Ken Whitman

Ken Whitman was a graphic designer from Kentucky who formed the company Whit Productions so that he could publish the post-apocalyptic role-playing game Mutazoids (1989) and get started in the role-playing game business.{{Cite book|author=Shannon Appelcline|title=Designers & Dragons: The '90s|publisher=Evil Hat Productions|year=2014| isbn=978-1-61317-084-7}}{{rp|262}} Rick Swan in a review of Mutazoids in his book The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games notes that "overall, designer Ken Whitman has done an impressive job of creating an attractively chaotic RPG environment."{{cite book |last=Swan |first=Rick |date=1990 |title=The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games |url=https://archive.org/details/completeguidetor0000swan/page/144/ |location=New York |publisher=St. Martin's Press |via=Internet Archive |pages=144–146 |isbn=0-312-05060-7 |accessdate=September 17, 2023 }}

Whitman followed that effort by starting a second company, Whit Publications, which published two licensed games: Ralph Bakshi's Wizards (1992) by Edward Bolme and WWF Basic Adventure Game (1993) by David Clark.{{rp|262}}

After his investors took over Whit Publications in 1994, Whitman became the Gen Con Convention Coordinator for TSR.{{rp|262}} Whitman had the goal of getting TSR a presence in 80 or more conventions in 1995.{{cite magazine |date=March 1995 |title=News of people & events in the gaming industry |url=https://archive.org/details/DragonMagazine260_201801/DragonMagazine215/page/n55/ |magazine=Dragon |via=Internet Archive |page=54 |accessdate=September 17, 2023 }} Whitman worked for TSR from 1994 to 1995.Owsley, Becca (June 13, 2014). "Brandenburg film company produces geek culture projects" (pages [https://web.archive.org/web/20230917012017/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-enterprise/131922789/ 1] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20230917012331/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-enterprise/131922924/ 2]). The News-Enterprise. Archived from the original (pages [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-enterprise/131922789/ 1] and [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-enterprise/131922924/ 2]) on 2023-09-17. Retrieved 2023-09-17 – via Newspapers.com. Whitman also worked on the Highlander role-playing game from Thunder Castle Games.

Whitman used this game convention experience and made contacts including Marc Miller, with whom he co-founded Imperium Games in February 1996 to publish Traveller releases.{{rp|262}} Whitman was president of the new company, and gathered several role-playing professionals to run it.{{rp|262–263}} Whitman helped design the fourth edition of Traveller, and wrote the rules for psionics for the system.{{rp|263}} Whitman was at the heart of financial disagreements between Imperium and its backer Sweetpea Entertainment, and eventually left because of these disagreements over money expenditures.{{rp|265}} Fans became increasingly vocal online because the company continued to promise products that never appeared, to which Whitman responded:{{rp|265}}

{{blockquote|I feel that others who like starting rumers are only showing their own insecurities and anger to the world. Just because you have failed several time in you life, dont belive everyone else is like you. [Sic] - Ken Whitman, "Imperium Games & Treveller," rec.games.frp.misc (1996){{rp|265}} }}

Whitman ran Archangel Entertainment from 1997 to 1998.{{rp|270}} While president of Archangel Entertainment, the company published Groo: The Game and the Zero and Dark Conspiracy role-playing games, and Whitman planned to distribute Archangel products in the United States through Chessex.{{cite magazine |last1=Bednar |first1=Chuck |last2=Slizewski |first2=Tom |date=July 1998 |title=Game Companies Going Exclusive |url=https://archive.org/details/IQ.Gamer.Partial.Collection/inquest.039.-.july.1998.-.exodus.preview.lq/page/n10/ |magazine=InQuest |via=Internet Archive |issue=39 |page=20 |accessdate=September 17, 2023 }} Marcelo Figueroa of Shadis reviewed Groo and said that Whitman got "a burst of inspiration, and decides to make a card game about" the Groo: The Wanderer comic by Sergio Aragones, which he felt was "one of the coolest cards games I've ever played."{{cite magazine |last=Figueroa |first=Marcelo A. |date=September 1997 |title=Groo: The Card Game |url=https://archive.org/details/shadismagazine/Shadis%20Magazine%20%2340/page/n79/ |magazine=Shadis |via=Internet Archive |volume=6 |issue=40 |page=78 |accessdate=September 17, 2023 }}

Whitman then{{When|date=December 2024}} ran Dynasties Productions, focusing on the new magazine Games Unplugged.{{rp|343}} Dynasties Presentations lasted from 1998 to 2001.{{rp|270}}

Whitman then{{When|date=December 2024}} managed Elmore Production, the art company of Larry Elmore.{{rp|343}} Whitman helped Elmore produce "The Complete Elmore Art Book" by funding it through Kickstarter.

Whitman then created print companies first with Rapid POD which lasted from 2005 to 2007, and he then created Sidekick Printing in 2010.{{rp|270}}

Whitman later began doing business in late 2013 as D20 Entertainment on Kickstarter.{{cite interview|url=https://runkleplaysgames.com/2015/06/04/interview-with-ken-whitman-of-d20-entertainment/|title=Interview with Ken Whitman of D20 Entertainment|author=|date=June 4, 2015|publisher=Runkle Plays Games|accessdate=June 8, 2018}} Whitman created and funded six projects on Kickstarter between December 8, 2013, and April 7, 2015, for three short movies and three gaming accessories.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024|reason=previous ref was kickstarter (blacklisted)}} Whitman led d20 Entertainment into producing a Web series called "Brothers Barbarian." Whitman and Tim Gooch created the series and starred in the cast as the two brothers Russ and Art respectively.{{cite news |date=May 19, 2011 |title=Brandenburg inn becomes setting for web-based fantasy series |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-enterprise/131923240/ |newspaper=The News-Enterprise |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=September 17, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230917012944/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-enterprise/131923240/ |archivedate=September 17, 2023 }}{{cite news |date=September 27, 2012 |title='Brothers Barbarian': Online comedy series filming this weekend in Brandenburg features Goshen man |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oldham-era/131923366/ |newspaper=The Oldham Era |accessdate=September 17, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230917013221/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oldham-era/131923366/ |archivedate=September 17, 2023 }}Downs, Meaghan (August 10, 2011). "Local couple stars in webisode series" (pages [https://web.archive.org/web/20230917013549/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-anderson-news/131923508/ 1] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20230917013650/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-anderson-news/131923596/ 2]). The Anderson News. Archived from the original (pages [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-anderson-news/131923508/ 1] and [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-anderson-news/131923596/ 2]) on 2023-09-17. Retrieved 2023-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.

Since 2021 Whitman is the CEO of Little Monster Entertainment, a film distributor that aims to connect independent film projects with streaming services.{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.littlemonsterentertainment.com/about |access-date=October 21, 2024 |website=www.littlemonsterentertainment.com |language=en}}{{Primary source inline|date=December 2024}} Their first film, Unnatural, was released on multiple streaming platforms on December 18, 2024.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024|reason=Previous ref from Rotten tomatoes should not be used per WP:ROTTENTOMATOES - There is consensus that Rotten Tomatoes should not be used for biographical information, cast and crew data, or other film and television data, as it is sourced from user-generated and user-provided content with a lack of oversight and verification.}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite web|url=http://pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showcreator&creatorid=2133 |title=Ken Whitman :: Pen & Paper RPG Database|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011170034/http://pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showcreator&creatorid=2133 |archivedate=October 11, 2007}}
• {{IMDb name|4452606}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitman, Ken}}

Category:American role-playing designers

Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)