Comments on: RIP: Gary Gygax http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/ The News Blog of Comics Culture Sat, 11 Feb 2012 08:33:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v= hourly 1 By: Peter Singer http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36116 Peter Singer Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:26:52 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36116 I didn't begin my RPGing with D&D, nor have I played a lot of D&D in my time. Greg Stafford means a lot more to me in terms of games I enjoy. Still... E. Gary Gygax is the one who started my favorite hobby. RIP, Mr. Gygax. <I>Wizards has effectively wrote Gary out of continuity with 4.0, discontinuing Greyhawk.</I> No, he's still there. It's still called Dungeons & Dragons, after all. Gygax and Arneson haven't been retconned. And this isn't the first time Greyhawk's been discontinued, right? It, Schwarzenegger, will be back. I didn’t begin my RPGing with D&D, nor have I played a lot of D&D in my time. Greg Stafford means a lot more to me in terms of games I enjoy. Still… E. Gary Gygax is the one who started my favorite hobby.

RIP, Mr. Gygax.

Wizards has effectively wrote Gary out of continuity with 4.0, discontinuing Greyhawk.

No, he’s still there. It’s still called Dungeons & Dragons, after all. Gygax and Arneson haven’t been retconned.

And this isn’t the first time Greyhawk’s been discontinued, right? It, Schwarzenegger, will be back.

]]> By: michael http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36115 michael Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:26:25 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36115 Just found out about this. It's a sad day. R.I.P. Mr. Gygax. :( Just found out about this. It’s a sad day. R.I.P. Mr. Gygax. :(

]]> By: Tom Spurgeon http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36114 Tom Spurgeon Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:56:07 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36114 Funeral fist fight! Funeral fist fight!

]]> By: Dave T. Game http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36113 Dave T. Game Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:44:23 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36113 "Wizards has effectively wrote Gary out of continuity with 4.0, discontinuing Greyhawk." Please shut up. It drives me crazy that a great man's death is being used to push forward people's bugaboos. The new edition of D&D will be dedicated to Gary, and that's a fine tribute. “Wizards has effectively wrote Gary out of continuity with 4.0, discontinuing Greyhawk.”

Please shut up. It drives me crazy that a great man’s death is being used to push forward people’s bugaboos.

The new edition of D&D will be dedicated to Gary, and that’s a fine tribute.

]]> By: John Warren http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36112 John Warren Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:01:22 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36112 Gary Gygax was a creative man who showed millions of people a way to tap into their own creativity and have fun. Probably only Stan Lee has had a greater influence on things that fill my spare time. Goddard, his death is being reported here because there are people who are interested in both comics and D&D. Or simply because Heidi found it worth reporting. Sure, there is a negative stereotype of a D&D nerd out there. Yes, it has a lot in common with the negative stereotype of the comics nerd. But to argue that the existence of D&D has been detrimental to comics? That's a pretty big leap of logic. There are always going to be nerds. Does every nerd hurt comics? Did D&D make more nerds, or were the nerds already there? What about Star Wars nerds? Do they hurt comics too? There are a LOT of Star Wars nerds out there who like to dress up and go to conventions. Does that hurt comics? Star Trek nerds? Babylon-5 nerds? Buffy nerds? Lord of the Rings nerds? And what about LARPers? I bet *they're* the reason for most of the problems that comics are having these days. They're the nerdiest nerds of all. Gary Gygax was a creative man who showed millions of people a way to tap into their own creativity and have fun. Probably only Stan Lee has had a greater influence on things that fill my spare time.

Goddard, his death is being reported here because there are people who are interested in both comics and D&D. Or simply because Heidi found it worth reporting. Sure, there is a negative stereotype of a D&D nerd out there. Yes, it has a lot in common with the negative stereotype of the comics nerd.

But to argue that the existence of D&D has been detrimental to comics? That’s a pretty big leap of logic. There are always going to be nerds. Does every nerd hurt comics? Did D&D make more nerds, or were the nerds already there? What about Star Wars nerds? Do they hurt comics too? There are a LOT of Star Wars nerds out there who like to dress up and go to conventions. Does that hurt comics? Star Trek nerds? Babylon-5 nerds? Buffy nerds? Lord of the Rings nerds?

And what about LARPers? I bet *they’re* the reason for most of the problems that comics are having these days. They’re the nerdiest nerds of all.

]]> By: Albone http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36111 Albone Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:45:41 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36111 Wizards has effectively wrote Gary out of continuity with 4.0, discontinuing Greyhawk. Gary was running gaming sessions up until January and it's a shame that I didn't get out there to participate more. He was a very cool and appreciative guy. Wizards has effectively wrote Gary out of continuity with 4.0, discontinuing Greyhawk.

Gary was running gaming sessions up until January and it’s a shame that I didn’t get out there to participate more. He was a very cool and appreciative guy.

]]> By: Ian Boothby http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36110 Ian Boothby Wed, 05 Mar 2008 07:26:04 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36110 Stop trying to disprove the stereotype. Nothing's holding back comics, while people are making basement jokes the comics themselves have gotten better and better. Gary Gygax gave a lot of people a lot of good times. We should all be so lucky. Stop trying to disprove the stereotype. Nothing’s holding back comics, while people are making basement jokes the comics themselves have gotten better and better.
Gary Gygax gave a lot of people a lot of good times. We should all be so lucky.

]]> By: Torsten Adair http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36109 Torsten Adair Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:51:18 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36109 "Life's a die, then you bitch." --button slogan Most regional SF/Fantasy conventions would not exist were it not for the cash gamer attendees pay. They enter the ballroom on Friday, spend the entire weekend gaming, stumble out on Sunday afternoon satisfied, and all it cost was tables and volunteers to run the tournaments. One convention I worked funded the first show by running a one-day gaming con during Easter Break! How many comics shops also sell gaming paraphenalia? How many comics writers also write fantasy and science fiction? And for every Comic Book Guy stereotype, there's an interesting, intelligent fangirl like Asia Carera. “Life’s a die, then you bitch.” –button slogan
Most regional SF/Fantasy conventions would not exist were it not for the cash gamer attendees pay. They enter the ballroom on Friday, spend the entire weekend gaming, stumble out on Sunday afternoon satisfied, and all it cost was tables and volunteers to run the tournaments. One convention I worked funded the first show by running a one-day gaming con during Easter Break!
How many comics shops also sell gaming paraphenalia? How many comics writers also write fantasy and science fiction?
And for every Comic Book Guy stereotype, there’s an interesting, intelligent fangirl like Asia Carera.

]]> By: goddard http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36108 goddard Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:58:01 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36108 no disrespect to the recently deceased, but didn't Mr Gygax represent the very stereotype that we all try so hard to disprove? didn't his creation, it's followers, and the public perception of both in some ways help keep this artform that we love relegated to dank "LCS" and mother's basements for decades? i'm sure he was a perfectly wonderful human being, but many of the people he gave voice and persona to have done nothing but damage to the zeitgeist surrounding comics, stunting it's growth and acceptance. and if you think Gygax and Dungeons and Dragons don't have any effect or influence in the world of comics and cartooning, you are wrong. why else would it be reported here? no disrespect to the recently deceased, but didn’t Mr Gygax represent the very stereotype that we all try so hard to disprove?
didn’t his creation, it’s followers, and the public perception of both in some ways help keep this artform that we love relegated to dank “LCS” and mother’s basements for decades?
i’m sure he was a perfectly wonderful human being, but many of the people he gave voice and persona to have done nothing but damage to the zeitgeist surrounding comics, stunting it’s growth and acceptance.

and if you think Gygax and Dungeons and Dragons don’t have any effect or influence in the world of comics and cartooning, you are wrong. why else would it be reported here?

]]> By: J. Kevin Carrier http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36107 J. Kevin Carrier Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:05:40 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36107 I would never have survived high school if it weren't for D&D. So long, and thanks for all the kobolds. I would never have survived high school if it weren’t for D&D.

So long, and thanks for all the kobolds.

]]> By: Andrew Laubacher http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36106 Andrew Laubacher Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:53:24 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36106 I've been playing various incarnations of D&D since the mid-1980s. I met my wife through gamer friends. We got her playing and now she GMs. I've never met Gary, but he will be missed. I’ve been playing various incarnations of D&D since the mid-1980s. I met my wife through gamer friends. We got her playing and now she GMs.

I’ve never met Gary, but he will be missed.

]]> By: Andrew Laubacher http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36105 Andrew Laubacher Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:53:08 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36105 I've been playing various incarnations of D&D since the mid-1980s. I met my wife through gamer friends. We got her playing and now she GMs. I've never met Gary, but will be missed. I’ve been playing various incarnations of D&D since the mid-1980s. I met my wife through gamer friends. We got her playing and now she GMs.

I’ve never met Gary, but will be missed.

]]> By: Mark Coale http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36104 Mark Coale Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:17:27 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36104 I actually didn't start playing until college, which was pretty fun, since playing D&D while ever-so-slightly inebriated was lots of fun. I actually didn’t start playing until college, which was pretty fun, since playing D&D while ever-so-slightly inebriated was lots of fun.

]]> By: Dan Taylor http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36103 Dan Taylor Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:11:45 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36103 Having first played Dungeons & Dragons over thirty plus years ago, D&D was the spark of creativity that ignited my imagination. While I haven't had much involvement with the game over the last few years, I am looking forward to the fourth edition coming out later this year, and look fondly at the years of enjoyment that D&D has provided over the years. Having first played Dungeons & Dragons over thirty plus years ago, D&D was the spark of creativity that ignited my imagination. While I haven’t had much involvement with the game over the last few years, I am looking forward to the fourth edition coming out later this year, and look fondly at the years of enjoyment that D&D has provided over the years.

]]> By: Matt Maxwell http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36102 Matt Maxwell Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:43:41 +0000 http://www.comicsbeat.com/2008/03/04/rip-gary-gygax/#comment-36102 FARK already went that route, Brian. Man, this is like the penultimate nail in the coffin of my childhood. FARK already went that route, Brian.

Man, this is like the penultimate nail in the coffin of my childhood.

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