Gryphon Magazine #1 from Summer 1980

Posts: 2 · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:33 pm

Was just cleaning out my closet and found a copy of Gryphon Magazine #1 from 1980. Purchased many, many years ago at the auctions of GENCON when it was at UW-Parkside. It's in mint condition, but of course the question is .... is it worth anything?

Posts: 58 · Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 11:32 pm

I'm hoping it is... as noted elsewhere, I'm cleaning out a lot of old gaming stuff and among that is Gryphons 1 - 4. If your's hits Ebay before mine, I'll be watching closely. Smile

(Although mine aren't in mint, only very good to excellent).

Carl

Posts: 58 · Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:45 pm

Reviving Topic:

So - what do those of you who have been collecting for a while know about Gryphon Magazine?

What I have are the first four issues (published in 1980 to 1981 by Baron Publishing).

Questions: How many issues did they publish? I can find no evidence that they ever published a fifth issue. Two or three sites mention articles from the first four issues - were four issues the entire run?

Any idea how many copies they published for each issue?

Any estimate of value?

Carl

Posts: 58 · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 9:53 pm

What? Nothing?

Smile

(My research shows that the publisher - Baron Publishing - was having financial problems in 1981 (according to one of the 'gossip' writers for a contemporary magazine and that this delayed the fourth issue so that it came out in Winter 1981 rather than Summer or Fall 1981. But I haven't found any confirmation that Winter 1981 was the final issue. Since what I have is a full run of all issues published (so far as I can determine), I'll probably try to sell them as a single item.

Pauljuno - did you ever try to sell your single issue and if so what did you get for it?
Noble Knight Games lists issues 1 and 2 as available (1 each in stock) at $10.00 and $9.00 respectively.

Carl

Posts: 2938 · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 11:09 pm

Syrsuro---

Do the issues contain any interesting articles---EGG interviews, etc.?

IIRC I have one or two issues of Gryphon, and I vaugely recall an EGG interview in one of the issues, but but I'm on vacation in Wichita right now, and can't check 'til next week.

Posts: 647 · Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2004 12:01 am

Howdy Allan,

grodog wrote:

Do the issues contain any interesting articles---EGG interviews, etc.?

Yes, #1 does.

Futures Bright,

Paul

Posts: 58 · Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 6:29 pm

I have arranged to sell them to someone who wants them specifically for a series of articles reviewing many of the miniatures available at that time.

Here are the contents...

Full Title: Gryphon, The Forum of Fantasy and Science Fiction Gaming
Publisher: Baron Publishing Company
Editor: Rudy Kraft

ISSUE #1 (Summer 1980)

50 page Magazine
Cover Art: James Steuard
Empires in Conflict: Worlds in the Balance (review) - Steve List
An Interview with the Wizard of TSR, Gary Gygax - Rudy Kraft
The Galactic Companion - James Steuard
Interplanatary War as Worlds Collide (review) - Steve List
Providing Background Information on Religions in Runequest - Professor M. A. R. Barker
Cults of Prax Designer's Notes - Greg Stafford
Under the Gryphon's Gaze (Reviews of Miniatures) - John Yonos
Creative and Realistic Maps for FRP Gaming part 1 - James Steuard
Art and Illustrations: Anthony Chong, Steve Cobb, Steve Gifford

ISSUE #2 (Fall 1980)

58 page Magazine
Cover Art: Andy Newbry
Create a Religion in your Spare Time for Fun and Profit - M. A. R. Barker
Task Force Four: Review (Steve List) and Designer's Notes (Steve Cole)
The Beastlord Review (Erik Gunderson) and Designer's Notes (Michael S. Matheny)
The Galactic Companion - James Steuard
Under the Gryphon's Gaze (Review of Miniatures) - John Yonos, Suzette Steuard, and Jefferson Meyer
Creative and Realistic Maps for FRP Gaming, part 2 - James Steuard
Art and Illustrations: Staff Artists Anthony Chong, Dorlinda Chong, Steve Cobb, Steve Gifford, Andy Newbry

ISSUE #3 (Spring 1981)

60 page Magazine.
Cover Art: Richard Becker
Freedom in the Galaxy: Review (Allem Doum and Kevin Portz) and Designer's Notes (John Butterfield)
Starfall (review) - Steve List
Marine 2002: The First Lunar War (review) Kevin Duke
Fantasy Role Playing Tips - William R.Keyes
Ships of the Imperium Ship Plans for Traveller, pt.1 - James Steuard and Peter Daglio
The Galacitc Companion - James Steuard
Under the Gryphon's Gaze (Miniatures Reviews) - John Yonos
Creative and Realistic Maps for FRPGs part 3 - James Steuard
Interface - Bill Sanders
Art and Illustrations - Richard Becker, Anthony Chong, Dorlinda Chong, Steve Cobb, Peter Daglio, Steve Gifford, G. Moshofsky, Andry Newbry, Bruce Whitefield.

ISSUE #4 (Winter 1981)

50 page Magazine
Special Traveller Issue
Phildor, A world Profile for Traveller - Tony Watson
Foundations for a Fantasy Role Playing Game - Marc Miller
Crash on Cunnoic - A Scout Adventure for Traveller
Ships of the Imperium - Ship Plans for Traveller part 2 - James Steuard and Peter Daglio
Four Mercenary Tickets - Roberto Camino
The Galacitic Companion - James Steuard
Under the Gryphon's Gaze (Miniatures Reviews) -
John Yonos
The Academy of the Black Arts - William Platz
Creative and Realistic Maps for FRP Gaming - part 4 - James Steuard
Interface - Bill Sanders
Art and Illustration: Steve Crompton, Richard Becker, Anthony Chong, Dorlinda Chong, Steve Cobb, Peter Daglio, Steve Gifford, Guillian Marshall, G. Moshofsky, Nadir, Andy Newbry

The EGG interview is from 1979 and as I recall it discusses how TSR is doing (well) and a few comments about how the J. Dallas Egbert disappearance affected their business.

Carl

Posts: 710 · Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 6:21 am

pauljuno wrote:

Was just cleaning out my closet and found a copy of Gryphon Magazine #1 from 1980. Purchased many, many years ago at the auctions of GENCON when it was at UW-Parkside. It's in mint condition, but of course the question is .... is it worth anything?

I bought all the issues (four...) for the equivalent of $ 10 here. The magazine is moderately interesting and it features very in depth reviews. My best guess is that a copy of Gryphon could be worth around $ 3-5 at most.