tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post7665692584796863449..comments2024-03-29T00:32:33.920-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: My Top 10 D&D Illustrations of the Golden Age (Part I)James Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-70994721890163196702023-03-09T19:13:45.443-05:002023-03-09T19:13:45.443-05:00I was just thinking I would love to get prints of ...I was just thinking I would love to get prints of old school D&D art. Any ideas? Umberfanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966839837826445258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-86683777593557567892022-01-09T23:42:57.538-05:002022-01-09T23:42:57.538-05:00I'm glad you came back to your art of the Gold...I'm glad you came back to your art of the Gold Age after so many years. The first image I ever saw of D&D was Sutherland's Holmes Basic cover, and I was hooked. I love that you included 8 and 6. The mood in these two evocative pieces remains lost in current D&D, to the point that I can't play the 5e game with newer players; the superhero PC's out on their heroic quests. That it takes 3+ pages of rules to describe a character class and outline all their special abilities, and at least an hour just to generate a PC...it's just a different set of priorities I can't run with in a D&D game anymore. Another RGP yes, but not D&D. For my own top 10 of the Golden Age I'd include some Jeff Dee, most likely the fire giant scene on the back cover of Ghost Tower of Inverness. Sans e Nomehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17682452411312303846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-37517282934785660762021-12-29T09:54:30.135-05:002021-12-29T09:54:30.135-05:00@Dead_Parrot I thought that myself for a minute b...@Dead_Parrot I thought that myself for a minute but it's probably just the way the shadows are falling on the parts of the fingers closest to the palm. There's only room for five fingers when you look at the tips.Dick McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14521293874696659063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-51372347274518646202021-12-28T20:58:07.124-05:002021-12-28T20:58:07.124-05:00I never noticed it before, but the left hand does ...I never noticed it before, but the left hand does appear to have six fingers, kinda, maybe? Right hand clearly has five.Norwegian Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06449040444591006529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-19671068702652667472021-12-28T14:20:43.155-05:002021-12-28T14:20:43.155-05:00Congratulations, you got me to look, but I count f...Congratulations, you got me to look, but I count five fingers per hand.Bonnaconhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12667671409170609819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-1685215938147890292021-12-28T09:51:02.163-05:002021-12-28T09:51:02.163-05:00If I were to make such a list, #9 would make the c...If I were to make such a list, #9 would make the cut for sure, probably in my top 5. Very iconic image for me, and yes, even more than the Basic Rules box cover.Loren Rossonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09640875643199453758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-70232744502625843282021-12-28T07:26:20.031-05:002021-12-28T07:26:20.031-05:00Ironic, considering that's he's probably t...Ironic, considering that's he's probably the most commercially successful of the lot, and that's almost entirely due to his work in comics, mostly DC (eg Fables). He's maybe better known as a writer than an artist these days, though.Dick McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14521293874696659063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-36560238519979810572021-12-28T07:24:01.090-05:002021-12-28T07:24:01.090-05:00Yep. The Destroyers were too good to be relegated...Yep. The Destroyers were too good to be relegated to just a single module. :)Dick McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14521293874696659063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-76565807334503215062021-12-28T07:22:06.916-05:002021-12-28T07:22:06.916-05:00Always enjoyed Wham's style, particularly on t...Always enjoyed Wham's style, particularly on the many small boardgames he produced (mostly bound in to Dragon, of course). His cartoony style works really well for counter artwork and makes for attractive maps. Elefant Hunt is probably his cutest effort, and the ship designs in Planet Busters have a kind of "Schlock Mercenary feel to them. Tossup for me what his magnum opus is, either Awful Green Things From Outer Space or Mertwig's Maze.Dick McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14521293874696659063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-66195462316691354112021-12-28T05:35:15.676-05:002021-12-28T05:35:15.676-05:00You're right, it is. I'll correct the post...You're right, it is. I'll correct the post accordingly. Thanks for spotting that.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-71487045954604316442021-12-28T03:50:38.719-05:002021-12-28T03:50:38.719-05:00Since I am a total B/X fanboi I have deep love for...Since I am a total B/X fanboi I have deep love for 7 but more importantly I wholeheartedly agree with 6 and all you're saying about it. A lot of D&D has become world-shaking superhero epics when personally I care a lot more about the (relatively) small-scale stuff like pulling your dirt-poor family out of the muck by doing on some rather ill-advised grave robbing.Peter Fröhlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03688076015831464616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-63966756124947957372021-12-28T02:14:02.970-05:002021-12-28T02:14:02.970-05:00Isn’t #6 on page 104 of the Monster Manual?Isn’t #6 on page 104 of the Monster Manual?Bonnaconhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12667671409170609819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-39035884808029354672021-12-27T23:42:44.496-05:002021-12-27T23:42:44.496-05:00Did you ever notice the magic-user on the Expert S...Did you ever notice the magic-user on the Expert Set cover has six fingers? That’s how you know he’s a magic-user.Stephen Wendellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16828432713646210247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-59249993581582722632021-12-27T19:35:09.477-05:002021-12-27T19:35:09.477-05:00Thanks for sending me to look at images of the Tit...Thanks for sending me to look at images of the Titan tokens on the interwebs. Great stuff. I never saw the game but recall the ad that used to run in Dragon mag.Michael Weingradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08223004946662052526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-55566119082346462672021-12-27T15:59:24.925-05:002021-12-27T15:59:24.925-05:00I agree with everything EXCEPT Willingham. I'v...I agree with everything EXCEPT Willingham. I've never liked his "comic book" style for D&D. I'm solidly in the Sullivan, Trampier, LaForce, and Otis camp.ThrorIIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10576112896575184085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-88364816061413186152021-12-27T15:38:57.336-05:002021-12-27T15:38:57.336-05:00Agree with you about 8 and 6, but only 7 doesn’t d...Agree with you about 8 and 6, but only 7 doesn’t do anything for me.<br /><br />On the other hand, I may be the only one here who appreciates Tom Wham’s contributions. Their visual resemblance to newspaper comics may be what helps them communicate the humorous side of gameplay. I always have to laugh at his illustration accompanying the giant lynx in the Monster Manual.Bonnaconhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12667671409170609819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-64822765593241998122021-12-27T15:24:21.924-05:002021-12-27T15:24:21.924-05:00And Elementals reused characters from two V&V ...And Elementals reused characters from two V&V modules he wrote.Bonnaconhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12667671409170609819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-36894408928541694912021-12-27T14:51:23.518-05:002021-12-27T14:51:23.518-05:00DSL was not one of the more talented of the lot of...DSL was not one of the more talented of the lot of TSR artists working at that time, but for me, that “skeleton trap” image is the quintessential depiction of dungeon exploration and its dangers !Mango Parkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03891156920384667231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-67344631135839237572021-12-27T12:18:37.620-05:002021-12-27T12:18:37.620-05:00Excellent choices and I have to agree about #10......Excellent choices and I have to agree about #10... it had an immediate hook when I first saw it. I'll wait and see if my personal favourite makes it into the top 5.alastairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15012644168758721189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-19567421035795863982021-12-27T12:13:08.574-05:002021-12-27T12:13:08.574-05:00That is really interesting to hear about the Titan...That is really interesting to hear about the Titan artwork. I also marvel at the variety given to the tokens. Quinthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03847507721334122401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-230412456508951462021-12-27T10:45:55.309-05:002021-12-27T10:45:55.309-05:00Cover of N1.Cover of N1.Ruprechthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00139664977453444000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-18935526707757135892021-12-27T10:32:16.653-05:002021-12-27T10:32:16.653-05:00My two favorites are no contest: Trampier’s pseudo...My two favorites are no contest: Trampier’s pseudo-dragon and his wyvern. They both pack a lot of emotion in a very small space.Jerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12518234031222836203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-72842483585357296592021-12-27T08:00:03.908-05:002021-12-27T08:00:03.908-05:00What I found interesting was how well that describ...What I found interesting was how well that described his style. I have been aware of his comics work since a panel at the WorldCon in 2009, but even before that his RPG illustrations always had a particular style to me.AndreasDavourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17170806742393291962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-29181615078707706782021-12-27T07:59:10.915-05:002021-12-27T07:59:10.915-05:00All great choices and I'm wondering where you ...All great choices and I'm wondering where you are heading with the top 5.<br /><br />I think that you are right about "The Treasure Hunters" - of the five revealed so far, this is the only one that draws you into the scene. For me it has a real "Treasure of Sierra Madre" vibe to it - gold fever and greed are obvious, and I can imagine what happens to the party after they bag up the treasure.Jacob72https://www.blogger.com/profile/17268402292420473229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-89679613068745312482021-12-27T06:59:37.960-05:002021-12-27T06:59:37.960-05:00Numbers 9 and 10 are both "my" D&D, ...Numbers 9 and 10 are both "my" D&D, although in practice I mostly played AD&D. Even had some minis (Heritage, I think) of dragons that were clearly based on the Sutherland art.<br /><br />"...Otus's funky wizards, whom I found equally fascinating and unsettling as a youth."<br /><br />Fascinating and unsettling is a good descriptor for all of Otus' art to me, and I haven't outgrown the feeling in forty-plus years. :) My overall favorite piece from him isn't D&D though. That "two page spread" in Revolt on Antares still captivates me for reasons I can't define.Dick McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14521293874696659063noreply@blogger.com