From hugely popular multiplayer hits like Marvel Rivals to the ever-expanding cinematic universe, Marvel is everywhere, and the newest Magic: The Gathering set is the latest example of this pop culture domination. Two titans meet as Marvel superheroes – and villains – debut in this highly anticipated release. Whether you're a long-time Magic player or a superhero fanatic, this set has wide appeal and even convinced me to give Magic a serious shot.

I spoke to lead designer Mark Rosewater and went hands-on with Marvel Super Heroes Universes Beyond set at Summer Game Fest, ahead of its June 26 release.

Balancing Authenticity And Mechanics

At the start of a practice match, I'm faced with a choice between five super hero Welcome Decks: Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Black Widow, each representing one of the five major colors in Magic. Each choice contains a half-deck themed around the featured super hero, combined with another randomly inserted half-deck of 30 additional cards.

As a TCG collector first and player second, I disregarded the meta options and went with my favorite super hero: Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire is still my favorite, sorry Tom Holland). As I begin the match, I'm painfully aware of just how much better the PR guide I’m playing against is at this than me, and while expected, it puts my spider deck behind fairly early. My opponent plays a card with the flying ability, and I struggle to find a way to remove the threat.

But suddenly, my luck turns as I play a combo that allows me to draw an additional card each turn, and slowly, the game flips on its head. With superior draw strength and a refreshed hand in my favor, I'm able to play strong enough cards that my opponent's creatures are no longer a concern. I overwhelmed his blocking options, swinging into an unexpected victory, thanks to Spider-Man and his friends.

While my play was far from expert level, I was able to win by using my cards' combinations and unique abilities. I may not know everything about Magic, but what I knew about Spider-Man and his counterparts helped me to piece together combos I may have never noticed without that familiarity.

In fact, this loose familiarity and building connection is what the Wizards of the Coast team sought to achieve in their collaboration with Marvel. With two strongly defined brands combining to make a set where inherently overpowered characters need to be balanced, it's hard not to wonder: what came first, the balance or the character?

"The thing I said to my team is, obviously, the card has to be the character. But if the card does nothing but be the character, and it doesn't play well, it doesn't matter," Mark Rosewater explains. "So, really, the key was, we said, mostly pick one thing and focus on that one thing, and then just make it play really well."

As Rosewater pulls back the curtain on what went into designing the Marvel Super Heroes set for Magic, it's impossible not to notice his wide smile and the clear passion he has for it. As such a key figure in the game's history, Rosewater embodies Magic, and his love of Marvel helped him and the WotC team strike an equilibrium between a character's ethos and their card version.

Staying True To The Magic

Aside from his longstanding history with the Magic brand, Rosewater is also a massive Marvel fan, which perfectly positioned him to oversee the set. He opens up about how Wizards of the Coast designs a set and how his expertise helped shape it.

"I've been reading Marvel forever. I know Marvel. I'm a big Marvel fan. So, I led the first part of the set. It's called Vision Design," Rosewater tells me. "The way Wizards works is, someone does the first half and hands off to a different team that does the second half. Just to have a different set of eyes."

As the set moves forward into the next phases, Rosewater reflects on some of the most memorable cards he reviewed before their abilities were finalized. One particular case resonates in Rosewater's memory, and he recounts the story: "Canonically, when the Hulk gets madder, he gets stronger. His power has to deliver. It's his DNA. So we added [a] plus one, plus one counter. So that's the kind of detail we wanted to play well."

It's that level of detail and care that made even a novice like me take notice, as each character feels true to their lore. The level of care and attention to detail feels authentic, fair, and easy to pick up and play, even if you're not very familiar with Magic or Marvel. But if you are a fan, you'll notice plenty of flavor text and fun interactions that reflect the essence of both Marvel's most iconic characters and Magic's signature style.

As our time began to wind down, one question still lingered in the air: What's Mark Rosewater's favorite card from the new set? Before I can even finish getting the question out, he's already beaming, a response loading rapidly, "I love Squirrel Girl. Green's awesome. The fact that everyone's embraced Squirrel Girl makes me super happy, because I love squirrels, and I love Squirrel Girl. I love doubling things, so that's my favorite card."

From Spider-Man to Hulk, Killmonger to Dr. Doom, and Black Widow to Black Panther, there are plenty of heroes to choose from as you build a deck of your absolute favorites. Marvel lovers and Magic superfans can finally get their hands on the anticipated set starting June 26.

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Posts 1 By  Quinton O'Connor