December is the time of year when gift-giving is on our minds as we hunt for the perfect presents for friends and family. If you are seeking gifts for the comic book lovers in your life, the Gemstone staff would like to offer some interesting suggestions of trades and graphic novels that they might enjoy. In this article, the selections come from our Editor– Digital Amanda Sheriff.

Rogues’ Gallery
Image; $16.99

Rogues’ Gallery introduces Maisie Wade, an actress who portrays comic book heroine Red Rogue on a very popular TV show. But when the show veers off the comic storyline, a group of angry superfans put their frustration on the series’ lead actress.

In the first issue, Red Rogue’s fans work themselves up into a lather about the disappointing show, blaming Maisie for every fault they find. The second issue changes to Maisie’s perspective as she deals with the pressure of the job and its overbearing fans. Then things get really dark for the remainder of the four-issue miniseries as Maisie must become Red Rogue to fend off the fans – who are cosplaying as Red Rogue’s villains.

Rogues’ Gallery is equal parts indictment of toxic fandom and home invasion horror story. Writer Hannah Rose May breaks down the way that passionate devotion can turn into dangerous obsession with Red Rogue’s so-called fans going from posting negative content online to actually breaking into her home. May’s insightful writing is complimented by the art of Justin Mason and colors of Triona Farrell who provide the frightening elements with cinematic shots and liberal usage of black and red.

The miniseries is really good.

Stranger Things: Tomb of Ybwen
Dark Horse; $19.99

The kids of Hawkins head out on a new adventure in the four-issue miniseries, Stranger Things: Tomb of Ybwen. Set after the events of the second season, Will Byers is thinking about Bob Newby and his part in helping them stop the Mind Flayer. That’s when Mr. Clarke calls Will into the AV club room to show him some of the things Bob made when he founded the club. This includes what appears to be a homemade map, giving Will the excuse he needs to entice his friends on a journey of discovery.

Dark Horse has been doing a great job with the Stranger Things comic adaptations. This one by Greg Pak captures the spirit of the show with the alure of a childhood adventure, the charm of these nerdy kids, and the constant looming threat of the Upside Down. It is like an adventure every kid wanted to have with their friends. A map they need to decipher, the possibility of treasure, sneaking off without their parents knowing, and the odds are against them. It’s fun, imaginative, and dangerous – just the sort of thing these brave boys want to face.

The art by Diego Galindo and colors by Francesco Segala add an aspect of realism that feels like this story and the actors were pulled right out of the show and onto the page. The character detail is incredible, and the scenery is so beautiful and realistic that you can feel the cold air and hear the crunch of snow.

The fact that this is a Goonies-style adventure unintentionally instigated by Bob, who was played by The Goonies star Sean Astin, is the pop culture connection cherry on top.

Elvira in Monsterland
Dynamite; $19.99

Just when Elvira thought she was safe to relax and watch a classic movie, her nemesis Vlad the Impaler returns for more evil shenanigans in Elvira in Monsterland. Vlad has taken Federico Fellini’s magic remote – the very one that sent Elvira through a tour of horror movies – to embark on a trip through vampire movies to build a team of Draculas.

Writer David Avallone has been the scribe on Elvira comics for years now and it is easy to see why his relationship with the character continues. Avallone writes Elvira the way her fans would expect actress Cassandra Peterson to play her. Elvira tells cute, cheeky jokes, chastises Vlad in the funniest ways, and pulls the attention no matter who’s around her. What also makes these books so good are the many pop culture jokes and easter eggs. No spoilers here, but there’s one made to Blacula that was top notch.

The art by Kewber Baal and colors by Walter Pereyra complete the story with great likenesses of the characters and detailed settings to create the horror-comedy ambiance. They fill each page with the right amount of detail to establish the setting and expressive characters that are comedically on point.

Blow Away
BOOM! Studios; $19.99

Brynne Brautigan is a wildlife photographer stationed in a remote, frozen area of Baffin Island, Canada, where she is trying to photograph a nearly extinct bird. So far all she’s seen are a hunter, an injured polar bear, a pair of extreme ice climbers… and a potential murder. Now, Brynne is obsessed with uncovering the truth – and unwittingly putting herself in danger.

Blow Away has the voyeurism of Rear Window and the frigid isolation of The Thing. In the first issue, writer Zac Thompson establishes how far Brynne is from civilization, making her shock at seeing a possible murder even more desperate since she’s the only one there to help. She faces a hostile environment, not just from the frigid environment, but also from the unfriendly locals.

Artist Nicola Izzo, colorist Franceco Segala, and color assistant Gloria Martinelli do a great job of creating the atmosphere by showing the emptiness blanketed in shades of white, gray, and blue. Izzo established the isolation and frigid conditions with long shots of the snowy terrain and by only showing one or two characters at a time. Conversely, she also takes an intrusive approach with up close angles that reveal the truth that certain characters try to hide.

The mystery deepens with each issue, and the build-up makes it a book not to be missed.

The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
DC; $39.99

The Death of Superman was a crossover event that was published across Superman titles in December 1992 to October 1993. It’s quite a few years older than the more recent entries on this list, however given the popularity of the new Superman movie that came out in the summer of 2025, it’s a good time to revisit this modern classic.

The story is one that comic readers have pondered since the Man of Steel proved himself to be so powerful and nearly indestructible – could Superman ever die and who would be strong enough, or smart enough, to cause it?

The trade paperback is singularly focused on the battle between Superman and Doomsday, who smashed his way into comics as an example of concentrated, sheer brute force and single-minded violence. Written by the stellar list of Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Louise Simonson, and Roger Stern, and with an incredible group of artists bringing the event to gut-punching life, the event is a perfect illustration of the lengths Superman will go to to protect Earth.

This story is one of the most important in Superman’s canon and one that deserves a reread at a time when many of us are feeling haggard and downtrodden. Though the ending is sad – it’s right there in the title – the inspiration and knowledge of his return are uplifting.

–Amanda Sheriff

Amanda Sheriff is the Editor – Digital of Gemstone Publishing, writer/editor of the weekly e-newsletter, Scoop, and author of The Overstreet Guide to Collecting Horror.