Basically this is about how the game is supposed to work. Not a bug, exactly, as much as really being strange, as well as disappointing that when killed by TNT, Endermen won't drop items. Tried multiple times on creative, no drops. Been meaning to set this up as a trap in survival, but upon discovering it yields no tangible rewards, why bother? I don't remember whether other creatures drop items upon explosive death, hopefully so. Will test for current version.

Is this the way the game was meant to operate? Disappointing if it is, but I can live with it. If not, I look forward to more Enderman traps.