Marvel's Spider-Man Swings into Magic: The Gathering – First Look at Cards and Packaging
Last week's reveal of the Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy crossover had many wondering, "What about superheroes?" The wait is over! We have 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.
Explore the Image Gallery Below: The gallery showcases the Spider-Man cards featured in the Commander-focused Scene Box, booster packs, Welcome Decks, and more.
Marvel's Spider-Man x Magic: The Gathering – Card and Packaging Unveiled
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Launching September 26th, 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 Lord of the Rings set. Unlike what one might expect, there won't be any preconstructed Commander decks; however, the cards in the Scene Box (pictured above) are specifically designed for Commander play and will not be Standard-legal.
This Spider-Man set marks Magic's first full set inspired by Marvel comics, following last year's Secret Lair featuring Wolverine, Captain America, and others. Wizards of the Coast Executive Producer, Max McCall, explains the decision: "Spider-Man requires a full set to do him justice, encompassing his numerous villains throughout the years. A smaller product wouldn't accommodate all the characters and key moments we wanted to include. While we could've possibly included Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales in a non-Spider-Man set, there simply wouldn't have been room for Aunt May."
McCall describes designing for Universes Beyond as "flipping worldbuilding on its head." Standard Magic sets require cards to establish location and setting while remaining fun to play. With Spider-Man, that foundation already exists. "When we create a card representing 'great power, great responsibility,' we can add mechanical complexity because players understand the narrative. Universes Beyond cards don't need to be 'simple' – we just need to choose recognizable moments, ensuring easy comprehension for fans."
AnswerSee ResultsHead Designer Mark Rosewater clarifies how these moments translate into Magic: "Magic's color pie is versatile enough to depict heroism and villainy across all five colors." He cites Spider-Man as an example, aligning him with white, blue, and green (though the Scene Box version uses only white and blue). "Spider-Man's obligation to use his powers for good is inherently white. His scientific background and inventions are blue. Finally, his powers' animalistic origins and destined connection to spiders and the Spider-Man universe are green."
"We aren't limiting ourselves to any one comic run or series."
Beyond the Scene Box, the set includes Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Bundles, and Prerelease Packs (detailed in the gallery). While preconstructed Commander decks are absent, Welcome Decks return – introductory decks offered by game stores to help new players learn the game.
Following this year's Final Fantasy and the recently announced Avatar: The Last Airbender sets, two more in-universe sets are planned: Tarkir: Dragonstorm and the space-themed Edge of Eternities.
A full, unedited interview with Max McCall and Mark Rosewater is available (link to interview).
