Calling all brave adventurers! Rediscovered Realms is cracking open a freshly unearthed hoard of old-school fantasy baddies: Colorful Creatures: A Monstrous Portfolio by Jeff Butler. This black-and-white bestiary is packed with 35 iconic monsters, straight from the pages of the 2nd Edition AD&D Monstrous Manual!
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This Week’s Rediscovered Realms Theme Song:
Deep in the misty highlands, a Bard with only her voice and a heart full of trembling hope stands alone before an awakening ancient evil. “The Beast Beneath the Barrow” is a ballad of impending dread & brave defiance - where old seals falter, guardians have long since perished, and one desperate song of remembrance may be the only thing to keep the world from burning.
Monsters in the Margins: Unearthed Line Art from AD&D and Jeff Butler
Back in our exclusive Rediscovered Realms interview with Jeff Butler, the veteran comic book artist and TSR legend reflected on his time illustrating everything from Dragonlance heroes to Marvel Super Heroes. But among his most enduring works are the creatures he helped bring to life for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons - especially during the 2nd Edition boom.
Now, thanks to a rare portfolio booklet titled “Colorful Creatures”, I picked up from Jeff at my very 1st Gary Con earlier this year, we get a new window into that monstrous legacy.
This collection showcases 35 line-art renditions (36 if you include the cover!) of fantasy beasts - some fierce, some weird, all wonderful.
And if you’ve ever flipped through a 90s Monstrous Manual, you’ve likely seen Butler’s creatures before... just not like this.
In fact, there are at least 2 that never made their way into the Manual!
Let’s take a look at what else is inside this zine-sized beauty!
When I asked Jeff this week if he has any more of these portfolios he replied: “I had them made for Gary Con, maybe 9 or 10 years ago. I may make more, but I don’t have concrete plans. The thing is, many of those creatures were from the MONSTROUS MANUAL, from my old TSR days. I just thought I’d have some fun with them as a special item for the convention.”
And they ARE fun! If you’d like a copy, make sure to reach out to Jeff (contact details below). Maybe if enough adventurers request it . . .
Remember to check out the Rediscovered Realms Amazon Storefront for the most epic gift-giving ideas for those important adventurers in your life (including yourself 🗡)
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“I love Death Knights and skeletal warriors. I’m sure my fascination can be traced to Ray Harryhausen’s brilliant stop-motion animated film, Jason and the Argonauts. Oh, it looks a bit anachronistic by today’s slick CGI standards. But if you were a kid in the early ‘60s, Jason’s sword fight with the skeletons threw gas on the fire of your imagination!” - Jeff Butler
And now for a really special pair of illustrations:
Regarding these 2 vampires, Jeff told me that TSR actually rejected them from being included in the Monstrous Manual!
He said, “They wanted vampires that looked more D&D. I guess that made sense. I was really getting into the old, EC horror art of Jack Davis and I think it inspired those images at the time.”
I think they’re pretty incredible. Don’t you?
And last in this compendium is a back cover that any Dragonlance fan will appreciate:
How to Reach Jeff
“Anyone who wants to see more of my art, can go to https://jeff-butler.com or @jeffbutlerart on Instagram. If they wish to contact me, there is a contact form and a commission request form on my website. Some people still contact me on Facebook Messenger, which I might not see for days (or weeks!) If they’re interested in prints of anything they see, they can inquire on my website contact page.”
That’s another edition.
These creatures were never intended to be painted (though coloring would be fun!) - they were born to live in bold black lines, just as they appeared in the Monstrous Manual so many years ago.
There's a special kind of magic in this line art: clean, iconic, and bursting with imagination. Looking at them now, we’re transported back to basements, graph paper, and that thrill of flipping pages to find the next monster our party might (barely) survive.
So take your time and savor the Monstrous, Nostalgic Adventurer - these are the kinds of creatures that once lurked beneath our beds ... but now linger in the brightest corners of our imagination.
Got a favorite Jeff Butler creature design from the Monstrous Manual or his other works? Make sure to comment below!
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The Beast Beneath the Barrow [verse 1] In the dale where lonely winds sigh, Beneath cold stones where heroes lie, An oath was carved through blood and bone — To bind the beast, Druids' spell sown. [verse 2] They sang it down with silvered tongue, A song of chains, wrought and rung. But time forgets, and roots grow deep, And now the beast awakes from sleep... [chorus] Rise not, O beast beneath the barrow! Slumber yet through age and shadow. For if you wake, the world will flame, With nothing left for mortal claim. [instrumental] [verse 3] The cairn is cracked, the runes are worn, The Druids lost, the oaths now torn. Yet one still walks with harp in hand — A bard, the last to make a stand. [verse 4] She sings the song of days gone by, before beast was beast, and the light denied. Of kith and kin, of joyful cries. With trembling voice but fire-bright eyes, She dares to face what must not rise. [chorus] Stay bound, O beast beneath the barrow! Dream not of blood, hunt not my fellow. The world has changed, the wars are done — Your hunger has no place in sun. [bridge] The stars peer down with ancient light, They witness the struggle throughout the night. One soul, alone, with song for shield — Will stand ‘til dawn or perish on the field. [chorus] Fall back, O beast beneath the barrow! No grave shall birth your wrathful marrow. With song I bind, with heart I cry — “Forget!”, and heed my lullaby.
I’d love to be a part of the ARC crew! Let me know, thanks! I’m especially excited for your gamebook!
Wow! Really awesome work. I just adore black and white drawings and art. Really can set a tone.