Ho, ho, OH NO! The holidays are already here, and you still haven’t completed your shopping? Before you kick an elf out of desperation, consider these offerings for the comics and comics-adjacent enthusiasts on your gift-buying list. And don’t forget: Comics Beat has already shared several additional lists full of ideas, linked at the bottom of this article!
Have you finished your holiday gift buying? Is there anything we left off our list that you think should be included? Be sure and let us know in the comment section.
Cannon
In this heartfelt graphic novel by Lee Lai, readers will be introduced to the titular Cannon. A cook in a Montreal restaurant, Cannon is subjected to the demands of responsibility to family, the brutality of romance, a betrayal by her longtime bestie, a creepy and miserly boss and (on top of all that) an unbearable heatwave.
What’s a queer at the end of her rope to do? Anyone who gets this graphic novel as a gift will be delighted that they didn’t miss out on the smashtacular climax. Available now from Drawn & Quarterly.
Castle Swimmer Vol 2
Originally released on WEBTOON, Castle Swimmer is the queer mer fantasy romance comic of your gift recipient’s dreams. The story is the tale of Kappa, ordained to be the Beacon by the God of the Surface, and Prince Siren, who is meant to sacrifice the Beacon in order to break the curse that has been placed on his people. But when Kappa and Siren fall in love, that sacrifice is significantly complicated.
Now, the breathtakingly rendered comic by Wendy Martin is available in physical form. Reformatted thanks to the assistance of layout artist Jem Milton, the second volume of Castle Swimmer is now available from Ten Speed Graphic. If you’re feeling extra generous, both volumes would make any comic lover happy (even if they receive them a little after the holidays).
Champion: A Graphic Novel
For the sports enthusiast/comics lover on your list, there is Champion: A Graphic Novel, the inspirational story of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Written by Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld and illustrated by Ed Laroche, the graphic novel is not a standard autobiography or memoir.
Instead, Champion is the story of Monk Travers, a high school basketball player is confident that he’s heading for the NBA. But after a prank on a rival team’s school goes awry, Monk is assigned a report on Abdul-Jabbar to make up for his actions. However, this report isn’t about Abdul-Jabbar’s basketball career – it’s about his invaluable efforts as a social justice advocate. Just like Monk, anyone on your list will be inspired by the singular story of Abdul-Jabbar’s life. Champion: A Graphic Novel is available from Ten Speed Press now.
Dungeons & Dragons
Shopping for a Dungeon Master’s gift? Consider Dungeons & Dragons: The Dungeon Master’s Campaign Journal. This hardcover journal is designed to help a DM record every aspect of a campaign. There are dozens of specialized pages that allow you to keep track of Nonplayer Characters, Player Profiles, Journeys and Creatures. There’s a section where you can record Session Logs for each session you and your party take part in. And there are pages with grids for you to use as you see fit, along with a pocket in the back for keeping ephemera close at hand. All of this is contained in the handsome and durable book, which also includes an elastic band for keeping everything together. Available now from Clarkson Potter.
Or perhaps you are shopping for a D&D enthusiast who is not a DM? Then how about Dragons of the Realms: An Official Dungeons & Dragons Coloring Book? This title features 80 pages of official D&D dragon art. Sometimes, the dragons are presented in their natural habitat, while other images feature the fearsome creatures in battle with brave but foolish adventurers. This coloring book could be ideal for players who need something to do with their hands while other players are taking their turn. Available now from Ten Speed Press.
Lord of the Flies: The Graphic Novel
It’s no surprise that Lord of the Flies continues to be so relevant. Be it timely or timeless, William Golding’s seminal novel holds up a mirror to humanity in a way few artistic works manage to accomplish. It’s been referenced in LOST and by Stephen King. And now, it’s available in a new format.
Lord of the Flies: The Graphic Novel, adapted and illustrated by Aimeé de Jongh, is a breathtaking retelling of the beloved prose story. Whether the recipient has read the original novel a dozen times or if they’ve never read the first page, this graphic novel will prove to be an enlightening and engaging read. Lord of the Flies: The Graphic Novel is available now from Penguin Classics.
Moomin Adventures: Book Two
There’s a reason that Moomin has become such an enduring classic. And this year, maybe there’s someone on your to-gift list who is ready to discover why? Drawn & Quarterly has you covered with Moomin Adventures: Book Two by Tove Jansson and Lars Jansson.
Moomin Adventures: Book Two is a handsome paperback book with some sexy spot gloss on the cover. The comics inside are organized in sections by topic: “Moomin and Family Life,” Moomin and the Railway,” “Moomin Begins a New Life” and so on. While this is the second volume of D&Q’s Moomin Adventures series, readers will have no trouble diving in here. And, if you’re feeling generous, you could always pair it with Moomin Adventures: Book One. Both are currently available from Drawn & Quarterly.
Pigeons!: A Fable For Our Times
For the politically conscious comics lover (with a sense of humor), here comes Pigeons!: A Fable for Our Times by Marc Chalvin. Translated by Laura Bourbonnais, this 9.25” x 8.1” hardcover might look like a storybook at first glance. However, it will surely prove to be the perfect book to dive into whilst the family’s bootlickers dominate the conversation around the holiday dinner table.
Pigeons! is a deceptively simple story that follows the exploits of a flock of unsuspecting pigeons, the crow that sees them as fodder and the seagull who endeavors to save the pigeons from themselves. With a minimalist black and white aesthetic and four-panel pages, Pigeons! conveys a sophisticated commentary on living within the tightening noose of authoritarianism. An unfortunately timely read for any American on your gifting list, Pigeons! is available now from Street Noise Books.
The Witch’s Egg
In his review of The Witch’s Egg by Donya Todd, The Beat’s own Arpad Okay wrote, “Todd’s modern medieval murals go incredibly hard.” Noting that the book’s unconventional lettering forces readers to slow down to fully parse the story, Okay describes The Witch’s Egg as “weird,” and describes one image as “a psychedelic cathedral dome mosaic depicting the Furby apocalypse.”
Reader, I am sure you have someone on your to-gift list who would relish such a curiosity. The Witch’s Egg is the story of Urfi, a catwitch who summons an angel to have children with her. Hey, nothing says “holidays” like a fantastic intergenerational family saga, right? And did I mention The Witch’s Egg, along with the aforementioned Cannon, is one of The Beat’s Best Comics of 2025?
The Witch’s Egg is available from Avery Hill now.
Have you checked out the other entries in the Comics Beat’s 2025 Gift Guide? Stay tuned for more gifting suggestions from The Beat.
