Mike Dawson:
This is perhaps the most insulting thing I've ever seen published about a
bunch of incredibly talented people doing the best they can with the
resources they have, and putting out a hell of a product.
This was a clumsy joke and (to Mike at least) insulting. I apologise for it. A Belfast man shoots his mouth off too much again.
I made this comment after discussing many aspects of HW (or to be more exact the deluxe box set) with my players over the last few days. Without going into one of those tedious statements about how long we've been playing in Glorantha, and how amazing it was to see the Pavis box set for the first time as a 15 year old, I can honestly saw we were genuinely shocked by at least 50% of the artwork present, and we've seen a lot of 'problem artwork' on Chaosium and AH products over the years. On talking to friends in England I have to say honestly that I found even more extreme views than mine. These conversations have obviously coloured my views.
I think part of my 'problem' is a love of Dan Barker's work (and a great admiration for Simon Bray's as well). Tarsh War for example is a minor masterpiece, not so much in gaming content, but in presentation and artwork - - take a look at the character portraits again. I think what is important about this art (and Simon's falls into this category as well) is that it did more than just demonstrate technical efficiency. It ADDED things to our view of Glorantha. I had never pictured the Lunars in Late Roman terms before. Now I never picture the Provincial Army in any other way.
Proof of what can be achieved can be seen on the cover of Drastic Prax (any Drastic actually), the Dorastor LOD stained-glass window, Troll Gods (box cover only, for God's sake be careful).
With artists capable of work like this to hand (and Roger Raupp could be included, as well as John T Snyder) I found it difficult to believe we have taken a step back again. Of course the artists in HW are not as bad a DD, but can anyone say they were inspired by much of it? It never fails to amaze me that although we play in, and talk endlessly about, the most awesome and innovative game-world in existence, we still get artistic representations of this gameworld that are often mirror the naffest fantasy clichés. Glorantha is inspiring in almost every way - why should the official artwork bring us down to earth so regularly and so painfully?
Of course, one man's Raupp is another man's Dobyski - perhaps I am getting too hung up on the visuals and not worrying about anything else. Hell, my favourite director is Dario Argento so that must be the case.
Michael W Beggs
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