Editing Dragon (magazine) (section)

==History==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:SRLastThumb.jpg|thumb|left|The last issue of ''The Strategic Review'']] -->
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Dragonenv.jpg|thumb|In the early 1980s, ''The Dragon'' was mailed in an envelope like this one]] --><!-- see discussion before removal -->

===TSR===
In 1975, [[TSR, Inc.]] began publishing ''The Strategic Review''. At the time, roleplaying games were still seen as a subgenre of the [[wargaming]] industry, and the magazine was designed not only to support ''Dungeons & Dragons'' and TSR's other games, but also to cover wargaming in general. In short order, however, the popularity and growth of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' made it clear that the game had not only separated itself from its wargaming origins, but had launched an entirely new industry unto itself.

TSR canceled ''The Strategic Review'' the following year after only seven issues, and replaced it with two magazines, ''[[Little Wars (magazine)|Little Wars]]'', which covered [[miniature wargaming]], and ''The Dragon'', which covered role playing games.  After twelve issues, ''Little Wars'' ceased independent publication and issue 13 was published as part of ''Dragon'' issue 22.<ref name="Dragon #22">{{cite journal|author=Tim Kask|author-link=Tim Kask|date=February 1979|title=Dragon Rumbles|url=https://archive.org/stream/DragonMagazine260_201801/DragonMagazine022#page/n3/mode/2up|journal=Dragon|location=Lake Geneva, WI|publisher=TSR Periodicals|issue=22|page=4}}</ref>

The magazine debuted as ''The Dragon'' in June 1976.<ref name="Dragon1">''[https://archive.org/stream/DragonMagazine260_201801/DragonMagazine001#mode/2up The Dragon]'' #1 (1976-06)</ref> TSR co-founder [[Gary Gygax]] commented years later: "When I decided that ''The Strategic Review'' was not the right vehicle, hired Tim Kask as a magazine editor for Tactical Studies Rules, and named the new publication he was to produce ''The Dragon'', I thought we would eventually have a great periodical to serve gaming enthusiasts worldwide... At no time did I ever contemplate so great a success or so long a lifespan."<ref name="Dragon #248">{{cite journal|last=Varney|first=Allen|author-link=Allen Varney|date=June 1998|title=Profiles: Gary Gygax|url=https://archive.org/stream/DragonMagazine260_201801/DragonMagazine248#page/n121/mode/2up|journal=Dragon|location=Renton, Washington|publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]]|issue=248|page=120}}</ref>

''Dragon'' is the launching point for a number of rules, spells, monsters, magic items, and other ideas that were incorporated into later official products of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game. A prime example is the [[Forgotten Realms]] campaign setting, which first became known through a series of ''Dragon'' articles in the 1980s by its creator [[Ed Greenwood]].  It subsequently went on to become one of the primary campaign "worlds" for official ''Dungeons and Dragons'' products, starting in 1987. The magazine appeared on the cover as simply ''Dragon'' from July 1980,<ref>''[https://archive.org/stream/DragonMagazine260_201801/DragonMagazine039#mode/2up Dragon]'' #39 (1980-07)</ref> later changing its name to ''Dragon Magazine'' starting November 1987.<ref>''[https://archive.org/stream/DragonMagazine260_201801/DragonMagazine128#mode/2up Dragon]'' #128 (1987-11)</ref>

===Wizards of the Coast===
[[Wizards of the Coast]] purchased TSR and its intellectual properties, including ''Dragon Magazine'', in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/brief-history-dragons-dungeons|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140807235419/http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/brief-history-dragons-dungeons|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 7, 2014|title=A Brief History of Dragons (& Dungeons)|website=[[Wizards of the Coast]]|access-date=2020-03-31}}</ref> Production was then transferred from Wisconsin to Washington state. In 1999, Wizards of the Coast was itself purchased by [[Hasbro, Inc.]] ''Dragon Magazine'' suffered a five-month gap between #236 and #237 but remained published by TSR as a subsidiary of WotC starting September 1997,<ref>''[https://archive.org/stream/DragonMagazine260_201801/DragonMagazine239#mode/2up Dragon]'' #239 (1997-09)</ref> and until January 2000 when WotC became the listed de facto publisher.<ref>''[https://archive.org/stream/DragonMagazine260_201801/DragonMagazine267#mode/2up Dragon]'' #267 (2000-01)</ref> They removed the word "magazine" from the cover title starting with the June 2000 issue, changing the publication's name back to simply ''Dragon''.<ref>''[https://archive.org/stream/DragonMagazine260_201801/DragonMagazine272#mode/2up Dragon]'' #272 (2000-06)</ref>

In 1999 a CD-ROM compilation of the first 250 issues, called ''[[Dragon Magazine Archive]]'', was released in [[Portable Document Format|PDF]] format with a special viewer. It includes the seven issues of ''The Strategic Review''. The ''Dragon Magazine Archive'' is out of print because of issues raised with the 2001 ruling in ''[[Greenberg v. National Geographic]]'' regarding the reprint rights of various comic strips that had been printed in ''Dragon'' over the years and Paizo Publishing's policy that creators of comics retain their copyright.<ref name="Sean Glenn">"Actually, as was back then, and remains today, the cartoonist contracts in ''Dragon'' and ''Dungeon'' allow for the artists to retain all their rights, and gives them the ability to publish compilations of their work." —Sean Glenn, Art Director Dragon and Dungeon magazines. [http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2fxyr?Wheres-Wormy "Where's Wormy?" Thread]</ref> These comic strips include ''Wormy'', ''What's New with Phil & Dixie'', ''Snarf Quest'', and ''Knights of the Dinner Table''<ref name="Sean Glenn" /> which is covered in TSR's own statement in the first issue that "All material published herein becomes the exclusive property of the publisher unless special arrangements to the contrary are made."<ref name="Dragon1" />

===Paizo===
In 2002, [[Paizo Publishing]] acquired the rights to publish both ''Dragon'' and ''Dungeon'' under license from Wizards of the Coast. ''Dragon'' was published by Paizo starting September 2002.<ref>''[https://archive.org/stream/DragonMagazine260_201801/DragonMagazine299#mode/2up Dragon]'' #299 (2002-09)</ref> It ties ''Dragon'' more closely to ''Dungeon''  by including articles supporting and promoting its major multi-issue adventures such as the ''[[Age of Worms]]'' and ''[[Savage Tide]]''.  ''Class Acts'', a monthly publication with one- or two-page articles offering ideas for developing specific character classes, were also introduced by Paizo.

===Return to Wizards of the Coast===
On April 18, 2007, Wizards of the Coast announced that it would not be renewing Paizo's licenses for ''Dragon'' and ''Dungeon,'' instead opting for online publishing.<ref name="cease"/> Paizo published the last print editions of ''Dragon'' and ''Dungeon'' magazines for September 2007.

In August 2007, Wizards of the Coast announced the fourth edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game and that ''[[D&D Insider]]'' subscriber content would include the new, online versions of both ''Dungeon'' and ''Dragon'' magazines along with tools for building campaigns, managing character sheets, and other features.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.enworld.org/index.php?page=4e|title=Unofficial 4th Edition News Page|author=MerricB|date=August 16, 2007|publisher=[[EN World]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928042742/http://www.enworld.org/index.php?page=4e|archive-date=September 28, 2007}} said, ''D&D Insider ... contains a "Dungeon Master's Kit" ... "Character Generator" ... [and] "Dungeon & Dragon Magazines". ... dndinsider.com, which is due to go live soon ... I saw examples of the Dragon and Dungeon pages ... The intention is to provide subscriber services.''</ref> In its online form, ''Dragon'' continues to publish articles aimed at ''Dungeons & Dragons'' players, with rules data from these articles feeding the D&D Character Builder and other online tools.

====Cessation====
In the September 2013 issue of ''Dragon'' (#427) an article by Wizards of the Coast game designer and editor [[Christopher Perkins (game designer)|Chris Perkins]] announced that both ''Dragon'' and its sibling publication ''Dungeon'' would be going on hiatus starting January 2014 pending the release of [[Editions of Dungeons & Dragons#Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition|''Dungeons & Dragons'' 5th edition]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Perkins|first1=Chris|date=September 2013|title=Going Dark|url=https://archive.org/stream/DragonMagazine260_201801/Dragon%20Magazine%20427#page/n1/mode/2up|magazine=Dragon Magazine|issue=427|page=3|quote=In other words, the December issues (#221 of Dungeon and #430 of Dragon) will be the last issues you see for a while.|author-link1=Christopher Perkins (game designer)}}</ref> The final online version released is Issue #430 in December 2013.

====Dragon+====
A new and fully digital bi-monthly publication called ''Dragon+'', was launched on April 30, 2015,<ref name="Issue 1"/> succeeding the existing versions of ''Dragon'' and ''Dungeon'' magazines. Created by Dialect in collaboration with Wizards of the Coast, the online edition ceased continuity with the printed and digital versions of both magazines, and restarted its numbering system for issues at No. 1.

The magazine branded itself as an app with content "showcasing what’s new in Dungeons & Dragons – from backstory and world information to discussions about what's coming next from the creators and developers of your favorite D&D products".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170909134324/http://dnd.wizards.com/dragonplus/issue14 http://dnd.wizards.com/dragonplus/issue14] Dragon+ Issue 14. Retrieved 2017-08-18.</ref> Articles included cover content such as: game strategies and insights; details of the current D&D storyline; interviews; ongoing comic series; lore; Forgotten Realms world information; community updates and fan submissions; and videos. Additional content in the magazine is also accessible through links to the magazine's content in [[Facebook]] and [[Twitter]] feeds.

''Dragon+'' ran for 41 issues in total with the last issue published in April 2022; Wizards of the Coast published an update in July 2022 announcing the cancellation of the publication.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 5, 2022 |title=Wizards of the Coast Quietly Cancels Dragon+ Magazine |url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/wizards-of-the-coast-dragon-magazine-cancelled-dungeons-dragons/ |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en}}</ref> On November 15, 2022, Wizards of the Coast announced that "''Dragon+'' will be removed from app stores on or around November 15th, and dragonmag.com will be redirected and its content will no longer be available".<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 15, 2022 |title=Update for Dragon+ Users |url=http://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1380-update-for-dragon-users |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=[[D&D Beyond]] |language=en-us}}</ref>