I was wondering if anyone had a history of the editors of Dungeon magazine? Prior to the current gang, I know Chris Thomassen took over the helm with #90, and before him was Chris Perkins. But when did Chris P. start and who did he take over from?
Cheers
Llowellen
Creative Director
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Yup; check out issue #100 for a fun little article about the magazine's past editors in chief. For those without access to this issue, the list is:
1: Roger Moore
2: Barbara Young
3: Wolfgang Baur
4: Dave Gross
5: Christopher Perkins
6: Chris Thomasson
7: Erik Mona
There were a few others who may have held the reins for an issue or so here and there between these folk, but for the vast majority of Dungeon's run, these seven have been at the helm.
No dis-respect to Eric, but what does the title "Editor in Chief" actually mean you do. Frankly "Managing Editor" makes it sound like James does all the work. *grins*
Roger Moore! Wow! Thats an eyebrow raiser! ;)
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Dungeon currently has the best crew it ever has had IMO. I love what they have done to the magazine and how they actually respond the the readership to improve the magazine. Dungeon has never been in more capable hands and I just wish to say "thank you" to the staff of Dungeon for the excellent quality of work that is produced every month. Now, get back to work and no slacking! ;P
FH
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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No dis-respect to Eric, but what does the title "Editor in Chief" actually mean you do. Frankly "Managing Editor" makes it sound like James does all the work. *grins*
Magazine titles mean many different things at many different times at many different publications.
For our purposes, the Editor-in-Chief sets the editorial calendar, has final say on which adventures make it into the magazine, plans covers with the art director, manages the editors and art directors who work on the magazine, and serves as the institutional memory of the publication. He's also the guy who takes the final editing pass on all of the content in the magazine and the guy who pulls the lever to send each article to prepress, where the articles live for about a day before they go to the printer. Generally speaking, he plans the "big events" like the Adventure Path or the "30 Greatest Adventures of All Time" article. The Editor-in-Chief also writes the editorials and answeres the letters column. Basically, he makes most of the "big decisions" on the magazine.
Tha Managing Editor handles most of the actual text editing, manages the junior editors on the magazine, develops the adventures, hounds late contributors, etc.
This is an imperfect explanation, because I can think of exceptions for just about every example I've cited, but it should do in a pinch.
As I have taken on more responsibilities with Dragon, James has taken on more and more of the work on the magazine. When he started, I was doing most of the above, and we'd split the adventures roughly down the middle. These days I don't "develop" the adventures, leaving a lot of that to James (and, increasingly, to Assistant Editor Jeremy Walker as well).
For example: I wrote pretty much the entire Age of Worms outline (which can be read, in part in the Overload file), whereas James took the reins of the next Adventure Path. After his first draft, we discussed it extensively, I gave my input (which caused a couple of extremely significant changes), and he finished another draft that incorporated those changes.
The Editor-in-Chief is the big boss, the Managing Editor is the guy who does a lot of the heavy lifting, and the poor junior editors are the ones who wade through the submissions and do a lot of the time-consuming work James and I no longer have time for (including managing the Campaign Workbook). All of us meet to discuss submissions regularly, but by the time I'm involved in those discussions, I'm really only choosing from the cream of the crop.
It hasn't always worked this way, and it's a constantly evolving process, but I think that's a fairly accurate picture of where things stand now.
--Erik Mona
Editor-in-Chief
Dragon & Dungeon
~Laughs~ So what you are really saying, Erik is that you just PRETEND to work? ~winks~ Keep up the good, er, work!
Some might say half-fiend... but that wouldn't be me. No sir. Not I!!
::quietly whistles as he wanders off back into the darkness::
Denis, aka "Maldin"
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Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com
Thanks Eric :)
My cheeky little wooden-spoon-wielding question didn't deserve such a response. Nice insight into the inner workings of the team, thanks.
…has final say on which adventures make it into the magazine…
Botherations! Perhaps I should be less cheeky. *grins*
R-type: Dungeon's Roger Moore was originally an ex-army psychologist who somehow got into magazines, if I recall correctly. (Dragon had a feature YEARS ago detailing various members of staff.) He's not the actor!
Cheers.
I seem to remember Roger Moore being Dragon Editor at one time, too, and from that time stems an Aprils Fools issue in which there were several letters of praise for his acting printed :-) So, mistaking him for the actor has happened probably more often than he cares to remember...
He was also on the Greyhawk ´98 team.Stefan