Happy Thanksgiving, everyone, and welcome to Daily Dead’s fourth annual Holiday Gift Guide! Once again, our goal is to help you navigate through the horrors of the shopping season with our tips on unique gift ideas, and we’ll hopefully help you save a few bucks over the next few weeks, too.
This year’s Holiday Gift Guide is being sponsored by several amazing companies, including Mondo, DC Entertainment, Anchor Bay Entertainment and Magnolia Home Entertainment, who have all donated an assortment of goodies to help you get into the spirit of the season. Daily Dead also recently teamed up with Texas-based artist Dustin Pace of Duddy in Motion to create an amazing Stranger Things print (see below) that all of our giveaway winners will receive with our awesome prize packs that feature a collection of items including movies, graphic novels, and much more.
For a chance to win one of our 2016 Holiday Gift Guide prize packs, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with “Holiday Gift Guide” in the subject line and be sure to include your full name and mailing address as well.
Black Friday Deals:
Here’s a look at some stellar online Black Friday deals, picked while keeping all you horror and sci-fi fans in mind.
Fright Rags: Every year, Fright Rags does a Black Friday sale and 2016 is no different. Beginning at 12:01 am EST on Friday, November 25th, Fright Rags shoppers should be on the lookout for box sets priced at $15, $12 T-shirts, $6 socks, $5 posters, and up to 40% off of selected baseball shirts. It’s definitely going to be a great day to stock up on Fright Rags apparel for your loved ones... and for yourself too, of course.
Mondo: If you’ve missed any of the Mondo print releases over the past year (and because they usually sellout in mere seconds, those chances are pretty good), then you’ll definitely want to set your alarm for 10:00am CST on Friday, November 25th, as that’s when Mondo’s 2nd Annual Black Friday Online Flat File Sale kicks off. The very same day, Mondo will also be doing a pre-sale for a brand new Marvel Black Series enamel pin set featuring Black Bolt, Agent Venom, U.S. Agent, and Symbiote Spider-Man as well.
Sourpuss Clothing: For those of you who dig on Sourpuss Clothing’s assortment of apparel, accessories, and housewares for folks who like to walk off the beaten path, they are currently doing a Black Friday sale through November 27th on all orders. Just use the code BLACKEST when checking out to receive your discount.
Horror Decor: The fine folks at Horror Decor have a great selection of horror-themed holiday items that are only going to be on sale through Friday, November 25th, so if you want to stuff your stockings with some fun ornaments or candles, be sure to get those orders in ASAP!
Cavity Colors: The maniacs at Cavity Colors are up to it again, fiends! They’ve put together an amazing Cyber Hell 2016 sale where you can not only get free shipping on all your orders (use the code CYBERHELL when checking out), but on Friday, November 25th, CC will also feature site-wide sales from 35–75% off and are bringing back two highly requested designs for the day. Then, from Saturday, November 26th through Monday, November 28th (until 11:59 pm EST), customers can take advantage of additional savings and have a crack at some “Error” enamel pins for around $5 each.
The Cavity Colors Cyber Hell 2016 sale begins on Friday, November 25th at 11:59 pm EST.
Mezco: I don’t think Mezco is doing a sale on Black Friday, but I did want to mention that both their Deadite Ash Living Dead Doll and their Bloody Pinhead figure are both going on pre-sale on Friday, November 25th, so if you’re looking to add those items to your collections, you’ll want to head over to their site on Friday to get your order in sooner rather than later (their Living Dead Dolls have a tendency of selling out very quickly).
Amazon: One of my personal favorite resources for great Black Friday deals is Amazon, as they really go for the gold on the biggest shopping day of the year with hundreds and hundreds of sale prices and lightning deals that run consistently throughout the day. While there may only be a scattering of genre-related goodies available on Amazon for their Black Friday sales (you’ll see a lot of Pop! vinyls, video games, movies and sometimes even rare collectibles), you may also be able to find some great deals on other gift ideas.
Blu-rays & DVDs:
The Walking Dead: Season 6 Limited Edition Box Set (Anchor Bay Entertainment, Blu-ray)
Season Six starts with Alexandria's safety shattered by multiple threats. To make it, the people of Alexandria will need to catch up with our survivors hardness while many of Rick's people will need to take a step back from the violence and pragmatism they've needed to embrace. These reversals won't happen easily, or without conflict.
But now Rick's group is fighting for something more than survival...They're fighting for their home, and they will defend that at any cost, against any threat, even if that threat comes from within.
McFarlane Toys has done it again creating a striking, must-own packaging concept. This year’s Limited Edition features the “truck” walker from the infamous rock quarry in the very first episode of Season 6. Handsomely crafted and intricately detailed, the figurine is based on the original walker designed by award-winning special effects make-up Supervisor and Executive Producer, Greg Nicotero. Packaging also includes a collectible 5-disc Blu-ray™ set digipack with exclusive “walker” cover art available only with this set.
Fear the Walking Dead: Season 2 (Anchor Bay Entertainment, Blu-ray) – Release Date: 12/13
Last season, 'Fear the Walking Dead' explored a blended family who watched a burning, dead city as they traversed a devastated Los Angeles. In Season 2, the group aboard the Abigail is unaware of the true breadth and depth of the apocalypse that surrounds them; they assume there is still a chance that some city, state, or nation might be unaffected some place that the Infection has not reached. But as Operation Cobalt goes into full effect, the military bombs the Southland to cleanse it of the Infected, driving the Dead toward the sea. As Madison, Travis, Daniel, and their grieving families head for ports unknown, they will discover that the water may be no safer than land.
Special Features include Audio Commentaries, Deleted Scenes, Flight 462 Webisodes, Q&A with Cast and Creative Team from Paley Fest LA 2016, Inside FEAR THE WALKING DEAD, and The Making of FEAR THE WALKING DEAD.
This new set from Paramount Home Entertainment essentially contains everything included in their “Missing Pieces” Twin Peaks Blu-ray set that was released in 2014, but this iteration boasts a much lower price tag, making it a perfect gift idea for the fans in your life who just want a “damn fine cup of coffee” while taking a stroll back to the world of the unforgettable Log Lady and her fellow residents of Twin Peaks.
Ash vs Evil Dead: The Complete First Season (Anchor Bay Entertainment, Blu-ray & DVD)
“Ash vs Evil Dead,” a 10-episode, half-hour series, is the long-awaited follow-up to the classic horror film franchise The Evil Dead. The series follows Ash, the stock boy, aging lothario and chainsaw-handed monster hunter who has spent the last 30 years avoiding responsibility, maturity and the terrors of the Evil Dead. When a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind, Ash is finally forced to face his demons –personal and literal. Destiny, it turns out, has no plans to release the unlikely hero from its “Evil” grip.
The cast is led by Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, Lucy Lawless as Ruby a mysterious figure who believes Ash is the cause of the Evil outbreaks, Ray Santiago as Pablo Simon Bolivar, an idealistic immigrant who becomes Ash’s loyal sidekick, Dana DeLorenzo as Kelly Maxwell, a moody wild child trying to outrun her past and Jill Marie Jones as Amanda Fisher, a disgraced Michigan State Trooper set to find our anti-hero Ash and prove his responsibility in the grisly murder of her partner. The series is executive produced by Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, and Bruce Campbell, the original filmmakers of the franchise, and Craig DiGregorio (“Chuck”), who serves as executive producer and showrunner.
Hannibal: The Complete Series (Lionsgate, Blu-ray/Digital HD & DVD/Digital)
FBI Agent Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) hunts the most notorious serial killers. Graham is both gifted and cursed with an extraordinary ability: he can think like his prey, seeing what they see and feeling what they feel. While pursuing an especially troubling, cannibalistic murderer, Special Agent Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) teams Graham with a highly respected psychiatrist - a man with a taste for the criminally minded: Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen). Savor every last moment of Bryan Fuller's beautifully acclaimed thriller with seasons one through three in Hannibal: The Complete Series.
Lionsgate Entertainment will bring all three seasons together for the first time, in plenty of time for holiday gift giving - with the DVD ($39.98 SRP; 12 discs) and Blu-ray Disc ($39.97 SRP; 9 discs) releases of Hannibal - The Complete Series. Both versions come with UltraViolet digital copies of the episodes, plus English and Spanish subtitles on the discs (the DVD also includes closed captioning as well). On-disc special features are expected to be the same content as the various individual releases.
Books:
For over six years, Brian Collins watched and reviewed a different horror movie every single day. Most of them stunk. With over 2500 reviews on the Horror Movie A Day website, finding the worthwhile ones can be a chore, so Collins has curated a selection of choice films - 365 of them in fact, one for every day of the year. Each month has a different theme and offers a variety of films within that theme for your viewing enjoyment. And they're not the ones you've seen already - most of the book's selections are obscure, indie, or foreign titles that a casual horror fan hasn't seen yet. Every movie is someone's favorite movie - perhaps this book will introduce you to yours.
Featuring more than 350 images (many of which have never been revealed to the public), the Elvira: Mistress of the Dark book will celebrate the Queen of Halloween's 35th anniversary in style and is sure to make any fans’ wish list this holiday season.
Monsters in the Movies (Paperback Edition)
Learn everything there is to know about special effects in films and what it goes into designing iconic monsters that still show up in nightmares in Monsters in the Movies, newly released in paperback. From B-movie bogeymen and outer space oddities to big-budget terrors, legendary filmmaker John Landis showcases the greatest monsters ever to creep, fly, slither, stalk, or rampage through theaters!
Landis provides his own unique and entertaining insights into the world of moviemaking, and hosts in-depth conversations with leading monster makers, including David Cronenberg, Christopher Lee, John Carpenter, and Sam Raimi, to discuss the art of monster making. He also surveys the historical origins of the archetypal monsters, such as vampires, zombies, and werewolves.
Go behind the scenes to discover the secrets of the special-effects wizards who created legendary frighteners like King Kong, Dracula, and Halloween's Michael Myers.
With more than 1,000 stunning movie stills and posters, Monsters in the Movies is sure to keep even the most intense fright-seekers at the edge of their seats for hours!
Artwork:
I was turned onto all the great art featured on Skuzzles earlier this year, and if you’re on the hunt for some amazing cult film-inspired artwork gift ideas, you’ll absolutely want to check out their site immediately. I am personally a huge fan of these amazing Robocop, Army of Darkness, and Pumpkinhead pieces, but there are a ton more you can choose from on their site (they also have fun T-shirt and pin sections to boot).
Vinyl Pick of the Day:
The Monster Squad – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 2XLP (Mondo)
Available on Vinyl for the first time, Mondo is proud to present Bruce Broughton's score to Fred Dekker directed, Shane Black scripted cult classic The Monster Squad.
The Monster Squad tells the story of six suburban kids who go toe-to-toe with some of the baddest monsters of all time: The Mummy, The Wolfman, The Gillman, and Dracula join forces to unleash evil on the world, and only the titular "Monster Squad" (with a little help from Frankenstein's monster) can stop them.
Produced by Mike Matessino and Dan Goldwasser. Cut at 45RPM for best possible sound quality, and pressed on 180 Gram Amulet Colored Vinyl.
Apparel:
I’ve featured Middle of Beyond in previous iterations of the Daily Dead Holiday Gift Guide for one very good reason: their products freaking rule. I’ve purchased several items from them and have always been extremely happy with what I’ve received in terms of quality and the products themselves. So for those of you looking to infuse some of your very favorite movies into your holiday traditions in 2016, you’ll definitely want to check out their Alien collection, their adorable Gremlins collection, or their selection of sweaters that would make Freddy Krueger proud: the A Nightmare on Elm Street cardigan and either the Nightmare Sweater version one or Nightmare Sweater version two.
And, of course, there are plenty of other gift selections that can be found on the MOB Christmas collection page, too.
Enamel Pins:
I will fully admit that over this last year, I’ve completely fallen down the enamel pins rabbit hole, so with that in mind, I thought it might be fun to spotlight all the various places fans can grab some great pins this holiday season.
First up is Creepy Co., a company I’ve personally purchased numerous enamel pins from over the course of 2016, and fans will definitely want to keep an eye on them in the coming weeks, as they’ve teased some really great new collections including My Pet Monster, Vincent Price, and their brand spanking new Halloween-themed pins that look absolutely awesome.
As far as their regular line of enamel pins goes, you can’t go wrong with their Surprised Camper, their X-Files inspired Skully pin, this killer Beware the Moon pin, or this fun guillotine enamel pin that should cause any fan of the macabre to lose their proverbial heads.
Collectibles:
For our first day of collectibles on the 2016 Holiday Gift Guide, I wanted to put the spotlight on some of the great items that NECA has released throughout this year.
NECA’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors Ultimate Freddy Action Figure
From the cult classic Nightmare on Elm street horror series, we present the definitive collector’s version of Freddy from Dream Warriors! This ultimate Dream Warriors Freddy features plenty of gruesome detail and tons of accessories, including 2 interchangeable heads, 2 pairs of hands, the Elm street house, Freddy puppet and removable hat. He’s fully poseable and truly terrifying – swap out his regular sweater front to display the tortured spirits trapped in his chest of souls! The 7” scale figure comes in collector-friendly deluxe window box packaging with opening flap.
NECA’s Evil Dead 2 Ultimate Ash Action Figure
Evil Dead 2: one of the horror greats and a true cult classic! From the 1987 movie starring the one and only Bruce Campbell, we present the definitive collector's version of Ash! This ultimate Ash features all new fully articulated legs and tons of accessories, including 2 interchangeable heads (regular and possessed sculpts), interchangeable right forearms, severed possessed hand, a Sheila head, The Necronomicon, tape recording machine, shotgun and axe accessories. With over 25 points of articulation, he's fully poseable and ready to rock your world! The 7" scale figure comes in collector-friendly deluxe window box packaging with opening flap.
NECA’s Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure Action Figure 2-Pack
Separately, they are Bill S. Preston, Esquire and Ted "Theodore" Logan. But together they are the Wyld Stallyns! or, as they are known in the utopian society of the future, the two "great ones." Catch an encore performance by the band in this most triumphant box set of retro clothed action figures from the classic movie Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Bill and Ted stand 8" tall and feature the likenesses of actors Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves. Each poseable figure wears tailored fabric clothing similar to the iconic toy lines of the 1970S and comes with his own guitar. The deluxe box set packaging has a special surprise – punch out the cardboard inserts and assemble your very own phone booth time machine! Booth measures 9 x 4 x 4" when assembled.
Due to popular demand, we're making the actual-size face hugger included in our life size Xenomorph egg replica available on its own! As seen in the 1986 horror classic Aliens, this full-sized replica measures nearly 3 and 1/2 feet long and has a bendable tail, so you can pose it anywhere waiting to drop on unsuspecting prey from above, or even attached to your face. The life size face hugger is made of detailed, hand-painted foam- perfect for costuming or decoration!
Kids' Korner:
Too many monsters? Reach into the bag and feel around to find the pieces that fit your bedroom game board. If you pull out a monster, don't be scared just tell that silly old thing to go away. Then get rid of it for good by tossing it into the monster pit and out of your room. You take charge, and the monsters take off! Teaches shape recognition, sharing and cooperation, and best of all, a master over those pesky nighttime monsters!
Etsy Spotlight:
For our first 2016 Holiday Gift Guide Etsy Spotlight, we have a great collection of art from Nervous Pretzel, a Dallas-based shop that specializes in stunning charcoal artwork. If you’re looking for a gift idea for the horror lover in your life, this Friday the 13th Part III drawing or this badass Freddy Krueger charcoal drawing would make for a great surprise to put under the tree this December. And if you’re looking to give someone a token of your affection that has more of a creepy vibe, be sure to check out this amazing artwork featuring Gage from Pet Sematary.
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In case you missed them, check out other installments of Daily Dead's 2016 Holiday Gift Guide:
Heather A. Wixson was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, until she followed her dreams and moved to Los Angeles in 2009. A 14-year veteran in the world of horror entertainment journalism, Wixson fell in love with genre films at a very early age, and has spent more than a decade as a writer and supporter of preserving the history of horror and science fiction cinema. Throughout her career, Wixson has contributed to several notable websites, including Fangoria, Dread Central, Terror Tube, and FEARnet, and she currently serves as the Managing Editor for Daily Dead, which has been her home since 2013. She's also written for both Fangoria Magazine & ReMind Magazine, and her latest book project, Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Volume One will be released on October 20, 2021.
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