Join Rediscovered Realms this week as we explore “The Art of Lone Wolf” and Gary Chalk’s distinctive illustrations from the epic 1980s solo fantasy gamebooks!
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Lone Wolf gamebooks were some of the best fun to be had for fantasy fans back in the 1980s.
It’s a testament to how much they captured hearts that there is still a huge thriving community today with ever flowing updated editions and brand-new stories.
FOR LONE WOLF FANS: Rediscovered Realms interviewed these amazing Lone Wolf creators:
Jonathan Stark about his phenomenal new Lone Wolf “Huntress” trilogy!
One of the most recognizable interior artists from the early books is Hertfordshire native, Gary Chalk.
Gary is not only known for his Lone Wolf work but also for the classic fantasy board games Talisman AND HeroQuest, as well as the Redwall children’s fantasy series.
(For those of a certain age, you may remember an old Mad Max-like wargame called Battlecars, designed by Gary and Ian Livingstone!)
Magnamund did a 3-part interview with Gary on their YouTube channel that fans will find fascinating!
“The Art of Lone Wolf” is a compilation of Gary’s black & white main event illustrations (not the ornamental weapons, skulls, and ancillary drawings) from the 1st eight Lone Wolf books, along with the 2015 book, “Autumn Snow”.
Let’s take a tour and see what’s inside!
I opted for a 1st edition hardcover from eBay and have to say - even though I really like the illustrations, the choice to make them more of a gray & white, instead of a bold black & white really detracts from the experience - it makes the illustrations feel less crisp and a bit more like photocopies of the artwork, rather than high quality scans.
(I say they “opted” because the chapter title pages are done perfectly with bold black - so this doesn’t appear to be a printing/printer issue!)
Here’s a picture from my original “Flight from the Dark” book from 1985 that shows the contrast - even with off-white colored pages, the illustrations were still bold & vibrant black - and quite awesome!
My original “Lone Wolf: Flight from the Dark” from the Scholastic Bookmobile in elementary school!
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The illustrations Gary did for “Autumn Snow” are pretty incredible, and among my favorites! I selected several from that chapter to share here.
It was so fun to revisit this Lone Wolf artwork, some of which I hadn’t seen in a very long time and some of it, never before. Gary has quite a vibrant imagination and it’s a pleasure to see how he rendered the stories of the Joe Dever’s (and Martin Charbonneau’s) stories.
This is only a sampling, though - there are over 200 pages of Gary’s art to explore in this book!
If you’d like to get your own copy, you can find it on eBay and Amazon2.
It looks like the copies on Amazon appear to be P.O.D. (Print On Demand) through Lulu - either soft or hard cover. Mileage varies with quality of P.O.D., so if you want an original printing (like the one in this article), you’ll probably want to check out eBay instead (where it tends to be a bit more expensive).
Hope you enjoyed Gary Chalk’s Lone Wolf artwork! Hope it also inspired your own inner Lone Wolf. Make sure to comment below about any favorites (or any unlocked memories from formative gamebook demise(s)!!!)
“You know, deep down inside me there’s this wolf howling to get out.” - Johnny Cash
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Determine Your Destiny! [Verse] In the world of Magnamund heroes rise With every choice you make, the world is your prize Monsters in the shadows lurking close Can you save the land for future's boast? [Verse 2] Pages turn with every path you tread The fate of the kingdom in your head Darkness looming but courage strong You're the Lone Wolf with a fate made for song [Chorus] Determine your destiny fight the fight Hold your sword high in the dead of night Will you save the world or fall as prey? In this game of might heroes never sway [Verse 3] Every decision shapes the tale you tell In forests deep or caverns' hell Twisting roads and perilous ways You are the legend in this heroic maze [Verse 4] Enemies around every corner they hide With wisdom of ages as your guide Stand tall Lone Wolf take your chance In the dance of fate steel your lance [Chorus] Determine your destiny fight the fight Hold your sword high in the dead of night Will you save the world or fall as prey? In this game of might heroes never sway
I’ve been a big fan of Gary Chalk’s for a long time … seeing his armies in White Dwarf (you can tell by his amazing banners), Talisman and the amazing Lone Wolf books and especially covers. It was sad Joe and Gary split as a team, and obviously Joe went on to many more Lone Wolf books but to me Magnamund was Chalks art.
I’ve been a big fan of Gary Chalk’s for a long time … seeing his armies in White Dwarf (you can tell by his amazing banners), Talisman and the amazing Lone Wolf books and especially covers. It was sad Joe and Gary split as a team, and obviously Joe went on to many more Lone Wolf books but to me Magnamund was Chalks art.
Loved these books. The art is amazing