEX!

sequential philly