Pop culture gift guide 2012 - music, movies, comics, books, more!

For pop culture fans -- lovers of music, comics, movies and more -- here are some highlights from the past year that will make great gifts.

Click the links to order discounted items from Amazon.

Music


Harvest Years 1969 - 1974 by Kevin Ayers


Greatest Hits: 50 Big Ones by the Beach Boys


Completely Cilla 1963 - 1973 by Cilla Black


The Complete Beat (5 CDs) by the English Beat


TheGift (deluxe edition) by The Jam


At the BBC by the Kinks


Return of the Stuff That Dreams Are Made of by Various Artists


Charlie is my Darling, Ireland 1965, Limited Edition by the Rolling Stones


Hearts in Their Eyes by the Searchers



Never Mind the Bollocks...: Deluxe Edition by the Sex Pistols


I Hear a Symphony (Expanded Edition) by the Supremes


Surf Age Nuggets


The Velvet Underground & Nico 45th Anniversary [Super Deluxe]


Live at Hull 1970 by The Who

Comic book and comic strip reprints


Archie Archives
Now up to seven volumes of vintage Archie Comics collected in color, hardcover form.


Complete Flash Gordon Library
A new series from Titan Book reprinting Alex Raymond's Sunday strips in great reproduction. Very reasonably priced, too. The second volume will be out Dec. 18.


DC Archives
DC continues to collect classic runs of Golden and Silver Age Comics in these beautiful, full-color hardcover volumes. 2012 volumes featured Sgt. Rock, Wonder Woman, Batman and others.


DC Showcase Presents
Still offering great bang-for-the-buck, these phonebook-size, black-and-white collections of DC Comics series featuring Batman, Superman, the Flash and more and tremendous fun, providing fans of classic comics hundreds of pages of entertainment at a very reasonable price.


EC Comics Library
Fantagraphics' new series of hardcover collections, each focusing on a particular artist's work from the classic EC era. Great stories of suspense, war, horror and more from some of America's best and most infuential comics artists, including Harvey Kurtzman, Wally Wood and others.


Legends of the Dark Knight / Tales of the Batman
A new series of color hardcovers focusing on the work of some of Batman's best artists, featuring volumes dedicated to Jim Aparo, Marshall Rogers, Alan Davis, Gene Colan and Don Newton.


Marvel Masterworks
You can get these in full-color hardcovers or trade paperbacks and they look great. These books feature classic 60s and 70s Marvel Comics featuring the X-Men, Avengers, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and others.


Marvel Omnibus Collections
Ginormous books collected 30 or more issues of classic Marvel Comics, complete with letters pages, pin-ups and other features from the originals. Larger format, too. They take up a lot of shelf space, but they are a great way to re-enjoy these stories and art. 2012 saw great volumes dedicated to the Avengers and early Lee/Romita Spider-Man.


Mort Meskin: Out of the Shadows
A lovely collection of tales illustrated by this artist who might have been a key creator of the Marvel Age had he not died far too early.


The Phantom Charlton, Gold Key and King Years
Reprints of the purple-suited Ghost Who Walks' comic book adventures. The first volume features art by the great Jim Aparo.


Prince Valiant
Big, brilliant reprints of Hal Foster's gorgeously illustrated Sunday strips.


Walt Disney's Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge (Carl Barks Library)
 Loving, colorful collections of Carl Barks stories and art from classic Walt Disney comic books. These volumes are collecting the complete Barks in beautiful, durable books featuring a wealth of historical background in addition to all the stories.


Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse
Published by Fantagraphics, these are excellent collections of black-and-white daily comic strips from the 30 and 40s -- four volumes to date -- featuring the delightful stories and art by Floyd Gottfredson.


Sandman Slipcase Set
All of Neil Gaimin's class Sandman comics in collected form.


Spirit World
A nice, hardcover reproduction of Kirby's oddball suspense/horror mag created in the 1970s.


Steve Canyon reprints from IDW Publishing
There are now two volumes available of this complete reprinting of Milt Caniff's classic adventure strip. Nicely packaged and reproduced in hefty books.

Pop Culture Books


The Art of Betty & Veronica


Blast Off!: Rockets, Robots, Rayguns, and Rarities from the Golden Age of Space Toys


The Creativity of Steve Ditko


James Bond: 50 Years of Movie Posters


Marvel Comics: The Untold Story



Totally MAD: 60 Years of Humor, Satire, Stupidity and Stupidity


The Onion Book of Known Knowledge: A Definitive Encyclopaedia Of Existing Information


LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia


The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia


The Art and Making of The Dark Knight Trilogy


The James Bond Archives


Avengers: The Art of Marvel's The Avengers


Batmobile: The Complete History


Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Art and Creation of Walt Disney's Classic Animated Film

 
Monty Python's Flying Circus: Complete and Annotated...All the Bits


Twitch Upon a Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery


The Brilliant Book of Doctor Who 2012 HC


Tarzan The Centennial Celebration

The Beatles


George Harrison: Living In The Material World


George Harrison - Early Takes Volume 1: Music From The Martin Scorsese Picture Living In The Material World


George Harrison: Living in the Material World - book


The John Lennon Letters


Magical Mystery Tour Deluxe Box Set (Blu-ray/DVD/double-vinyl EP)


Produced by George Martin [Blu-ray]


RAM [Deluxe Book Edition] [4CD+1DVD] by Paul McCartney


Kisses on the Bottom: Deluxe Edition by Paul McCartney


Ringo 2012 [Amazon.com Exclusive CD+DVD Version]


Yellow Submarine [Blu-ray]

DVD and Blu-ray releases


The Replacements - Color Me Obsessed: A Film About The Replacements


Doctor Who: Series Seven - Part One


Doctor Who: 2011 Christmas Special [Blu-ray]


The Amazing Spider-Man (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy)


Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (Limited Edition) [Blu-ray]

 
Mad Men: Season Five


Marvel's The Avengers (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging)


Bond 50: The Complete 22 Film Collection [Blu-ray]


The Cabin In The Woods [Blu-ray + UltraViolet Digital Copy]


Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures [Blu-ray]

 
Quadrophenia (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]


Sherlock: Season Two


Tarzan - Season One: Part One (4 Discs)


The Adventures of Tintin
 

So long Mickey Baker

The Mickey of Mickey and Sylvia fame scored a big hit with "Love is Strange" back in 1956, but he also was an acclaimed jazz guitarist who penned a couple of well-regarded theory books. I have the first one. It's really tough!

Here's "Love is Strange":

 

And here's a great video of Mickey solo in 1966:

Dear Santa...

Available here.

Dear Santa...

Wally Wood Confessions Illustrated #1 "My Tragic Affair" Page 6 Original Art

New comics Nov. 28, 2012: Silver Streak Archives 2; Forbidden Worlds Archives 1; Wonder Woman Chronicles 3; Golden Age Sub-Mariner Masterworks 1

Highlights this week. Click the links to order discounted items from Amazon.


Silver Streak Archives Featuring the Original Daredevil Volume 2


Forbidden Worlds Archives Volume 1


The Wonder Woman Chronicles Vol. 3


Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Sub-Mariner - Volume 1

New poster for 2012 Doctor Who Christmas special

More details on Jimi Hendrix's People, Hell & Angels

Out March 5, People, Hell & Angels is a collection of Jimi Hendrix studio rarities that capture the guitarist in experimental mode.

Here's the press release:

People, Hell & Angels showcases the legendary guitarist working outside of the original Jimi Hendrix Experience trio.   Beginning in 1968, Jimi Hendrix grew restless, eager to develop new material with old friends and new ensembles.   Outside the view of a massive audience that had established the Experience as rock's largest grossing concert act and simultaneously placed two of his albums in the US Top 10 sales chart, Jimi was busy working behind the scenes to craft his next musical statement.

These twelve recordings encompass a variety of unique sounds and styles incorporating many of the elements—horns, keyboards, percussion and second guitar—Jimi wanted to incorporate within his new music.   People, Hell & Angels presents some of the finest Jimi Hendrix guitar work ever issued and provides a compelling window into his growth as a songwriter, musician and producer.
People, Hell & Angels will be available Tuesday, March 5, 2013.

With an album title coined by Jimi Hendrix, People, Hell & Angels reveals some of Hendrix's post-Experience ambitions and directions as he worked with new musicians--including the Buffalo Springfield's Stephen Stills, drummer Buddy Miles, Billy Cox (with whom Hendrix had served in the 101^st US Army Airborne and later played on the famed R & B 'chitlin circuit' together) and others--creating fresh and exciting sounds for the next chapter in his extraordinary career.
 
People, Hell & Angels is co-produced by Janie Hendrix, Eddie Kramer and John McDermott.  Kramer first met Hendrix at Olympic Studios in London in January 1967.  Hendrix, who would have turned 70 on November 27 this year, developed a unique rapport with Kramer.  As a result, Kramer engineered every album issued by the guitarist in his lifetime and recorded such famous Hendrix concerts as the Woodstock festival in August 1969. Since 1997, Kramer has teamed with Janie Hendrix and John McDermott to oversee the release of each Jimi Hendrix album issued by Experience Hendrix.

The dozen previously unreleased Jimi Hendrix performances premiering on People, Hell & Angels include "Earth Blues," "Somewhere," "Hear My Train A Comin'," "Bleeding Heart," "Baby Let Me Move You," "Izabella," "Easy Blues," "Crash Landing," "Inside Out," "Hey Gypsy Boy," "Mojo Man" and "Villanova Junction Blues."

A musical companion piece and successor to 2010's Valleys Of Neptune, the critically acclaimed album showcasing the artist's final recordings with the original Jimi Hendrix Experience, People, Hell & Angels offers tantalizing new clues as to the direction Hendrix was considering for First Rays Of The New Rising Sun, his planned double album sequel to 1968's groundbreaking Electric Ladyland.

Unlike contemporaries such as the Beatles or Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix owned his songs and master recordings.  He did not have to record his music at recording studios owned and operated by his record company.  Hendrix spent countless hours recording his new music at new, independent music studios such as New York's Record Plant and the Hit Factory.  Hendrix was so focused on recording his music that, concurrent with nearly all of the sessions featured as part of People, Hell & Angels , he was underwriting the construction of his own recording facility--the state of the art Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village.

Janie L. Hendrix, President/CEO of Experience Hendrix LLC, commented, "We're thrilled to be able to release People, Hell & Angels during the celebration of the 70th anniversary of my brother's birth.  The brilliance of the album serves to underscore what we've known all along: that there has never been and never will be a musical force equal to his and that we cherish and take inspiration of what he left us both now and for many generations to come...simply eternity."

"People, Hell & Angels provides us with further insight into the genius of Jimi Hendrix," said Adam Block, President, Legacy Recordings.  "Working with new rhythm sections and instrumentation, Jimi Hendrix was opening up the horizons of his music, creating new sounds filled with endless possibilities."
 
People, Hell & Angels - Track by Track

Earth Blues:
Totally unlike the version first issued as part of Rainbow Bridge in 1971, this December 19, 1969 master take features just Hendrix, Billy Cox and Buddy Miles--stripped down funk at its very origin.

Somewhere:
This newly discovered gem was recorded in March 1968 and features Buddy Miles on drums and Stephen Stills on bass.    Entirely different from any previous version fans have ever heard.

Hear My Train A Comin':
This superb recording was drawn from Jimi's first ever recording session with Billy Cox and Buddy Miles--the powerhouse rhythm section with whom he would later record the groundbreaking album Band Of Gypsys.

Jimi shared a deep love for the blues with Billy Cox and Buddy Miles.  Both musicians understood Jimi's desire to create what he described as a 'new type of blues'.   Jimi's menacing lead guitar is the centerpiece of this dramatic addition to his remarkable legacy.
Bleeding Heart:

This Elmore James masterwork had long been a favorite of Jimi's.   He had performed the song earlier that year with the Experience in concert at the Royal Albert Hall and had attempted to capture the song in New York studio sessions during the weeks that followed.

Recorded at the same May 1969 session as "Hear My Train A Coming," the track conveys Jimi's firm understanding of the arrangement and tempo he desired. Before they began, Jimi instructed Cox and Miles that he wanted to establish a totally different beat than the standard arrangement.  He then kicked off this amazing rendition that was nothing like any other he had ever attempted.

Let Me Move You:
In March 1969, Jimi reached back to another old friend, saxophonist Lonnie Youngblood.   Before he was discovered by Chas Chandler in the summer of 1966, Jimi had contributed guitar as a nondescript studio sideman for Youngblood and such infectious rhythm and blues styled singles such as "Soul Food".

This March 1969 session features Hendrix and Youngblood trading licks throughout this never before heard, high velocity rock and soul classic.

Izabella:
In the aftermath of the Woodstock festival, Jimi gathered his new ensemble, Gypsy Sun & Rainbows, at the Hit Factory in August 1969 with engineer Eddie Kramer.  "Izabella" had been one of the new songs the guitarist introduced at the Woodstock festival and Jimi was eager to perfect a studio version.    This new version is markedly different from the Band Of Gypsys 45 rpm single master issued by Reprise Records in 1970 and features Larry Lee, Jimi's old friend from the famed rhythm & blues 'chitin' circuit', on rhythm guitar.

Easy Blues:
An edited extract of this gorgeous, free flowing instrumental was briefly issued as part of the long-out-of-print 1981 album Nine To The Universe.  Now nearly twice as long, the track offers fans the opportunity to enjoy the dramatic interplay between Jimi, second guitarist Larry Lee, Billy Cox and drummer Mitch Mitchell.

Crash Landing:
Perhaps known as the title song for the controversial 1975 album that featured Hendrix master recordings posthumously overdubbed by session musicians, this April 1969 original recording has never been heard before.   Jimi is joined here by Billy Cox and drummer Rocky Isaac of the Cherry People to record this thinly veiled warning to his girlfriend Devon Wilson.

Inside Out:
Jimi was fascinated by the rhythm pattern that would ultimately take form as "Ezy Ryder".  Joined here by Mitch Mitchell, Jimi recorded all of the bass and guitar parts for this fascinating song--including a dramatic lead guitar part amplified through a Leslie organ speaker.

Hey Gypsy Boy:
The roots of Jimi's majestic "Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)" trace themselves to this March 1969 recording.  Unlike the posthumously overdubbed version briefly issued as part of Midnight Lightning in 1975, this is original recording that features Jimi joined by Buddy Miles.

Mojo Man:
Jimi would lend a hand to Albert & Arthur Allen, the vocalists known as the Ghetto Fighters, whom he had befriended in Harlem long before he achieved fame with the Experience.  When the two recorded this inspired, previously unreleased master at the legendary Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama they took it back to Hendrix at Electric Lady Studios.  Jimi knew just what to do to elevate the recording beyond contemporary R & B to the new hybrid of rock, rhythm and blues he was celebrated for.

Villanova Junction Blues:
Long before his famous performance of this song at Woodstock, Jimi recorded this studio version with Billy Cox and Buddy Miles at the same May 1969 session which yielded "Hear My Train A Comin'" and "Bleeding Heart" also featured on this album.  Never fully finished, the song stands as an example of the fertile ideas he hoped to harness and bring to fruition.

Superman creators cartoon by Jerry Shuster

A nice cartoon by Shuster of Jerry Siegel and himself, with their famous creation.

Video: Adam West suprises Batfan

Mark is a devoted father, firefighter and Adam West super fan! Facing tragedy in his own life, Mark turned to happy memories of his TV idol to give him strength. How will he react when his favorite superhero jumps out of the TV and into his living room?