The rise and rise of roleplaying games over the last few years has been a joy to see – particularly to those of us who were keeping the faith when the genre fell out of fashion for a while. Today, the likes of Dungeons & Dragons are bigger than ever before, being regularly referenced on TV shows like Stranger Things, inspiring podcasts like Critical Role, and spawning hit blockbuster movies.
The history of the RPG is documented in a new graphic novel from writer Fred Van Lente, artist Tom Fowler, and colorist Bill Crabtree that will be published by Clover Press. Timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of D&D, Gamemasters: The Comic Book History of Roleplaying Games takes us on a journey from the earliest pen and paper RPGs to our present moment. So good is the new book, DIE creator Kieron Gillen has said that it made him “envious,” calling the new book “absolutely the most accessible and certainly the funniest” history of the genre. Here’s Fowler’s cover for the book.
“This project has been a labor of love for Tom and me since 2019, and it’s so exciting to bring it to fruition on the 50th anniversary of D&D,” said Van Lente in a statement. “It’s been so cool to follow the story of an idea, from the invention of chess and the earliest wargames, up through the birth of TSR in the 1970s, through all the innovations gamers and designers have added to the RPG genre since then, right up to Baldur’s Gate 3, really.”
“The tabletop gaming industry is where I learnt to be a professional artist,” added Fowler. “After some years away, it’s been a privilege to re-immerse myself in the strange history of of that world!”
Clover Press publisher Hank Kanalz went on to say, “Fred and Tom are both hardcore gamers, and it shows in this meticulously researched history of the tabletop RPG. Their passion for gaming comes through in their dramatic and often humorous take on how and why these games work, and why we love them so.”
Gamemasters: The Comic Book History of Roleplaying Games is published by Clover Press and will be available via both Kickstarter and BackerIt. Check out the links to find out how you can get your hands on a copy. You can also follow Clover Press on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for more updates on the project.
Marvel recently blended comics and RPG manuals with a Deadpool one-shot that worked as both!
