Spider-Man Joins Magic: The Gathering: First Look Revealed

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*?” If so, you're in for a treat! Today, we're excited to give you an exclusive first look at six new cards from Magic's upcoming Spider-Man set, along with a sneak peek at 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. Dive deeper to learn more 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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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 overall after 2023's Modern-legal Lord of the Rings set. Unlike what you might expect, this set won't feature any preconstructed Commander decks. However, **the cards in the Scene Box shown above** ***won’t*** **be Standard-legal**; they are specifically designed with Commander gameplay in mind.

While 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. According to Wizards of the Coast Executive Producer Max McCall, a comprehensive set was necessary 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 explains. “If we had chosen characters from the Spider-Man canon for a wider set, we’d have had to leave out far too many iconic figures. We might have included Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales in a non-specific set, but there wouldn’t have been space for characters like Aunt May.”

McCall notes that designing for a Universes Beyond set “flips the worldbuilding on its head.” Typically, a Magic set needs to establish its setting and location through its cards, while also being engaging to play. However, with a character like Spider-Man, who is already well-known, the approach changes. “When we create a card that echoes the theme of great power bearing great responsibility, we can add mechanical complexity because fans already grasp the story the card is telling. We don’t need to simplify Universes Beyond cards; we just need to capture moments that are recognizable and easy for fans to relate to.”

When it comes to translating these iconic moments into a Magic set, Head Designer Mark Rosewater emphasizes the versatility of Magic's color pie. "It's robust enough to depict heroism and villainy across all five colors," he says. For example, Rosewater notes that Spider-Man would typically fall into white, blue, and green color categories, with the specific version in the Scene Box being white and blue. “Spider-Man's commitment to using his powers for good aligns with the white color pie. His origin story involving science and his inventions, like the web-slingers, are very blue. And his connection to the animal kingdom, specifically spiders, along with the destiny tied to his universe, fits into the green color pie.”

"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 of which you can explore in the gallery above. While there won’t be any preconstructed Commander decks, the set will feature the return of Welcome Decks – those are themed introductory decks often given out 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 has also announced a set inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender. Additionally, two more in-universe sets, Tarkir: Dragontsorm and the space-themed Edge of Eternities, are on the horizon.

*Read on for the full, unedited interview with Wizards of the Coast’s Max McCall and Mark Rosewater:*