BRIAN BLUME HAS PASSED AWAY

Brian Blume, whose investment was seminal in allowing fledgling Tactical Studies Rules (founded by Gary Gygax and Don Kaye, with Blume being admitted after as a partner) and had a game design career of his own, has passed away for "Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson's disease". The money Brian Blume put in the company allowed for publication of the very first edition and print run of Dungeons & Dragons in 1973 and he was part of the upper management of the company in its various incarnation (TSR Hobbies, TSR Inc.) along his brother Kevin Blume, with the Blumes being majority stockholders of  TSR. Kevin Blume got his TSR stock from his father, Melvin Blume, who bought Don Kaye stock from his widow.

In 1984, after one the periodical crisis rocking TSR, relations between the Blumes and Gary Gygax were beyond any possible redemption. The Blumes left the company, albeit still as majority stockholders and they ended selling their stock to Lorraine Williams, the so called "Dragon Lady" that got complete control of TSR in 1986. Even Gary Gygax sold his remaining shares to her. 

Not much is known about Brina Blume's life and career after the stock sale to Lorraine Williams, but he did some map work for White Wolf and even TSR. He was credited as designer or co designer of the Boot Hill role playng game, the Dungeons & Dragons supplements Eldritch Wizardry and Rogues Gallery, the unauthorized Warriors of Mars miniatures game (based on the John Carter of Mars novels) and the WW II Panzer Warfare miniatures wargame. 

Nobody was able to get Brian Blume's version of the story about TSR internal conflicts and Lorraine Williams arrival and takeover so we have just the Gary Gygax's memoirs and some occasional declarations of ex TSR employees. Perhaps in the future Kevin Blume will hopefully decide to speak out.