Gygax Memorial Statue Concept Proposal

The memorial for D&D co-creator Gary Gygax, who passed away in 2008 at the age of 69, has long been in the planning. Gary's wife, Gail Gygax, has been at the forefront of the fundraising and city council negotiations to get the project done, and current hopes are to start work by Spring 2015. The sculptor hired for the task is the same man who completed the Fonz statue in Milwaukee, while fantasy artist Larry Elmore came up with the concept sketch.


The concept has grown over the years - at first it was just a plinth and a bust; now it is larger (7' tall) and more complex, and Gail Gygax wants to include computer chips which enable people to use their smartphones to access information about Gary, listen to recorded histories, and the like.

The project has taken a long time, in part due to Gail Gygax's health, and in part because the Lake Geneva Planning Commission prefers to place the statue in a different location to Gail's choice.

Lake Geneva News has more information.

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[TerraDave]

Busy? More like WTF. Its pretty strange.

Fitting? Hmm.

 

[Fralex]

Yeah, I don't know. This is kind of cluttered, visually. You try to take in the scene as a whole, and you see... a castle tower with a gigantic disembodied head perched on top.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

If this has a Comeliness stat, it would be negative... to match its negative Charisma stat.

In Australian terms, I would pronounce it double-dog-pig ugly but that would seem to be understating it.

 

[Zot]

Wasn't Stefan Pokorny supposed to do this?

 

[Nikosandros]

Busy? More like WTF. Its pretty strange.

Fitting? Hmm.

Yes, it's weird and, at least from the concept sketch, I find it rather ugly. Coudn't they go with something more standard? Like a bust and plaque? They could draw a d20 and a dragon on the plaque.

 

[TerraDave]

Yes, it's weird and, at least from the concept sketch, I find it rather ugly. Coudn't they go with something more standard? Like a bust and plaque? They could draw a d20 and a dragon on the plaque.

That would be much better.

I also like how the local parks commission wanted more, bigger, more prominent...and a whole walk of the "famous" people from Lake Geneva Wisc.

 

[lyle.spade]

Hate to say it, but that's one ugly design. It reminds me of something that a kid would draw as his "most awesomest ever" cover of his own RPG...we all did that at some point, did we not? It reminds me of someting like this.

 

[Impavidus]

It's ugly but accurate

Based upon my experiences of working with him at GDW, the memorial's design fits his terrible writing…bloated, cluttered and needs more editing.

 

[doctorhook]

Based upon my experiences of working with him at GDW, the memorial's design fits his terrible writing…bloated, cluttered and needs more editing.

Harsh! But I have to admit that I laughed out loud.

 

[Thunderfoot]

I always thought the best tribute would be a life sized bronze Gary sitting at a table behind a DM screen with 6 or 8 empty chairs so we could all sit at Gary's table if we got the chance.