Wizards of the Coast has released an official trailer heralding the arrival of Marvel's Spider-Man, the newest Universes Beyond crossover set for Magic: The Gathering. This collaboration marks the beginning of a multi-year partnership with Marvel, infusing the game's strategic depth with over 60 years of web-slinging heroics, villainous clashes, and multiversal adventures from the Spider-Man universe. Designed as a full tentpole release, the set comprises 188 cards and is legal in Standard, Pioneer, Modern, Commander, Legacy, and Vintage formats, making it a cornerstone for both competitive play and casual collection.
At its heart, Marvel's Spider-Man invites players to assemble teams of Spider-Heroes—including Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy (Spider-Gwen), and the whimsical Spider-Ham (Peter Porker)—to battle iconic antagonists like Doc Ock, the Lizard, Green Goblin, and potentially the full Sinister Six. The set's theme revolves around retelling legendary tales from Spider-Man's comic history, emphasizing themes of strength in unity, agile mobility, and high-stakes showdowns. Cards capture the essence of the Spider-Verse through mechanics that evoke web-slinging evasion, venomous strikes, and symbiotic enhancements, blending Marvel's street-level action with Magic's spellcasting and creature summoning. For instance, creatures gain keywords like reach or deathtouch to mimic spider-like prowess, while instants and sorceries represent gadgetry, quips, and explosive encounters.
Gameplay innovations shine through the set's integration of Marvel lore into familiar Magic archetypes. Expect rogue-themed Spider-Heroes excelling in evasion and disruption, with abilities that reward assembling a "neighborhood" of allies for buffs or combo triggers. Standout cards include Cosmic Spider-Man, a five-color legendary creature serving as a powerful Commander that grants keywords to spider tokens and synergizes with multicolor decks, and The Soul Stone, an indestructible black mana rock artifact that recurs creatures from the graveyard—hinting at broader Marvel crossovers like the Avengers or Infinity Stones in future sets. The set supports Sealed, Draft, and Constructed formats, with Prerelease events featuring themed clan choices for deck-building variety. Booster Fun treatments elevate collectibility: Borderless Panel cards recreate comic panels, Web-Slinger frames add thematic borders, Classic Comic arts nod to vintage issues, and Scene cards depict epic battles. Full-art Spiderweb basic lands provide flavorful mana bases, while foil and serialized variants in Collector Boosters cater to premium seekers.
Product lineup caters to all levels of engagement. Play Boosters ($6.99) offer 14 cards for drafting and casual opens, including commons, uncommons, rares, and potential mythic rares or foils. Collector Boosters ($27) pack 15 cards with higher rarity pulls and exclusive treatments. The Bundle ($109.99) includes nine Play Boosters, 36 basic lands (with Spiderweb arts), accessories, and a foil promo. Scene Boxes ($41.99) deliver four Play Boosters plus oversized Scene cards for display. Prerelease Packs, available at events, contain six Play Boosters, a foil stamped rare/mythic, deck box, die, and guide—priced around $29.99. A Commander-focused variant, Spider-Man: The Final Battle, offers Standard-legal decks with Marvel synergies. This premium Universes Beyond pricing reflects the set's high-production values and broad appeal, drawing in Marvel enthusiasts while onboarding new Magic players through accessible mechanics and thematic Learn-to-Play resources like Welcome Decks.
The set's launch underscores Wizards' strategy to expand Magic's audience, building on successes like Final Fantasy and Lord of the Rings. By making Spider-Man cards Standard-legal from day one, it lowers barriers for newcomers to join rotating formats, while eternal format legality ensures longevity in Commander pods. Preorders are live at local game stores, Amazon, and official retailers, with digital reskins (due to licensing) coming to MTG Arena for virtual play.
Eager players can jump in early at Prerelease events running this weekend and through the week at Wizards Play Network stores, starting today, September 19, and continuing until September 25. These casual Sealed Deck tournaments provide hands-on experience with Prerelease Packs, prize support in Play Boosters, and options like Commander Box Leagues for 60-card builds. Events foster community with unlimited scheduling, often including Two-Headed Giant formats and new-player sessions. The full set hits stores everywhere on September 26, ready to web up decks worldwide.
