Did you catch our reveal of Magic: The Gathering’s Final Fantasy crossover last week and find yourself thinking, “Video games are great, but where are the *superheroes*?” If so, you're in for a treat. Today, we're giving you an exclusive first look at six new cards from Magic's upcoming Spider-Man set, along with a detailed overview of all the products and packaging that will accompany this exciting release.
**Click through the image gallery below** to explore all the Spider-Man cards featured in the 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 marks the second fully draftable, Standard-legal set in Magic’s Universes Beyond line of products, following the recent Final Fantasy set and the 2023 Modern-legal Lord of the Rings set. While you won't find preconstructed Commander decks in this set, **the cards featured in the Scene Box above** are designed specifically for Commander and **will not** be Standard-legal.
Magic's initial foray into the Marvel universe was through a Secret Lair featuring Wolverine, Captain America, and others last year. Now, Spider-Man takes the spotlight as the first full set inspired by the comics. According to Wizards of the Coast Executive Producer Max McCall, a full set was necessary to do justice to Spider-Man's rich universe.
"Spider-Man needs a full set to do justice to the character and incorporate the many villains he’s encountered over the years," McCall explains. "Choosing characters from the Spider-Man canon for a smaller set would have left too many important characters out. We could have included Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales in a broader set, but there wouldn't have been space for characters like Aunt May."
McCall highlights that designing for a Universes Beyond set "flips the worldbuilding on its head." Unlike traditional Magic sets, where cards must establish the setting and be engaging to play, Universes Beyond sets can leverage existing familiarity with characters like Spider-Man. "When we create a card that reflects great power bearing great responsibility, we can add mechanical complexity because fans already understand the story behind it. We don’t have to keep Universes Beyond cards simple; we just need to focus on recognizable moments that fans can easily connect with."
AnswerSee ResultsHead Designer Mark Rosewater elaborates on how they translate Spider-Man's world into Magic's mechanics, emphasizing the flexibility of Magic's color pie. "We can depict heroism and villainy across all five colors," Rosewater notes. He explains that Spider-Man aligns with white, blue, and green colors, with the Scene Box version specifically featuring white and blue. "Spider-Man's obligation to use his power for good is central to his white identity. His origin from a scientific experiment and his inventive nature, like his web-slingers, fit perfectly into the blue color pie. Additionally, his animal-based powers and the destiny tied to spiders and the Spider-Man universe resonate with green."
"We're not limiting ourselves to any one [comic] run or series," McCall adds. Alongside the Scene Box, the set will include Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Bundles, and Prerelease Packs, all showcased in the gallery above. While preconstructed Commander decks are absent, the set will reintroduce Welcome Decks—introductory decks distributed by game stores to help new players learn the game in a low-pressure environment.
In addition to this year’s Final Fantasy set, Wizards of the Coast has also announced a set themed around Avatar: The Last Airbender. Before that, fans can look forward to 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:*
