The Happy Holidays Thread- 2008

[Neb]

Happy Holidays everyone!! In this thread, I thought we could share our holiday plans, wishes and experiences. Of course, any comics you may be reading while traveling/relaxing would also be welcome inclusions. I also thought it might be kind of neat to share comics related holiday experiences or gifts or something like that.

As I sit typing this, I am a mere hour from the beginning of my two week long break from my teaching gig. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to get up and begin my holiday travels. This year, my fiance and I are going for broke and trying to see every family member, plus we have a wedding to attend around the new year. Basically, it's going to be two weeks of intense traveling. And mainly, it will make me a digital ghost.

I'm gearing up though, taking a huge chunk of stack with me (about 10 inches thick), and I'm going to burn through some comics during the long car rides.

One of my coolest comics related experiences was a few years ago when I was first getting back into comics. I asked for a few trades for Christmas, and my mom went and bought them at the comic shop I went to when I was a kid. After opening the gifts, my mom told me about her experience and we had a great discussion about my memories of going there as a kid. It was a cool look back on my comic history that I got to share with my family.

Anyways, I hope everyone has a fun, safe, and warm holiday.

[CAM!]

Happy Holidays to you Neb! It seems me and you had a tough 2007. I know for me in just the past couple of weeks things have been really tough.

But in the spirit of keeping things festive, my wife and I went and saw the Canadian Stage Companies production of It's A Wonderful Life. I might be one of the only people in the world who has never seen the movie, and I'll tell ya we REALLY enjoyed it, the production is done as a radio play, so a relatively small cast plays all the roles. It doesn't sound that exciting on paper, but let me tell you it's an excellent, moving, and enjoyable production. It really cheered me up at a particularily tough time.

THe rest of my holidays consist of seeing my family on Christmas Eve, Day, and Boxing day. THen trucking off to Vermont to see the inlaws till New Years Eve, hopefully we'll be able to get some skiing in. New Years Eve will be spent in Brockville Ontario this year as we make our way home and visit some very old friends.

Finances and Robberies aside, I'm looking forward to seeing the people who I really care about this year, and I'm looking forward to a better 2009.

Happy Holidays all. I wish you all the best.

[Neb]

Happy Holidays to you Neb! It seems me and you had a tough 2007. I know for me in just the past couple of weeks things have been really tough.

But in the spirit of keeping things festive, my wife and I went and saw the Canadian Stage Companies production of It's A Wonderful Life. I might be one of the only people in the world who has never seen the movie, and I'll tell ya we REALLY enjoyed it, the production is done as a radio play, so a relatively small cast plays all the roles. It doesn't sound that exciting on paper, but let me tell you it's an excellent, moving, and enjoyable production. It really cheered me up at a particularily tough time.

THe rest of my holidays consist of seeing my family on Christmas Eve, Day, and Boxing day. THen trucking off to Vermont to see the inlaws till New Years Eve, hopefully we'll be able to get some skiing in. New Years Eve will be spent in Brockville Ontario this year as we make our way home and visit some very old friends.

Finances and Robberies aside, I'm looking forward to seeing the people who I really care about this year, and I'm looking forward to a better 2009.

Happy Holidays all. I wish you all the best.

You and I definitely had it rough brother. I hope our 2009s a little bit better.

If it makes you feel any better, I've never seen It's A Wonderful Life either, although that play sounds all kinds of awesome. I love old timey radio.

[CAM!]

You and I definitely had it rough brother. I hope our 2009s a little bit better.

If it makes you feel any better, I've never seen It's A Wonderful Life either, although that play sounds all kinds of awesome. I love old timey radio.

THe best part of it is the Foley man onstage. Watching him recreate all the sounds was really, really cool.

[iSteve]

My Christmas plans are mostly low-key. Staying here in Richmond with the family. Looking forward to spending special time with my two daughters who just got back from college. This will be our first year without Santa Claus. My youngest child, Abraham, learned the terrible truth this year (he probably already knew last year). So we are just doing presents under the tree. Speaking of which, I hope to have several hardcover comic collections this Christmas, including all four volumes of Jack Kirby's Fourth World Ominibuses/Ominibi, and Marvel Masterworks Golden Age Captain America Vol. 1. As for comic reading, I am way behind on my weekly books. So I have a large stack of comics to get caught up on.

[Neb]

My Christmas plans are mostly low-key. Staying here in Richmond with the family. Looking forward to spending special time with my two daughters who just got back from college. This will be our first year without Santa Claus. My youngest child, Abraham, learned the terrible truth this year (he probably already knew last year). So we are just doing presents under the tree. Speaking of which, I hope to have several hardcover comic collections this Christmas, including all four volumes of Jack Kirby's Fourth World Ominibuses/Ominibi, and Marvel Masterworks Golden Age Captain America Vol. 1. As for comic reading, I am way behind on my weekly books. So I have a large stack of comics to get caught up on.

Sounds nice. Part of me wishes we were doing the low key thing and just hanging out. But with almost being married, we feel obligated to see everyone one more time for Christmas, in case we can't catch everyone every year.

[Labor_Days]

I will be working on X-mas eve. X-mas day, relax at home with my family, eat dinner. No biggie.

[paper]

Everyone who hasn't seen It's a Wonderful Life should make a point of seeing it this year. It is my absolute favorite film/thing ever. It's incredible.

Tomorrow I'm going downtown to hang out with some friends and catch the Christmas light show and some kind of orchestral thing. Very cool.

We're a low key kind of family, so I'll be picking up my comics on Wednesday, watching Love Actually, Muppet Christmas Carol, It's a Wonderful Life, Shop Around the Corner, and then opening up some presents on Xmas day. Watching A Christmas Story all day, popping over to my Grandparents' house for a little bit. Turkey for dinner.

[jmstump]

Because of scheduling my vacation like I did this year I only get Christmas and New Years day off. My parent's are coming down to my uncle's house so we can at least spend some time together on Christmas.

Before I head over to see the family on Christmas, I am stopping by my comic book shop. Yes you heard me right, my comic book shop is having an even better sale then they did for Thanksgiving. Which is crazy because they had 35% off all Hardcovers and Trades. So I'm excited to waste a ton more of my money on adding to my collection.

The big things I want to read through soon are more Fables, 100 Bullets, Y the Last Man, and a whole lot of other stuff. Which begs the question why am I going to buy more? Because I don't have to worry about anyone sucking me dry for money, unless it's the comic book industry.

[TimmyWood!]

I will be hanging out with family christmas day and then friends in the evening.

I probably will break open that Captain America Omnibus as well.

[Neb]

Last night, my fiance and I exchanged gifts. She gets the gold star for a life time as she got me a new iPod Touch. This is awesome on two fronts. The first is that it replaces the one that was stolen from me, and the second is that it's a freakin' iPod Touch!

Well, we're shipping out in about an hour. I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday!

[jmstump]

Last night, my fiance and I exchanged gifts. She gets the gold star for a life time as she got me a new iPod Touch. This is awesome on two fronts. The first is that it replaces the one that was stolen from me, and the second is that it's a freakin' iPod Touch!

Well, we're shipping out in about an hour. I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday!

She sounds like a keeper, that must be why you're getting married to her. Have a good holiday Neb, enjoy that new iPod.

[cenquist]

I will be relaxing most of the holidays. Got the 25th through the 3rd off work! Hanging with the family 24th-26th, hopefully get some boxing day shopping done!! LCS if they got deals and pick up some dvds I have been waiting for to drop.

Happy Holidays everyone!!!

[kahunablair]

Everyone who hasn't seen It's a Wonderful Life should make a point of seeing it this year. It is my absolute favorite film/thing ever. It's incredible.

The old school theatre in my neighborhood had a full day of It's a Wonderful Life the other day. I missed going and I'm kicking myself for it.

[Tad]

Hoping 2009 will be a better one for all.
http://hellboyanimated.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c0b8953ef0105368319c1970c-popup
Sadly my direct link isn't working but go here (http://hellboyanimated.typepad.com/) for my "card."

[kahunablair]

Hoping 2009 will be a better one for all.
http://hellboyanimated.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c0b8953ef0105368319c1970c-popup
Sadly my direct link isn't working but go here (http://hellboyanimated.typepad.com/) for my "card."

Very cool card, man. I don't mean to get too geeky here, but what did you use to make the card? It looks like you used a brush and ink for the lineart, but a computer for everything else.

[Tad]

You called it. Staedtler pigment liners and a brush pen. Then scanned into Photoshop for color. Instead of "coloring within the lines" I wanted a sort of sloppy silk screen look. I've gotten a lot of good comments on it.

Feel free to email it to friends as your email holiday sentiment. A credit "art by Tad Stones" would be nice but not required. Consider it my cheapass present to the iFanbase.

[kahunablair]

These last few months have been crazy for me, but thinking about it I'm actually the happiest I've been in a long time! I've really learned that even some really bad things can actually lead to some new beginnings.

Bad thing: I was laid off from my job on November 3rd.
Good thing: I realized that even though I was making a lot of money I really hated the job and that I actually dreaded going into work for a while.
Great thing: Since I'm not working 50 hours a week I could finally get the puppy I've always wanted. So now I have the coolest pug puppy of all time chilling next to me as I type this.

[kahunablair]

You called it. Staedtler pigment liners and a brush pen. Then scanned into Photoshop for color. Instead of "coloring within the lines" I wanted a sort of sloppy silk screen look. I've gotten a lot of good comments on it.

Nice! I've been messing around with an old set of brush pens and brushes the other day. I really like the look you were able to achieve here. I'm going to have to give something like this a go next time I'm in a drawing mood.

Happy holidays, sir!

[optimus187prime]

Low key here as well. Gonna get a few comics on Wed, probably get some reading done, maybe Hellboy Library editions 1 & 2. Also gonna try and play Star Wars Force Unleashed. Oh yeah and propose to the GF.

[CAM!]

Low key here as well. Gonna get a few comics on Wed, probably get some reading done, maybe Hellboy Library editions 1 & 2. Also gonna try and play Star Wars Force Unleashed. Oh yeah and propose to the GF.

Wow! Good luck OP! Hope she doesn't read the forums hahah

[hank41]

my brothers are coming back in town for the break. it's gonna be the first time all four of us (im the youngest) are in the same place for a few years now. im looking forward to it

[optimus187prime]

Wow! Good luck OP! Hope she doesn't read the forums hahah

Thanks for the well wishes. She doesnt read the forums. Plus I wanted her opinion on the ring since it is such a huge purchase, she gets a little picky on jewelry. It is a foregone conclusion, she has wanted to get married for a while. Its kind of a "about time" thing for her.

[AlaskaLoneWolf]

Happy F***ing Holidays...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS9msSwPDuk

...possibly my all-time favorite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Santa#Main_Cast) Billy Bob Thornton slash Bernie Mac slash John Ritter flick...

[RaceMcCloud]

Thanks for the well wishes. She doesnt read the forums. Plus I wanted her opinion on the ring since it is such a huge purchase, she gets a little picky on jewelry. It is a foregone conclusion, she has wanted to get married for a while. Its kind of a "about time" thing for her.

Congrats, brother.

Also...

Good: My mother-in-law got me "The Dark Knight" for Christmas.

Bad: It's the Full-Screen version.

That's happened before. Depending on the movie, I just deal with it.

But I can not own "The Dark Knight" in Full-Screen instead of Widescreen. I just can't.

[paper]

Merry, merry, everybody!

Comic related gift type things:

Dark Knight on blu ray

Marvel Chronicles (awesome, awesome book)
Fable Covers: The Art of James Jean Vol. 1 (jawdroppingly gorgeous)
Showcase: Jonah Hex
Showcase: Enemy Ace
Savage Sword of Conan vol. 2
JSA: vol. 1: Justice Be Done (I'm collecting these WAY out of order)
The Arrival by Shaun Tan (beautiful neutral tone comic with no words; reminds me of the Jumanji children's book)
This year's volumes of the Complete Peanuts

Mighty Muggs: Iron Man (original silver suit), Skrull, Vision

[thoff128]

I created a free comic book for my high school senior project at teemo.synthasite.com
It's not a masterpiece, but I'm hoping to get some more people reading it. Consider it my gift to the iFanboy community. Hope you enjoy it. Please let your criticisms be heard. Post on the site or email me at thoff128@gmail.com

P.S. It's depressing. You may want to wait a few days.

[iSteve]

I got all four Omnibuses/Omnibi of Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. Also, I got two Marvel Masterworks volumes - one contains the 1st four issues of Golden Age Captain America; the other contains Captain America issues #59-81 of Tales of Suspense. All in all, a great Christmas.

[RaceMcCloud]

I got tickets to see "Shrek: The Musical"...

... and not one, but TWO copies of "The Dark Knight". Check that... two FULL SCREEN versions of "The Dark Knight".

This is what happens when people look at your Amazon wishlist, and then go to the store and buy what was on it as opposed to ordering it from Amazon. I got two copies of "Spider-Man 3" last year, too. At least those were widescreen...

(P.S. - I'm not bitching. That would be petty and stupid. I think it's pretty funny, actually. :D Merry Christmas, y'all!)

[thenextchampion]

The Dark Knight DVD (woot!)
Iron Man DVD
The Simpsons Season 11
Family Guy vol. 6
Guiness Bk of World Records 2009
....(cough)Fallout3(cough)
Left 4 Dead
Ton of clothes (I'm happy to have, I need new clothes)
$25 Itunes Card


Some odds and ends; stocking stuffers as well. Great X-mas this year

[masherscf]

A new Wallet
Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 EX Zoom lens for my Nikon
$500 check
$25 check
$50 check
$200 check

Yep, it's a 40-year old Christmas.

[paper]

Merry, merry, everybody!

Comic related gift type things:

Dark Knight on blu ray

Marvel Chronicles (awesome, awesome book)
Fable Covers: The Art of James Jean Vol. 1 (jawdroppingly gorgeous)
Showcase: Jonah Hex
Showcase: Enemy Ace
Savage Sword of Conan vol. 2
JSA: vol. 1: Justice Be Done (I'm collecting these WAY out of order)
The Arrival by Shaun Tan (beautiful neutral tone comic with no words; reminds me of the Jumanji children's book)
This year's volumes of the Complete Peanuts

Mighty Muggs: Iron Man (original silver suit), Skrull, Vision

[Labor_Days]

Not a single comic book gift.

[sarahg42]

I got:

The lovely Local (hardcover) by Brian Wood
Reno 911 seasons 1 and 2
A robot alarm clock
A Jazz X-mas CD
Lots of chocolate
Some Simpsons ornaments

[sgtseedy]

Watchmen Trade Paperback and Marvel Comics vs DC Comics (1996) Paperback as well.

[optimus187prime]

Posted this in the Graphic Novels topic but I figure I can repost in here.

I received Umbrella Academy Apocalypse Suite edition, Hellboy Library edition Vol. 2, Ghost Rider (Aaron) tpb, New Avengers Secret Invasion Vol. 1, Joker (Azzerello), and Captain America Death of Cap Vol. 3. Im a happy fanboy.

[cadgers]

I got:

$25 Borders Gift Card.
Astonishing X-men Vol. 2, 3, & 4.
Daredevil Omnibus Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis.
$40 from an Aunt I never see &
Some original art and tickets to see the Spirit.

[esophagus]

Dark Knight was the only remotely comics related present I got. Other than that a laptop cart, cash for a TV (decided to hold out until Boxing Day rather than get one for under the tree), some books, some jeans, and some stocking stuffers.

[joexmas]

No comic book based gifts...

Got a TiVo HD, couple PS3 games, a yo-yo, some peanut M&Ms...and my GF wrote me a Novelette complete with illustrations. Can't wait til it is leather bound. I am so lucky.

[JohnVFerrigno]

I got:
-The Dark Knight on Blu-ray (The Batpod edition, which looks awesome, but I have no clue where I'm gonna put it)
-Absolute Sandman vol 4
-some PS3 games (Little Big Planet, Tombraider: Underworld, and Smackdown! vs Raw 2009)
-the two huge Grateful Dead boxsets with all the studio and live albums that were released while the band was still together (well, originally together, as they are back together now, sans Jerry Garcia),
-Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis
-the two paintings my wife did for me were matted and framed
-$250 cash to spend on more toys
-new steel toe sneakers for work
-and some other stuff

A pretty good haul this year! :-D

[hank41]

Absolute Dark Knight says whaaaaaaaaaat???

[optimus187prime]

Congrats, brother.

Also...

Good: My mother-in-law got me "The Dark Knight" for Christmas.

Bad: It's the Full-Screen version.

That's happened before. Depending on the movie, I just deal with it.

But I can not own "The Dark Knight" in Full-Screen instead of Widescreen. I just can't.

She keep a reciept so you can exchange it?

[Neb]

What's up my peoples?!?!? I find myself sitting bored at my future in-laws house as they have abandoned me to babysit my future grandma in law (well, I guess babysit is a bad way to put it... grandmasit?).

Anyways, I hope you all had an excellent holiday. I got a bunch of comic stuff this year, plus my collection of noir pulps increased ten-fold, which was most excellent. Of course, I've ripped through The Dark Knight like ten times, and I haven't stopped touching my iPod Touch since opening it.

Well, I hope everyone has a great New Year. With a majority of the hoilday stuff past us, I should be able to pop on more often.

[irishpunk]

I had a very zombie Christmas by getting The Walking Dead: Volume 2 along with Zombies Calling. Can't wait to read them.

[gobo]

Marvel Chronicles
Marvel & DC Encyclopedias
4 Mighty Muggs (Wolverine, Silver Surfer, Galactus and Dr. Doom)
a 1000+ piece lego AT-ST
Monopoly Here & Now edition
Transformer Toque
Terry Pratchett - Nation
Discworld Movies - Soul Music & Wyrd Sisters
Iron Man
Dark Knight
It's Always Sunny Season 3

Pretty sweet haul!

[CammyKnoxville]

Comic-related loot:

DVDs
*Hellboy II: The Golden Army 2-Disc Special Edition
*The Dark Knight 2-Disc Special Edition

Graphic Novels / Books
*Flight vol. 2

Clothes
Amazing Spider-Man shirt

Misc.
$50 @ Amazon.com (which will be spent on the upcoming Ultimates or Immortal Iron Fist omnibus).


Pretty awesome Christmas!

[bonemachine]

Sitting hear on boxing day after watching The Great Escape for the first time. Awesome bittersweet ending!


Comic related presents:

Civil War Hardback: Loads of extra stuff like the marvel spotlights on Millar and McNiven and the entire script book with notes from Millar Brevhort and Quesada.

V For Vendetta: Got this in a charity shop for a euro!!!

Batman: The Movie: The Dark Knight can eat it's goddamn heart out! Besides Celebrity Deathmatch has taught us that Adam West could kick Christian Bale's arse!

Marvel Vault Book: Goes through every century of Marvel history. Looks very nice.

Plus got €180 which will go into back issues, trades, maybe a hardback if it catches my eye.

[matthaber1]

man i had a good christmas. I got:

Comic
Walking dead Hard cover volume 1
starman omnibus
hellboy volume 4 & 5
y the last man volume 3
JSA thy kingdom come part 1

DVD's
Batman the complete animated series( the one with 17 disks)
Jericho Season 2

Other
new keyboard and mouse



And with some money I got, I will be picking up the next two hard covers of Walking dead on amazon, and getting JSA thy kingdom come part 2.

[cenquist]

Comics:
Walking Dead HC 4
The Joker HC
Spider-Man Loves MJ HC 1

DVDs:
Speed Racer
Bruce Lee Collection

Books:
Odd Thomas - Dean Koontz
Edward Sawetelle Story (Sp?)

GCs and other stuff....

[sarahg42]

So -- I'm about half way through Local. Man, that book is so great! Thank you iFanboy for the recommendation. It was one of my favorite x-mas gifts by far.

[RaceMcCloud]

She keep a reciept so you can exchange it?

No. But my wife did. You see, she ALSO got me "The Dark Knight". In Full Screen.

...

She doesn't even know me anymore. ;)

[gobo]

They still make fullscreen DVDs? MADNESS

[RaceMcCloud]

They still make fullscreen DVDs? MADNESS

I know, right? Who in their right mind would even WANT a Pan/Scan version of "The Dark Knight"?

[joexmas]

I know, right? Who in their right mind would even WANT a Pan/Scan version of "The Dark Knight"?

Insane senior citizens who think their "TV is just fine" and they "hate those black bars" and wonder "why anyone would want to not use their whole screen"

[Neb]

Insane senior citizens who think their "TV is just fine" and they "hate those black bars" and wonder "why anyone would want to not use their whole screen"

This reminds me: Last Christmas, we bought my grandfather an HD TV because he was complaining that he couldn't see his old TV. And now that he has it and pays for HD, he doesn't even watch the HD channels. It's madness.

[hank41]

Full Screen Dvds Are A Crime!!!

[gobo]

I hope the Imax portions of Dark Knight are 4:3 though

[paper]

Most scenes are 2.40:1 and IMAX scenes are 1.78:1.

So, if you're watching on a widescreen TV, the IMAX scenes take up the entire screen. Most sequences have a consistent ratio, but in some longer IMAX sequences, certain shots are in 2.40:1. You don't really notice, but it's there.

[megnolia]

Comics and media related gifts—

Comics:
Green Lantern: Secret Origin hardcover
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen vol. 1

Books
Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were
Let Fury Have the Hour: The Punk Rock Politics of Joe Strummer
The Elements of Cooking

DVD
West Wing complete series
Chuck Season 1
Clerks II

Various other trinkets, gift cards and such.

And to tease me 20 years after the fact, my brother got me the new New Kids on the Block cd.

[sarahg42]

Full Screen Dvds Are A Crime!!!

Yeah, I never saw the point of "Full Screen" or "Pan and Scan". I mean you are missing so much of what the director wanted you to see that way. But some people insist on it. Trust me, saw it all the time when I worked in a video store.

[Neb]

Yeah, I never saw the point of "Full Screen" or "Pan and Scan". I mean you are missing so much of what the director wanted you to see that way. But some people insist on it. Trust me, saw it all the time when I worked in a video store.

When someone buys/rents full screen its like they are ok with technology but fear the change it brings.

[sarahg42]

When someone buys/rents full screen its like they are ok with technology but fear the change it brings.

The most common reason I got for people preferring the full screen edition was "I hate those black bars on the top and bottom of the screen". Heh.

[Ryan79]

I have to share this. My girlfriend and I really don't go crazy buying stuff for each other on Christmas, since we each have good sized families to buy for. So, we try to get creative. She wins this year...

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i307/ryan_holliday/100_0117.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i307/ryan_holliday/100_0118.jpg

Do YOU have a quilt with Electro on it? I don't think so!

[optimus187prime]

That is badass!

[kahunablair]

That is one bad ass quilt. You should marry that woman, man.

The most common reason I got for people preferring the full screen edition was "I hate those black bars on the top and bottom of the screen". Heh.

That is the excuse I get constantly from my mother and older relatives when they buy me Fullscreen DVDs as gifts.

[Neb]

That is the excuse I get constantly from my mother and older relatives when they buy me Fullscreen DVDs as gifts.

Which is funny because they're buying the gift for YOU, yet they're annoyed by the black bars!!

[joexmas]

Nice gift! Pretty good range of heroes and villains on that quilt. Is there a rhyme or reason to which ones were used?

[Ryan79]

Nice gift! Pretty good range of heroes and villains on that quilt. Is there a rhyme or reason to which ones were used?

I don't think so. I know she included Taskmaster and Electro because of some sketches that I have on my wall. As for guys like Bane, Shocker, and Black Cat, your guess is as good as mine.