Holiday Gift Guide: Coffee table books, LEGO sets, mobile workstations, and so much more

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It’s that time of year, friends! Time to start figuring out the perfect gifts for your friends and loved ones. But don’t fret. The Elite Staffers at The Stately Beat Manor have compiled a list to get you started. Check out our gift guide below!

Dreaming in Color – Natalie Andrewson / Peow2

Is the coffee table book still a thing? Something beautiful you flip through, robust images, and exquisite details flooding out from each page, inviting the eye to linger instead of zipping past. Pairs well with vinyl. This collection of Natalie Andrewson’s prints is compelling enough alone– but the book doubles as a resource for those interested in making RISO art. Marvelously twee and technically informed. Oversized and delicately produced. I see this as a superb gift for the person who has so much anime stuff that new additions have trouble standing out, as well as the burgeoning future creator who just needs that push of inspiration to get started. -AOK

Blokees Transformers Galaxy Version surprise figures

People who love Transformers are having one of those embarrassment of riches kind of years, which, yeah, Blokees Galaxy Version figures are definitely a part of it. The first four sets from the main series are all in a retro throwback style, with a neat twist that sets them apart from other surprise toys. Something for the LEGO and Gunpla folks: the figures are snap-together models (about fifty pieces) you put together yourself. The articulation on these guys is incredible! The aesthetic resembles the older toys, but their ability to pose dynamically captures the vibe of the original cartoon. A home run on-a-budget gift. -AOK

Lenovo Thinkpad P1 Mobile Workstation

This laptop first appeared on my radar during the pandemic. My mother works in the medical field and was issued one of these Thinkpad P1 Laptops for her hybrid work from home schedule. Many companies have ordered these, and they have pretty good specs for not only work but also, surprisingly, for gaming. Some Thinkpad P1 Laptops come with a 6-core Xeon E-2276M, 64GB RAM, and a Nvidia Quadro T2000 which can run most games on PC from medium to high settings above 30 FPS to 60 depending on the title. The laptops are now flooding the market for really cheap prices. Some range from $150 to $300 or so, and with that price range and those specs it’s really worth grabbing for at home work, gaming, or on the go laptop activities. –JG

Bunnybirds #1-Natalie Linn

Middle-grade graphic novels have been on the rise in the last few years, and the options for young readers just get better and better. Penguin Random House‘s Bunnybirds series by Natalie Linn centers on Princess Aster, who must leave home to discover why her people are disappearing. The journey is treacherous and may mean adventuring over the rim of the world itself. This animal fantasy graphic novel is perfect for fans of Warriors and Wings of Fire.-DD

LEGO X-Men: The X-Mansion

Thanks in no small part to the success of the X-Men ‘97 animated series, nostalgia for the ‘90s era of X-Men is at an all-time high. So for the X-fans who are also LEGO collectors, the recently released LEGO X-Mansion recreating the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning is for you. With over 3,093 pieces and a host of new mutant minifigures if you’re able to afford $300+ price tag you’ll definitely want to add it to your collection. Perhaps the cherry on top is capturing that iconic Wolverine remembers meme in LEGO form. -TD

Count Crowley Volume 3: Mediocre Vampire Hunter TPB

I’ve made it no secret how much I adore David Dastmalchian, not just as an actor but as a comic book writer. The past year his comics career has really taken off with a litany of high-profile projects. But if you’re looking to get into Dastmalchian’s comics work, I highly recommend his creator-owned Count Crowley series about a local TV station’s nightly horror host who discovers her new job also includes a supernatural duty to hunt the monsters who are hell-bent on controlling the news and information that humans consume. It’s not only entertaining but an incredibly personal passion project for Dastmalchian. The third and most recent volume was just released so pick it up as well as the first two while you’re at it. –TD

Unico: Awakening (Volume 1) – Osamu Tezuka/Samuel Sattin/Gurihuru

I wrote about this graphic novel when it was covered in October 2024 at the Scholastic Graphix panel during NYCC ’24 when Samuel Sattin talked about making it a reality. Although it was released over the summer of August 2024, this book was recently removed from a North Carolina school district over depictions of gun violence. As devastating as this book ban is, it should be worth noting that it is worth preserving and accessing for readers of all ages. The first volume’s illustration and sequential art finds a nice balance between the whimsical and the majestic with it’s art style by the ever talented Gurihuru team. If you are a fan of Osamu Tezuka and Gurihuru– this book is definitely highly recommended. –JF

History Smashers: Salem Witch Trials-Kate Messner & Falynn Koch

It’s no secret that history is often rewritten to fit various agendas. So let’s smash all that so our youngsters know the truth! The History Smashers series sheds light on and debunks the myths of some of the most famous eras in history. The Salem Witch Trials is definitely a good one to start with, but be sure to check out the others such as Christopher Columbus, Plagues and Pandemics, and more.-DD

Fresh Start– Gale Galligan

This graphic novel was also covered at the Scholastic Graphix panel at NYCC in October 2024. Fresh Start tells the story of a young girl named Ollie, who is adjusting to a new life living in the United States after she moved in with her family. The art style of Gale Galligan is a combination of both vibrant and energetic; it focuses on the central protagonist of Ollie as we explore her life experiences and the corners of her imagination as she tries to find ways to find her fresh start with her new life in Virginia. This graphic novel is a suitable story for children between the ages of 8 to 12 who may be faced with similar experiences of learning to adjust to fresh starts in their lives. Although it is scheduled for release on January 7th, 2025, the book is still highly recommended for holiday shoppers approaching the new year of 2025.-JF

Escape from NY Collector’s Edition + Vinyl + Enamel Pin set + Poster- SHOUT Factory

Nothing like owning a John Carpenter classic on physical media. There have been countless editions of Escape From NY already, but SHOUT’s latest collector’s bundle is perhaps the most features and goodies-packed. You have a poster, a 7” clear and blue spatter vinyl with the movie’s soundtrack (in different versions), a 4k edition of the movie, and enamel pins of some of the most iconic symbols to be associated with Snake Plisken. It’s currently on discount, so there’s no better gift for a fan of the movie than this. Make someone’s holiday a John Carpenter holiday. -RS

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 50th Anniversary Edition- Dark Sky Films

Fifty-year anniversaries are things worthy of celebration, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre went big for this milestone. Dark Sky Films put together the definitive collection of Tobe Hooper’s classic with a box set that includes a mini chainsaw replica of the one that Leatherface uses in the movie, a 4K version of the film, and even a VHS edition for those looking to really indulge in the nostalgia. It’s a beautiful collector’s piece overall that will look great on a shelf next to every other piece of Texas Chainsaw memorabilia you own. -RS

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