What's the earliest instance of a “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” reference to beholders?












16















Is there any recorded use of the phrase, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" being used in a commercially available D&D campaign of any edition, specifically to reference (secretly or overtly) a beholder that appears in the course of the campaign? What's the earliest instance?






monsters dungeons-and-dragons history-of-gaming story







share|improve this question




















  • 1





    Related: Beauty and beholder in respect to other senses

    – Peter Mortensen
    11 hours ago






  • 1





    I've updated this to ask for the earliest instance since that will help us filter to a “best” answer rather than merely collecting an ongoing list of all the times it ever happened. (Which is probably a lot.)

    – doppelgreener♦
    6 hours ago






  • 1





    I'm fairly sure the beholder was written with this joke in mind. It's literally a creature made of one huge eye, with a bunch more small ones on tentacles all around it. The joke writes itself. It just subverts the idiom by being hideously ugly.

    – ShadowRanger
    2 hours ago













  • Thanks @doppelgreener makes sense.

    – lightcat
    22 mins ago
















16















Is there any recorded use of the phrase, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" being used in a commercially available D&D campaign of any edition, specifically to reference (secretly or overtly) a beholder that appears in the course of the campaign? What's the earliest instance?






monsters dungeons-and-dragons history-of-gaming story







share|improve this question




















  • 1





    Related: Beauty and beholder in respect to other senses

    – Peter Mortensen
    11 hours ago






  • 1





    I've updated this to ask for the earliest instance since that will help us filter to a “best” answer rather than merely collecting an ongoing list of all the times it ever happened. (Which is probably a lot.)

    – doppelgreener♦
    6 hours ago






  • 1





    I'm fairly sure the beholder was written with this joke in mind. It's literally a creature made of one huge eye, with a bunch more small ones on tentacles all around it. The joke writes itself. It just subverts the idiom by being hideously ugly.

    – ShadowRanger
    2 hours ago













  • Thanks @doppelgreener makes sense.

    – lightcat
    22 mins ago














16












16








16








Is there any recorded use of the phrase, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" being used in a commercially available D&D campaign of any edition, specifically to reference (secretly or overtly) a beholder that appears in the course of the campaign? What's the earliest instance?






monsters dungeons-and-dragons history-of-gaming story







share|improve this question
















Is there any recorded use of the phrase, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" being used in a commercially available D&D campaign of any edition, specifically to reference (secretly or overtly) a beholder that appears in the course of the campaign? What's the earliest instance?






monsters dungeons-and-dragons history-of-gaming story




monsters dungeons-and-dragons history-of-gaming story






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 6 hours ago









doppelgreener♦

32k11137230




32k11137230










asked 14 hours ago









lightcatlightcat

1,449120




1,449120








  • 1





    Related: Beauty and beholder in respect to other senses

    – Peter Mortensen
    11 hours ago






  • 1





    I've updated this to ask for the earliest instance since that will help us filter to a “best” answer rather than merely collecting an ongoing list of all the times it ever happened. (Which is probably a lot.)

    – doppelgreener♦
    6 hours ago






  • 1





    I'm fairly sure the beholder was written with this joke in mind. It's literally a creature made of one huge eye, with a bunch more small ones on tentacles all around it. The joke writes itself. It just subverts the idiom by being hideously ugly.

    – ShadowRanger
    2 hours ago













  • Thanks @doppelgreener makes sense.

    – lightcat
    22 mins ago














  • 1





    Related: Beauty and beholder in respect to other senses

    – Peter Mortensen
    11 hours ago






  • 1





    I've updated this to ask for the earliest instance since that will help us filter to a “best” answer rather than merely collecting an ongoing list of all the times it ever happened. (Which is probably a lot.)

    – doppelgreener♦
    6 hours ago






  • 1





    I'm fairly sure the beholder was written with this joke in mind. It's literally a creature made of one huge eye, with a bunch more small ones on tentacles all around it. The joke writes itself. It just subverts the idiom by being hideously ugly.

    – ShadowRanger
    2 hours ago













  • Thanks @doppelgreener makes sense.

    – lightcat
    22 mins ago








1




1





Related: Beauty and beholder in respect to other senses

– Peter Mortensen
11 hours ago





Related: Beauty and beholder in respect to other senses

– Peter Mortensen
11 hours ago




1




1





I've updated this to ask for the earliest instance since that will help us filter to a “best” answer rather than merely collecting an ongoing list of all the times it ever happened. (Which is probably a lot.)

– doppelgreener♦
6 hours ago





I've updated this to ask for the earliest instance since that will help us filter to a “best” answer rather than merely collecting an ongoing list of all the times it ever happened. (Which is probably a lot.)

– doppelgreener♦
6 hours ago




1




1





I'm fairly sure the beholder was written with this joke in mind. It's literally a creature made of one huge eye, with a bunch more small ones on tentacles all around it. The joke writes itself. It just subverts the idiom by being hideously ugly.

– ShadowRanger
2 hours ago







I'm fairly sure the beholder was written with this joke in mind. It's literally a creature made of one huge eye, with a bunch more small ones on tentacles all around it. The joke writes itself. It just subverts the idiom by being hideously ugly.

– ShadowRanger
2 hours ago















Thanks @doppelgreener makes sense.

– lightcat
22 mins ago





Thanks @doppelgreener makes sense.

– lightcat
22 mins ago










4 Answers
4






active

oldest

votes


















18














First time I heard it referenced in Dungeons and Dragons was in the 1987 Saturday morning cartoon.



It was Episode 2, specifically at this point during their conversation with Dungeon Master.



Not really published though and not exactly canon.






share|improve this answer





















  • 5





    This does at least establish by precedent that it was very early on that the reference was occurring to people and being used.

    – doppelgreener♦
    12 hours ago





















16














The back cover of Xanathars guide to Everything 5E (lore-wise written by the beholder crime-lord "The Xanathar") has a similar phrase though not exactly the same:




"Beauty and Guile Are in the Eyes of the Beholder"







share|improve this answer

































    12














    Not exactly a campaign but an early issue of Dragon magazine had a “cute” drawing of a beholder on the cover. The issue’s tagline is “Beauty is in the eye of — oh, skip it.” It was their 1990 April issue, #156:



    A man in a tunic and hose, with a sword and pouches on his belt, kneels on one knee and presents a bouquet of flowers to a blushing beholder monster floating before him. His right hand is on his chest and he is speaking or singing, as if reciting an love poem to the beholder.
    Cover by Daniel Horne © TSR & WotC, used under Fair Use for teaching and cultural critique purposes



    (This issue is in the tradition of April issues of Dragon being silly for April Fools’. If you ever wanted to encounter the dread Bubble Dragon or a herd of Blink Mammoths, this is your DM’s issue.)






    share|improve this answer










    New contributor




    Vidar is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.




























      11














      Yamara was comic strip which appeared in Dragon magazine. The first strip published in May 1988 made this joke:



      An elf says to her beholder friend: "Oh, you know what they say about the beauty being in the–"






      share|improve this answer










      New contributor




      Ori Gurel-Gurevich is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.




















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        4 Answers
        4






        active

        oldest

        votes








        4 Answers
        4






        active

        oldest

        votes









        active

        oldest

        votes






        active

        oldest

        votes









        18














        First time I heard it referenced in Dungeons and Dragons was in the 1987 Saturday morning cartoon.



        It was Episode 2, specifically at this point during their conversation with Dungeon Master.



        Not really published though and not exactly canon.






        share|improve this answer





















        • 5





          This does at least establish by precedent that it was very early on that the reference was occurring to people and being used.

          – doppelgreener♦
          12 hours ago


















        18














        First time I heard it referenced in Dungeons and Dragons was in the 1987 Saturday morning cartoon.



        It was Episode 2, specifically at this point during their conversation with Dungeon Master.



        Not really published though and not exactly canon.






        share|improve this answer





















        • 5





          This does at least establish by precedent that it was very early on that the reference was occurring to people and being used.

          – doppelgreener♦
          12 hours ago
















        18












        18








        18







        First time I heard it referenced in Dungeons and Dragons was in the 1987 Saturday morning cartoon.



        It was Episode 2, specifically at this point during their conversation with Dungeon Master.



        Not really published though and not exactly canon.






        share|improve this answer















        First time I heard it referenced in Dungeons and Dragons was in the 1987 Saturday morning cartoon.



        It was Episode 2, specifically at this point during their conversation with Dungeon Master.



        Not really published though and not exactly canon.







        share|improve this answer














        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited 12 hours ago









        doppelgreener♦

        32k11137230




        32k11137230










        answered 13 hours ago









        SlagmothSlagmoth

        17.6k15096




        17.6k15096








        • 5





          This does at least establish by precedent that it was very early on that the reference was occurring to people and being used.

          – doppelgreener♦
          12 hours ago
















        • 5





          This does at least establish by precedent that it was very early on that the reference was occurring to people and being used.

          – doppelgreener♦
          12 hours ago










        5




        5





        This does at least establish by precedent that it was very early on that the reference was occurring to people and being used.

        – doppelgreener♦
        12 hours ago







        This does at least establish by precedent that it was very early on that the reference was occurring to people and being used.

        – doppelgreener♦
        12 hours ago















        16














        The back cover of Xanathars guide to Everything 5E (lore-wise written by the beholder crime-lord "The Xanathar") has a similar phrase though not exactly the same:




        "Beauty and Guile Are in the Eyes of the Beholder"







        share|improve this answer






























          16














          The back cover of Xanathars guide to Everything 5E (lore-wise written by the beholder crime-lord "The Xanathar") has a similar phrase though not exactly the same:




          "Beauty and Guile Are in the Eyes of the Beholder"







          share|improve this answer




























            16












            16








            16







            The back cover of Xanathars guide to Everything 5E (lore-wise written by the beholder crime-lord "The Xanathar") has a similar phrase though not exactly the same:




            "Beauty and Guile Are in the Eyes of the Beholder"







            share|improve this answer















            The back cover of Xanathars guide to Everything 5E (lore-wise written by the beholder crime-lord "The Xanathar") has a similar phrase though not exactly the same:




            "Beauty and Guile Are in the Eyes of the Beholder"








            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited 14 hours ago

























            answered 14 hours ago









            rpgstarrpgstar

            1,976844




            1,976844























                12














                Not exactly a campaign but an early issue of Dragon magazine had a “cute” drawing of a beholder on the cover. The issue’s tagline is “Beauty is in the eye of — oh, skip it.” It was their 1990 April issue, #156:



                A man in a tunic and hose, with a sword and pouches on his belt, kneels on one knee and presents a bouquet of flowers to a blushing beholder monster floating before him. His right hand is on his chest and he is speaking or singing, as if reciting an love poem to the beholder.
                Cover by Daniel Horne © TSR & WotC, used under Fair Use for teaching and cultural critique purposes



                (This issue is in the tradition of April issues of Dragon being silly for April Fools’. If you ever wanted to encounter the dread Bubble Dragon or a herd of Blink Mammoths, this is your DM’s issue.)






                share|improve this answer










                New contributor




                Vidar is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.

























                  12














                  Not exactly a campaign but an early issue of Dragon magazine had a “cute” drawing of a beholder on the cover. The issue’s tagline is “Beauty is in the eye of — oh, skip it.” It was their 1990 April issue, #156:



                  A man in a tunic and hose, with a sword and pouches on his belt, kneels on one knee and presents a bouquet of flowers to a blushing beholder monster floating before him. His right hand is on his chest and he is speaking or singing, as if reciting an love poem to the beholder.
                  Cover by Daniel Horne © TSR & WotC, used under Fair Use for teaching and cultural critique purposes



                  (This issue is in the tradition of April issues of Dragon being silly for April Fools’. If you ever wanted to encounter the dread Bubble Dragon or a herd of Blink Mammoths, this is your DM’s issue.)






                  share|improve this answer










                  New contributor




                  Vidar is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                  Check out our Code of Conduct.























                    12












                    12








                    12







                    Not exactly a campaign but an early issue of Dragon magazine had a “cute” drawing of a beholder on the cover. The issue’s tagline is “Beauty is in the eye of — oh, skip it.” It was their 1990 April issue, #156:



                    A man in a tunic and hose, with a sword and pouches on his belt, kneels on one knee and presents a bouquet of flowers to a blushing beholder monster floating before him. His right hand is on his chest and he is speaking or singing, as if reciting an love poem to the beholder.
                    Cover by Daniel Horne © TSR & WotC, used under Fair Use for teaching and cultural critique purposes



                    (This issue is in the tradition of April issues of Dragon being silly for April Fools’. If you ever wanted to encounter the dread Bubble Dragon or a herd of Blink Mammoths, this is your DM’s issue.)






                    share|improve this answer










                    New contributor




                    Vidar is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                    Check out our Code of Conduct.










                    Not exactly a campaign but an early issue of Dragon magazine had a “cute” drawing of a beholder on the cover. The issue’s tagline is “Beauty is in the eye of — oh, skip it.” It was their 1990 April issue, #156:



                    A man in a tunic and hose, with a sword and pouches on his belt, kneels on one knee and presents a bouquet of flowers to a blushing beholder monster floating before him. His right hand is on his chest and he is speaking or singing, as if reciting an love poem to the beholder.
                    Cover by Daniel Horne © TSR & WotC, used under Fair Use for teaching and cultural critique purposes



                    (This issue is in the tradition of April issues of Dragon being silly for April Fools’. If you ever wanted to encounter the dread Bubble Dragon or a herd of Blink Mammoths, this is your DM’s issue.)







                    share|improve this answer










                    New contributor




                    Vidar is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                    Check out our Code of Conduct.









                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer








                    edited 8 hours ago









                    SevenSidedDie♦

                    205k30661936




                    205k30661936






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                    answered 9 hours ago









                    VidarVidar

                    1212




                    1212




                    New contributor




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                    New contributor





                    Vidar is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                    Check out our Code of Conduct.






                    Vidar is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                    Check out our Code of Conduct.























                        11














                        Yamara was comic strip which appeared in Dragon magazine. The first strip published in May 1988 made this joke:



                        An elf says to her beholder friend: "Oh, you know what they say about the beauty being in the–"






                        share|improve this answer










                        New contributor




                        Ori Gurel-Gurevich is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                        Check out our Code of Conduct.

























                          11














                          Yamara was comic strip which appeared in Dragon magazine. The first strip published in May 1988 made this joke:



                          An elf says to her beholder friend: "Oh, you know what they say about the beauty being in the–"






                          share|improve this answer










                          New contributor




                          Ori Gurel-Gurevich is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.























                            11












                            11








                            11







                            Yamara was comic strip which appeared in Dragon magazine. The first strip published in May 1988 made this joke:



                            An elf says to her beholder friend: "Oh, you know what they say about the beauty being in the–"






                            share|improve this answer










                            New contributor




                            Ori Gurel-Gurevich is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.










                            Yamara was comic strip which appeared in Dragon magazine. The first strip published in May 1988 made this joke:



                            An elf says to her beholder friend: "Oh, you know what they say about the beauty being in the–"







                            share|improve this answer










                            New contributor




                            Ori Gurel-Gurevich is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.









                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer








                            edited 9 hours ago









                            doppelgreener♦

                            32k11137230




                            32k11137230






                            New contributor




                            Ori Gurel-Gurevich is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.









                            answered 9 hours ago









                            Ori Gurel-GurevichOri Gurel-Gurevich

                            2114




                            2114




                            New contributor




                            Ori Gurel-Gurevich is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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                            New contributor





                            Ori Gurel-Gurevich is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.






                            Ori Gurel-Gurevich is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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