Year of the Dragon: Issue 01

On 01/09/2015 at 01:30 AM by KnightDriver

This is actually the Year of the Goat starting in February, according to the Chinese Zodiac, but for me, it’s the Year of the Dragon because I’m reading a Dragon Magazine of the current month every month of 2015 and writing about anything of interest. So starting things off is Dragon 81 from January 1984.

dr81

A nice wintry scene, appropriate for January.

The cover is by Steven (or Stephan?) Peregrine. He’s not to be confused with the 70’s rock musician Steve Peregrin Took, whose presence on the net dominates search attempts of this illustrator’s name. I could find out very little of Mr. Peregrine other than he did a lot of book and board game art in the 80’s.

gwad

Games Workshop was like the TSR of the U.K. with their own magazine White Dwarf very much like Dragon. Unlike TSR, they are still going strong and past 400 issues of White Dwarf. Go Brits! I like that this ad featured my favorite Doctor Who, Tom Baker, right up front. Seems he was still the most popular Doctor in ’84 even though Peter Davidson was on TV then. I still have to watch the P.D. series.

adndmini

I love the D&D figures. I was collecting them a few years ago when they had the D&D Miniatures Game. I don’t think I’d play D&D without them now. I like the line above, “The only metal for the best-armed players.” right above an arm with a studded leather wristband. The reference is clearly to music, and in 1984, Judas Priest was at their height of popularity spreading their studded leather wearing fashion sense far and wide. I don’t know what you would use today to symbolize metal in an ad. Probably a severed arm or something like that.

The Chariots for Characters article by Pete Mohney began with a brief history of the chariot that I found fascinating. The Greeks used them in their Olympic games and built them light for speed and fragile so they would break up and crash more easily, adding to the excitement. Do you remember Circus Maximus: Chariot Wars for Xbox/PS2?

This game makes me think of Mario Kart: Double Dash but with nasty pikes and swords; two-player co-op blood sport. I like it.

Blake Turner Staff Writer

01/09/2015 at 01:37 AM

I wish I had people to play this stuff with... but then again my wallet probably thanks that fact.

Also that chariot game looks like it has the potential for hilarity.

KnightDriver

01/09/2015 at 01:52 AM

I have a strategy game shop near me that holds gaming sessions. I often think that if I didn't have anyone to play video games with, I would go over there and join a group. They might do the D&D minatures game. There's nothing like playing games with people in the flesh. Online doesn't really do anything for me.

I know I played that chariot game, maybe just as a demo though. I think I'll pick it up if I see it around.

Super Step Contributing Writer

01/09/2015 at 06:09 AM

So I just learned I was born in the year of the Metal Horse. That makes me feel awesome.

Cary Woodham

01/09/2015 at 07:20 AM

I was born in the Year of the Dragon. Of course it was probably Spyro the Dragon. :)

01/09/2015 at 04:23 PM

You can find your element on the chart provided by wiki too (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac ).

01/09/2015 at 09:03 PM

The chart confused my little brain.

01/10/2015 at 03:37 AM

It gets more complicated too as there are animals that go with the months, days and even minutes. There's also a secret animal.

01/09/2015 at 04:22 PM

I am a Fire Goat. I'll chew your Metal Horse and evolve into a fire breathing Baphomet! Grrrrawwww!

01/09/2015 at 06:11 PM

NSFW

01/10/2015 at 03:30 AM

LoL! Metal Horse does kinda rule. I'll give you that.

xDarthKiLLx

01/10/2015 at 03:53 PM

if I had friends here in town that played AD&D, I'd definitely try to play. Looks like a good deal of fun with a few brews

01/11/2015 at 03:09 AM

Last time I played was a few years ago and I couldn't stop goofing around as a player with my friend DMing. I just thought it would be funny to keep breaking the rules and see what would happen. My friend didn't appreciate it though. After a while, I calmed down and started playing it right. I just question such things in the game like always having to look for loot and being obedient to your chosen deity. Honestly, I just wanted to play the fool. There should be a variant of D&D where you get to do funny stuff instead of always being so serious.

NSonic79

01/20/2015 at 02:14 PM

Why is Judge Dredd pointing a gun at my favoriate Doctor?

01/21/2015 at 03:16 AM

'Cause even the Doctor is subject to being judged. I have to say, Judge Dredd is probably, next to The Punisher, the biggest jerk in comics.

PixlBit

Year of the Dragon: Issue 01

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