| The Carrion Crawler (or "Hobby-Bug") |
The Carrion Crawler is one of the original monsters designed by Gary Gygax for
his hit creation, "Dungeons and Dragons", and played a major role in my mental
development:
his hit creation, "Dungeons and Dragons", and played a major role in my mental
development:
This foot-long, poseable crawler is the first toy monster I ever remember owning, and was
actually released in 1982 only one year before I was born. Having gotten it second-hand, I
didn't originally know what this creature was supposed to be and referred to it as
"hobby-bug" after the tiny "TSR Hobbies" printed on its underside.
It wasn't until 1988 that I would finally learn my little friend's name, when my Grandmother -
knowing my obsession with monsters - would give me the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
Monster Manual she found at a thrift store. This instantly became my all-time favorite book,
and I would spend days on end reading and drawing the habits of the Black Pudding,
Neo-Otyugh, Lurker Above, Water Weird, Juiblex, Thought Eater (ruined in its most recent
designs), Eye of the Deep, Mind Flayer, Rot Grub, Gelatinous Cube, Rust Monster, Morkoth,
Shambling Mound, and my very best little buddy in the whole wide world...newly evolved in
my mind from an adorable squid-faced little caterpillar to an adorable squid-faced GIANT
caterpillar who will chew your face off.
actually released in 1982 only one year before I was born. Having gotten it second-hand, I
didn't originally know what this creature was supposed to be and referred to it as
"hobby-bug" after the tiny "TSR Hobbies" printed on its underside.
It wasn't until 1988 that I would finally learn my little friend's name, when my Grandmother -
knowing my obsession with monsters - would give me the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
Monster Manual she found at a thrift store. This instantly became my all-time favorite book,
and I would spend days on end reading and drawing the habits of the Black Pudding,
Neo-Otyugh, Lurker Above, Water Weird, Juiblex, Thought Eater (ruined in its most recent
designs), Eye of the Deep, Mind Flayer, Rot Grub, Gelatinous Cube, Rust Monster, Morkoth,
Shambling Mound, and my very best little buddy in the whole wide world...newly evolved in
my mind from an adorable squid-faced little caterpillar to an adorable squid-faced GIANT
caterpillar who will chew your face off.
With Dungeons and Dragons over thirty years old and constantly evolving, most
of its original monsters are heavily re-interpreted again and again. This
maggotlike design by Tony Diterlizzi was the Carrion Crawler's first major facelift,
appearing in associated PC games and miniatures throughout the late 90's.
of its original monsters are heavily re-interpreted again and again. This
maggotlike design by Tony Diterlizzi was the Carrion Crawler's first major facelift,
appearing in associated PC games and miniatures throughout the late 90's.
Today, the official crawler bears a much more slug-like and monstrous
appearance that took quite some time to grow on me. Its tiny eyes and gaping
maw initially appeared too "ferocious", and I felt it had lost a lot of its charm.
But on the other hand, I am a real stickler for eyes on the ends of stalks.
appearance that took quite some time to grow on me. Its tiny eyes and gaping
maw initially appeared too "ferocious", and I felt it had lost a lot of its charm.
But on the other hand, I am a real stickler for eyes on the ends of stalks.
| A crawler in Cartoon Network's Adventure Time. |