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Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana

A Visual History

Part of Dungeons & Dragons

Author Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer, Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
Foreword by Joe Manganiello
Look inside
Hardcover
$50.00 US
Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed | Ten Speed Press
9.28"W x 12.3"H x 1.4"D   | 83 oz | 6 per carton
On sale Oct 23, 2018 | 448 Pages | 978-0-399-58094-9
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  • About
  • Praise
  • Author
  • Excerpt
An illustrated guide to the history and evolution of the beloved role-playing game told through the paintings, sketches, illustrations, and visual ephemera behind its creation, growth, and continued popularity.

FINALIST FOR THE HUGO AWARD • FINALIST FOR THE LOCUS AWARD • NOMINATED FOR THE DIANA JONES AWARD

From one of the most iconic game brands in the world, this official DUNGEONS & DRAGONS illustrated history provides an unprecedented look at the visual evolution of the brand, showing its continued influence on the worlds of pop culture and fantasy. Inside the book, you’ll find more than seven hundred pieces of artwork—from each edition of the core role-playing books, supplements, and adventures; as well as Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance novels; decades of Dragon and Dungeon magazines; and classic advertisements and merchandise; plus never-before-seen sketches, large-format canvases, rare photographs, one-of-a-kind drafts, and more from the now-famous designers and artists associated with DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. The superstar author team gained unparalleled access to the archives of Wizards of the Coast and the personal collections of top collectors, as well as the designers and illustrators who created the distinctive characters, concepts, and visuals that have defined fantasy art and gameplay for generations. This is the most comprehensive collection of D&D imagery ever assembled, making this the ultimate collectible for the game's millions of fans around the world.
“This tome invites the reader through every stage of the evolution of this wonderful game, engaging with incredible art, enlightening photos, and insightful anecdotes that both inform and inspire. Whether you got to experience the birth of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and want to relive that origin spark, or are new to the community and would love to adventure through the visual chronicle of its past, present, and future... I cannot recommend this book enough.” 
—Matthew Mercer, Dungeon Master of Critical Role
 
“This is the most comprehensive, mind-blowing visual history ever created about DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. Beyond the iconic artwork featured on nearly every page, the book actually serves as a complete history of the entire D&D universe. Both fans of the game and newcomers will be completely blown away by the countless hours of research and passion put into this book. There’s truly nothing else out there like it.” 
—Adam F. Goldberg, creator of The Goldbergs
 
“This is the definitive collection of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS artwork we’ve been waiting for all of our lives! The images contained in this book will instantly transport you back to your childhood, and conjure up memories of long forgotten adventures shared with old friends around the gaming table. This tome is an essential addition to every lifelong D&D fan's home library. Buy a copy right now—or make me a saving throw versus Death Magic!” 
—Ernie Cline, author of Ready Player One
 
“DUNGEONS & DRAGONS has shaped the imaginations of millions around the world since its conception. This visual exploration delving into where it all began is a must-read for both dedicated veterans and new enthusiasts alike. A passionate homage from the biggest fans in the industry!” 
—Maude Garrett, TV, radio, and online host and founder of Geek Bomb

“I grew up during the early days of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, and it’s been decades since I’ve seen the wonders that enthralled me during that magical time. At last, familiar treasures from the depths of the vault are here. They can make you cry depending on how deep you went. This is an incredible tome of power."
—John Romero, co-creator of DOOM
 
“This is a time machine. Poring over these images forty years after I first held the Basic Set in my hands, I’m overwhelmed by the same ineffable feelings I had back in 1977.  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS unlocked something in my twelve year old brain—an exhilarating sense of possibility—that set my future course as a game designer and writer. This book inspires me all over again"
—Amy Hennig, creator of the Uncharted series

“This fascinating deep dive into the world of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS will thrill both the connoisseur of role-playing games, as well as anyone interested in visual histories. I found so much information to inspire daydreams for months. I can’t wait to add this to my library of all things geeky.”
—Deborah Ann Woll, actor and D&D enthusiast


"This tome of awesomeness [...] You can only begin to imagine the amounts of hours that this team of top notch authors poured into this. They gained unparalleled access to the archives of Wizards of the Coast and the personal collection of some of the top collectors. Needless to say this book will detail and illustrate the long and wonderful journey of Dungeons and Dragons from its humble beginnings to the cult status it obtained to this day. This has never been achieved in a book before making it the must-have D&D collectible."
 —Fabienne Payet, Outright Geekery

“In the early 1980s, I spent lots of time working and gaming with D&D co-creator Gary Gygax during his ‘lost Los Angeles period;’ I went on to work closely with TSR until its end. For me, this is more than a book.  It’s a time machine back to a fantastic, fabulous time when anything was possible. For anyone who wants to understand the pure magic of D&D and where it came from, get this book at all costs.”
 —Flint Dille, Screenwriter/Game Designer

"Can’t give a higher recommendation than the highest for this amazing book! I’ve seen the preview and I was blown away page after Page! GET THIS BOOK!"  
 —Stefan Pokorny, Founder and CEO of Dwarven Forge

“This book is an exotic, magical, and fun trip into the world of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS whether you’ve ever held a twelve-sided die or not.” 
—James Gunn, writer-director of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie series

“This is no simple art book. Authors Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Petersen, and Sam Witwer have combined their lifetimes of love and experience with DUNGEONS & DRAGONS to create a comprehensive history of both the role-playing game and its legendary creators… The visual history does, of course, include all artwork you’ve dreamed of.”
—Kelly Knox, 
Nerdist
 
“With over 400 pages, Art and Arcana is the most comprehensive D&D history you will find anywhere. Like a treasure-filled cavern, it's packed (and we mean PACKED) with enough facts, quotes, images, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes to choke a fully grown Demogorgon.”
—Josh Weiss, SyFy.com

"It's incredible . . . this thing is a gateway into another dimension.”
—Boing Boing


© Brian McConkey
Michael Witwer is a New York Times bestselling author known for his work on the Hugo-nominated Dungeons & Dragons: Art & Arcana, the critically acclaimed Empire of Imagination: Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons & Dragons, and the bestselling Heroes' Feast: The Official Dungeons & Dragons Cookbook. Widely considered an expert on D&D history, Michael has spoken on the topic at a variety of venues such as Google, Pixar, Lucasfilm, top gaming conventions and book festivals, and on NPR’s All Things Considered. His books have won many honors, including being selected as a Hugo Award finalist, a national bestseller (New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly), a Diana Jones Award nominee, a Locus Award finalist, and a GeekDad "Best Book of the Year.” View titles by Michael Witwer
© Stefan Simchowitz
KYLE NEWMAN is a writer/director whose directorial work includes Fanboys written by Ernie Cline, starring Kristen Bell and Seth Rogen; Barely Lethal, starring Samuel L. Jackson, Hailee Steinfeld, and Jessica Alba; and music videos for artists including Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift. Newman also produced the critically acclaimed documentary Raiders: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made. His clients include Microsoft, Interscope Records, Starz, Coca Cola, Entertainment Weekly, and Lucasfilm. View titles by Kyle Newman
© Jon Peterson
JON PETERSON is a widely recognized authority on the history of games. His book Playing at the World was called "the first serious history of the development of Dungeons & Dragons" by The Village Voice. He has contributed to academic anthologies on games including Zones of Control and the forthcoming Role-playing Game Studies: Transmedia Foundations. Jon also writes for gaming and geek culture websites including BoingBoing, the Escapist, and GamaSutra, as well as his popular RPG history blog, playingattheworld.blogspot.com. View titles by Jon Peterson
© Tim Sabatino
SAM WITWER is an actor whose work includes leading roles in the SyFy series Being Human, for which he was nominated for a Gemini Award, and the Star Wars Saga, where he brings various characters to life in video games, film, and television—including an Emmy-nominated performance as the voice of Darth Maul. He has also been featured on Once Upon a Time, Smallville, Battlestar Galactica, Stephen King’s The Mist, and Dexter. He has been an avid Dungeons & Dragons player since age 11. View titles by Sam Witwer
Dungeons & Dragons launched the great tradition of roleplaying games in 1974 with an unprecedented mix of adventure and strategy, dice-rolling, and storytelling. Wizards of the Coast continues to honor that tradition, bringing to market a diverse range of D&D game and entertainment experiences and influencing numerous writers, directors, and game designers by tapping into an innate human need to gather with friends and tell an exciting story together. View titles by Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
From the INTRODUCTION

If it's true that we live in an era when it is “chic to be geek,” then Dungeons & Dragons is just about the coolest thing out there. It was, it is, and it always will be the game of the geeks, but its fandom is no longer so neatly contained. Once an esoteric diversion known only to a small but passionate group of wargamers, the game and the foundational concepts that it brought forth became among the most influential phenomena of the Information Age. The reason? The game’s earliest adopters happened to share an interest in other “geeky” things like computers, electronics, digital technologies, visual effects, filmmaking, performing arts, and beyond. These geeks grew up to develop the social and business infrastructure of the twenty-first century using concepts they had once learned on poorly lit tabletops set in dining rooms and basements. Dungeons & Dragons, according to Wired editor Adam Rogers, “allowed geeks to venture out of our dungeons, blinking against the light, just in time to create the present age of electronic miracles.” It is indeed chic to be geek, and the prophesy has finally been fulfilled: the geek shall inherit the Earth (and the parallel D&D world of Oerth).

Today, if you are one of the millions of subscribers to an MMO (massively multiplayer online game)such as World of Warcraft; a tourist in the exotic worlds of a computer role-playing franchise such as Final Fantasy or The Elder Scrolls; a virtual marksman in any first-person-shooter video game; a lover of modern fantasy television, films, or literature such as Game of Thrones; or even anyone who has ever “leveled up” in a game or rewards program, then you have Dungeons & Dragons to thank. Simply put, D&D has either directly or indirectly influenced them all. John Romero, co-creatorof the seminal first-person-shooter Doom, attributes his success to D&D, calling it “the most influential game,” adding that “the gaming concepts put forth by D&D inspired the earliest groups of gamers and computer programmers, and set into motion a revolution of creative and technical innovation.” The numbers of actors and directors who credit the game with providing them inspiration is immense, from Vin Diesel and Stephen Colbert to Rainn Wilson and the late Robin Williams. Celebrated director Jon Favreau suggested the game gave him “a really strong background in imagination, storytelling,understanding how to create tone and a sense of balance.” National Book Award–winner Ta-Nehisi Coates agrees, suggesting the game helped introduce him to “the powers of imagination.” All this is to say, the story of D&D is as important now as it has ever been, and with the recent success of 5th edition and an array of D&D-inspired blockbuster books, shows, and films surfacing, from Ready Player One to Stranger Things, its history will become increasingly visible and relevant.

Nothing conveys the story of D&D better than its visuals. At a time when fantasy and science fiction were, at best, fringe diversions, D&D was creating a culture of do-it-yourself fantasy world-building through its immersive narrative environments, given life by its ever-evolving illustrations and artwork. It depicted monsters, magic, swords, and sorcery in a way that taught fans a visual vocabulary of the unreal, fixing in the minds of a whole generation how to picture the fantastic. The relationship between Dungeons & Dragons and its artwork goes beyond symbiosis, but to outright reliance—one simply couldn’t exist without the other. The art informed the game, and the game informed the art. Beginning as amateur, homebrew sketches used to illustrate to the initiated simple concepts such as maps and the physical appearance of monsters, characters, and weapons, the art of D&D rapidly became an essential teaching tool as the game reached wider audiences less familiar with some of its fundamental concepts. The illustrations quickly had to become instructional in nature, helping players to not only conceptualize the landscapes, inhabitants, and equipment of the imagined world, but even how to use them in the context of the game. Soon the game and its fandom demanded even greater levels of sophistication—ful lcolor artwork with higher and higher levels of character andcomposition. This movement gave way to a wave of master artists who eventually developed the most important and influential fantasy art from the late 1970s to today—a collection simply unsurpassed in the fantasy genre.

The book you are holding is the dynamic story of this incredible game as told through its incomparable imagery, as well as the story of the visuals themselves. It is a carefully curated selection of art, advertising, and ephemera that we feel best represents D&D’s incredible forty-plus-year journey—a visual archive that tells a remarkable story of evolution, innovation, turmoil, perseverance, and ultimately triumph. While we expect that much of the enclosed imagery will be at least remotely familiar to D&D aficionados, the collection that follows includes numerous one-of-a-kind rarities, many of which have never been released to the public. We truly hope that you enjoy what you read and see, and that you as readers might approach this piece the same way we did—with unadulterated passion and a taste for adventure. After all, this is an adventure module of sorts, one that is intended for you personally, just as it has been for each of us. “So enjoy, and may the dice be good to you!”
Copyright © 2018 by Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, and Sam Witwer; foreword by Joe Manganiello. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

About

An illustrated guide to the history and evolution of the beloved role-playing game told through the paintings, sketches, illustrations, and visual ephemera behind its creation, growth, and continued popularity.

FINALIST FOR THE HUGO AWARD • FINALIST FOR THE LOCUS AWARD • NOMINATED FOR THE DIANA JONES AWARD

From one of the most iconic game brands in the world, this official DUNGEONS & DRAGONS illustrated history provides an unprecedented look at the visual evolution of the brand, showing its continued influence on the worlds of pop culture and fantasy. Inside the book, you’ll find more than seven hundred pieces of artwork—from each edition of the core role-playing books, supplements, and adventures; as well as Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance novels; decades of Dragon and Dungeon magazines; and classic advertisements and merchandise; plus never-before-seen sketches, large-format canvases, rare photographs, one-of-a-kind drafts, and more from the now-famous designers and artists associated with DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. The superstar author team gained unparalleled access to the archives of Wizards of the Coast and the personal collections of top collectors, as well as the designers and illustrators who created the distinctive characters, concepts, and visuals that have defined fantasy art and gameplay for generations. This is the most comprehensive collection of D&D imagery ever assembled, making this the ultimate collectible for the game's millions of fans around the world.

Praise

“This tome invites the reader through every stage of the evolution of this wonderful game, engaging with incredible art, enlightening photos, and insightful anecdotes that both inform and inspire. Whether you got to experience the birth of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and want to relive that origin spark, or are new to the community and would love to adventure through the visual chronicle of its past, present, and future... I cannot recommend this book enough.” 
—Matthew Mercer, Dungeon Master of Critical Role
 
“This is the most comprehensive, mind-blowing visual history ever created about DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. Beyond the iconic artwork featured on nearly every page, the book actually serves as a complete history of the entire D&D universe. Both fans of the game and newcomers will be completely blown away by the countless hours of research and passion put into this book. There’s truly nothing else out there like it.” 
—Adam F. Goldberg, creator of The Goldbergs
 
“This is the definitive collection of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS artwork we’ve been waiting for all of our lives! The images contained in this book will instantly transport you back to your childhood, and conjure up memories of long forgotten adventures shared with old friends around the gaming table. This tome is an essential addition to every lifelong D&D fan's home library. Buy a copy right now—or make me a saving throw versus Death Magic!” 
—Ernie Cline, author of Ready Player One
 
“DUNGEONS & DRAGONS has shaped the imaginations of millions around the world since its conception. This visual exploration delving into where it all began is a must-read for both dedicated veterans and new enthusiasts alike. A passionate homage from the biggest fans in the industry!” 
—Maude Garrett, TV, radio, and online host and founder of Geek Bomb

“I grew up during the early days of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, and it’s been decades since I’ve seen the wonders that enthralled me during that magical time. At last, familiar treasures from the depths of the vault are here. They can make you cry depending on how deep you went. This is an incredible tome of power."
—John Romero, co-creator of DOOM
 
“This is a time machine. Poring over these images forty years after I first held the Basic Set in my hands, I’m overwhelmed by the same ineffable feelings I had back in 1977.  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS unlocked something in my twelve year old brain—an exhilarating sense of possibility—that set my future course as a game designer and writer. This book inspires me all over again"
—Amy Hennig, creator of the Uncharted series

“This fascinating deep dive into the world of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS will thrill both the connoisseur of role-playing games, as well as anyone interested in visual histories. I found so much information to inspire daydreams for months. I can’t wait to add this to my library of all things geeky.”
—Deborah Ann Woll, actor and D&D enthusiast


"This tome of awesomeness [...] You can only begin to imagine the amounts of hours that this team of top notch authors poured into this. They gained unparalleled access to the archives of Wizards of the Coast and the personal collection of some of the top collectors. Needless to say this book will detail and illustrate the long and wonderful journey of Dungeons and Dragons from its humble beginnings to the cult status it obtained to this day. This has never been achieved in a book before making it the must-have D&D collectible."
 —Fabienne Payet, Outright Geekery

“In the early 1980s, I spent lots of time working and gaming with D&D co-creator Gary Gygax during his ‘lost Los Angeles period;’ I went on to work closely with TSR until its end. For me, this is more than a book.  It’s a time machine back to a fantastic, fabulous time when anything was possible. For anyone who wants to understand the pure magic of D&D and where it came from, get this book at all costs.”
 —Flint Dille, Screenwriter/Game Designer

"Can’t give a higher recommendation than the highest for this amazing book! I’ve seen the preview and I was blown away page after Page! GET THIS BOOK!"  
 —Stefan Pokorny, Founder and CEO of Dwarven Forge

“This book is an exotic, magical, and fun trip into the world of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS whether you’ve ever held a twelve-sided die or not.” 
—James Gunn, writer-director of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie series

“This is no simple art book. Authors Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Petersen, and Sam Witwer have combined their lifetimes of love and experience with DUNGEONS & DRAGONS to create a comprehensive history of both the role-playing game and its legendary creators… The visual history does, of course, include all artwork you’ve dreamed of.”
—Kelly Knox, 
Nerdist
 
“With over 400 pages, Art and Arcana is the most comprehensive D&D history you will find anywhere. Like a treasure-filled cavern, it's packed (and we mean PACKED) with enough facts, quotes, images, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes to choke a fully grown Demogorgon.”
—Josh Weiss, SyFy.com

"It's incredible . . . this thing is a gateway into another dimension.”
—Boing Boing


Author

© Brian McConkey
Michael Witwer is a New York Times bestselling author known for his work on the Hugo-nominated Dungeons & Dragons: Art & Arcana, the critically acclaimed Empire of Imagination: Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons & Dragons, and the bestselling Heroes' Feast: The Official Dungeons & Dragons Cookbook. Widely considered an expert on D&D history, Michael has spoken on the topic at a variety of venues such as Google, Pixar, Lucasfilm, top gaming conventions and book festivals, and on NPR’s All Things Considered. His books have won many honors, including being selected as a Hugo Award finalist, a national bestseller (New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly), a Diana Jones Award nominee, a Locus Award finalist, and a GeekDad "Best Book of the Year.” View titles by Michael Witwer
© Stefan Simchowitz
KYLE NEWMAN is a writer/director whose directorial work includes Fanboys written by Ernie Cline, starring Kristen Bell and Seth Rogen; Barely Lethal, starring Samuel L. Jackson, Hailee Steinfeld, and Jessica Alba; and music videos for artists including Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift. Newman also produced the critically acclaimed documentary Raiders: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made. His clients include Microsoft, Interscope Records, Starz, Coca Cola, Entertainment Weekly, and Lucasfilm. View titles by Kyle Newman
© Jon Peterson
JON PETERSON is a widely recognized authority on the history of games. His book Playing at the World was called "the first serious history of the development of Dungeons & Dragons" by The Village Voice. He has contributed to academic anthologies on games including Zones of Control and the forthcoming Role-playing Game Studies: Transmedia Foundations. Jon also writes for gaming and geek culture websites including BoingBoing, the Escapist, and GamaSutra, as well as his popular RPG history blog, playingattheworld.blogspot.com. View titles by Jon Peterson
© Tim Sabatino
SAM WITWER is an actor whose work includes leading roles in the SyFy series Being Human, for which he was nominated for a Gemini Award, and the Star Wars Saga, where he brings various characters to life in video games, film, and television—including an Emmy-nominated performance as the voice of Darth Maul. He has also been featured on Once Upon a Time, Smallville, Battlestar Galactica, Stephen King’s The Mist, and Dexter. He has been an avid Dungeons & Dragons player since age 11. View titles by Sam Witwer
Dungeons & Dragons launched the great tradition of roleplaying games in 1974 with an unprecedented mix of adventure and strategy, dice-rolling, and storytelling. Wizards of the Coast continues to honor that tradition, bringing to market a diverse range of D&D game and entertainment experiences and influencing numerous writers, directors, and game designers by tapping into an innate human need to gather with friends and tell an exciting story together. View titles by Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed

Excerpt

From the INTRODUCTION

If it's true that we live in an era when it is “chic to be geek,” then Dungeons & Dragons is just about the coolest thing out there. It was, it is, and it always will be the game of the geeks, but its fandom is no longer so neatly contained. Once an esoteric diversion known only to a small but passionate group of wargamers, the game and the foundational concepts that it brought forth became among the most influential phenomena of the Information Age. The reason? The game’s earliest adopters happened to share an interest in other “geeky” things like computers, electronics, digital technologies, visual effects, filmmaking, performing arts, and beyond. These geeks grew up to develop the social and business infrastructure of the twenty-first century using concepts they had once learned on poorly lit tabletops set in dining rooms and basements. Dungeons & Dragons, according to Wired editor Adam Rogers, “allowed geeks to venture out of our dungeons, blinking against the light, just in time to create the present age of electronic miracles.” It is indeed chic to be geek, and the prophesy has finally been fulfilled: the geek shall inherit the Earth (and the parallel D&D world of Oerth).

Today, if you are one of the millions of subscribers to an MMO (massively multiplayer online game)such as World of Warcraft; a tourist in the exotic worlds of a computer role-playing franchise such as Final Fantasy or The Elder Scrolls; a virtual marksman in any first-person-shooter video game; a lover of modern fantasy television, films, or literature such as Game of Thrones; or even anyone who has ever “leveled up” in a game or rewards program, then you have Dungeons & Dragons to thank. Simply put, D&D has either directly or indirectly influenced them all. John Romero, co-creatorof the seminal first-person-shooter Doom, attributes his success to D&D, calling it “the most influential game,” adding that “the gaming concepts put forth by D&D inspired the earliest groups of gamers and computer programmers, and set into motion a revolution of creative and technical innovation.” The numbers of actors and directors who credit the game with providing them inspiration is immense, from Vin Diesel and Stephen Colbert to Rainn Wilson and the late Robin Williams. Celebrated director Jon Favreau suggested the game gave him “a really strong background in imagination, storytelling,understanding how to create tone and a sense of balance.” National Book Award–winner Ta-Nehisi Coates agrees, suggesting the game helped introduce him to “the powers of imagination.” All this is to say, the story of D&D is as important now as it has ever been, and with the recent success of 5th edition and an array of D&D-inspired blockbuster books, shows, and films surfacing, from Ready Player One to Stranger Things, its history will become increasingly visible and relevant.

Nothing conveys the story of D&D better than its visuals. At a time when fantasy and science fiction were, at best, fringe diversions, D&D was creating a culture of do-it-yourself fantasy world-building through its immersive narrative environments, given life by its ever-evolving illustrations and artwork. It depicted monsters, magic, swords, and sorcery in a way that taught fans a visual vocabulary of the unreal, fixing in the minds of a whole generation how to picture the fantastic. The relationship between Dungeons & Dragons and its artwork goes beyond symbiosis, but to outright reliance—one simply couldn’t exist without the other. The art informed the game, and the game informed the art. Beginning as amateur, homebrew sketches used to illustrate to the initiated simple concepts such as maps and the physical appearance of monsters, characters, and weapons, the art of D&D rapidly became an essential teaching tool as the game reached wider audiences less familiar with some of its fundamental concepts. The illustrations quickly had to become instructional in nature, helping players to not only conceptualize the landscapes, inhabitants, and equipment of the imagined world, but even how to use them in the context of the game. Soon the game and its fandom demanded even greater levels of sophistication—ful lcolor artwork with higher and higher levels of character andcomposition. This movement gave way to a wave of master artists who eventually developed the most important and influential fantasy art from the late 1970s to today—a collection simply unsurpassed in the fantasy genre.

The book you are holding is the dynamic story of this incredible game as told through its incomparable imagery, as well as the story of the visuals themselves. It is a carefully curated selection of art, advertising, and ephemera that we feel best represents D&D’s incredible forty-plus-year journey—a visual archive that tells a remarkable story of evolution, innovation, turmoil, perseverance, and ultimately triumph. While we expect that much of the enclosed imagery will be at least remotely familiar to D&D aficionados, the collection that follows includes numerous one-of-a-kind rarities, many of which have never been released to the public. We truly hope that you enjoy what you read and see, and that you as readers might approach this piece the same way we did—with unadulterated passion and a taste for adventure. After all, this is an adventure module of sorts, one that is intended for you personally, just as it has been for each of us. “So enjoy, and may the dice be good to you!”
Copyright © 2018 by Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, and Sam Witwer; foreword by Joe Manganiello. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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    978-0-593-58068-4
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  • Dungeons & Dragons Mini Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle: The Mimic Edition
    Dungeons & Dragons Mini Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle: The Mimic Edition
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    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-0-593-58069-1
    $14.99 US
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    Clarkson Potter
    Aug 22, 2023
  • Dungeons & Dragons Mini Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle: The Beholder Edition
    Dungeons & Dragons Mini Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle: The Beholder Edition
    142-Piece Collectible Puzzle for All Ages
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-0-593-58070-7
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    Aug 22, 2023
  • The Art and Making of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
    The Art and Making of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
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    978-1-9848-6186-3
    $45.00 US
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    Ten Speed Press
    Apr 04, 2023
  • Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Road to Neverwinter
    Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Road to Neverwinter
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    978-0-593-59813-9
    $29.99 US
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    Random House Worlds
    Feb 28, 2023
  • Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Druid's Call
    Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Druid's Call
    E.K. Johnston
    978-0-593-59816-0
    $19.99 US
    Hardcover
    Random House Worlds
    Feb 28, 2023
    Age 12 and up
  • The Lich Lord Puzzle
    The Lich Lord Puzzle
    A Dungeons & Dragons Jigsaw Puzzle: Jigsaw Puzzles for Adults
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-0-593-23665-9
    $19.99 US
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    Clarkson Potter
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  • The Dungeons & Dragons Tarot Deck
    The Dungeons & Dragons Tarot Deck
    A 78-Card Deck and Guidebook
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    978-1-9848-2466-0
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    Clarkson Potter
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  • Dungeons & Dragons 100 Postcards: Archival Art from Every Edition
    Dungeons & Dragons 100 Postcards: Archival Art from Every Edition
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  • The Beholder Puzzle
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    978-0-593-23471-6
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  • The Rise of Tiamat Dragon Puzzle (Dungeons & Dragons)
    The Rise of Tiamat Dragon Puzzle (Dungeons & Dragons)
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    978-1-9848-2464-6
    $19.99 US
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    Clarkson Potter
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  • Heroes' Feast (Dungeons & Dragons)
    Heroes' Feast (Dungeons & Dragons)
    The Official D&D Cookbook
    Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-5890-0
    $35.00 US
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    Ten Speed Press
    Oct 27, 2020
  • The Book of Holding (Dungeons & Dragons)
    The Book of Holding (Dungeons & Dragons)
    A Blank Journal with Grid Paper for Note-Taking, Record Keeping, Journaling, Drawing, and More
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-2461-5
    $19.99 US
    Stationery & Accessories
    Clarkson Potter
    Aug 04, 2020
  • The Worldbuilder's Journal of Legendary Adventures (Dungeons & Dragons)
    The Worldbuilder's Journal of Legendary Adventures (Dungeons & Dragons)
    365 Questions to Help You Create Mythical Characters, Storied Worlds, and Unique Campaigns
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-2463-9
    $16.99 US
    Stationery & Accessories
    Clarkson Potter
    May 12, 2020
  • Bestiary Notebook Set (Dungeons & Dragons)
    Bestiary Notebook Set (Dungeons & Dragons)
    8 Mini Notebooks
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-2465-3
    $19.99 US
    Stationery & Accessories
    Clarkson Potter
    Oct 01, 2019
  • Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana [Special Edition, Boxed Book & Ephemera Set]
    Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana [Special Edition, Boxed Book & Ephemera Set]
    A Visual History
    Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer
    978-0-399-58275-2
    $125.00 US
    Hardcover
    Ten Speed Press
    Oct 23, 2018
  • Dungeons & Dragons Mini Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle: The Demogorgon Edition
    Dungeons & Dragons Mini Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle: The Demogorgon Edition
    102-Piece Collectible Puzzle for All Ages
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-0-593-58068-4
    $14.99 US
    Game
    Clarkson Potter
    Aug 22, 2023
  • Dungeons & Dragons Mini Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle: The Mimic Edition
    Dungeons & Dragons Mini Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle: The Mimic Edition
    102-Piece Collectible Puzzle for All Ages
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-0-593-58069-1
    $14.99 US
    Game
    Clarkson Potter
    Aug 22, 2023
  • Dungeons & Dragons Mini Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle: The Beholder Edition
    Dungeons & Dragons Mini Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle: The Beholder Edition
    142-Piece Collectible Puzzle for All Ages
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-0-593-58070-7
    $14.99 US
    Game
    Clarkson Potter
    Aug 22, 2023
  • The Art and Making of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
    The Art and Making of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
    Eleni Roussos
    978-1-9848-6186-3
    $45.00 US
    Hardcover
    Ten Speed Press
    Apr 04, 2023
  • Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Road to Neverwinter
    Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Road to Neverwinter
    Jaleigh Johnson
    978-0-593-59813-9
    $29.99 US
    Hardcover
    Random House Worlds
    Feb 28, 2023
  • Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Druid's Call
    Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Druid's Call
    E.K. Johnston
    978-0-593-59816-0
    $19.99 US
    Hardcover
    Random House Worlds
    Feb 28, 2023
    Age 12 and up
  • The Lich Lord Puzzle
    The Lich Lord Puzzle
    A Dungeons & Dragons Jigsaw Puzzle: Jigsaw Puzzles for Adults
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-0-593-23665-9
    $19.99 US
    Game
    Clarkson Potter
    Aug 30, 2022
  • The Dungeons & Dragons Tarot Deck
    The Dungeons & Dragons Tarot Deck
    A 78-Card Deck and Guidebook
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed, Fred Gissubel
    978-1-9848-2466-0
    $24.99 US
    Cards
    Clarkson Potter
    May 24, 2022
  • Dungeons & Dragons 100 Postcards: Archival Art from Every Edition
    Dungeons & Dragons 100 Postcards: Archival Art from Every Edition
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-2462-2
    $22.00 US
    Cards
    Clarkson Potter
    Nov 02, 2021
  • The Beholder Puzzle
    The Beholder Puzzle
    A Dungeon & Dragons Jigsaw Puzzle: Jigsaw Puzzles for Adults
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-0-593-23471-6
    $19.99 US
    Game
    Clarkson Potter
    Aug 03, 2021
  • The Rise of Tiamat Dragon Puzzle (Dungeons & Dragons)
    The Rise of Tiamat Dragon Puzzle (Dungeons & Dragons)
    1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle Featuring the Queen of Evil Dragons: Jigsaw Puzzles for Adults
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-2464-6
    $19.99 US
    Game
    Clarkson Potter
    Nov 17, 2020
  • Heroes' Feast (Dungeons & Dragons)
    Heroes' Feast (Dungeons & Dragons)
    The Official D&D Cookbook
    Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-5890-0
    $35.00 US
    Hardcover
    Ten Speed Press
    Oct 27, 2020
  • The Book of Holding (Dungeons & Dragons)
    The Book of Holding (Dungeons & Dragons)
    A Blank Journal with Grid Paper for Note-Taking, Record Keeping, Journaling, Drawing, and More
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-2461-5
    $19.99 US
    Stationery & Accessories
    Clarkson Potter
    Aug 04, 2020
  • The Worldbuilder's Journal of Legendary Adventures (Dungeons & Dragons)
    The Worldbuilder's Journal of Legendary Adventures (Dungeons & Dragons)
    365 Questions to Help You Create Mythical Characters, Storied Worlds, and Unique Campaigns
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-2463-9
    $16.99 US
    Stationery & Accessories
    Clarkson Potter
    May 12, 2020
  • Bestiary Notebook Set (Dungeons & Dragons)
    Bestiary Notebook Set (Dungeons & Dragons)
    8 Mini Notebooks
    Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-2465-3
    $19.99 US
    Stationery & Accessories
    Clarkson Potter
    Oct 01, 2019
  • Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana [Special Edition, Boxed Book & Ephemera Set]
    Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana [Special Edition, Boxed Book & Ephemera Set]
    A Visual History
    Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer
    978-0-399-58275-2
    $125.00 US
    Hardcover
    Ten Speed Press
    Oct 23, 2018

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    Age 8-12 years
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    Age 8-12 years
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    Age 8-12 years
  • Warriors & Weapons (Dungeons & Dragons)
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    A Young Adventurer's Guide
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    Age 8-12 years
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    The Monsters & Creatures Compendium (Dungeons & Dragons)
    A Young Adventurer's Guide
    Jim Zub, Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-6247-1
    $24.99 US
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    Ten Speed Press
    Aug 22, 2023
    Age 8-12 years
  • Dungeons and Dragons The Legend of Drizzt Visual Dictionary
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    $30.00 US
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    978-1-9848-5880-1
    $12.99 US
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    Ten Speed Press
    Nov 01, 2022
    Age 8-12 years
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    Beasts & Behemoths (Dungeons & Dragons)
    A Young Adventurer's Guide
    Jim Zub, Stacy King, Andrew Wheeler, Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-5878-8
    $12.99 US
    Hardcover
    Ten Speed Press
    Oct 20, 2020
    Age 8-12 years
  • The Young Adventurer's Collection [Dungeons & Dragons 4-Book Boxed Set]
    The Young Adventurer's Collection [Dungeons & Dragons 4-Book Boxed Set]
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    Jim Zub, Stacy King, Andrew Wheeler, Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-5954-9
    $32.99 US
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    Ten Speed Press
    Oct 06, 2020
    Age 8-12 years
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    Wizards & Spells (Dungeons & Dragons)
    A Young Adventurer's Guide
    Jim Zub, Stacy King, Andrew Wheeler, Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-5646-3
    $12.99 US
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    Ten Speed Press
    Mar 10, 2020
    Age 8-12 years
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    978-1-9848-5644-9
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    Age 8-12 years
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    A Young Adventurer's Guide
    Jim Zub, Stacy King, Andrew Wheeler, Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-5640-1
    $12.99 US
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    Ten Speed Press
    Jul 16, 2019
    Age 8-12 years
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    A Young Adventurer's Guide
    Jim Zub, Stacy King, Andrew Wheeler, Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
    978-1-9848-5642-5
    $12.99 US
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    Age 8-12 years

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