Today’s photoshoot features a glimpse into the early days of RPGs. TSR’s Gateway to Adventure catalogs reveal the best of their old school games: D&D, AD&D, Gamma World, Top Secret, and so many more.

Catalogs available in the shop

1979?

[EDIT 12 July 2020]

1980 Gateway to Adventure - Black Cover det

Black Cover: TSR Gateway to Adventure catalog

Found this yesterday cleaning some boneyard shelves. It’s rare. It’s not for sale at this time.

Internally, the Black Cover edition shares much in common with the 1980 catalog. But it’s not a 100% duplicate inside. Acaeum discussion has more detail. Zenopus has a list of variations between the catalogs.

No indication of date, other than an “AVAILABLE IN 1980” statement. So 1979 publication?

It’s very cool, possibly my favorite of the TSR Gateway to Adventure catalogs. The white-on-black art of the cover really grabs the attention.

My copy is stamped on the back:

GRAHAM’S BOOK & STATIONERY
460 SECOND STREET
LAKE OSWEGO, OR  97034

1980 Gateway to Adventure - Black Cover b
1980 Gateway to Adventure - Black Cover int 1
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Back cover

1980

1980 Gateway to Adventure cover detail

The 1980 “Demon Door” catalog is 8 pages in length. It is much more rare than the 1981 edition.

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A collage of TSR’s product line for 1980
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White Box D&D, Holmes Basic, Boot Hill, Gamma World, and Top Secret
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AD&D Players Handbook, Monster Manual, and DM Screen
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C Series modules for AD&D
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Boardgames: Dungeon, Warlocks & Warriors, Awful Green Things From Outer Space. And Suspicion, which I’d never heard of before today.
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More boardgames: Divine Right, Knights of Camelot, Lankhmar, and Fight in the Skies.

1981

1981 Gateway to Adventure cover detail

1981 Gateway to Adventure catalogs in the shop

Printing Alert!

Printings comparison - page 9

Zenopus Archives alerted me to watch for different printings of the 1981 catalog.

1st print has a blank brown back cover. This has to be rare. There were none in the stack I listed for sale today.

2nd print has the original D&D product line on page 9.

3rd print deletes OD&D in favor of TSR’s minigames, Fiend Folio, and adventure modules for Boot Hill, Top Secret, and Gamma World on page 9.

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The 1981 catalog has 14 pages, long enough to rate an Index apparently.
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Moldvay (B/X) Basic and Expert sets
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Basic and Expert books and modules Keep on the Borderlands and Isle of Dread.
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The original core AD&D hardcovers: DMG, PHB, MM, and DDG.
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Dungeon Masters Screen, Character Sheets, and the DM Log.
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Advanced Dungeons & Dragons modules: Most don’t get a photo.
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Top Secret, Boot Hill, and Gamma World
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Playing Aids: World of Greyhawk folio, Dragon Dice, Monster & Treasure Book, Dungeon Geomorphs, and Hex paper.
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Dragon Magazine
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The GenCon game convention
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T-Shirts! Those are some great designs. You could even get one for Mom.
TSR and Goodman Games catalogs
Goodman Games 2017 catalog is an homage to the original Gateway to Adventure

See Also: 

1982 Dungeon Hobby Shop Catalog… with Poster of Mounted Paladin versus 3 Orcs
DIVINE RIGHT (1979): TSR’s early boardgame with RPG inspiration and that beautiful map
TSR Rare Old School Game Posters (ca. 1978-9?) – AD&D, Boot Hill, Divine Right, Gamma World, more
Original Boot Hill box set (1979): With those TSR Low Impact Dice
TOP SECRET RPG (1980-3): 1st and 2nd edition – The evolution of the black box
Original Gamma World maps