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 Pricing Editor Yolanda Ramirez.

Stray Dogs Vol. 1
Image; $16.99

Hello fellow comic fans! This is my first year doing a gift article so I’m going to do my best to give you a few gift giving ideas. I like to read with my young nieces and nephews, and I like to get them excited about reading. So, I pick graphic novels that will spark a young person’s interest in comic collecting and reading. As I was pricing this year, I noticed that comic fans really like Stray Dogs, so I needed to see what it was all about. I even noticed that Forbs gave it top reviews, and since I’m a dog lover, I was excited to read it.

This book is written from the dogs’ perspective, which makes you see a dog’s life and mind set. It’s funny and well thought out. The art is cartoon style, like a Scooby-Doo mystery, so you feel like you’re watching an episode instead of reading. It’s a mystery story with suspense and plenty of excitement. The story was so captivating I cried a bit. My niece was blown away; she really enjoyed it. When she put the book down, she asked me if I had any others she could read. Mind you, she’s 13 years old and has a phone, but she was in my pile of books trying to find a new mystery. So, if you have young ones or like thrilling puppy mysteries, this is definitely the trade paperback to gift yourself or others.

The Enchanted Apples of Oz
First Comics; $7.95

This is a super cute story about stolen magic apples, flying swordfish, and an evil witch. I read this to my aunt while she was recovering from surgery, and little did I know, the nursing staff was also listening. When they took her back for images, I paused the story. A few minutes later I was approached by two nurses who wanted to know what was going to happen. Unfortunately for them, I hadn’t read the story ahead of time, so they had to wait.

This story is so good that they got Harlan Ellison to give the introduction. Ellison was an old friend of mine, and yes, he spoke exactly as he wrote. So, it felt like he was right there enjoying the story with me.

Back to the story. This witch has a crazy admirer who goes nuts and creates all kinds of mayhem. He brings the witch back to life and doesn’t realize how powerful she is or how power hungry. Dorothy, Princess Ozma, and the Scarecrow must stop her before she gets too powerful and becomes unstoppable, or Oz will be doomed. This was a good story that kept the room entertained and in suspense. The artwork is extremely detailed and done in the Art Nouveau style. Each panel is a masterpiece with hidden details. The artwork alone keeps you turning the pages.

The Ice King of Oz
First Comics; $7.95

Yes, I know there’s a theme, but I bought these as a set. They are sold separately, but when I read one story, I was asked to promptly read the next. Also, these trade paperback stories are so bewitching and beautifully written. The artwork in this story is also in the Art Nouveau style. The colors and curves of the art itself are captivating.

This story was even better than the Enchanted Apples of Oz. This story takes you to a new Ice Palace in Oz and it starts with an enchanted candle called Flicker, who used to be a human candlemaker. As the flame burns on his head, the candle gets smaller thus making his life shorter.

He vows to keep Dorothy safe because she destroyed the Wicked Witch, the one who enchanted him. There is a royal wedding, mind control and a kidnapping in this action packed masterpiece. All the great Oz characters are in this heroic story, the Ice King gets mad and mayhem pursues. Don’t read this trade in a cold room, because you will get the chills. This is a suspense adventure story that keeps you turning the pages.

–Yolanda Ramirez