Seeing has how there’s a postage rate hike here in the U.S. as of this week,1 I took it upon myself to order some new stamps before they become 7% more expensive. The D&D stamps discussed last year weren’t available yet (evidently to be released today, on August 1), and by appearances they’re rolling forward with the rather lack-luster 5th Edition-centric art selections. This is to be expected–the present caretaker of the game has been altogether perfunctory about the 50th Anniversary of D&D, most likely for two reasons. The first is disorganization after the Purge of last December: they probably just don’t have enough corporate will or focus to celebrate when the company was seemingly gutted by layoffs, and the push for the revised/new edition is likely taking most of their internal resources. The second reason is probably just an unwillingness to call too much attention to the earliest versions of the game out of fear of criticism, which seems to be reflected by the apologetic preamble to the “Making of D&D” book released last month.
But, frankly, I don’t care. I’m “celebrating” by having fun running a game and gathering folks around the table–I don’t need to buy stuff to help “monetize the brand” and “leverage properties” or whatever gets bounced around at marketing meetings. The magic of D&D is the DIY spirt. To paraphrase the Grinch: “‘Maybe D&D,’ he thought, ‘doesn’t come from a store. Maybe D&D… perhaps… means a little bit more!'”
I didn’t intend to write about that today, though! No, I instead sat down at the keyboard to call your attention to a set of stamps slated for release in the UK that appear to have a much more dynamic art section. Featuring the art of Wayne Reynolds, and also released for the game’s 50th anniversary, these are much more appealing to me. Remember how I said it was weird there was no Beholder on a stamp? The UK got it right: they picked the exact image I talked about last year. There’s the other iconic stuff too: a Mind Flayer! A Mimic! An Owlbear! A Gelatinous Cube!!! As I think I mentioned before, I can run a little hot & cold toward Mr. Reynolds’ style: it’s like hot sauce–great and welcome, but it doesn’t need to be on everything. But it’s a style, which is something I’m just not getting from the current generation of artwork.
Still, as a 50th anniversary celebration goes, the Royal Mail and USPS selections share the same flaw: the work simply isn’t retrospective enough. At the very least, it feels like a 50th anniversary should look at the beginning and the present. I think of my grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary, which was certainly a celebration of the present moment, but also the beginning. I was part of the troupe of grandchildren in the 50th anniversary photo, but it’s all the more notable when compared to the photo of two young people who walked into a portrait studio in 1948 right after their wedding ceremony.
So as we commemorate 50 years of D&D, and indeed the table-top RPG hobby, remember: D&D doesn’t come from books, a convoluted multi-tier online service, or some corporate office park situated outside of Seattle. Heck, it didn’t even come from Lake Geneva. It comes from around the table, and the exchange of imaginative energy between friends… perhaps even strangers agreeing to be friends for a few hours at a time. D&D is us, not the miniatures or a particular edition or the virtual tabletop or the tastefully furnished basement game room. That’s all just decoration. We’re D&D, so gather those friends around the table! Pile onto the couches in the living room, or log into your online communication utility of choice, and engage in the always-subversive activity of imagining a different world.
- Technically a couple weeks ago since some time has passed between the first draft and clicking “Publish.” ↩︎