Christmas 2009: 16+

Time to round up our Christmas list with a few suggestions suited to older teenagers or adults. We’re opting for entertainment over anything else and why not!

Batman: The Killing Joke

Batman: The Killing Joke

The Killing Joke builds on the ‘Dark Batman, Dark Gotham’ restyling which saved the franchise following the publication of Batman: Year One. Gotham City’s descent into chaos is echoed in the story of the Joker’s personal descent into madness and the consequences years later.

It would blunt the book’s impact to detail any of the story other than to state that there are no winners in the world it depicts. The reader is constantly torn between trying to understand the Joker’s fragmented personality while despising his actions. Readers who know the main characters find the book particularly affecting, as Batman and Lieutenant Gordon are tested on many levels.

Despite the ‘darkness’ and insanity The Killing Joke is pure entertainment. That’s because of the excellent graphics and storytelling, which drags you into, and across, the emotional perspectives of each of the central characters. Highly recommended!

Dread Pirate

Front Porch Classics Dread Pirate Signature Edition

Dread Pirate is a basic boardgame with dice and counters, which takes moments to learn and is usually won more by luck than skill. Kids can easily have a great time playing up to the pirate theme and admiring the fancy counters at Halloween or Christmas. They’ll even look after the board and the pieces to keep the right to play again.

However, why should kids have all the fun? Dread Pirate is made for having your mates round, enjoying a few beers and not taking the game or yourself too seriously. I consider actually dressing as a pirate optional but others may disagree.

Front Porch Classics Dread Pirate Bookshelf Game

There are two sets available. The more expensive pretty much arrives in a treasure chest and the presentation is almost good enough to justify the cost. The cheaper set is easier to store and keeps enough of the glitzy components to look suitably piratical.  There’s also less to fret about if a beer ends up spilt over the less expensive version.

Parkour Handbook

The Parkour and Freerunning Handbook

It’s a bit much to ask the adults to get off the couch on Christmas Day but there’s no harm in encouraging them to get off the couch on Boxing Day. The Parkour and Free Running Handbook is an excellent starting point for anyone interested in a sport that’s available and accessible to everyone. The basics are covered in detail, including fitness, training, safety and parkour culture.