Dungeons and Dragons "Influential" Admits New York Times

Yes it's Tuesday, and I'm just now getting Moon Pope Monday's entry put up. The reason for that is I've spent the last few days setting up my own online shop so I can create custom gear for my fans here on Improved Initiative, and over at the sister blog The Literary Mercenary.

You know you want one.

If you'd like to check out the fledgling store then click right here. I'll be creating more gear for gamers, genre-lovers, and fans of fiction in all varieties.

Speaking of fiction, that brings me to today's topic.

New York Times Admits Dungeons and Dragons Influence

According to this article right here there are now a huge number of authors, playwrights, actors, screenwriters, and other pen monkeys who produce the entertainment you love that grew up using Dungeons and Dragons as their first tale-telling building blocks. From Junot Diaz to Brent Hartinger, along with men like Stephen Colbert and George R. R. Martin the game has had a massive, wide-reaching influence on the fiction you see on the shelves today.

Your point is?

All right for most of us this really isn't news. We already know how influential roleplaying games are because we've been reading these books. Some of us (myself included; my Amazon page is right here after all), use these games to keep our character creation and plot-skills sharp. That's not the point; the point is that in a culture that's still ringing with echoes of the Satanic Panic, and where big swaths of the populace still believe video games, heavy metal, and violent movies all lead to sexual deviancy and higher murder rates a major news outlet has acknowledged that the only thing playing roleplaying games really leads to is a better understanding of how story mechanics fit together to create a compelling, engaging plot.

In short, my friends, we stand victorious in the culture wars. The naysayers have had their books and papers debunked (such as the pack of lies that is "Seduction of the Innocent" that claimed comic books were destroying the youth; more at io9), and it's been shown that the things we love are no more harmful than any other form of entertainment.

This week on Moon Pope Monday I declare Mission Accomplished.

Again, thanks for stopping in and checking out what's going down in the world of gaming with Improved Initiative! If you'd like to follow my posts then plug your email into the box on the top right, or follow me on Facebook and Tumblr. If you'd like to keep me going then buy a book from Amazon, stop by my store and check out some of the sweet gear I'm now offering, toss a tip into the "Bribe the DM" button on the top right, or stop by my Patreon page and become a patron today!

The Dead Alewives "Dungeons and Dragons"

As we all know (or should know if you tuned in for last week's update which was all about the upcoming "Dark Dungeons" movie) the reason that so many tabletop games continue to walk around with a bad rep is because of a massive panic engineered in the 1980s called the Satanic Panic. It was no laughing matter; this witch hunt destroyed families, locked people up for decades on false, trumped-up charges and left a lingering pall over American culture that still leads to bullying, suspicion, and outright lies about people who enjoy certain forms of entertainment (more on all of that here).

There is only one response to this kind of baseless, groundless sensationalism; ridicule the holy shit out of it! And that is just what the Dead Alewives, a comedy troupe popular in the 1980s and 1990s, did in their famous skit "Dungeons and Dragons." Both parts of said skit are featured below, so if you've only heard the first half why not give both halves a listen?

Now that's comedy! As always thanks for dropping by Improved Initiative's Moon Pope Monday feature. If you'd like to support us feel free to click the "Bribe the DM" button, or if you'd rather go to our Patreon page and become a donor today! Lastly keep up to date with all of our latest and greatest by checking out Facebook or Tumblr, whatever suits your fancy.

Dark Dungeons, The Movie!

That's right devil-worshiping RPG fans, one of Jack Chick's most well-known comics is being immortalized in film! Dark Dungeons, arguably one of Chick's most famous pieces, warned children and parents alike of the danger of Satan lurking behind garishly painted dragons and complicated character sheets. For those of you who have been waiting all this time, the trailer is now available for your viewing pleasure!

Whew! I didn't know I had that much sarcasm in me.

For those of you unfamiliar with Dark Dungeons (I'm assuming ALL of you have seen it at some point in time, being RPG fans), it was a Christian pamphlet drawn by infamous artist Jack Chick in 1984. If you want more information about who Chick is and what he does, check out this article here. However, before you get too upset about a movie dedicated to one of the biggest lies to come out of the Satanic Panic of the 1980s (namely that roleplaying games lead players to worship Satan and commit murder, suicide, or both), read the fine print on this movie's homepage here. You'll notice that the site is adamant that it is not making a parody, but is instead attempting to capture the feeling and message of the original Jack Chick comic.

You'll also notice the movie is being made by the same people who made The Gamers, Dorkness Rising, Hands of Fate, and Journey Quest. So I think we can safely say that this production will be extremely accurate to the source material, as there is no way to parody Chick tracts. All you can do is read them with a straight face, and let the laughter commence.

For more information on the Satanic Panic of the 1980s (perhaps the most embarrassing witch hunt in America's long history of witch hunts), check out this article. Also remember that Dark Dungeons is due for an August 14th release, so stay tuned and try to offer your support if you want to witness the resurrection of this little piece of history.


As always, thanks for stopping by Improved Initiative and checking out our Moon Pope Monday feature! To keep up with everything we're throwing out there, be sure to follow us on Facebook or on Tumblr.