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.

 

[CleverNickName]

It's funny reading that thread where Elmore imagined it was the same character throughout (although apparently he dyes his hair different colors as he levels up), that TSR used the Companion set artwork on a novel to depict... a woman.

32 years ago, TSR was already re-imagining this character as a woman without an uproar.

I'll say it again: women are warriors too.

This whole "argument" is lost on me.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

Elmore says he painted it as a male and is disappointed.

As a fan of the picture, I am disappointed in WotC. Yeah the sex doesn't matter and yes I love getting a new female barbarian mini (yes i plan to buy it) but this seems like an "ask the artist" situation. But WotC gonna WotC.

But now you can finally play your favourite Michelangelo painting on tabletop!

 

[overgeeked]

I always thought it was Warduke.

shrug

Cool. Warrior women rock.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

I'll say it again: women are warriors too.

This whole "argument" is lost on me.

No one, including Elmore (who painted plenty of woman warriors) is saying otherwise?

 

[Bedrockgames]

I do think it is a little silly to pretend there was a mystery around this (it was always clearly a man). If they want to change it and make the character officially a woman, that is fair. But we all knew what sex the character was

 

[DarkCrisis]

But now you can finally play your favourite Michelangelo painting on tabletop!

View attachment 361985

Only Michelangelo I recognize:

 

[Queer Venger]

I do wonder how many women feel that this is a victory for representation vs. non-women who think it is.

I’d tend to lean with whatever the consensus from women is (I know it’s impossible to get that data.)

If the consensus from women is “yes, we feel represented”, then great! I’m glad they made the mini a woman.

If the consensus from women is “no, not really. They just retconned a man to be woman and ignored the actual women warriors”, then it all becomes empty virtue for non-women.

This is easy.
Would women like to be represented in a fantasy (or any) genre of TTRPG in its art, characters, stories that they most certainly play, develop, create & write for?

I think the consensus is Yes.
Unless you want to do an exhaustive poll of 5000 women who play ttrpg and see the results?

 

[Umbran]

I do think it is a little silly to pretend there was a mystery around this (it was always clearly a man).

With respect - it was always taken to be a man, because we (including the artist) had stereotypes we applied to interpreting what we were looking at.

The fact that the mini can depict a woman from the vantage of the original piece, but a woman from the other side, suggest that it is actually less clear than folks insist, if you step away from the stereotypes and think about it.

If they want to change it and make the character officially a woman, that is fair. But we all knew what sex the character was

We all agreed what it was, because of stereotypes. "Hey, that's a lot like Conan - and Conan's a guy, so...."

 

[bmfrosty]

I do think it is a little silly to pretend there was a mystery around this (it was always clearly a man). If they want to change it and make the character officially a woman, that is fair. But we all knew what sex the character was

It's not a man or a woman. It's a bit of art that was used in a commercial product. It's a player's character at best. For Larry, it can be a man, and for everyone else, it's whoever they want it to be.

 

[jayoungr]

If the consensus from women is “no, not really. They just retconned a man to be woman and ignored the actual women warriors”, then it all becomes empty virtue for non-women.

Count me as a vote in the "No, not really" column.