The holiday season is about to begin! Some people love it; some people want to hide under the couch until January 2nd. Whichever group you fall into, we can all agree that there are people all over the world right now who could REALLY use our help. Whether it’s supporting local relief efforts in Puerto Rico and Houston, helping to bring human rights to the people of North Korea, or simply putting a smile on a fellow geek’s face, we’ve got a list of charities and indie artists that can help you make a BIG difference in the world and bring a little light into someone’s day.
But our suggestions are just a drop in the bucket. We’d love to hear from you! From now until December 25th, tell us about the organizations and causes you care about and, if your organization is selected, NARAZU will donate $100 to that organization in your name. You can email, tweet, or post your cause on our Facebook page. Final selections will be made on December 26th, so feel free to send us info on any organization you think is worthy.
All the cool gift selections that you will find below are made with love by indie artists and geeks just like you who have a passion for fandom and quality. We hope our suggestions help you share the love this season and remember that helping each other is really what every holiday everywhere is all about.
Happy Holidays & Best Always!
Team Narazu
All Indie. All Awesome.
Organizations That Are Getting It Done!
Hurricane season may be over, but the rebuilding effort has just begun. There are lots of nonprofits you can go to and find places to donate towards hurricane relief efforts in the US, but One America Appeal is a hub for all of them, so we figured this would be a good place to start. If you’re interested in more local efforts, try here.
North Korean Refugees in the USA
As much as we see on the news about North Korea, you don’t often hear about the struggles of the people inside the country. Grace Jo is the Vice President of North Korean Refugees in the USA and this is her story. We can’t explain why this is a cause we should not turn away from any better than she has. To learn more, click here.
The Pixel Project is a virtual, volunteer-led global 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to raise awareness, funds and volunteer power for the cause to end violence against women (VAW) using the power of the internet, social media, and pop culture/the arts. For 2018 The Project presents the “Read For Pixels” campaign featuring live Google Hangout Readings with award-winning bestselling authors in support of the Celebrity Male Role Model Pixel Reveal campaign, which supports The Pixel Project. 2017’s authors included Adrian Tchaikovsky, Alafair Burke, Genevieve Valentine, Ilona Andrews, Isaac Marion, Kass Morgan, Ken Liu, Kristen Britain, Paul Tremblay, Sara Raasch, Soman Chainani, and Vicki Pettersson. Next year promises even more big hitters discussing why they support ending violence against women, their writing, and women in the media and popular culture. Each session will also include a live moderated Q&A session for fans and book lovers. Visit their website and learn all the ways you can be a part of the solution.
The Joy of Fandom
Fandom is something not everyone understands. So, when you meet someone who truly gets it, it’s like finding a long-lost friend. Each of the indie artists in this section gets it and have taken the time to create, with love, some items that can help you (or someone you love) celebrate all that is awesome and unique about them. Enjoy!
Cerece's Holiday Picks!
I meet so many wonderful indie artisans at conventions, so I thought I would rec a couple of them here. I am a proud owner of work from each artist. 🙂
Skully Kouture makes beautiful things. From Game of Thrones necklaces to cool Steampunk “time-turners” to gorgeous “I Want To Believe” alien pendants. The website is just the tip of their creative iceberg, so make sure you contact them to inquire about whether or not they carry anything in YOUR favorite fandom. (Hint: The answer is probably yes!)
Barbarah Robertson and her husband, Bruce are in a class all by themselves. In addition to their commitment to providing full service to your fandom of choice (just LOOK at the selection above- from Dr. Who to Star Wars to Star Trek to Batman), they are absolutely committed to the craft of pottery making. Take your cup o’ joe to the next level with one of their incredible creations. Their Etsy store features a *tiny* selection of their fandomware, so don’t hesitate to contact them directly if you don’t see what you’re looking for.
George's Holiday Picks!
It’s beginning to look a lot like X-Mas, and to help you find the right gift for the Geek in your life, here are my Holiday graphic novel picks, Narazu Style.
My copies of the books mentioned, peep the signatures.
For the collector of all things geek, we give you the MECCACon Box. Maia Crown Williams, founder of MECCA Con a year-round celebration of Afrofuturism, has put together this monthly subscription box filled Multicultural comic books, movies, etc. from independent and mainstream creators and publishers. The roster of contributors is seriously talented and with different payment options, you can pay monthly or for half a year, it’s flexible like that. The first box has shipped but you still have time for the Holidays and if they are really into it, Valentines is right around the corner.
The BLACK BOX SET: Collector’s Edition
For the lover of superheroic, conspiracy-style action, pick up the collected edition of BLACK. Earlier this year, I picked this series for our conspiracy month, with a tagline that asks “What if only Black people had superpowers” and as luck would have it the collected edition has come out just in time for you to become someone’s favorite Secret Santa. Containing the complete run of BLACK, this edition also includes character design sketches and variant cover artwork. I was lucky enough to get mine signed by the creative team at Anyone’s Comics, a small independent comic shop in Brooklyn. If they like it, they can look for the sequel BLACK AF – America’s Sweetheart.
Creator/Writer – Pratap Chatterjee, Co-Writer/Artist – Khalil Bendib
Looking for a graphic novel on the secret history of the War on Terror and the surveillance utilized by governments for the hacktivist on your list, then find your way to a shop with no cameras for VERAX. This book doesn’t pull punches on who to blame for the current state of liberty in the world and after reading Pratap Chatterjee and Khalil Bendib’s work, be prepared for when your hacktivist becomes madder and more paranoid when they finish reading this expose on the new world order. I didn’t get this one signed.
I.T. – The Secret World of Modern Banking Volume 1
Creator/Editor – Dimitrios Zaharakis, Writer/Artist – Scott McDaniel, Inker – Andy Owens, Colorist – Teodoro Gonzalez, Letterer – Taylor Esposito
Have a fan of technological thrillers to buy for, then I.T. is the book to gift them with. The I.T. crew takes us behind the curtain of Wall Street’s systems and practices with a thriller that shows how financial institutions take advantage of people, while leaving them vulnerable to hackers and outside influences. The technobabble is kept to a moderate level and the story moves. The GN collects the first 4 issues of this series, I got this one signed at New York Comic Con, and will make you run to your computer to change your passwords and put your money under the mattress.
Clarence's Holiday Picks!
Do you know someone who has been talking about writing their fantasy novel for the last 10 years, but has yet to put a word down on paper? Well, this t-shirt (and more!) from the Slayer of Words collection via Zazzle.com just might be the antidote to pull them out of the deep dark land of “One Day” and into the fierce realm of the Word Slayers! *Completed manuscript not included.
….and when in doubt, give them books! Narazu has a brand new store featuring all the books and comics that we have recommended over the past year. If you’ve enjoyed a few, why not give the gift to someone else of a story well told! Click here to browse and one-click away. For those who order three or more books, email us and we’ll send you a free NARAZU tote-bag to put all your goodies in.