David A. Trampier
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| David A. Trampier | |
| Born | |
| Nationality |
 |
| Pseudonym(s) | Tramp, DAT |
| Notable works | Wormy, AD&D Players Handbook |
Dave A. Trampier is a former artist and writer who worked on some of the earliest editions of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. He would sign his work with his initials (DAT), or often as Tramp. He is best known as the creator of the "Wormy" comic strip that ran in Dragon magazine.
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[edit] Wormy
From its inception in issue #9, until its abrupt end in issue #132, Trampier's "Wormy" comic was a popular feature of Dragon. Each issue of Dragon would have anywhere from one to four pages of "Wormy". The comic's storylines were cleverly plotted, and its art was carefully drawn and colored.
"Wormy" featured a title character in the form of a cigar-chomping, pool hustling, wargaming dragon, and a colorful cast of monsters who were his neighbors and friends; the stories were told unwaveringly from the point of view of the antagonists of the Dungeons & Dragons game, and the types of characters that players would be expected to portray, such as wizards and warriors, were presented as unwelcome intruders. Life between Wormy's neighbors was never peaceful, either, and while many confrontational scenes were played for laughs, Trampier was also skillful in presenting stark violence in a darkly dramatic light.
[edit] Other works
Cover by D. A. Trampier.
Outside of Wormy, Trampier's most enduring visual legacy is the cover of the American first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook. Most recently, it was parodied in 2000 by John Kovalic on the cover of the first volume of his Dork Tower collection, Dork Covenant.
Trampier also provided much of the black and white interior art in many of the original Advanced Dungeons & Dragons adventure modules and manuals, such as the original Monster Manual and Deities & Demigods. His 1979 cover art for the original monochromatic version of the module The Village of Hommlet is widely recognized among fans of earlier D&D materials, and has become a collectors item.
Trampier painted the cover, and provided some of the interior illustrations, for the first edition of TSR's Gamma World roleplaying game, published in 1978.
He is credited as co-designer, along with Jason McAllister, of the Titan board game published by Avalon Hill in 1980.
[edit] Sudden departure from career
"Wormy" suddenly stopped appearing in Dragon after the April 1988 issue (#132), in the middle of a storyline. In issue #136, in response to a reader letter, the Dragon editors wrote: "We regret to announce that 'Wormy' will no longer be appearing in DRAGON Magazine. We are looking into the possibility of adding another graphic series in the future."
David Trampier, the artist and writer, effectively vanished at that point, and his public has never reliably heard from him since.
[edit] Rumors circulate
In the absence of all public contact, rumors as to his fate began to circulate in gaming circles, and ultimately online, from the late 1980s on.
Kim Mohan, then editor Dragon Magazine, told Phil Foglio that payments sent to Tampier for Wormy were returned unopened. Foglio explained that "When an artist's checks are returned uncashed, he is presumed dead."[1] Inquiries by TSR at his residence showed that he had moved with no forwarding address.[citation needed]
Rumors that he had died have been denied by Tom Wham, Trampier's brother-in-law. Wham stated as recently as 2004 that he believed Trampier "still exists somewhere in Illinois"[2]
[edit] New career as taximan?
A February 15, 2002 article in the online edition of the Daily Egyptian, the student newspaper of Southern Illinois University, featured a taxi driver named David Trampier working in Carbondale, and included a photograph. The article made no mention of a former career in art or gaming.[3]
Gary Gygax and other TSR staff of the time confirm it is the same David Trampier who drew "Wormy".[citation needed]
Wizards of the Coast in 2003 acknowledged the confusion and consternation on behalf of fans and simply confirm that Trampier is "alive and well" but "not currently work in gaming or comics".[4]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Foglio related this conversation to Chris Adams at Dexcon 4 in 1995 (Adams 1998)
- ^ Full quote is "my good friend and brother in law, Dave Trampier (some of you might remember Wormy from the early dragons). Wormy fans, please note: Dave and I last communicated in 1982, he still exists somewhere in Illinois, I think, but I do not know how to get in touch with him. Sorry."(Wham 2004)
- ^ (Thompson 2002)
- ^ Hahn, Joel A; Wizards of the Coast Staff (2003). Dungeons & Dragons FAQ. Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved on April 3, 2007.
[edit] References
- Adams, Chris (1998-04-03). Trampier's Wormy Bootwebbed. Yamara Central. Retrieved on March 14, 2007.
- Mamer, Karl. Wormy. Retrieved on March 9, 2007.
- Thompson, Arin (2002-02-15), "Coffee, cigarettes and speed bumps: A night with a Carbondale cabby", Daily Egyptian online version published 2005-11-17. Retrieved on 2007-03-14
- TSR Insider (Name withheld by request) (1999-08-13). Letter Subject: Trampier. Aetherco. Retrieved on March 9, 2007.
- rec.games.frp.dnd FAQ: 4/9 -- Meta, Misc., Religion. Retrieved on March 9, 2007.
- August 1988, "Letters - Farewell to Wormy", Dragon Magazine (no. #136)
- Wham, Tom (2004-11-10). Tom Wham's Gangster Game. Retrieved on March 14, 2007.
