Holiday Gift Guide: Mega Ran And Mister Wilson’s ‘Blur Bomber’

When it comes to the holiday gift-giving season, comic book readers are notoriously difficult to shop for. I mean, most of us are down at the shop buying our favorite stuff every single week, so when the time comes for people who like us to get us something we want, well, a lot of times we already have it. That’s why we’re stepping in with a public service, bringing you comics-related items sure to make the season brighter, whether you’re browsing for a gift or just looking for something to drop hints about so that you don’t get stuck with a random assortment of back issues again.

Before we move on with today's suggestion, I want everyone to stop for a moment and consider that we're living in a world where a hip-hop album inspired by a Mega Man / Sonic the Hedgehog crossover is a thing that exists...and it's actually good.

ITEM: Mega Ran and Mister Wilson's Blur Bomber

CLASSIFICATION: Hip-hop Album

PRICE: $7, $10 or $30 on Bandcamp, depending on which version you get.

Archie's "Worlds Collide" crossover between Sonic and Mega Man was probably one of the most enjoyably over-the-top superhero adventures of the year, but of all the possibilities of stuff that could come out of it, I don't think any of us really expected a rap album. Maybe we should've, though -- Raheem Jarbo, alias Mega Ran, has had a pretty successful run of rapping about his favorite video games over the past few years, and his new album (released just today, in fact), is no exception.

It's not just the gimmick of rapping over songs sampled from the games that makes it great, though, although that's definitely what makes it a nice present for fans of Mega Man and Sonic. Ran's got the talent to back it up and a knack for storytelling, working through the plots of the comics in a highly entertaining way. You can check it out for yourself, too -- the entire album's streaming at Bandcamp so you can listen before you buy.

The digital download is $7 with the physical disc at $10, and there's also a special edition for $30 that comes with a poster from South Carolina's own Thor Thorvaldson that's crammed with characters from both franchises. Head over there to check it out, and while you're there, make sure to grab the free (and seasonally appropriate) A Very Random Christmas, an album of clean raps set to samples of Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack. It's every bit as good as it sounds.