Editing Jeff Dee

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{short description|American artist and game designer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox artist
| name          = Jeff Dee
| image         = Jeff Dee (2009).png
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| caption       = Jeff Dee on ''The Atheist Experience'' television series, January 4, 2009
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| birth_place   = United States
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| field         = [[Fantasy art]], [[illustration]]
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'''Jeff Dee''' is an American artist and [[game designer]]. He was the youngest artist in the history of pioneering [[role-playing game]] company [[TSR (company)|TSR]] when he began his work at the age of 18. He also designed the ''[[Villains and Vigilantes]]'' superhero game. He was a co-host on ''[[The Atheist Experience]]'' and Non-Prophets atheism advocacy podcasts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atheist-experience.com/people/jeff_dee/|title=People: Jeff Dee|work=The Atheist Experience|publisher=Atheist Community of Austin|access-date=February 4, 2019|archive-date=October 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004074520/http://atheist-experience.com/people/jeff_dee/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Biography==
In the late 1970s, while Dee was still a teenager, he and [[Jack Herman]] created ''[[Villains and Vigilantes]]'', the first complete superhero role-playing game.<ref>Jebens, Harley (September 21, 1995). "Game central", ''[[Austin American-Statesman]]'', p. 38.</ref> The game was published by [[Fantasy Games Unlimited]] in 1979.<ref name="designers">{{Cite book|author=Shannon Appelcline|title=Designers & Dragons|publisher=Mongoose Publishing|year=2011| isbn= 978-1-907702-58-7}}</ref>{{rp|73}} Dee and Herman persuaded [[Scott Bizar]] to produce a second edition, which was published in 1982.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|75}} Dee came up with the idea of creating a role-playing game based on cartoons when he, [[Greg Costikyan]], and other designers were discussing which genres had no role-playing game systems yet; although they agreed that it would be impossible for such a game to be designed, a few years later Costikyan designed ''[[Toon (role-playing game)|Toon]]'' as a full game with the assistance of [[Warren Spector]].<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|104}}

Dee was the youngest artist in TSR history when he began working for them at the age of 18.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jeff Dee|date=2010|website=blackgate.com|url=http://www.blackgate.com/2010/09/29/art-evolution-3-jeff-dee/}}</ref> In 1997, with his partner 'Manda, Dee founded UNIgames, a publisher of role-playing, [[board game|board]], and [[computer game]]s.{{cn|date=February 2022}} Dee designed a new superhero role-playing game originally titled ''Advanced Villains and Vigilantes'', which was ultimately published as ''Living Legends'' in 2005.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|77}} In 2009, he co-founded Nemesis Games, developers of an [[Massively multiplayer online game|MMO]] named ''Gargantua''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nemesisgames.net/ |title=Nemesis Games web site |publisher=Nemesisgames.net |access-date=June 15, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606024608/http://www.nemesisgames.net/ |archive-date=June 6, 2012 }}</ref>

Dee has long been an advocate for the role-playing game industry.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.blackgate.com/2014/02/25/art-of-the-genre-the-halflings-of-jeff-dee/ | title=Art of the Genre: The Halflings of Jeff Dee – Black Gate | date=February 25, 2014 }}</ref>

==Advocacy of atheism==
In addition to his artistic and game-related work, Dee is an outspoken [[atheism|atheist]] and [[Transhumanism|transhumanist]].<ref>{{citation|last=Rahe|first=Emily|date=July 11, 2001|title=Atheists blast faith-based initiative as an unconstitutional "religion tax" | newspaper=[[The Washington Times]]|page=A9|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-76461881}}{{dl|date=July 2021}}</ref> He has been the host of a bi-weekly [[Internet]] podcast called ''The Non-Prophets'' and a former host of a live, weekly, [[public-access television]] program, ''[[The Atheist Experience]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atheist-experience.com/archive/index.php?full=0|website=atheist-experience.com|title=The Atheist Experience|access-date=August 22, 2007|archive-date=November 22, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122085027/http://www.atheist-experience.com/archive/index.php?full=0|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite web | url = http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showcreator&creatorid=509 | title = Jeff Dee | access-date = August 22, 2011 | work = Pen & Paper RPG database | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930201246/http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showcreator&creatorid=509 | archive-date = September 30, 2007}}
*{{moby developer|id=487|name=Jeff Dee's profile}}
* [http://www.paratime.ca/v_and_v/art_jdee.html A Jeff Dee art gallery], including most of his AD&D work
* [http://wwjdee.blogspot.com/ ''What Worries Jeff Dee?''], Dee's blog

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dee, Jeff}}
[[Category:American atheism activists]]
[[Category:American fantasy artists]]
[[Category:American game artists]]
[[Category:American role-playing designers]]
[[Category:American role-playing game artists]]
[[Category:American transhumanists]]
[[Category:Atheist Community of Austin people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]