Rediscovered Realms newsletter reconnects you with old-school heroic fantasy worlds of epic role-playing games, unearthed magazines, forgotten gamebooks and enchanting art.
After returning from a successful quest and taking a steamy tavern shower, what could be better than getting a nice rubdown?
How about a Roper Rubdown?
I mean, putting towels on those 6 strong, sticky rope-like strand tentacles, I bet it could get the job done in record time.
But if tentacles aren’t your thing (keep it clean now), I’m sure you could dry-off quicker with a fiery Efreeti Rubdown, or maybe the strong bony hands of a Lich Rubdown would be what’s required to relieve those tense adventurer muscles . . .
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Remember those days as a kid when temporary tattoos were THE THING?
Superheroes, skulls, silly slogans and Crackerjack/Cereal-box miscellany were all awesomely fun to rub & press onto your skin after the customary warm water washing.
It was always exciting to proudly prance around and show them off to any adults you would encounter, convinced they believed it was the real thing (partially peeling-off parts and all).
If only you didn’t have to take a bath, they could last . . . FOREVER.
Until recently, I had all but forgotten about their non-aqueous-loving cousins, Rubdowns.
a.k.a Rub-down transfers, Rub-A-Doos, Presto Magix, Action Transfers, Rub-A-Tattoos, Rub-On-Transfers - you just had to remove the backing, place your selected picture on a surface, and rub, rub, rub with a pencil or pen (or sometimes a plastic implement that would come with certain packages). Lift the picture sheet up - CAREFULLY - and voila! Transfer complete.
They decorated your school papers, books, bikes, lunch boxes, walls (until your parents saw them), and Trapper Keepers.
Every intellectual property got in on the action: Comic books, TV shows, Arcade games, Movies, on and on.
. . . And of course, because this was so big in the early 80s, so did Dungeons & Dragons!
Way back in 1981, TSR released 8 different packages in 2 series.
Series I included the likes of:
Monsters
More Monsters
Humanoids & Undead
Dragons, Giants, Demi-Humans
And Series II continued the fun with:
From The Monster Manual
Fiend Folio Characters
More Fiend Folio Characters
Player Characters
I was surprised at how many of these unopened packages are floating around on eBay. I mean, I was always one to keep my stuff nice, and there’s forever been something inside of me that has tension about using one-time-use products - but I’m definitely impressed with the delayed gratification of so many original owners!
Personal Musings: Of course, with any product you can only use once, you always want to tear open the package and use the goodies inside, but then you would be without.
I remember not peeling off stickers to use in my Stuck On Stickers sticker collection books just in case . . .
In case of what?
Well, the perfect place to stick it of course! You only get one shot. (I still have a Topps Luke Skywalker sticker waiting for his perfect home)
I guess that’s probably why I experience so much nostalgia over certain things . . . they feel special in their unique use-up-ability.
But on the other side of that coin, there’s a fear I have some uncomfortably similar elements to a hoarder’s mentality!
Anyway, as I fawn over these recently acquired mini pieces of fantasy art excellence through their plastic shrouds, I have a real temptation to disentomb them and let them breathe some air.
I mean, 43ish years is a heck of a long time to live in a plastic bubble. Is a Grey Slaad a real monster if it never gets to make its own choices & mistakes and experience life in the real world?
“Hell no - I want to be a REAL boy!” - Grey Slaadi
What of a Berbalang who never tasted beer?
“I’m so thirsty” -“Beer”balang
If a Hippogriff never knocks over a tree that falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it . . .
“But I hear it!” - Hippogriff
FNR International Corp. held the TSR license to produce these Instant Rub-Down Picture Transfers. The style is definitely reminiscent of TSR’s illustrators, David A. Trampier and David C. Sutherland from their work in 1977’s Monster Manual.
I had to do some digging, but it appears that Trampier and Sutherland were NOT the artists - instead, a Reddit thread states that Sam Petrucci had been confirmed as the artist for most (if not all) of these sets. Wikipedia corroborates this.
It was actually an interesting mystery - an internet meme (“Geedis”) went viral on a Reddit hunt back in 2017 to find who was the illustrator of The Land of Ta stickers.
“The Land of Ta” Stickers (1981)
You can read more about it on Sam’s Wikipedia entry. He was so accomplished, though, that I feel compelled to honor him here and highlight some of his other works:
Sam Petrucci was an American artist who is known for his uncredited box art for the original G.I. Joe figures (1964).
His early work was for the Hassenfeld Brothers Toy Company(Hasbro) where he illustrated board games for Superman, The Mighty Hercules, and The Banana Splits.
He also illustrated the packaging for Mr. Potato Head. A 1978 Lassie lunchbox he designed for Thermos is displayed at the National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution. He did design work on the team yearbooks for the Red Sox and Boston Bruins in the 1960s and 1970s.
In 1981, Petrucci did the artwork for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rub-down transfers produced by FNR International Corp
Sam Petrucci designed packaging and logos for numerous companies, including Charleston Chew, Ocean Spray, Veryfine, Gillette, Newport, Titleist, Marshmallow Fluff, Converse, Polaroid, TJ Maxx, Prince Spaghetti, Salada tea, Bose, BASF, the World Wildlife Fund, Friendly's, Poland Spring, Smokey Bear, Sunkist, Dunkin' Donuts, Gorton's Fishsticks, the Massachusetts Lottery, Venus Crackers, Jose Cuervo, Boston College, Harvard, Liberty Mutual, and Hewlett-Packard.
Well, with that I’m finally all rubbed down & dry now, recharged, and ready for a self-congratulatory mead. Thanks Roper.
“Hey, what about a tip?” - Roper
See more about that Rascally Roper and other classic D&D monsters in this edition of Rediscovered Realms:
2024 50th Anniversary D&D or Alan Lee “Fall of Númenor” Tolkien calendar giveaway. Did you like— or —comment— or — sharelast week’s post to earn your chance to win?
The holidays are almost upon us. Or if you’re into them, Puzzle Season. Here’s a few cool looking D&D monster puzzles and mini-puzzles I saw available at Walmart this week.
If you’re like me, you love books. If so, here’s a cool looking book-themed coffee mug that caught my eye. It would be really awesome if they were truly 3-dimensional, but then how would you clean them?
(writer of Agent of the Weird: Exploring the Write Fantastic newsletter) just created “Black Beth: Death Carries Roses” - a seven-page one-shot appearing in the Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024, available on the Rebellion webstore and all good comic shops. Congratulations, Alec!
Art by Blas Gallego
Need a laugh? Here is some Lord of the Rings satirical decor from disparody.com.
“You Shall Not Pass”
“Fellowship of the Drunk”
“Sauron’s Number 2”
You’ll always be my Number 1, Faithful Adventurers. Until next time.
“Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It’s a way of understanding it.” -Lloyd Alexander
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Roper AD&D Rubdowns
I feel bad that I used mine when I was younger, but they were just so much fun.
Thanks so much for the shout-out!