(READ PART ONE RIGHT HERE and PART TWO RIGHT HERE)

Stressed about finding the perfect gift for that special muggle, Trekkie, Twi-hard, Jedi or Bat-fan in your life? Relax and read on: You've come to the perfect place at the perfect time, because this is the 2009 Hero Complex Holiday Gift Guide — just think of us as a sort of retail Yoda guiding you through the complicated swamps of holiday shopping. "Buy or buy not. There is no browse."

"Live Long and Prosper" business card holder: I hear people say Spock is back. But did he ever really leave? "Star Trek" was the best fanboy film of 2009, and Spock was so important to the story he was played by two actors. Zachary Quinto acquitted himself nicely in the role of the half-human, half-Vulcan, and, more than that, he was smart enough to seek out the counsel and friendship of the great Leonard Nimoy. I can't wait for the sequel. If someone on your Christmas list is the same way, here's a great stocking stuffer that is both sleek and practical and priced nicely at $12.99. It's got a nice sheen and a durable clasp and, for those Trekkies who travel on business, it all adds up to a gift that is entirely logical.

Stay Puft Marshmallow Man bank: Want to save up your pennies to buy a proton pack? Well here's the perfect way. It's a vinyl, 8-inch bank that re-creates the grinning visage of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from "Ghostbusters." This is the 25th anniversary of the paranormal comedy classic, and one of its most memorable images is the big fella stomping through Manhattan right before he becomes the world's biggest s'more. Old Stay Puft always looked like a mash-up of the Pillsbury Dough Boy and Michelin Man, but there was something about his grin that made him unique. The banks is made by Diamond Select and costs $20. It's also available at various other spots around the Web.

Nautilus replica from eFX: If money is no object, there is no better new fanboy gift than this maritime marvel. Harper Goff's startling design for Captain Nemo's submersible warship stole the show 55 years ago when Disney released "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," and its unforgettable profile became an prescient example of steam-punk and retro-tech. (To get a sense of how very special the design was, check out our recent guest essay from Berkeley Breathed paying homage to the sub and the film.) And now you can build an entire home office around a meticulously rendered 4-foot model that has interior views of the wheelhouse and salon, LED lights and a custom display. You can claim the Nautilus as your own for $1,799 (or, if you order before Dec. 10, there's a $100 discount). There will only be 500 made and sold. 

"Clone Wars" remote-controlled flying vehicle: This is going to be a big hit this holiday season. This is a foam-bodied flying toy tied into the Cartoon Network animated series that is essential viewing for young boys across America. There are two models, the Jedi Starfighter and the Republic Gunship, and (for little guys or big guys) it's a hoot to finally have a viable, reasonably priced flying toy that hails from the George Lucas universe that redefined the toy aisles of the world three decades ago. There's a really good in-depth review of these two airships over at Kids Tech Review that gets into some of the nagging problems (charging time is the big one), but I can tell you that, all things considered, the Force is with this holiday gift. Various merchants have it, usually for about $44.

"Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series": Was "Battlestar Galactica" the best written sci-fi show ever? Yep. I dearly love "Star Trek," "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "The X-Files" and all the other obvious contenders for that honor, but in my opinion this series on Syfy (née Sci Fi) has no genre peer in the sophistication and ambition of its storytelling. The cast was outstanding as well, led by Mary McDonnell, Edward James Olmos, James Callis, Tricia Helfer and Katee Sackhoff, and, thanks to this era of home video, the show's audience and legacy will only grow in the years to come. Which brings us to this handsome collection, which hit stores last summer. A robust 67 hours (!) on 20 discs, it's not just a gift, it's a relationship. It even comes with a cool Cylon toy. (Just so you know, there have been some consumer complaints about the packaging, but I myself found the entire product to be a dandy with plenty of gee-whiz appeal.)  The Blu-ray version lists for $350, the DVD counterpart is $280, but there are deals to be found. The best thing I can say about "Battlestar"? If you haven't seen it yet, I envy you because of the revelatory experience that awaits you.

— Geoff Boucher

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE, PART TWO

(READ PART ONE RIGHT HERE and PART THREE RIGHT HERE)

Stressed about finding the perfect gift for that special Muggle, Trekkie, Twi-Hard, Jedi or Bat-fan in your life? Relax and read on: You've come to the perfect place at the perfect time, because this is the 2009 Hero Complex Holiday Gift Guide -- just think of us as a sort of retail Yoda guiding you through the complicated swamps of holiday shopping. "Buy or buy not. There is no browse..."

"Star Wars" Garden Jawa: Do you know someone that has a gopher problem and a fixation of the George Lucas universe? Well, of course you do -- who doesn't? Just last month, the Garden Jawa ($35) went on sale exclusively at Star Wars Shop. Not even a cranky Bantha could resist this little guy, who is close to a foot tall and comes ready for the garden -- he's got tools tucked into his bandoleer and a garden hose clutched in one gloved hand while the other flashes a thumbs-up symbol that seems to say, "Howdy-ho neighbor, may the Force be with you!" For a new product, he's sure covered a lot of famous ground already; he also seems built for the long haul since he is molded out of all-weather resin.

Tim Burton's Oyster Boy light-up Journal: There's a towering pile of super-cool items from the gifted oddballs up at Dark Horse Deluxe in Oregon, and I had a tough time deciding which to include in the gift guide. In the end I went with one of the Tim Burton partner creations, the Oyster Boy light-up journal ($15), which is such a melancholy and unexpected gift that it will bring a brief flicker of a smile to the face of that pale friend of yours who loves rainy days, black clothes, the Cure and every Burton movie featuring a cemetery or castle scene. This 128-page hardcover journal just hit shelves in May but the character first appeared in Burton's 1997 book "The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories" (yes, being old-school and relatively esoteric makes it even better). The cover shows Oyster Boy wearing his human mask and trick-or-treating beneath a starry sky -- and the stars light-up with sparkling lights embedded in the cover. You should check out the other Burton merch from Dark Horse, too.

"Star Trek" DVD: What's the best movie of the year? Well, we could debate that all day but I can tell you that, without a doubt, my favorite movie of the year was "Star Trek,' which brought the long-under-performing film franchise to maximum warp, perhaps for the first time ever. The DVD and Blu-ray releases live up to the film, too, and dollar-for-dollar, they may be the season's best gift for sci-fi fans. The extras on the two-disc version are strong, too; J.J. Abrams is one of the best in Hollywood when it comes to an erudite but accessible director's commentary that is neither self-aggrandizing nor snore-inducing. The gag reel is actually funny. The nine deleted scenes on the Blu-ray, meanwhile, are actually pretty intriguing and show that the film could have gone into some substantially different sections of the story. The birth of Spock, trimmed from the start of the film, is worth wacthing for sure, as are the grim sequences with Klingons -- although they do kind of remind me of Spartans from some interstellar version of "300." And, oh yes, I love that critic's blurb on the box. It's available as a single DVD ($29.99), a two-disc DVD ($39.99) and a three-disc Blu-ray set ($39.99). Available just about everywhere.

Scene It? "Twilight" for the Nintendo Wii:

OK, here's the one gift on this list that I wouldn't want for myself but, hey, a gift guide is about giving, not getting, right? "The Twilight Saga" is in a full-force in American pop culture right now and if you have a Twi-Hard on your holiday shopping list, this might be the perfect fit. Scene It? is, for the uninitiated, a very successful brand of trivia games that incorporate video clips in the game play, but this is the very first edition in the Scene it? series to be available for the Wii game platform. The Konami release just hit stores on Nov. 24 and costs $50, although there are better prices to be found out there. It is rated T for teen due to mild blood, mild violence, some suggestive themes and a drug reference, but there's nothing here that's not in the first film.

Marvel ArtWorks: The classic artwork of Jack Kirby seemed too powerful, too kinetic and too, well, cosmic, to fit on the pages of Marvel Comics in the glory days of the 1960s and now, thanks to the folks at Every Picture Tells a Story, some of the late artist's iconic images are getting the massive, archival display they deserve. Every Picture Tells a Story is a gallery in Santa Monica and they have secured a license with Marvel to turn key covers into museum-quality pieces of art. The first 10 limited-edition prints were released this year and they look amazing. New releases each year will present signature covers from different eras of Marvel's history; this first batch of canvas prints included the Hulk by Dale Keown, Iron Man by Joe Quesada and the Silver Surfer by Gabriele Dell'Otto. The cream of the crop, though, are two cover by Kirby: "Captain America' No. 100 and "Fantastic Four" No. 49. Only 70 of each were made (which is fitting -- this is the 70th anniversary of Marvel) and they are going fast -- they were also signed by Stan Lee, adding another layer of collectibility. The Kirby glycee prints are $850 each, prices for the other covers vary, but you can find them at at the gallery's website. 

CHECK BACK THIS WEEK FOR PART THREE OF THE GIFT GUIDE

-- Geoff Boucher

READ PART ONE or READ 2008 GIFT GUIDE

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE, PART ONE

Stressed about finding the perfect gift for that special Muggle, Trekkie, Twi-Hard, Jedi or Bat-fan in your life? Relax and read on: You've come to the perfect place at the perfect time, because this is the 2009 Hero Complex Holiday Gift Guide -- just think of us as a sort of retail Yoda guiding you through the complicated swamps of holiday shopping. "Buy or buy not. There is no browse..."

It's the perfect time to get your geek on, too. The fanboy culture is in full blossom at the box office and in pop culture beyond, and this holiday season there's a mountain of gifts and gadgets that speak to the Comic-Con constituency. Here are some of the most heroic:

"FRINGE: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON" ($60 for DVD, $80 for Blu-ray): "Fringe" may be the best sci-fi show on television right now, which is saying a lot considering the crowd of competitors. The series was impressive from its very start for its production values, casting and cerebral ambitions, but early on it was missing a certain something; I didn't stop watching and I'm glad I didn't because by the middle of the first season the show found its groove (in part by finding a defining rhythm that wasn't beholden to a rigid, single-episode procedural pace). Like "The X-Files" (yes, it's hard not to compare the two, considering the starting-point premise of FBI investigations into the paranormal), this show has an intricate and still-unfolding mythology. It's not too late to jump on board, especially with this polished Warner Home Video collection of the entire first season on seven discs with extended scenes, loads of commentary, featurettes on special effects and the science of the show, a "Deciphering the Scene" feature for true "Fringe" students, a gag reel and more. The Blu-ray is worth the extra money, the features are even better and the show's cinematic approach lives up   to the format.You can find it at retailers everywhere or directly from Warner Home Video. Want to read more about the show? Check out the Hero Complex visit to the Vancouver set.

TAUNTAUN SLEEPING BAG:

($100) This may be the best nerd gift of the year. Originally made as a one-of-a-kind prototype for an April Fool's Day spoof, the sleeping bag is an irresistible bit of "Star Wars" that takes us all back to the icy slopes of Hoth, where frosty Luke Skywalker was saved by his quick-thinking pal Han Solo, who was resourceful enough to eviscerate a dead tauntaun (think of a cranky snow camel crossed with a llama) and show the desert-planet kid inside to keep warm. Hmmmmm, cozy! This sleeping bag is made of polyester and it won't save you from hypothermia on the frozen tundra (it's not for outdoor use) but it's a crackerjack gift and even has a lightsaber zipper so you can slice your furry friend open just like Han did. For sale exclusively at ThinkGeek.

"THE HUNTER" GRAPHIC NOVEL: ($25)  Here's one of the best graphic novels of the year and a killer gift -- Darwyn Cooke's sublime adaptation of the hard-boiled antihero created by Richard Stark (the pen name of the late, great Donald Westlake). The handsome book boasts Cooke’s spare and stylized artwork (think somewhere between the vintage cool of “Mad Men” and the storytelling flair of Milton Caniff’s “Steve Canyon” comic strips), and the 144-page tale from IDW Publishing is a meticulously faithful adaptation of the 1962 novel of the same name that introduced the scowling Parker. Available through most book merchants or directly from IDW. You can read more about this great book in the Hero Complex feature on Cooke and his mission to bring Westlake's classic character alive in a new way.

"TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY" LIMITED EDITION: We don't know if "Avatar" will live up to its billing as "a game-changer" for special effects, but director James Cameron already pulled that feat off once with "T2"  and its then-startling quicksilver CG effects. I'm a bigger fan of the first movie in the franchise (better story and none of Ed Furlong's petulance) but this limited-edition packaging ($115) of the sequel is too sweet to ignore with the 14-inch, skinless, glowing-eyeball bust of the T-800 that even makes sound effects. This six-disc (!) definitive packaging comes with every "T2" featurette and extra to date, including the Skynet Blu-ray edition of the film. That's fine, but did I mention that the metal skull makes noises and its eyes glow? Cool. This package was just released by Lionsgate in May so there's a good chance that fans you are shopping for may not have seen it before. A great gift, too, for any old college friends who now work in the Schwarzenegger administration who are spending Christmas in Sacramento for the last time. You can find it for sale at a variety of merchants.  

HERMIONE'S EARRINGS, STARFLEET CUFF LINKS and "THE DARK KNIGHT" MONEY CLIP : If you're looking for a sly, understated gift for "Harry Potter" fans (you know, something that doesn't scream "Muggle!") consider these graceful earrings of sterling silver and pink crystals ($59) fashioned as an homage to the ones worn by actress Emma Watson on screen. You can find them at the Warner Brothers shop along with a staggering array of wizard merch. In the same low-key vein, for fanboys who don't want to loudly broadcast their obsessions, there are some nifty Starfleet cuff links ($65) that are crafted from enamel and plated silver and have a bullet back closure; you can find them (as well as a Klingon counterpart product) at Cufflinks.com. We also like the folding, magnetic Batarang money clip ($39) from the Noble Collection that would fit the sleek sensibilities of Bruce Wayne but might be too small for the wad of spending cash he keeps in his utility belt.

-- Geoff Boucher

READ PART TWO RIGHT HERE AND PART THREE RIGHT HERE

READ the 2008 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE