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Here’s a little cautionary tale that I hope some of you may learn from.
In 1977, I began playing Dungeons and Dragons, having stumbled across this little white-boxed set in an obscure game store in London’s Hammersmith area, called Games Workshop (hi, @ian_livingstone).
In 1977, I began playing Dungeons and Dragons, having stumbled across this little white-boxed set in an obscure game store in London’s Hammersmith area, called Games Workshop (hi, @ian_livingstone).
Years and years later, both Gaming and Cartooning went from being my hobbies to my full-time jobs.
(This is awesome, and still never fails to amaze me. This is not the “cautionary” part, you understand).
(This is awesome, and still never fails to amaze me. This is not the “cautionary” part, you understand).
Over the years, I got to know many of my gaming heroes.
Gary EFFING Gygax even wrote the introduction to the first Dork Tower comic book!
One Gen Con, I saw Dave EFFEING Arneson buying my comics at the Dork Storm booth!!!
Gary EFFING Gygax even wrote the introduction to the first Dork Tower comic book!
One Gen Con, I saw Dave EFFEING Arneson buying my comics at the Dork Storm booth!!!
I RACED to the stall, to let the folks working it know that Dave’s money was no good there, and he was to be given whatever he wanted!
(While overall not a *great* way to run a business, this is still not the cautionary part).
(While overall not a *great* way to run a business, this is still not the cautionary part).
Other heroes of my youth later became good friends in the industry: Steve Jackson and Marc Miller, for example.
Anyway, being in the same biz as them, I wanted to appear cool, calm and collected, and not freak the fuck out at ALL, about the fact that I could hang with the likes of Gygax, Arneson, Jackson, Miller, Stafford, etc., etc.
So...here’s where the cautionary bit comes in...
So...here’s where the cautionary bit comes in...
That little White Box set of Dungeons & Dragons is *incredibly* meaningful to me.
That’s where it all started, for me. It literally changed my life.
And I had many, many, MANY opportunities to get Gygax snd Arneson to sign it.
That’s where it all started, for me. It literally changed my life.
And I had many, many, MANY opportunities to get Gygax snd Arneson to sign it.
But I didn’t. Because I wanted to look “professional”... like I *belonged* there, like I was a peer, and wasn’t just a fanboy.
And now, that beaks my heart.
And now, that beaks my heart.
Anyway, “don’t worry that you might not look cool” are hardly revelatory words of caution.
But just in case you ever come to such a place in life...
It’s ok to drop all pretense, and just let your Fan flag fly, from time to time.
But just in case you ever come to such a place in life...
It’s ok to drop all pretense, and just let your Fan flag fly, from time to time.
There are worse things to do than geek out about something you love, to its creators.
Here’s a postscript, though - last year, at Marc Miller snd I were both guests at @GameholeCon.
My original Traveller little boxed books are right up there with my original D&D little boxed books. Both bought at Games Workshop (hi again, @ian_livingstone!)
My original Traveller little boxed books are right up there with my original D&D little boxed books. Both bought at Games Workshop (hi again, @ian_livingstone!)
Guess who finally got them SIGNED MARC EFFING MILLER?
