THE ART OF THE "RED BOX"

It's not secret that I'm in love with Larry Elmore's artwork, especially his cover to the classic Dungeons & Dragons "red box," but there's an alternate "red box" cover out there that I think deserves as much respect as the original Elmore design.

When WOTC decided to update the original 1983 basic set as part of their new Essentials line, I was excited because it was the first time in many, many years that the classic Elmore print I so loved would be back on store shelves, but when I opened the box, I was surprised to see that Elmore's artwork no longer donned the actual books! What greeted me was a new print by Ralph Horsley that paid homage to the Elmore classic. I was a little ticked off at first, but as I studied the artwork I became more and more enamored over it. The print not only pays homage to the original Elmore classic, it takes the idea of a single man battling a force of great evil and presents it to a new generation. I think that is why I have always loved this particular image, it, to me, showcases what DnD is all about: a lowly adventurer overcoming great odds.