Earliest White Dwarf Magazine

[Beelzebrush]

I was looking at this website earlier - http://index.rpg.net/display-search.phtml?key=magazine&value=White+Dwarf&type=pictures at the WD covers and was trying to remember which was the earliest magazine that I first bought. I reckon it was Issue # 41 0o which is the one below (although it may have been No. 39 but I'm not totally sure)... 27 years ago!!!!

I'm guessing that some of you will probably have bought it earlier though! I remember these mags were quite varied and covered lots of different games, RPGs, minis etc.... Rather than just being a catalogue of ads.

75p lol

Anyone (coffin dodgers) recognise any?

 

[Roger Bunting]

The earliest one I'm sure I bought is #71. A friend had some earlier than that though. Can't remember which issue.

I do recall, however, that I had some issues that numbered in the 60s.

 

[supervike]

Way before my time. I think the earliest ones I have were all in the 80-90s issue numbers.

 

[freakinacage]

i think 140 is the earliest i have. but it wasn't bought by me. god, you're old!

 

[BPI]

Well, as they're to hand

This is the first one I ever bought...

...at a wargames show in Manchester city centre. There were 4 or 5 to choose from on the table & I liked that cover best Also got to meet Steve Jackson & Ian Livingstone, they were signing Fighting Fantasy books & the new Shamutanti Hills slipcase Sorcery book. I think the Fighting Fantasy plastics might have been new too, as I vaguely remember a demo game using them in a huge modelled dungeon. The other bit I remember was a cordoned off bit of floor containing a diarama of a huge fantasy force assaulting a castle, in my mind it took up at least the floorspace of a double-bed!

This is the earliest issue I own...

Cheers, B.

 

[Roger Bunting]

What I regret is throwing them out years ago when I was on a hobby hiatus and I needed some space. I made the same mistake a few years later when my friend gave me old collection, which I read and then threw away.

 

[Beelzebrush]

I think my mum and dad sold all of mine at a car boot sale a few years ago... I sort of wish I still had them.

@ BPI... I love the cover to No. 54. I actually painted that on the back of a leather or denim jacket for a mate, many moons ago.
@ Freak... I am definitely beginning to feel bloody old! (I was blaming the Winter.... but I reckon it's actually age!! )

 

[supervike]

I think my mum and dad sold all of mine at a car boot sale a few years ago... I sort of wish I still had them.

It is quite a nostalgic feeling to thumb through the really old ones, back when White Dwarf felt like a hobby mag, and not a slick advertisement.

I especially loved looking at the different ads from gaming stores.

I dumped all my back issues though, brought them downtown to the recycle bin, and pitched them in. There were several pangs of regret, but overall I'm glad i did it.

 

[Dedwrekka]

I remember these mags were quite varied and covered lots of different games, RPGs, minis etc.... Rather than just being a catalogue of ads.

back when White Dwarf felt like a hobby mag, and not a slick advertisement.

I especially loved looking at the different ads from gaming stores.

Posts edited for apparent irony.
Despite going from a multi-developer layout to a mono-developer layout, White Dwarf has always been about advertising some game system. Even the hobby stuff is still there, but limited to GW.

 

[Beelzebrush]

... Well it bears little resemblance to todays WD, it actually read like a magazine that covered interesting stuff, that 'perhaps' made you want to go and investigate.....

... rather than having it rammed down your throat??

 

[Sir Wulf]

I still have most of my old issues of White Dwarf, starting with #8. It was a great magazine back in those days. The articles covered numerous game systems (Yes, they were the ones distributed in England by GW...) and gave players and GMs the tools to make their own adventurous worlds.

Now I feel old...

 

[Roger Bunting]

Posts edited for apparent irony.
Despite going from a multi-developer layout to a mono-developer layout, White Dwarf has always been about advertising some game system. Even the hobby stuff is still there, but limited to GW.

But they used to have stories and scenarios for games and new rules, free, for games.

 

[supervike]

Posts edited for apparent irony.
Despite going from a multi-developer layout to a mono-developer layout, White Dwarf has always been about advertising some game system. Even the hobby stuff is still there, but limited to GW.

But the difference is, they've gone from a layout of hobby articles interspersed with a few ads, to a complete advert interspersed with a few hobby articles.

 

[Dedwrekka]

But they used to have stories and scenarios for games and new rules, free, for games.

There have been rules for Warhammer 40k listed recently (Spearhead, Blood Angels, ect) and Warhammer Fantasy (Warhammer Fantasy Large Battle rules) interspersed with articles on dynamic poses on models, converting vehicles and WFB regiments, spotlights on creative army ideas and concepts, tacticas, stories and background as each race is updated.

Yeah, it is a big advert, but so was the old WD, and so is every magazine in existence (probably).

 

[Tarreknoire]

I think I have 1 - 200, the gaps I had I purchased, but then WD just lost its luster for me... my hobby wants changed and I didnt feel comfortable having one company thrust ads all the time - some of the first issues are FAB - everyone is in them.. Thrud arhhh! and when TSR worked with GW on projects... as well as many many other companies...

I still have the magazines, every now and then I bring out a box and rummage - finding treasures of long OOP ...

Dont get me wrong - the current WD hits its target market and does exacting what is says it should market promote show display to its core audience - not many other companies has its own periodical like that.

yours
Tarrek