Jeff Menges has been with Warlord since the very first set Saga of the Storm. His traditional acrylic paintings are featured on 15 cards, many of which are fighter or rogue items including every Rogue’s best tool Portable Hole and Warlord’s very own ‘Mjölnir’ the Thunderhammer.

What got you interested in artwork in general and why was it gel pens? What was your first foray into illustration and how did that come about?

My interest in art came from all the stuff that impressed me in illustration— So much of what I thought was "cool" as a kid, came from something that someone drew. I recognized early on that those "windows" into imaginative worlds, was where the magic was really happening. What hooked me were the covers of Sword-and-Sorcery novels I read in high school. Mike Moorcock's stories were a huge influence, and Heavy Metal and Epic magazines gave me a comic form that took itself a bit more seriously, and with art that explored the edges of the medium.

My first paid illustration job was the interior work (which meant ink) for an Iron Crown Middle Earth Role-Playing Module, called "The Assassins of Dol Amroth". Probably from 1988.

How did you come to hear about and work on Warlord? Were you black-mailed into it?

I was doing some work on Shadis Magazine, when it was supporting mostly MTG related articles— I did an interior piece or two, and a card box for MTG cards with AEG back in ‘94. Because I was involved with Magic from the beginning, I was asked to contribute to lots of new games, Warlord was one of them.

Did you get assigned specific races, factions, or classes? What kinds of images did you enjoy creating the most and why?

I did tend to get a larger selection of Dwarves. I loved working on them, though the style that was called for in the beginning didn't match (exactly) what I wanted a Dwarf to look like in my mind. The Dwarves I did in Thunderhammer and Holy Might match my vision the closest. I played a lot of Dwarven characters in my early gaming days, and was a big fan of David Thorn Wenzel's "Kingdom of the Dwarves"— so I was happy to get those assignments.

What's it like rediscovering pieces you did decades ago - do you notice a significant change in your style then and now? Looking back over them, do any of your contributions to Warlord stick out as your favorite?

My card work is something that so much of what I do today is built on. Just recently I viewed a repainted image of a card I did very early on, next to one I did last year, and the growth there was quite evident— but there was over 25 years between the two. Favorites? Again, I go back to Thunderhammer and Holy Might. Caltrops Is one I've always liked, too. Death by Poison, is the first picture I used my son as a model for. First King's Crown is a self portrait!

What's your best Warlord memory or story?

In my version of Holy Might, the original work order called for the Dwarf to wield an Axe or mace. I asked the art director, Jim Pinto, if could do a flail instead. I've always liked the dynamics of the Mace-and-chain, or flail as a weapon. Not practical, but it makes for a good visual. Jim relented, and we got the spinning lightning that the piece has~

We're doing a Warlord art colosseum style battle royale! Who's your champion and why?

It's a tough call. I'm going to say Holy Might again— It's a battlefield scene, and that energy that the Dwarf emits, is what will get me through.

Alright, thanks for answering these and engaging the community in this way! What's going on with you these days? Anything you want to plug?

Looking forward to my upcoming work in the new game— Sorcery: Contested Realm. It should be a Kickstarter this year. Thanks!