Al-Qadim: Arabian Adventures, by Jeff Grubb (with Andria Hayday), was one of the finest settings produced by TSR during the AD&D 2E (Second Edition) days.
“Magic carpets, ghoulish vixens, genies rising from the sand in a whirlwind of smoke and fire — such wonders, spin into tales by the fabled Scheherazade, enchanted a king for a thousand and one nights.”
The setting is inspired by Sinbad, Ali Baba, and other classics from Arabian Nights.
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Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions, 3-issue limited series (Marvel Comics, June,
July & August 1982). Written by Mark Gruenwald, art by John Romita Jr. and Bob Layton
Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions! Long before the more famous Secret Wars, in 1982, Marvel released a mini series that pitted hero against hero!
Similarly, they were whisked away by omnipotent aliens to combat one another. The story was created by Mark Gruenwald, Bill Mantlo, and Steven Grant. It was illustrated by John Romita Jr. and inked by Pablo Marcos.
Forever a fan of the B-list heroes, I loved seeing characters like Sunfire, Dr. Druid, Hellstorm, Machine Man, Doc Samson, Quasar, and Brother Voodoo.
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The Last Oblivion: Best Fantastic Poems of Clark Ashton Smith (Hippocampus Press, January 13, 2021)
January 13 will mark the 132nd natal anniversary of the great Clark Ashton Smith, accomplished writer of weird fiction, horror, and poetry; visionary illustrator, painter, and sculptor. Smith’s tales of Averoigne, Atlantis, Hyperborea, and Zothique have fascinated me for years. Smith was incredibly gifted, writing tales fantasy, terror, science fiction, and the supernatural.
He also is considered one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century. The Last Oblivion contains a wonderful selection of his poetic works. Smith’s exotic language and fertile imagination are unparalleled in these weird, supernatural, and otherworldly poems. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for something different yet evocative.
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Advanced Dungeons & Dragons CB1: Conan Unchained! by David “Zeb” Cook (TSR, 1984)
Before TSR created the Conan Role Playing Game with its own rules and conventions, they released two Conan adventure modules for use with AD&D, but with a few interesting rules additions, including Fear Checks, Luck Points, and more lenient Healing rules.
This adventure was written by the legendary David “Zeb” Cook and illustrated by the incredibly talented Jeff Butler. As I’ve had the pleasure of meeting both gentlemen at several conventions, I managed to get the book signed and personalized by each of them. It would be epic if I could get Arnold to sign it. 😉
Back in December I received the ShadowDark RPG from the fine folks at The Arcane Library. This game looks wonderful, so far, and the production values are second to none. Thick, durable paper; library-sewn binding; clear, readable font selections with good white space. All these little things make for a better user experience.
I’ve had the pleasure of playing this game with its creator, Kelsey Dionne, whom I consider to be a wonderful creative force in the TTRPG (tabletop role playing game) industry. She has carved out her own niche in the hobby, presenting a dark, forbidding, action-packed experience.
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Cruel Universe #1 and Epitaphs from the Abyss #1. Covers by Greg Smallwood and Andrea Sorrentino
EC Comics is back. In cooperation with Oni Press, the classic imprint that brought us Tales from the Crypt, The Haunt of Fear, Weird Science, Weird Fantasy, and other titles is back. The two new titles are called Cruel Universe and Epitaphs from the Abyss.
Cruel Universe #1 features four stories, “The Champion,” “Solid Shift,” “Drink Up,” and “Priceless.” The stories are each written and illustrated by a different team, and each has something exciting and different to offer.
Dawnward Spire, Lonely Hill: The Letters of H.P. Lovecraft and and Clark Ashton Smith,
1922-1931, Volumes 1 and 2 (Hippocampus Press, July 14, 2020). Cover art by David C. Verba
I’ve been reading Dawnward Spire, Lonely Hill: The Letters of H.P. Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, a two-volume set edited by David E. Schultz and S.T. Joshi. I talked about this in my company newsletter sent out a short while ago, and I’ll repeat it here for the interested.
Lovecraft paid great deference to Smith on their initial contact, but they soon became fast friends, with fun nicknames for one another. Lovecraft recognized genius when he saw it.
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Rayguns & Robuts, issue 1 (Planet X Games, August 2022). Cover by Ed Bickford
“…system-agnostic universe filled with galactic space rangers and square-jawed heroes zipping across the phlogiston, with a jet pack strapped to their back and a raygun in hand…”
Back in 2022 I received the first issue of Rayguns & Robuts, by Planet X Games. This sci-fi zine is loaded with incredible content and art, and the design esthetic is second to none.
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Rattle of Bones and Other Terrifying Tales (Clover Press, October 20, 2020). Cover by Gabriel Rodriguez
“Damned be the dark ends of the earth where old horrors live again.”
— Robert E. Howard
Some of the finest gifts are from your buddy, a kindred spirit and dog brother in REH fandom, such as that damnable reprobate, Levi Combs. At Gamehole Con this year, Levi gifted me with this beautiful copy of Rattle of Bones and Other Terrifying Tales, by Robert E. Howard. And what a treasure it is!
This collection contains some of REH’s finest horror yarns, such as “In the Forest of Villefère,” “Wolfshead,” “Sea Curse,” “Rattle of Bones,” “The Touch of Death,” “Dig Me No Grave,” “People of the Dark,” and “The House of Arabu.” It was published by Clover Press and features beautiful art by Gabriel Rodriguez. It also features an afterword by horror master Steve Niles, perhaps best known for 30 Days of Night.
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The Weird Tales Boys (PS Publishing, September 2023). Cover by Les Edwards
How could I not purchase The Weird Tales Boys, by Stephen Jones? It focuses on the three authors whose work has most inspired me for decades: Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, and Clark Ashton Smith.
In fact, I created a small business whose core product, the Hyperborea RPG, is inspired by the works of these three iconic giants of weird fiction, horror, fantasy, and sci-fi.