Napoleon Dynamite is making a documentary about the artist that inspired your favourite Warhammer games

If you’re a fan of Warhammer 40k, you know John Blanche. Even if it’s you’re first time hearing his name, you’ll be familiar with his fingerprints on some of the setting’s most defining artwork. He’s responsible for that iconic imagine of the emprah – the one the best shows off the dark irony of a such a wretched figure becoming an idol of worship. While the term ‘grimdark’ originates from 40k’s “in the grim darkness of the far future…” tagline, grimdark as an aesthetic is one Blanche pioneered. There’s even a style of miniature painting – Blanchitsu – named after him.

Basically, even games that don’t use the 40k license owe an incredible amount to Blanche’s work. That’s not to mention his influence on the fantasy setting of the Total War: Warhammer series either. His piece Harry The Hammer was the cover for the first edition of Fantasy Battle – recently added to the strategy game as chaos hero Harold Hammerstorm. I could go on, and I might do so in a bit, but here’s the news: Trademark Films are making a documentary on Blanche’s work, starring Napoleon Dynamite actor Jon Heder. It’s called The Grim And The Dark: The Search For John Blanche, and it’s out next Spring. Here’s a trailer:

As per the title, the documentary’s narrative is set up as a hunt for the 46-year veteran of Games Workshop, which seems a little dramatic as far as narratives go: he’s not exactly been elusive since he retired last year. Still, I’ve always quite enjoyed watching something I’m familiar with given an outsider-framing. It’s almost like discovering something for the first time, and I’m sure it’ll be interesting to see which details from Blanche’s long career the filmmakers consider pertinent or interesting to more general audiences.

What’s doubly exciting is that it seems like the documentary will explore further afield than Warhammer itself. In the trailer, you can see some models and artwork from Trench Crusade – a skirmish miniatures game with work from some ex-GW talent that recently did gangbusters on Kickstarter. Even the Helldivers crew were impressed enough to get hyped about a crossover.

Heder himself, according to a website blurb, was introduced to “the world of Grimdark” when out “looking for a gift for his kid”. May I suggest this Trench Crusade lad with more than a little Berserk influence, Jon? As for you, reader, do try and fish a copy of Ratspike out of the internet if you’re interested in more of Blanche’s work, alongside fellow fantasy luminary Ian Miller.