I hear you. I sometimes find them here and there, but the proprietors want a bit more $$ than I want to spend! The price of being labelled "classic", I guess. 😁
At the risk of sounding like an old guy yelling at kids to get off my lawn, when I see this old art I just feel sorry for the junk that has passed for art in DnD since the 1990s until now. Why was it so much better back then?
Antway, I didnt play the slave modules as a kid but Ive read them all as an adult. This one might have been my favourite because it is a city crawl raher than a dunngeon. I dont know why, but cities always felt more fun to explore.
LOL - I guess that probably makes me "that old guy" too, then! I think on this question often - what makes people die-hard fans of certain art/artists and not others? I'm convinced a huge factor is what you were exposed to first (especially in childhood). I'm finding again and again that even for something like the D&D basic box, fans are either diehard for Holmes (David Sutherland) or Moldvay (Erol Otus) or Mentzer (Larry Elmore) and never change their mind as to which art they think is the best. There's apparently an emotional attachment to one's 1st RPG, not unlike the emotional attachment to one's 1st love!
I never minded playing city crawls (especially Waterdeep), but am definitely more of a dungeon crawl kind a guy. Keep the Adventure Going Strong, Kveto!
Fun article! There's lots of great art in those modules that doesn't get seen much. I must take issue with your list of the "first four" TSR artists though. What about Dave C Sutherland III and Dave Trampier?
Thanks Hanrahan! You pose a good question about Tramp and Sutherland (both of whom I love). I was repeating a phrase I saw a few times online about the "first four". My TSR history is murky on this topic (I'll have to pull out my reference books), but perhaps that statement was made because neither Trampier or Sutherland were official employees of TSR? (Just guessing, because I know there were several other artists associated with TSR that did contract work and never were formal employees). I'll post any discoveries here, but I'm sure other readers know the answer and hopefully let us know! (Also, it's worth mentioning that Darlene and Valerie Valusek were early TSR artists of epic talent that should also be included!)
Slaves lords and giants were two series I always wanted to play or DM. Unfortunately I was surprise attacked by hormones which led me to seeking the grail of teenage girls attention. What a long and fraught quest that was.....
I love these old modules and I'd love to get a hold of them.
Everytime I walk past an op shop or a used bookstore I have to check for old rpg books but I never have much luck. I'm forever hopeful though.
I hear you. I sometimes find them here and there, but the proprietors want a bit more $$ than I want to spend! The price of being labelled "classic", I guess. 😁
I know I have seen these stickers before. It will bother me until I figure out where they are from exactly.
Oh good. Now that you're on it, Retroist, I know we'll have an answer soon. Thanks!
Haha! Like the Jack Vance namecheck with the 'Clever Cudgel'!
lol - I didn't catch that! "Cugel the Clever" - I haven't read those Dying Earth books yet. Any good?
The Dying Earth books are yet another landmark series I've yet to read. Only just getting around to reading David Gemmell's 'Legend' from 1984!
I picked up the A1-4 modules in a comic shop two years ago. I haven’t played them either, but I love looking through them!
Nice, Matt! I'm with you. There's always treasure to be found within those old tomes. 🧾
At the risk of sounding like an old guy yelling at kids to get off my lawn, when I see this old art I just feel sorry for the junk that has passed for art in DnD since the 1990s until now. Why was it so much better back then?
Antway, I didnt play the slave modules as a kid but Ive read them all as an adult. This one might have been my favourite because it is a city crawl raher than a dunngeon. I dont know why, but cities always felt more fun to explore.
LOL - I guess that probably makes me "that old guy" too, then! I think on this question often - what makes people die-hard fans of certain art/artists and not others? I'm convinced a huge factor is what you were exposed to first (especially in childhood). I'm finding again and again that even for something like the D&D basic box, fans are either diehard for Holmes (David Sutherland) or Moldvay (Erol Otus) or Mentzer (Larry Elmore) and never change their mind as to which art they think is the best. There's apparently an emotional attachment to one's 1st RPG, not unlike the emotional attachment to one's 1st love!
I never minded playing city crawls (especially Waterdeep), but am definitely more of a dungeon crawl kind a guy. Keep the Adventure Going Strong, Kveto!
Fun article! There's lots of great art in those modules that doesn't get seen much. I must take issue with your list of the "first four" TSR artists though. What about Dave C Sutherland III and Dave Trampier?
Thanks Hanrahan! You pose a good question about Tramp and Sutherland (both of whom I love). I was repeating a phrase I saw a few times online about the "first four". My TSR history is murky on this topic (I'll have to pull out my reference books), but perhaps that statement was made because neither Trampier or Sutherland were official employees of TSR? (Just guessing, because I know there were several other artists associated with TSR that did contract work and never were formal employees). I'll post any discoveries here, but I'm sure other readers know the answer and hopefully let us know! (Also, it's worth mentioning that Darlene and Valerie Valusek were early TSR artists of epic talent that should also be included!)
Sutherland was, in fact, the first TSR staff artist. Tramp always went his own way, I believe.
Oh man! I missed this one. WOW!
Slaves lords and giants were two series I always wanted to play or DM. Unfortunately I was surprise attacked by hormones which led me to seeking the grail of teenage girls attention. What a long and fraught quest that was.....
Aerie of the Slave Lords was one of my favorites back in the day