Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 2nd Edition logo and handbooks
Contributed by Stephen Coles on May 28th, 2015. Artwork published in
circa 1985
.
The Complete Thief’s Handbook, 2nd Edition
The redesigned logo that appeared in the mid-1980s for the Advanced edition of the genre-defining role-playing game is a modification of Friz Quadrata with an unusual open g. The supplementary typefaces used for the manuals and other AD&D books are paragons of 1970s fantasy style: Romic (Letraset) and ITC Benguiat [correction: ITC Korinna, see comments].
I-6 Ravenloft game module, published in 1983.
Monster Manual, 1978 edition.
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Dungeon Master’s Guide
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Player’s Handbook
10 Comments on “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 2nd Edition logo and handbooks”
It seems the open ‘g’ was included in the original version of Friz Quadrata. It is also present in URW’s Friz Quadrata No2 D as well as in Softmaker’s version, Quadrat Serial.
Oh, thanks! Likely no modification then. The opening is wider and the contours appear somewhat rounded in this logo, but perhaps that was a result of the phototypesetting process or whatever version was available at the time.
Some great classics!
All the books you show above are from the graphical redesign of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons line, which was sometime in the mid-1980s, or the second edition that was released in 1989. The logos and typography of the 1970s editions were much less sophisticated.
Thanks, James. I fixed the date.
I’m sorry, but I don’t see any use of Benguiat here. I could be overlooking it. On the other hand, I do see a good bit of Korinna in the given examples
Good catch, Mike! Thanks for the correction, it’s appreciated. Fixed now.
Oh my! How did I miss that? Both art nouveau revivals by Ed Benguiat but very different. I should know better. Thanks, Mike!
See also the 1st edition rulebooks from the 1970s.
For what it’s worth, they first started using Friz Quadrata for their books in 1979, during the 1st edition of Dungeons & Dragons—so the logo design for the 2nd & 3rd image of this post were released in 1979.
Then the “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition” logo was first used in 1989, when the 2nd edition was released.