Maybe it's just me and I didn't notice this trend before, but flipping through issue 331, I didn't notice one tattoo, piercing, anime spike hairdo or S&M armor made entirely of straps and buckles. It seems as though the art direction is finally starting to abandon what I derisively call "XTREME D&D" and is moving back to something more in line with earlier editions of the game and of classic swords & sorcery art in general. Good show! It has been a while since I've been able to look at one of your mags and say "Hey, that's D&D art." About time D&D's look got back to being inspired by Howard and Tolkien and away from emulating Mountain Dew commercials.
Now if you could curb the "urban primative" elements of some of the NPC portraits in Dungeon, all could be well again.