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Stranger Things. The Full Series in Review

After a long rewatch of Stranger Things, I look at what worked and what did not when creating the threat that would manifest in the small town of Hawkins. Thankfully, for those in the know, no foothold was made, but is this truly the end?

When Stranger Things first arrived on Netflix, it began with something wonderfully small. It seemed to be simply about a group of kids playing a game of Dungeons and Dragons, and not expecting that world to manifest around them! After the sudden absence of Will (Noah Schnapp), they had to learn how to become heroes for real. Even though the adults didn’t believe what they’ve encountered is real, what they managed to do was the impossible: to show that dangers lurk in every corner. The shadows are alive, and the necrophagous shadows, well….

From that moment, the series evolved naturally from childhood rituals into becoming adults. As for the fantasy characters they wanted to become, all the visual motifs (including a garbage can lid modified to become a shield) came into place. And the monsters they had to face weren’t just creatures. They were metaphors to something greater shaped by the kids’ references to concepts and entities from this role playing world. Some worked, and others did not, but overall, unless the viewer was in the know, the tie-ins were more than surface level references.

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Remembering the Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon 40 Years Later, and a Full Review of the Action Figure Release

The 80s Dungeons and Dragons cartoon is beloved by many, and it’s about time there’s toys for it! But are they worth the price?

Available to purchase on Hasbro Pulse

It’s tough to say if Hasbro release of the action figures for the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon was produced out of full respect for its anniversary or to say thank you for the fish. This series debuted Sept 17th, 1983 and back then, it was credited to TSR Inc. as the proprietary owners. Eventually, that company was sold to Wizards of the Coast in 1999, which in turn would later become part of this mega toy manufacturer’s family.

Just how well either company markets material that isn’t part of the game is worth researching. Here, instead of releasing these figures closer to the day of, they have been out since April 2023 with very little advertisement. I never saw anything on network television or in the pop culture online magazines I read. I knew of this product only because of industry news. As a result, the likelihood to see further products is very slim.

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When Stranger Things Hit Dungeons and Dragons Dead On

I get the sense that each issue of Stranger Things and Dungeons and Dragons will not only follow the boy’s life through school but also trace this game’s legacy up to but before advanced edition.

Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons Dark Horse Comics
Available Now

Spoiler Alert

Anyone who wants to know how Dungeons and Dragons enriched the lives of the boys from Stranger Things are advised to pick up the comic book! Jody Houser and Jim Zub‘s tale is familiar. Although they are not yet fully a team (Dustin joins in the fun midway), I remember how I was introduced to the game by my friends and how I scrimped for money to buy the various editions. Although this tale sees them play in the school cafeteria and the clubhouse, I had the school library of all places!

The game introduced me to the fantastic. It eventually led to me discovering the myths and legends that inspired this game—including how it inspires the modern day pop culture—and I never looked back. I loved exploring the past and started writing about the fantastic. Back then, one of my favourite films was Dragonslayer.

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