D&D General D&D Red Box: Who Is The Warrior?

The Dungeons & Dragons Red Box, famously illustrated by Larry Elmore in 1983, featured cover art of a warrior fighting a red dragon. The piece is an iconic part of D&D's history.

WizKids is creating a 50th Anniversary D&D miniatures set for the D&D Icons of the Realms line which includes models based on classic art from the game, such as the AD&D Player's Handbook's famous 'A Paladin In Hell' piece by David Sutherland in 1978, along with various monsters and other iconic images. The set will be available in July 2024.

Amongst the collection is Elmore's dragon-fighting warrior. This character has only ever been seen from behind, and has never been named or identified. However, WizKids’ miniature gives us our first look at them from the front. The warrior is a woman; the view from behind is identical to the original art, while the view from the front--the first time the character's face has ever been seen--is, as WizKids told ComicBook.com, "purposefully and clearly" a woman. This will be one of 10 secret rare miniatures included in the D&D Icons of the Realms: 50th Anniversary booster boxes.

The original artist, Larry Elmore, says otherwise. (Update—the linked post has since been edited).

It's a man!

Gary didn't know what he wanted, all he wanted was something simple that would jump out at you. He wanted a male warrior. If it was a woman, you would know it for I'm pretty famous for painting women.

There was never a question in all these years about the male warrior.

No one thought it was a female warrior. "Whoever thought it was a female warrior is quite crazy and do not know what they are talking about."

This is stupid. I painted it, I should know.

- Larry Elmore​

Whether or not Elmore's intent was for the character to be a man, it seems that officially she's a woman. Either way, it's an awesome miniature. And for those who love the art, you can buy a print from Larry Elmore's official website.

 

[CM]

It's a cool figure, regardless of the gender. I think the quote from Wizkids may be being misread - They're saying they made the figure "purposefully and clearly" female, not that the original artwork is purposely and clearly female. Maybe Elmore's "get off my lawn" response is based on that interpretation.

 

[Reynard]

Turning that painting into a female warrior mini is some Grade A outrage farming by WizKids. Bra-Vo. There is no universe in which this doesn't cause a stir in geek circles and likely beyond, and WizKids can only benefit.

Now, personally, I think outrage farming is pretty gross. If I thought WizKids had done it in a good faith effort to diversify D&D, I would be all for it. But I don't. I think they wanted to get people engaged in an angry way in order to get some attention and up their sales. It's gross. It's common, but it is still gross.

 

[Superchunk77]

Whether or not Elmore's intent was for the character to be a man, it seems that officially she's a woman. Either way, it's an awesome miniature. And for those who love the art, you can buy a print from Larry Elmore's official website.

Elmore has clearly stated the painting's character is, and always was, male. The Wizkids miniature was intended to be a woman. So both of those statements should be considered "official". The wording in the article should be clarified to denote that.

 

[Superchunk77]

Turning that painting into a female warrior mini is some Grade A outrage farming by WizKids. Bra-Vo. There is no universe in which this doesn't cause a stir in geek circles and likely beyond, and WizKids can only benefit.

Now, personally, I think outrage farming is pretty gross. If I thought WizKids had done it in a good faith effort to diversify D&D, i would be all for it . but I don't. I think they wanted to get people engaged in an angry way in order to get come attention and up their sales. it's gross. it's common, but it is still gross.

Completely agree.

 

[CleverNickName]

Turning that painting into a female warrior mini is some Grade A outrage farming by WizKids. Bra-Vo. There is no universe in which this doesn't cause a stir in geek circles and likely beyond, and WizKids can only benefit.

Now, personally, I think outrage farming is pretty gross. If I thought WizKids had done it in a good faith effort to diversify D&D, i would be all for it . but I don't. I think they wanted to get people engaged in an angry way in order to get come attention and up their sales. it's gross. it's common, but it is still gross.

At this very minute, certain self-described "influencers" are frothing in front of their webcams and frantically uploading their hawt take to YouTube, trying to get a slice of that same pie. And sadly, it'll work.

It works every time.

 

[Bacon Bits]

My only disappointment is that this will be another stupid thing for TTRPG reactionaries to be endlessly outraged about. In the past I would have found the nose-tweaking hilarious. I think now I just find it tedious.

The miniature is fine. Elmore's response is fine. WizKids is fine for making a miniature "purposefully and clearly a woman" and Elmore is fine for saying he intended the artwork to depict a man. Neither of these things are big deals, and in a sane world neither of them would be news.

But this is not a sane world.

 

[Thommy H-H]

Fun fact: the essay that gave us the phrase "death of the author" was published over 15 years before Elmore painted that box art.

 

[Dire Bare]

Elmore needs to relax. All due respect to one of my favorite classic D&D artists.

I totally believe Elmore when he says the art order from Gygax was for a man fighting a dragon. And that Elmore painted a man. And that no one really questioned that in the decades since. Well, yeah.

The miniature is clearly a woman. Not the original painting.

WizKids decided to embody this classic piece of art by making the character a woman and . . . I am totally cool with that.

I will giggle and munch on my popcorn as some folks get all bent out of shape over this.

EDIT: Oh, and WizKids/WotC are "outrage farming"? Sure. munch, munch . . .

 

[Stormonu]

So, all this time it was Warduke's sister Warduchess?

 

[Tonguez]

Well that explains the fabulous boots

Personally I thought it was the same Adventurer in the intro adventure, maybe somewhat later in his career