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A section dedicated to the creators of Hero Quest
Stephen Baker, the inventor
Stephen Baker is the man who has invented and created Hero Quest, the best all-time fantasy board game ever. Personage very particular, reluctant to speak about himself and his Hero Quest. He reveal hardly nothing of his personal life. It is even unknown where and when he was born (probably he was born in England). Today he works for the American magazine Business Week and to this link there is his official blog (online since 20 April 2005), in which Steve Baker speaks about several arguments (finance, sport, society, etc…). In rare moments Stephen Baker reveals in his blog personal information of his life. To this link there is his personal story, when he was 25 years old and he worked in Spain. To this link, instead, Stephen Baker speaks us about his first son, who is 18 years old (the second son has 3 years less). On his blog we can read that Stephen Baker already worked since 1998 for the Business Week magazine, but in Europe. Subsequently, in 2002, he has moved himself to New York. Before landing in the offices of Business Week, Stephen has worked for several newspapers of various cities of the world (Ludlow, Pittsburgh, Mexico City, El Paso, Vermont, Caracas). Baker holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin and a master's from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. From this link you can see his interview for Business Week !
The only interview about Hero Quest (available on this site) that Stephen has released dated back to 1998, when Andrea Angiolino, Italian journalist of great worth of Kaos magazine, succeeded to interview Stephen in the International Toy Fair, Nürnberg (Germany). However, it is inexplicable, still today, his abandonment of Hero Quest in 1993 and his lacked answers to various emails about Hero Quest, that still today arrive on his official blog by the lovers of this sensational board game. That after a lot of years has he forgotten as to play Hero Quest, even if he is the inventor ? Mystery. Stephen has realized numerous board games for Hasbro and other companies, moreover he has collaborated for the realization of two optimal board games, Inkognito and Misteries of old Peking. Here a list of all the board games created by Stephen Baker or to which he has collaborated. The last board game that it has seen the collaboration of Stephen is HeroScape, published in the 2004 by American division of Hasbro. Baker, for the realization of HeroScape, has worked with Craig Van Ness, another board game designer. It seems that Stephen Baker currently is working about the expansions of HeroScape. Official HeroScape site: www.hasbro.com/heroscape
Les Edwards, the artist
Much more available to the dialogue with the fans compared to Baker, Les Edwards has realized the wonderful drawings of the boxes of Hero Quest and of its European expansions, as you can see in the “curiosity” section. His drawings about Hero Quest in high resolution are unavailable (available on the site are only those in medium-high resolution). I have directly asked to Les , he has informed me that he has sold all them to Hasbro (I ask them to Hasbro, unfortunately they are not for sale). Hasbro used these marvellous drawings for the Hero Quest puzzles, too. The only works of Hero Quest that Les Edwards has available on his site for sale are the preliminary sketches of the expansions “Against the Ogre Horde” and “Wizards of Morcar”, whose price is about £150 each. Les Edwards has also made the drawings of barbarian, elf and wizard printed on the character boards of base set. Les was born in Walthamstow, London, September 7, 1949. To this link you can find detailed information about his life. Further information also at this link. Currently he lives in Essex, England, with his wife, Val. Official site: www.lesedwards.com
Gary Chalk, the illustrator of children's books
Gary Chalk has created light-dark drawings at pages 12 and 13 of the Hero Quest play booklet. He began creating illustrations of books for children of Redwall, before moving to the realization of fantasy drawings. He is particularly known for drawings in the Lone Wolf series, fantasy books published for the first time in 1984. Gary was born in England in 1952, in rural Hertfordshire, now he lives in Villedieu les Poeles, in France. Chalk has a Bachelor of Arts in design. He has worked for the board game Talisman. Some news on wikipedia. Gary doesn't respond to fan mails: maybe does he think to be in the circle of the Gods ? Someone notices him that he is a common mortal, like us poor fans. Official site: www.garychalk.com
John Sibbick, the illustrator of prehistory
John Sibbick has made the illustration of the Dwarf, in the character board of Hero Quest. This illustration was made in 1987 and, as you can see in "curiosity" section, it appeared as the cover of the June issue of White Dwarf, in the same year. Sibbick works as illustrator since 1972. It is probably best known for his prehistoric reconstructions, exhibited in prestigious museums in London, Edinburgh and Bristol. John lives in Bath, Great Britain. Official site: www.johnsibbick.com
Stephen Tappin, the master of light-dark
Stephen Tappin has realized the magnificent illustrations in light-dark inside the quest books of two expansions of Hero Quest, “Against the Ogre Horde” and “Wizards of Morcar” (except the illustration at page 9). The illustration represented at page 8 of “Wizards of Morcar” quest book, even if realized by Stephen Tappin, has been taken from Talisman City, a board game published in 1989. Recently he has produced illustrations for Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Today he lives in Sheffield and he is the director of www.arkvfx.net , a visual effects and animation company. Here a list of role-playing games and cards games for which Stephen Tappin has collaborated. Official site: www.stephentappin.com
Jes Goodwin, the cartographer
Jes Goodwin has realized the map “The old world”, for the book “Warhammer fantasy roleplay - A grim world of perilous adventure” of 1986. The same identical map has been then brought back at page 28 of the English quest book “Return of the Witch Lord”, where it is possible to read his name in the bottom of the page (only in some quest books). This map is not casual, in fact, as described in the section “curiosity”, Hero Quest takes place in the Warhammer world: in places as the “Sea of Claws” and the “Black fire pass” the vicissitudes of Hero Quest take place. But no personage of Hero Quest appear in the world of Warhammer, therefore the connection Hero Quest-Warhammer is exclusively of environment and cartographic type. Jes Goodwin has worked 16 years for the Games Workshop, as sculptor and draughtsman. To this link you can find some sketches realized by Jes. A lot of sketches are collected in his book “The Gothic And The Eldritch” and to this link comes described also the number of pages of the book. At last, to the link you can find a short description of his career. Jes has collaborated for the realization of some role-playing games as Land of Ninja (1987, to which also Stephen Tappin has collaborated ) and Where Chaos Reigns (1985). Jes has two sons and today he lives in Essex, England (where also Les Edwards lives).
Colin Howard, the illustrator of comics
Colin Howard has realized the light-dark illustration at page 4 of "Adventure Design Kit", third expansion of Hero Quest. Colin is probably best known for the covers of a comic series during the 1990s, Doctor Who. Today he lives in Norwich, Great Britain. Official site: www.colinhowardartwork.com
Adrian Smith, the Black Library illustrator
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Adrian Smith has realized the light-dark illustration at page 3 of "Adventure Design Kit", third expansion of Hero Quest. He has worked as illustrator for several societies, among them Wizards of the Coast. Now he works for Black Library, a division of Games Workshop. At link you can find several his works. Adrian was born in Sussex in 1969, today he lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with his wife Avril e his son Louis. Official site: www.adriansmith.co.uk
Mike McVey, the painter NEW !
Mike McVey is the official painter of the Hero Quest figures, as you can read at page 36 of English quest book in the base set. The figures that come supplied with Hero Quest and its expansions are not painted. But it is possible to notice, in the edges of the official box of the base set, painted figures (on one side of the box are represented: wizard, elf, dwarf, barbarian, caos warriors, sorcerer. From the other side of the box we find: fimir, orc, goblin, zombie, mummie, skeleton. Instead, the Gargoyle is represented in the quarter of cover of the quest book, where moreover there is the official technique to paint the figures of Hero Quest.) They are represented in actual size and they are lightly different from those supplied in the box. They were in fact the first prototypes of figures, painted by the wise hand of Mike McVey (prototypes then lightly modified in order to adapt them to the gameboard of Hero Quest). Mike has worked 12 years for the Games Workshop, since 1999 he is passed to Wizards of the Coast. To this link you can find 8 painting lessons, written directly by Mike (in the bottom of the first lesson are present some notes about his working life). To this link you can find an interesting interview made to Mike by Steve Kenson. Since few years Mike moved himself to Seattle in the United States, where he has created a studio with his wife Ali. You can send Mike Hero Quest figures to paint them. Official site: www.studiomcvey.com
Bob Naismith, the sculptor
Bob Naismith has realized several illustrations of the book “Warhammer fantasy roleplay - A grim world of perilous adventure”, published in 1986 and one of them has been inserted in an expansion of Hero Quest. The name of Bob Naismith, in fact, appears at page 28 of English quest book “Kellar's Keep”. Official site: www.naismith.freeuk.com From this link you can download an interview made to Bob in December 2001. Since 2006 he works for the Dark Realm Miniatures, official site: www.darkrealmminiatures.com
David Gallagher, the illustrator of Warhammer 40,000
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David Gallagher has realized the illustration of the screen of Hero Quest base set (this illustration is also the white and black cover in rules of play booklet). Information about this artist are very few. Here we can find several his works for Black Industries, a division of Games Workshop. Likely official site: www.cineframe.com
John Blanche, the punk fantasy author
John Blanche has realized the coloured illustration (Ogres tower) at page 20 of quest book “Wizards of Morcar”, Hero Quest expansion. This illustration is taken from the book “Warhammer fantasy roleplay - A grim world of perilous adventure”, published in 1986 by Games Workshop. In the illustration it is possible to notice, on the flag of the castle, a red symbol of circular shape, much similar to that one of his official site. John has also made the drawing (Fight to the finish law against chaos) at page 6 of the play booklet of base set. This drawing is in the book "Warhammer fantasy battle-3rd edition" del 1987. Moreover, it is his work the coloured illustration (Skeleton horde) at page 28 of quest book “Return of the Witch Lord” (drawing absent in the English quest book). John works for the Games Workshop since 1977, when he realized the cover of a White Dwarf magazine. Today he works for Black Industries, a division of Games Workshop. At this link you can find further information. Here you can find a list of several his works. Official site: www.lvxmvndi.com
Russ Nicholson, the fighting fantasy author
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Russ Nicholson has realized one only illustration for Hero Quest, that shows Men-at-Arms at page 9 of quest book “Wizards of Morcar”. On wikipedia you can find some information about his career. Here you can find an interesting interview. At this link there are a lot of works for which he has contributed as artist. Lately he has worked for www.hogshead.demon.co.uk , English company of illustrations. Russ was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but today he lives in England.
Tony Ackland, the veteran
Tony Ackland has created the sketch of the mummy on page 27 of the second expansion of Hero Quest, “Return of the Witch Lord”. The illustration appears for the first time in 1986, in the book “Warhammer fantasy roleplay - A grim world of perilous adventure”, published by Games Workshop. Tony has worked for the Games Workshop as illustrator since 1983, he has designed especially for the Warhammer world. At this link there is a list of his works. Also Tony Ackland, like Russ Nicholson, has worked for www.hogshead.demon.co.uk
Ben Rathbone, the mysterious personage
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Ben Rathbone comes quoted in the interview made to Stephen Baker by Andrea Angiolino. He is the Director of Product Acquisitions for Hasbro. He has worked a lot about the development of the expansions of Hero Quest. Further information will be added when (and if) available.
Hero Quest © 2008 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission