Influences & Influenza

So just as I'm finally getting over this nasty summer cold I get blindsided by a sinus infection that just lays my ass out. But the antibiotics are starting to kick in and I'm starting to feel human again. Meanwhile, Jim Raggi has challenged all his readers to blog about their own influences when running D&D. I still feel like freeze dried crap, so I'm going to just dash off a short list and go lay down.

Literature: anything by Lovecraft or Howard, Vance's Dying Earth

Comics: various offbeat Marvel titles from the 70's and early 80's, Kirby, Bill Mantlo

Film: Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, both Conan flicks, the Beastmaster, Excalibur, Big Trouble in Little China

Animation: Thundarr the Barbarian, Superfriends

Music: Conan the Barbarian soundtrack, Star Trek II soundtrack, Dio, Orff, Wagner

Game Art: Erol Otus

Game Authors: Gary Gygax, Tom Moldvay, S. John Ross, Dave Hargrave, Dave Arneson (primarily his First Fantasy Campaign)

There's probably more that I can't think of right now, but that'll do.