1. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Copyright Marvel
This Eisner winning series is a superb candidate for any young reader. The fantastic art by Skottie Young and superb retelling of this classic story by Eric Shanower is just marvelous. If you are a grown up that loved the book or movie and want to share the tale with your children, this is a great contemporary way to do so.
Cost: $30 Hardcover $20 Paperback
2. Bone
Bone is such a hit with young readers nowadays. It is a great series that chronicles the adventures Fone Bone and his cousins after they are ousted from their hometown of Boneville and make their way to the Valley and the town of Barrelhaven. There Fone meets and falls in love with the girl Thorn. The crew join up ranks and get involved in many adventures that takes them on a journey to save the world.
Cost: Usually $9.99 per volume.
3. DC Direct/Marvel Universe
Some of the latest in the DC Direct/Marvel Universe (previously known as Marvel Legends) action figure lines are really sweet. The new Marvel Universe action figures are fantastic and have a ton of movie tie-in figures. Both have some excellent choices for the comic book fan.
Cost: Around $10-$20
4. Superhero Movies
Copyright Marvel
Unlike the previous year, 2010 was a bit light in big budget superhero movies, but there were still a lot of comic based movies to come out. You might check out Iron Man 2 (PG-13), Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (PG-13), Batman: Under the Red Hood(PG-13), or Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (PG-13) might fit the bill. For younger kids, the Super Hero Squad Volume 1 would be a great fit.
Cost: $15-$40
5. Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet
Copyright THQ
Marvel Super Hero Squad is all the rage right now and the recently released game is just the ticket to get your tykes blood pumping. This is a great all ages game that will surely be a hit. It is available on just about every game system so you can't go wrong.
Cost: $20-$40
6. Marvel Essentials/DC Archive Editions
Copyright DC
These are large sized collections of classic comic book stories. There are a large amount to choose from so just find out who they like, go to the comic store, and grab their favorite hero. These would be great for bedtime reading with the kids.
Cost: Around $20
7. Super Hero Squad Action Figures
Super Hero Squad is the latest line of Marvel toys aimed at young children. There are toys that go along with them that are great for young kids as they are durable and child friendly. These are great ways to give younger kids the things they love in a version that won't break with tough play.
Cost: Around $7 for two.
8. Superhero Clothing
Superhero clothing is making a big splash in pop-culture clothing and can be found in many large retails such as these Batman shirts at Target or these Superman clothes at Walmart. There are also online retailers like Superherostuff.com that carries a huge assortment of online items.
Cost: $10-$50
9. How to Draw Books
Learning how to draw superheroes is a fantastic way to spend those cold winter days and nights. You never know, your child may just be the next Jim Lee or Jack Kirby. Help unlock your kids latent talent. Two great books are "Draw the Marvel Comics Heroes" by the editors of Klutz, and "How to Draw the Justice League," edited by Fiona Simpson.
Cost:$5-$15
10. Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited Subscription
Copyright Marvel
Marvel.com has an online subscription service where you can read thousands of comics right on your own computer. There isn't a lot of the newest comics, but there are a lot of exclusive online content and back issues to read. You can read whole runs of comics in one sitting making it a great gift, especially since it doesn't take up extra space.
Cost: $5 per month or $60 yearly subscription.
11. Subscriptions
Give your kids the gift of reading their favorite comic books month after month. You can get them mailed to your front door via the many companies that publish comics. You can also set up a subscription at a comic book shop and sign up for their favorite comic books, often at a discount.
Cost: Around $15-$48 per comic per year. (Generally around 12 issues).
