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.

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

There’s another printing of the Black Catalog!

[edit 19 Oct 2023]

A TSR black catalog came through the shop today. Looking it up, it became apparent that it’s a different printing. I’m rebuilding this section to show both versions side-by-side (today’s will be on the left side of the pairs).

A few changes to the typesetting. This one has no store stamp on the back. Some photos are different. In general, the photos are lower-quality, some quite dark & muddy.

And it’s quite different from the subsequent 1980 blue catalog, which is essentially a re-cover of the black catalog on the right. I’m going to assume today’s black catalog is therefore an earlier printing.