Dungeons & Dragons: Art & Arcana

[thegreyelf]

So a couple weeks ago, Amazon had the deluxe collector's edition of the D&D Art & Arcana book on sale for like $57 (down from a $120 cover price) so I sprung for it, if for no other reason than to get the OD&D Tomb of Horrors, which I looked forward to adding to one of my OD&D boxes.

I'm not sorry I purchased it. It's a really amazing collection. I knew most of what's in the book already but the art and imagery is gorgeous and it's always fun to revisit it in a new format. Definitely worth what I spent. I am, however, extremely disappointed in the presentation for Tomb of Horrors.

The good about it, first: It's a full-on reproduction of Gary's original Origins convention notes, hand-typed and annotated, with hand-drawn maps. So it's not a new OD&D presentation; it's a repro of Gary's original one.

The bad: IT DOESN'T FIT IN AN OD&D BOX. IT'S NOT DIGEST SIZE. It measures 6.25" x 8". Which sucks. I may have to scan it and see if I can resize the pages without it looking too bad.

[increment]

It's a fair cop.

[thegreyelf]

Honestly I'm surprised more people aren't talking about Art & Arcana around these parts. It's pretty badass.

[verhaden]

I have it on my Christmas wish-list -- maybe somebody will grab it for me. If not, I might just grab the Kindle version. They have a preview of the file on Overdrive and I snagged this:

imgur.com/a/ezgj3lR

[Finarvyn]

I think that B&N sells something like this for $50, only it has a red cover instead of a black one and it doesn't seem to come with the extras. I thumbed through the main hardback and it was pretty neat, but the Gygax notes sound even better.

[thegreyelf]

Yeah, I don't know that I would've sprung for the $50 version, but having the deluxe boxed edition on sale for $60 on Amazon really hit a sweet spot. I'm given to understand that the B&N version has different extras included within the book itself, but I don't knwo what they are.

[grodog]

Guy Fullerton has a nice comparison review of the B&N vs. the standard version @ unvisiblecitadel.blogspot.com/2018/12/art-arcana-review-barnes-noble-version.html

Allan.

[Zenopus]

*bump*

FYI, the special edition of this book - which comes in a box including a reprint of the original tournament version of Tomb of Horrors resembling an OD&D Supplement - is currently on sale for $61.61 (down from a MSRP of $125):

zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2024/09/art-arcana-on-sale-again-get-original.html

Update:
I was asked about the posters that also come in the box. I took a look at my copy and here is what it includes:

---AD&D Player's Handbook cover (1978) by Dave Trampier (16 x 10")
---DM Screen cover (1979) by Dave Trampier (18 x 14")
---Keep on the Borderlands cover (1980) by Jim Roslof (8 x 10")
---AD&D Fiend Folio cover (1981) by Emmanuel (16 x 10")
---World of Greyhawk box cover (1983) by Jeff Easley (8 x 10")
---Swords of Deceit module cover (1986) by Keith Parkinson (8 x 10")
---AD&D 2E PHB interior (PCs with slain tiny dragon)(1989) by Larry Elmore (8 x 10")
---Forge of Fury module cover (2000) by Todd Lockwood (16 x 10")
---"Promotional painting for D&D 30th Anniversary (2004) by Todd Lockwood (16 x 10")
---Storm King's Thunder interior painting (2016) by Chris Rahn (24 x 16")

[DungeonDevil]

It's a shame stuff like this isn't POD, like on Drivethru.