Identifying orignal designs for early Citadel...

[Zhu Bajie]

Ooh, that Triapheg is lovely.

The Unreleased Citadel Troll pose looks similar to Dave Trampiers picture in the D&D Monster Manual (1977) but it's not exact. IIRC there is one of a long corridor with a troll hiding round the corner which is even more similar. Don't know the source, might even be a modern OSR illustration I'm thinking of.

However, the original monster design goes back to a 1950s comic book.

FF31 Reptile Warrior

Looks to me very much like Dave Trampiers drawing in the Monster Manual (1977) - although the pose is different, the snout, shield, sword and scale patterning are obviously derived. There might be another illustration elsewhere with a more similar pose to the mini.

 

[Citadel Collector]

Fair enough - the pose of the troll isn't exact to the mm of the drawing but I think its close enough to suspect that one was based on the other?

Good find on that lizardman, I haven't seen that drawing before.

 

[Asslessman]

The Ral partha troll is also very close to the art (picture from Don Hans) :

 

[Citadel Collector]

Yep, that's a nice troll.

 

[Zhu Bajie]

Lovely paint on that ral partha troll.

FF6 Ghost

Another from the 1977 monster manual. The specifically lantern carrying phantom in a cloak, with his arm coming out, and very long hood tail bit. Not 100% sure about the artist, going to plumb for Dave Sutherland.

 

[Zhu Bajie]

FF12 - Mountain Giant

This fella is obviously based on the Frost Giant picture by Dave Trampier in the 1977 Monster Manual - the armour, face, pose (from the correct angle), detailing on the helmet rim etc. are all spot on.

(More of Harrys brushwork)

 

[Zhu Bajie]

Here's one Citdel Collector pointed out earlier (still migtily impressed that he spotted that)...

C18 Wraith / Githyanki

Created by Charlie Stross and illustrated by Russ Nicholson. There's couple of interesting points about this - one is the models relationship to the Gith is completely hidden by calling it a Wraith another is that it appears to be based on quite late artwork (Fiend Folio of 1981) - rather than the original White Dwarf (1979).

WD12

C18 Wraith

Fiend Folio internal

Fiend Folio Cover

 

[Blue in VT]

The Githyanki is my all time favorite AD&D creature...tough basrards to kill too. I can't say I'm super impressed with that figure though...

Cheers,

Blue

 

[Zhu Bajie]

I really like the Gith too, although only came across them since betting back into gaming. The figure might paint up nicely, and I like it a little better than ADD range Gith, but that might just be that I'm looking at earlier miniatures and getting into a pre-slotta vibe!

Here's another from the Monster Manual.

FF16-2 Two Headed Troll with Spiked Club / Ettin

The pose is very different, but note the snub nose and prominent brow-ridge, brush-cut the furs and the spiked clubs. Oh yeah, and the two heads! Original art by Dave Trampier.

 

[Zhu Bajie]

In the twisted dark mirror of Top of the Pops that was White Dwarf, its always a treat when Pan's People appear.

FA Houri

Created by the infamous Brian Asbury, and illustrated by Russ Nicholson in White Dwarf 13, the Houri allowed D&D players to, erm, seduce their way out of the dungeon.

 

[Zhu Bajie]

More gratuitous nudity....

Giant Troll

Giant Troll, created by Ian Livingstone, illustrated by Russ Nicholson. This is another interesting one, the Giant Troll miniature was advertisied around WD 13 - but I can't find reference to the beast before the Fiend Folio entry in 81 - so it's entirely possible that the drawing is based on the miniature - note in the drawing, the troll is no longer naked - but the weapon, face and pose all remain the same.

 

[Count Von Bruno]

While I have nothing to contribute to this thread either, I'm loving it

The troll in the AD&D monster manual used to creep me out as a kid.

 

[Zhu Bajie]

I'm a bit obsessed with the AD&D Troll. Spooky feckers! Speaking of which, naked men in pumpkin masks:

Here's one prompted by 6milPhil's figure Id (viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1485)

Runequest Box 4 Jack O'Bear

Photo: GoblinLee here

is potentially based on the OD&D Bugbear illustration by Greg Bell in 1975 (ehich inspired the Jack O'Bear in Runequest)...

I'm going on the raised-arm pose and the very peculiar chest anatomy, which would be a weird conincidence. Having said that, there might be a specifically Runequest image that is closer that has been overlooked.

Every day is Halloween...

 

[Zhu Bajie]

Hmm. So these might not be "early" Citadel any more, but rather mid-80s Citadel.

Prompted by Axioms Eternal Champions wants list.

EC05 Jhary-a-conel:

is based on

and EC05 Earl Aubec

is based on:

Of course, both images and sculpts are by one Jeremy Goodwin, the images published in TSR UK's Imagine magazine #22 January 1985 and the miniatures released by Citadel in 86/87(?).

 

[Zhu Bajie]

Thought I'd put him in here seeing he turned up in another thread.

FF65-2 Ferocious Man-Fish

They were probably supposed to be the Kuo-Toa from AD&D. Fiend Folio illustration by Alan Hunter:

the belt pouches and ankle binding / socks are very telling, and in the original D&D module Shrine of the Kuo Toa, they are referred to as Menfish.

 

[Don Hans]

What a great thread!

Here's my contribution. A FF Crabman I just finished:

 

[Zhu Bajie]

By the powers of darkness ....arise thread! )Nice Crabman BTW Don, think I commented on your blog on that!)

FF14 - Cyclops

Is from the the British (Games Workshop) edition of Dungeons & Dragons, art by Fangorn.

 

[Citadel Collector]

Nice find Zhu. I didn't realise there were British and other (presumably American) versions of D&D (my D&D-fu is very limited).

 

[Zhu Bajie]

Steve, the GW D&D edition was 1977, dark blue, John Blanche cover, about 6 pieces of Chris 'Fangorn' Baker internal art which replaced various US artists, so it wasn't a 'straight reprint' although the text is 100% taken from the original US edition. They did later versions that kept all the US art. The naked ladies might have had something to do with that

White Dwarf 19 - May 1980


- note the initials HL appear in the brickwork...

FS "Magic Mouth Doorway" - sculpted by Humphrey Leadbitter - first advertised in White Dwarf #12 according to SoLegends.

So not sure about the chronology of the art here, the drawing could have pre-dated the miniature as concept art and subsequently been used by the Dragonmeet folk, or might have been drawn from the miniature - the apparent redesign of the nostrils is quite odd choice to make if the drawing came later.