This holiday season, publishers are catering to hardcore fans with reprints of rare classic comics, new work by renowned masters, and books about the history and craft of comics.  Here’s a look at some titles catering to a wide variety of tastes, from superheroes to indies.

The Mighty Marvel Calendar Book: A Visual History, by Chris Ryall, collects the calendars that Marvel published every year from 1975 through 1981, reproducing both the covers and the interiors at their original size, along with promotional materials and an introduction by Marvel writer, editor, and historian Roy Thomas.  Some of the art was created exclusively for the calendars by artists including Jack Kirby, John Byrne, and Walter Simonson, among others, and the 272-page hardcover has a 13” x 13” trim size to match the shape of the calendar. (Abrams, October 15, $50.00).  For a little something extra, throw in the Mighty Marvel 2025 calendar, a spiral-bound wall calendar that’s a reissue of the 1975 Marvel calendar. (Abrams, July 16, $19.99)

The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic, by Alan Moore and Steve Moore, appears to be a grimoire that has shape-shifted into one of those jolly Big Book O’Fun volumes for kids.  It’s an introduction to magic by famed comics writer Alan Moore and his mentor, the late Steve Moore (no relation) (see “Top Shelf to Publish Alan Moore’s ‘The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic’”).  The 352-page hardcover is a mix of comics and prose, with essays on the theory of magic, “Rainy Day” activities such as divination and conjuring spirits, a pictorial history of magic told through the lives of 50 practitioners, and more, with artwork by six artists: Kevin O’Neill, John Coulthart, Steve Parkhouse, Rick Veitch, Melinda Gebbie, and Ben Wickey. (Top Shelf, October 15, $49.99)

Space Circus, by Sergio Aragonés, Mark Evanier, and the late colorist Tom Luth, is the first collected edition of the four-issue miniseries first published by Dark Horse in 2000 (see “‘Space Circus’”).  The story follows the madcap adventures of a boy who joins a space circus and travels the universe, fighting off sky pirates and meeting the oddball inhabitants of different planets.  The 112-page hardcover will sport a new cover by Aragonés and Luth. (December 10, $29.99)

The Avengers: Heroes, Icons, Assembled is comics veteran Rich Johnson’s deep dive into the history of the legendary superhero team, from their origins through their present-day incarnations in comics and film, with a deep dive into the most important stories and spinoffs (see “Comics Insider Rich Johnson Presents the Essential Story of the Avengers”).  The 224-page hardcover is copiously illustrated with covers and images from the comics as well as storyboards and concept art from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. (Rizzoli, March 26, $45.00

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin Lost Years—The Covers collects over 125 pieces of cover art for the prequel series to the best-selling Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, with work by series co-creator Kevin Eastman as well as Ben Bishop, SL Gallant, Gavin Smith, and more.  The 144-page hardcover is an excellent companion to the rest of the Last Ronin oeuvre. (IDW, November 20, $29.99

Before there was Popeye, there was Thimble Theatre, and Fantagraphics is reissuing its collection Thimble Theatre & the Pre-Popeye Comics of E.C. Segar in a new revised and expanded edition includes over 100 of Segar’s early strips and drawings; in addition to the 100+ comics in the original book, this 156-page hardcover includes 10 new pages and 1920s-style Sunday funnies section that includes Charlie Chaplin’s Comic Capers and Popeye’s “The Jeep.” (October 29, $100.00)

For the Treasury of British Comics Annual 2025, publisher Rebellion reached into its deep archive of 20th-century comics from the British publishers IPC and Fleetway and commissioned some new ones as well.  The 112-page hardcover includes classic action stories by John Wagner, Alan Grant, and Dave Gibbons, among others, alongside three new comics by Simon Furman and Mike Collins, Alec Worley and Anna Morozova, and Paul Grist and Simon Williams. (December 18, $28.99)

Here's one for the robot fans: R.U.R., a graphic adaptation of the Czech author Karek Capek’s play, first produced in 1920, that added the word “robot” to the English language. Katerina Cupová’s graphic novel brings to life the story of a remote factory turning out automatons who appear to be the perfect workers, never tiring, never distracted by emotion, until the flaws become glaringly apparent.  The questions raised in this retelling are still relevant to modern readers. (Rosarium, December 11, $32.99)

Drawn and Quarterly will publish the third volume of Chris Ware’s Acme Novelty Datebook on October 29 as a handsome hardcover with an MSRP of $49.95.  However, since the last volume came out in 2007, longtime might have trouble finding it among their shelves.  No problem! D&Q is releasing all three volumes in a slipcased special edition on the same date, with an MSRP of $149.95. They will also make empty slipcases available to those who already own the first two volumes, but, they caution, the second printing of Volume 1 is slightly too large to fit into the case “unless severe violent force is applied.”

Also coming from Drawn & Quarterly this fall: Q&A, by Adrian Tomine, a mix of memoir and instruction on how to make comics from the creator of Shortcomings, Killing and Dying, and The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist.  Tomine reflects on his career and discusses his methods, his favorite tools, and how it feels to have his work adapted, illustrating his words with drafts, false starts, and photos. (October 15, $16.95)

For more great suggestions for gifts merchandising this holiday season, click here.