eBay Today: I'm The Dungeon Master Posted by Rich on April 30, 2007 at 08:59 PM CST: Did you think Bizarro World is the only place you'd ever see heroes made from the likes of Ralph Malph and Buddy Lembeck? Think again! Though these boob-tube nerds are better known for getting into a sticky situation then out of one, even they can be knights in shining armor in the realm of Dungeons & Dragons. In 1974, Tactical Studies Rules published a playing guide for Dungeons & Dragons, spawning what many regard as the birth of the modern role-playing game. TSR's fantasy-adventure franchise quickly gained popularity as well as some unwanted notoriety. Dungeons and Dragons' perceived association with the occult and reports linking game play to violent crime put the franchise under scrutiny -- think Jack Thompson's arguments about violence in video games. But like a shield spell cast by a level 50 mage, the franchise deflected the bad press and in 1982 TSR formed partnerships expanding the license beyond the polyhedral die. By 1983, Dungeons & Dragons became a staple in mainstream America thanks in part to a Saturday-morning, animated-series following the adventures of 6 children who accidentally enter the realm of Dungeons & Dragons through a roller coaster ride gone awry. Led by Hank the Ranger and Eric the Cavalier, the group heeds the cryptic advice of the Dungeon Master in an effort to thwart the attacks of evil antagonist Venger. Ironically, two of television's more famous buffoon-sidekicks Willie Aames and Don Most lent their voices to the roles of heroes Hank and Eric, respectively. Like the franchise, the show was no stranger to controversy and was deemed one of the most violent shows on television during its three years on the air. Also in 1983, LJN released a 3 ¾ inch-scale Dungeons & Dragons toy line. Though the toys do not correspond with animated-series, they do showcase the diversity consistent with the Dungeons & Dragons franchise through use of colorful paint applications, a broad range of scale and a wide variety of characters, creatures, monsters, as well as a playset. The line was abruptly canceled in the midst of the second series, with speculation that LJN shifted gears to appease demand for the growing popularity of their World Wresting Federation license. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS LJN FIGURE LOT SOME MOC For the record, in 1997 TSR was purchased by Wizards of the Coast, who's parent company is now Hasbro, Inc. 005