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Dragon Publishing released Dragon issue 56 in December 1981. It is 84 pages long and has a cover price of $3.00. In this issue, we have more Gygax on Greyhawk, a feature on bards, and a Top Secret adventure! This month's special attraction is "Mad Merc: The Alulu Island Mission," a Top Secret...

I'm more than happy for adventures to have mundane rooms, but this adventure had a few too many for my taste. Also, a room might be mundane but you can still bring it to life with an interesting description.

Dragon Publishing released Dragon issue 55 in November 1981. It is 84 pages long and has a cover price of $3.00. In this issue, we have Gygax on Greyhawk, a complete D&D adventure, and the Fiend Folio! This month has two special features. First, "The Creature of Rhyl" is a D&D adventure by...

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Dragon Publishing released Dragon issue 54 in October 1981. It is 84 pages long and has a cover price of $3.00. In this issue, we have a solo D&D adventure, rewarding ruins, and the Jabberwock! This month's special feature is "Cavern Quest," a solo D&D adventure with a twist. Each encounter...

TSR Hobbies (UK) published Imagine magazine issue 2 in May 1983. It is 50 pages long and has a cover price of £1.00. In this issue, we have a first-level adventure, a report on GamesFair '83, and the Barbarian subclass! The editorial notes that role-playing games are "developing, growing...

Dragon Publishing released Dragon issue 52 in August 1981. It is 84 pages long and has a cover price of $3.00. In this issue, we have a Gamma World scenario, bounty hunters, and the new D&D Basic Set! PLEASE NOTE: This review was published out of order. We'll resume the Dragon chronology with...

This is great! I'd love to have a table of options for each dimension - anyone ever seen something that might fit the bill?

Dragon Publishing released Dragon issue 53 in September 1981. It is 84 pages long and has a cover price of $3.00. In this issue, we have the oracle class, more options for monks, and the International Dungeon Design Contest winner! Publisher Jake Jacquet is disturbed by the rise of...

TSR Hobbies (UK) published Imagine magazine issue 1 in April 1983. It is 52 pages long and has a cover price of £1.00. In this issue, we have a D&D mini-module, aids for RPG beginners, and lots of news & reviews! Gary Gygax, president of TSR Hobbies, introduces Imagine with these words...

Dragon Publishing released Dragon issue 51 in July 1981. It is 100 pages long and has a cover price of $3.00. In this issue, we have rules for paladins, the winged folk race, and lots of Traveller! Editor Kim Mohan kicks off the issue with a sort of apology. Just after they finished putting...

Great interview and I look forward to the follow-up. I've spent a fair bit of time thinking about the "Tolkien" question and my view has changed over the years. I now believe Gygax was being pretty honest when he claimed that Howard, Burroughs, and Leiber were much greater influences than Tolkien.

Jon's latest post provides some more insight into the process of how D&D came into being: Arneson's Hit Points for Characters

One of Peterson's other books, Playing at the World, delves into the development of D&D in much greater detail. Peterson references an astounding amount of primary sources in his books, only a fraction of them from Gygax's hand. It is really worth reading.

Thanks for the great review, Snarf! It's a marvelous book, full of wonderful detail and very readable.

My pleasure, Aaron, and it's nice to hear from you again. It's been a while!

Yeah, it really is a great issue. One of my favourites from the first fifty, no doubt about it.

Dragon Publishing released Dragon issue 50 in June 1981. It is 80 pages long and has a cover price of $3.00. In this issue, we have the International Dungeon Design Contest winner, powerful new magic from an acclaimed writer, and a review of fantasy 'zines! Editor Kim Mohan notes that this is...

I agree! I think Gygax pushed the "AD&D has been perfectly crafted and balanced" line way beyond plausibility.

I think this is true. Gygax strenuously argued against changes to AD&D on the grounds that it had been so very carefully structured and balanced. There was not really a place for new PC classes (except those from Gygax himself), no matter how unofficial. For a parallel case, see Dragon #29...