Pop culture pops: Great gifts for the fanboy father
Father's Day is tomorrow, and sometimes, finding the right gift or treat for him can be tricky. It does get easier if he has some distinct likes and hobbies though, especially if he is a fan of pop culture. Whether it's superheroes, Star Wars, toys, books, comics, music... there's always something that will make a pop culture pops happy.

Well, if you're still wondering what to get that fanboy of a father, here are a few ideas you can consider.

Brick with dad

Recognising that even grown ups love playing with Lego, the company has been releasing quite a number of pop culture-related Lego sets lately. Heck, the company not only just celebrated the 25th anniversary of Lego Star Wars, it even recently released a humongous replica of Barad-Dur, aka the Tower of Sauron, that would get any Lord Of The Rings fan drooling.

But since we’re talking about presents for Father’s Day, how about one that will not only tug on his nostalgic emotions, but also give him something to play together with the kids?

For those who grew up in the 80s, the Lego Space theme was one of the most memorable lines the toy company had ever released. In fact, it was so popular that even today, Gen Xers who grew up with it still give a nostalgic sigh when they see images of these sets.

Well, if you have a dad who is still into Lego and toys, then chances are he’s going to love the recently launched, or rather, re-launched Lego Space collection.

Some of the more eye-catching sets under the theme include Space Astronaut, a 3-in-1 set where you can build a model of an astronaut with a detachable jet-propulsion backpack (or a futuristic space dog and space viper jet).

Heavy Cargo Spaceship is a fun enough build for adults, and also great for playtime with the kids.

One set that would really interest adult fans of Lego (AFOL) is the Technic VTOL Heavy Cargo Spaceship LT81. As far as Technic sets go, this would not pose a serious challenge to more seasoned AFOLs, but it does make for an interesting build nonetheless, especially when father and child build it together.

The finished set is quite a playable one, with unique features like a cool self-levelling cockpit, rotating engines, and the vertical takeoff and landing gear, making for endless play options.

My favourite part of it, however, has to be the extending claw at the bottom of the ship which can extend and grab a space cargo crate that can also fit a cute little space rover.

The Modular Space Station, which is a cool little take on a space station.

If you’re looking for something that dad can play with younger kids, then look no further than the Modular Space Station, which is a cool little take on a space station.

The set is relatively easy to build, and should take little more than a couple of hours to build. The interesting thing about the set is it comprises a ‘space ring’ that can dock eight different ‘modules’ that can connect a few space pods where the six minifigures can live in, and even a little spaceship. And as a bonus, if you and your kid get bored with playing it as a space station, the set can be converted into a space train as well.

A night at the movies

It doesn’t get more pop culture-ly than this, actually. With movies like Inside Out 2, Bad Boys: Ride Or Die, and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga currently playing in cinemas, there is no shortage of shows to treat a pop culture-loving dad to right now.

Even better, pamper him by getting him passes to a more luxurious movie experience at Aurum Theatre at The Exchange TRX in Kuala Lumpur.

'Bad Boys: Ride Or Die' is currently playing in cinemas.

Described as an “ultra-luxurious entertainment experience”, GSC’s newest luxury theatre is currently the largest in South-East Asia. Here, one can enjoy the show in 11 halls, with reclining sofas that include blankets and pillows.

The cinema is also home to the largest ScreenX in the country, which offers a 270-degree viewing experience in which the screens are extended to the side walls of the auditorium, which should make watching action movies like Bad Boys an even more, er, explosive experience.

Get graphic... novels

Comic books can be a great way to introduce kids to reading, but it is also a great way for adults to also get into the reading habit without committing to a full-blown novel.

Kinokuniya in Suria KLCC has an extensive collection of comics and graphic novels, from trade paperbacks from mainstream superhero titles from big publishers like Marvel and Marvel, more ‘mature’ stories from the likes of Image and Dark Horse, to more eclectic and far out books from the Fantagraphics and other independent publishers.

Graphic novels are a great gift for a dad who loves comics.

One of the newer titles you should definitely look out for is My Favourite Things Is Monsters Book 2, a continuation of Emil Ferris’ Eisner Award-winning book.

Speaking of Eisner Awards, head over to Lit Books in Petaling Jaya to get signed copies of the graphic novel verson of Erica Eng’s Fried Rice, which won the Malaysian creator an Eisner back in 2020. It's not 'pop culture' in the conventional sense, but it's still a worthy gift to get!

Pew pew pewter

From Marvel and DC superheroes to Star Wars, gifts for a pop culture fan don’t come more luxurious than Royal Selangor’s range of pop-culture related collections.

Among some of the more impressive (most impressive) figures and dioramas include one of Boba Fett in an action pose, a diorama of the poster for A New Hope, and even one of the Mandalorian with a cute little pewter Grogu, aka Baby Yoda.

How cute is that little pewter Grogu, eh?

The latest additions to its extensive Star Wars-themed collection pays tribute to the iconic Return of the Jedi versions of Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo.

Depicting the two characters gripping their blasters on Endor, the 6’’ (15.24cm) figures are presented on a composite resin base.
Whether it's superheroes, Star Wars, toys, books, comics, music... there's always something that will make a pop culture pops happy.