Did you catch our reveal of Magic: The Gathering's Final Fantasy crossover last week and find yourself wondering, "Video games are great, but what about *superheroes*?" Well, I've got thrilling news for you: Today, we're offering an exclusive first look at six new cards from Magic's upcoming Spider-Man set, along with a glimpse at all the accompanying products and packaging.
Click through the image gallery below to explore all the Spider-Man cards from its Commander-focused Scene Box, booster packs, Welcome Decks, and more. Read on to learn more about the set directly from Wizards of the Coast.
Marvel's Spider-Man x Magic: The Gathering - First Card and Packaging Reveal
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Set to launch on September 26, Marvel’s Spider-Man will be the second fully draftable, Standard-legal set in Magic's Universes Beyond line, following Final Fantasy, and the third overall after 2023's Modern-legal Lord of the Rings set. While you won't find preconstructed Commander decks in this set, **the cards in the Scene Box shown above** ***won't*** **be Standard-legal**; they are crafted specifically for Commander enthusiasts.
Although a Secret Lair featuring Wolverine, Captain America, and others marked Magic's initial foray into the Marvel universe last year, Spider-Man will be the first full set inspired by the comics. Wizards of the Coast Executive Producer Max McCall explains that a smaller product simply wouldn't suffice to capture the essence of Spider-Man and the vast array of characters and moments from his universe.
"Spider-Man needs a full set to do justice to the character..." "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 elaborates. "Selecting characters from the Spider-Man canon for a broader set would leave too many out. We could fit Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales into a non-Spider-Man-specific set, but there wouldn't be room for Aunt May."
McCall highlights that designing for a Universes Beyond set "flips the worldbuilding on its head." While a typical Magic set must establish its location and setting through its cards, with Universes Beyond, many players are already familiar with characters like Spider-Man. "When we create a card that embodies great power bearing great responsibility, we can add mechanical complexity because the story resonates with fans. We don’t have to simplify Universes Beyond cards; we just need to capture recognizable moments that fans will easily understand."
AnswerSee ResultsWhen it comes to translating the world of Spider-Man into a Magic set, Head Designer Mark Rosewater notes that Magic's color pie "is robust enough to depict heroism and villainy across all five colors." For instance, Rosewater says Spider-Man would fit into white, blue, and green, though the specific version in the Scene Box above is limited to white and blue.
"Spider-Man feeling obligated to use his power to help people is core to him being part of the white color pie. Spider-Man is also a product of science, bitten by a radioactive spider. This, along with Peter’s aptitude for science and invention (like his web-slingers), aligns with the blue color. Finally, Spider-Man's powers are derived from an animal, and the comics suggest a destiny tied to spiders and the Spider-Man universe, which is fundamentally green."
"We're not limiting ourselves to any one [comic] run or series." In addition to the Scene Box, the set will include Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Bundles, and Prerelease Packs, all visible in the gallery above with more details. While there won’t be preconstructed Commander decks, this set marks the return of Welcome Decks – themed introductory decks typically offered for free by game stores, providing a low-pressure way for new players to learn the game.
Alongside this year’s Final Fantasy set, Wizards of the Coast recently announced a set themed around Avatar: The Last Airbender. Before that, two more in-universe sets are on the horizon: 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:
