TV shows such as The IT Crowd, Big Bang Theory, Community and Futurama have opened the lid on nerd/geek culture and Hollywood über-nerds such as Joss Whedon and JJ Abrams now sit at the top with their respective Avengers, Star Trek and (forthcoming) Star Wars franchises.
So with Christmas staring at us down the barrel of a laser gun what can you get for the nerd/geek in your life or, dare we say it, for the one hiding inside yourself?
Movies and TV tie-ins
The Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader action figure (above) is something to even set older Star Wars fans' hearts thumping. The twist here is that you can turn Anakin into Darth Vader by adding the helmet and chest plate pieces. When the transformation is complete his light sabre turns from blue to red. Prices vary from €19.99 to €29.99
Has there been a recent TV series as beloved and critically lauded as Breaking Bad? Fans still in mourning after the show's end can pick up adorable knitting patterns so you or someone who knows what they're doing can knit Walt and Jesse in their meth cooking outfits or in their civvies. $7.99 (€5.80) from ravelry.com.
Comics
Nerd culture often ties into comic book culture. The Adamantium Collection is available to buy or order at most comics shops or online. It's a big stonking oversized hardcovered coffee table job that reprints some of the character's most famous storylines. It also comes at a big price, about €100 from bookdepository.co.uk (free shipping to Ireland) or order it from your local comic shop
A new Thor film is upon us so why not get the Mighty Thor Omnibus Volume 2 reprinting the Thunder God's earliest adventures from Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. From about €53 upwards available at your local comic shop or online from Amazon or the Book Depository.
The 50th anniversary of Doctor Who has meant a plethora of *memorabilia knocking around but we we're particularly impressed by this Doctor Who Series 1-7 Limited Edition Gift Set (above) complete with sonic screwdriver ($300/€217, amazon.com). This doesn't seem to be available on amazon.co.uk yet (at time of writing) but you can pre-order it on bbcshop.com if you've got £167 (about €200) to part with.
Books
The Walking Dead has been one of geekdom's favourite series of recent years and it's just returned on Fox UK for a new series. Zombie Survival Manual: The Complete Guide to Surviving A Zombie Attack by Sean T Page has all those crucial tips on how to get through a Zombie outbreak. It's available at most book shops or online for about €13.
Science
So you think you've mastered telling the time? Think again! Each numerical hour of the day on the Equation Geek clock is spelled out with a different mathematical information. For budding mathematicians and confused people like me, a cheat sheet is included with each clock: €23.13 uncommongoods.com
Netflix
One thing that will satisfy the most ravenous geek/nerd urges is a healthy dose of their favourite TV shows and movies. You could go down the box set route or you could get them a Netflix subscription. Why give just one DVD or box set when you can give someone access to thousands of TV series and films for €6.99 per month? Choose from one- to 12-month subscriptions, pick the relevant theme for the occasion, personalise your message, and email or print your gift. netflix.com/gift
