Dragon Magazine 108 truly fails to impress me on almost every level. To me, this is an almost throw away issue, but nonetheless I’ll review it today for what little content inspires and also the lackluster artwork inside.
Produced in April 1986, and unabashedly claiming to be an ‘April Fools’ on all those who don’t like April Fools this issue is truly a joke.
I mean nothing against Len Lakofka and his ‘Lemond’s Tiny Hut’ articles, but if you’ve got to lead with one, then you know the issue is in trouble. Really, other than the Gamma World 3rd Edition Mutant Manual II, there is little to draw attention from gamers. I mean really, ‘The ecology of the pernicon’? Seriously, that is what you’re going to go with?
The artwork is no less inspired, even the Larry Elmore cover languished in the Dragon ‘stacks’ for more than two years before they finally decided to dust it off and use it. In fact, I was so hurting for quality artwork that I had to use a page from Elmore’s Snarfquest in this review!
There are a couple of nice pieces from Roger Raupp, and a stock piece from Janet Aulisio that was probably repurposed from her work on a science fiction magazine around the same time period. Other than that, I’ve nothing much to report, and will cut this short before it turns into a ‘what I hated about the issue’ rant.
Artistic Rating: 2 [out of 5]
Nah, this was a good issue. I seem to recall some optional rules for partial armor. Great cover too. I doubt you actually read any of the gaming material.
Phil: Yeah, as Dragons go, there are SO MANY better issues, but this was a great Snarfquest addition.
Man, I do love snarfquest :) gotta agree with the rest…