Did you catch our reveal of Magic: The Gathering’s Final Fantasy crossover last week and wonder where the superheroes are in the mix? Well, you're in for a treat because today, we're unveiling six new cards from Magic's upcoming Spider-Man set, along with all the exciting products and packaging that will come with it. Dive into the image gallery below to explore the Spider-Man cards from its Commander-focused Scene Box, booster packs, Welcome Decks, and more. Keep reading to learn all about the set from Wizards of the Coast.
Marvel's Spider-Man x Magic: The Gathering - First Card and Packaging Reveal
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Scheduled for release on September 26, Marvel's Spider-Man will be the second fully draftable, Standard-legal set in Magic's Universes Beyond series, following the Final Fantasy set. This new set comes after 2023's Modern-legal Lord of the Rings set. Notably, the cards featured in the Scene Box above are designed specifically for Commander play and won't be Standard-legal.
While a Secret Lair featuring Wolverine, Captain America, and other Marvel characters marked Magic's first foray into the Marvel universe last year, the Spider-Man set is the first full set inspired by the comics. Wizards of the Coast Executive Producer Max McCall emphasized the need for a full set to do justice to Spider-Man's expansive universe and rich cast of characters.
"Spider-Man needs a full set to do justice to the character and incorporate the many villains he's come across over the years," McCall explains. "Including characters from the Spider-Man canon in a broader set would leave too many important figures out. While we could have included Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales in a non-specific set, there wouldn't have been room for characters like Aunt May."
McCall also highlights the unique approach to designing Universes Beyond sets, stating, "It flips the worldbuilding on its head. In a typical Magic set, the cards need to establish the location and setting while being engaging to play. However, with a character like Spider-Man, most people are already familiar. This allows us to add mechanical complexity to cards that tell a story, like the concept of great power bearing great responsibility. We don't have to simplify Universes Beyond cards; we just need to focus on recognizable moments that fans will easily understand."
AnswerSee ResultsWhen it comes to translating Spider-Man's world into Magic, Head Designer Mark Rosewater points out that Magic's color pie is versatile enough to represent heroism and villainy across all five colors. He notes that Spider-Man would typically fall into white, blue, and green colors, with the specific card in the Scene Box above using white and blue.
"Spider-Man's obligation to use his powers for good aligns with the white color pie," Rosewater explains. "His origin story involving science and his inventions, like web-slingers, fit perfectly into blue. Additionally, his powers being derived from an animal and his destined connection to spiders and the Spider-Man universe are core to green."
"We're not limiting ourselves to any one [comic] run or series," Rosewater adds. In addition to the Scene Box, the set will include Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Bundles, and Prerelease Packs, all of which are showcased in the gallery above. While there won't be preconstructed Commander decks, the set will feature the return of Welcome Decks, which are free introductory decks distributed by game stores to help new players learn the game.
Alongside this year's Final Fantasy set, Wizards of the Coast has also announced an upcoming set themed around Avatar: The Last Airbender. Before that, there will be two more in-universe sets: Tarkir: Dragontsorm and the space-themed Edge of Eternities.
Read on for the full, unedited interview with Wizards of the Coast’s Max McCall and Mark Rosewater:
