Spriggans clean, polish, and protect!

[Jeff LaSala]

While we're on the subject of old D&D art...

I've wanted to share this with someone for years, but I kept forgetting. This product, Thor Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish, by the Thor company, has been under my wife's family's sink for years. The moment I saw it, my memory kicked in and I recognized the depiction of Thor on the can. Why?

Because he's the spriggan from the 1st Edition Monster Manual II from 1983, page 113.



I love this. I didn't know whether Thor simply got the same artist who actually retained ownership of the drawing or if the artist they hired for the logo just ripped it off his gaming books.

Turns out I was wrong about both. My brother actually emailed the company asking about their logo and this was their responce: "When we were planning to market this product, we asked our son to
prepare a picture of Thor and we don't know where he got it."

At first I figured it was just some older version of the product that would undoubtedly have gotten a new picture a couple of decades later, but sure enough....

http://www.thorproducts.com/products.html

Anyway, I just had to share this. I always felt like the only person in the universe to have ever noticed this.

I wonder what other old 1st Edition beasties made it out into the world...

[JediOre]

I hope no lawyers get involved. That's neat.

[Jeff LaSala]

Me, too. I'm assuming if that was ever going to happen, it would only have done so. It's been 22 years.

[Deogolf]

Any idea who the artist was? I know Mr. Holloway did alot of illos. for MMII, but I'm know its not his work. I guess TSR was having more fun trying to take Mr. Gygax to the cleaners (no pun intended ) than to bother with Thor cleaning products!

[JediOre]

The interior artists for the original Monster Manual 2 are Jim Holloway, Harry Quinn, Dave Sutherland, and Larry Elmore.

As to which one did the spriggan I don't know.

[goodmangames]

That's awesome! I might have to buy some Thor products just for kicks.