Spider-Man Enters Magic: The Gathering Universe

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's the superhero action?" If so, you're in for a treat. Today, we're thrilled to unveil an exclusive first look at six exciting new cards from the upcoming Spider-Man set in Magic: The Gathering, along with a sneak peek at all the accompanying products and packaging.

**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. Keep reading to dive deeper into what Wizards of the Coast has planned for this set.

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 the Final Fantasy set, and the third after the 2023 Modern-legal Lord of the Rings set. While there won’t be any preconstructed Commander decks, **the cards in the Scene Box showcased above are designed for Commander play and won't be Standard-legal**.

Although Magic ventured into the Marvel universe last year with a Secret Lair featuring Wolverine, Captain America, and others, Spider-Man marks 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 the character. "Spider-Man needs a full set to capture his essence and incorporate the many villains he's encountered over the years," McCall explains. "Including characters from the Spider-Man universe in a broader set would mean leaving out too many beloved characters. We might have found room for Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales, but there wouldn't have been space for Aunt May."

Designing for a Universes Beyond set, McCall adds, "flips the worldbuilding on its head." Unlike a typical Magic set, where cards must establish the setting and be fun to play, a Universes Beyond set can leverage fans' existing familiarity with characters like Spider-Man. "When we create a card that embodies the theme of great power bearing great responsibility, we can add mechanical complexity because fans already understand the story behind it. We don't need to simplify Universes Beyond cards; we just need to choose recognizable moments that fans will easily grasp."

Head Designer Mark Rosewater elaborates on how they translate Spider-Man's world into Magic cards. "Magic's color pie is versatile enough to portray heroism and villainy across all five colors," he says. For example, Spider-Man aligns with white, blue, and green. "His obligation to use his powers to help others is central to his white identity. The scientific origin, stemming from a radioactive spider bite and Peter's inventions, fits into the blue color pie. Finally, his animal-based powers and connection to destiny and nature are core green elements."

"We're not limiting ourselves to any one [comic] run or series," Rosewater adds. The Spider-Man set will include Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Bundles, and Prerelease Packs, all visible in the gallery above. Though preconstructed Commander decks won't be part of the lineup, Welcome Decks will return. These introductory decks are usually given out by game stores for free, providing a low-pressure way for new players to learn the game.

In addition to this year's Final Fantasy set, Wizards of the Coast has announced an upcoming set themed around Avatar: The Last Airbender. Before that, fans can look forward to two more in-universe sets: Tarkir: Dragonsorm 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:*