Magic: The Gatheringis adding a world of webslingers in 2025, asSpider-Manwill be the focus of the first Marvel crossover set. This will be one of the tentpole sets featuring iconic heroes and villains from the Spider-Man cast.
It’s safe to assume that the Spider-Men will be a focal point of the set, so Peter Parker and Miles Morales are a shoo-in for an appearance. But what about the other residents of the Big Apple? Will J. Jonah Jameson be trading blows with Jace? Is Scarlet Spider going to face down Liliana? These are the characters we want to see inMTG’s Spider-Man set.
10Doctor Octopus
One of Spider-Man’s longest-running and most iconic villains throughout the character’s history, Otto Octavius will be a great addition to Marvel’s Spider-Man set. While the classic comic book version is the obvious choice, the Dok Ock character from the Spider-Verse would also fit, with both potentially being Alts of the other.
How would Doctor Octopus work in Magic: The Gathering?
Doctor Octopus’ multiple robotic limbs make developing a power set for his MTG incarnation easy. Giving him Double Strike and/or Vigilance would make sense, representing how he easily attacks with all of his tentacles at once.
9Spider-Woman (Gwen Stacy)
Spider-Men will be all over this set, but what about Spider-Woman? This incrediblypopular iteration of Gwen Stacy, Spider-Man’s doomed love interest, would be a natural fit for MTG and would be well-suited as a Commander for a Spider-Verse set.
How would Spider-Woman work in Magic: The Gathering?
Spider-Woman will likely have powers based on speed, with Keywords like Flash, Haste, and Flying being natural fits for the character. The intention is that she can swoop in to deal damage in a narrow window, making it harder for the opponent to respond.
8Electro
A character manipulating electricity is annoying when fighting in a video game, but it fits in perfectly among the sorcerers and wizards of MTG. Electro has been facing Spider-Man for decades and will likely blast his way into the card game.
How would Electro work in Magic: The Gathering?
Electro is a natural Reach user, considering his ranged electricity attacks. He would also suit a tap/mana cost to deal direct damage, reflecting just how difficult it would be to continually avoid someone throwing lightning at you every few seconds, and how you’d have to prioritize taking him out.
7Black Cat
Spider-Man’s thieving love interest, whostole the show in Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, deserves a spot in the MTG crossover set. Not all characters need to be powerhouse monsters at a high cost: you also need heroes and villains at the lower end of the scale who are essential early on in a game.
How would Black Cat work in Magic: The Gathering?
Felicia Hardy fits this role well, being a Spider-Man character without many superpowers that need to be reflected. Her cat burglary skills in the comics could be referenced via an ability to steal or turn off enemy Artifacts and Equipment cards, giving her a role in late-game plays.
6Vulture
The exciting thing about including Vulture in Marvel’s Spider-Man set is that two distinct versions can appear in MTG. The first is the green and yellow-suited bald guy from the comics, who drains life energy to sustain his power. The other version is the tech villain from Spider-Man: Homecoming.
How would Vulture work in Magic: The Gathering?
The first Vulture would work well in MTG as a strong character who needs to sacrifice Creatures or Tokens to stay on the field. The movie one could be a more standard Creature, with Flying and Reach to represent his Exo-Suit and a helmet to avoid paying Michael Keaton any likeness rights.
5Jackpot (Mary Jane Watson)
Mary Jane Watson needs a place in the MTG set, preferably not the version from the Insomniac video games, where the effect would be “Stop playing the game and do a boring stealth section for twenty minutes.”
How would Jackpot work in Magic: The Gathering?
The Jackpot superhero identity used by Mary Jane has random powers. This could work in MTG via an effect where you draw cards from the top of your deck and play a Sorcery or Instant for free or at a reduced cost. Obviously, the strength of this card would be dictated by the power of the non-Creatures in the deck, potentially making Jackpot incredibly strong or a filler character.
4Venom
Venom might not be Spider-Man’s most iconic villain, but he’s undoubtedly the coolest, a status he’s maintained since the ‘90s. Spider-Man’s evil counterpart is all but guaranteed a spot in MTG, likely as a powerful Black creature with powers similar to those of the famous webslingers.
How would Venom work in Magic: The Gathering?
While the Eddie Brock version of Venom is the most likely candidate for inclusion, themind-altering Venom Symbiotecould act as its own Artifact or Enchantment. This would empower whoever it equips but destroys them in a few turns (marked with counters), reflecting how the alien being drains its victims dry.
3Madame Web
The regular Spider-Man cast doesn’t have many cosmic-level characters like the X-Men and Avengers do. One exception to this is Madame Web, a reality warper on a similar level to The Beyonder, who can act as the high-cost/strongest monster in Marvel’s Spider-Man set.
What version of Madame Web would appear in Magic: The Gathering?
It goes without saying that the MTG version will be closer to the Spider-Man Animated Series version of the character than thepolarizing movie version of Madame Web. She is more powerful and isn’t weighed down by the baggage of Internet mockery and box office failure.
2Kraven The Hunter
The fact that Kraven the Hunter is starring in a movie at the end of 2024 (assuming no delays) means that he’s pretty much guaranteed a slot in Marvel’s Spider-Man set, even though his powers don’t necessarily make him an interesting choice.
How would Kraven work in Magic: The Gathering?
The role Kraven could fill in MTG is as a Token maker. Kraven often appears with groups of loyal soldiers or animals under his command. Kraven could make for a great Token Commander, especially in a deck with Kingpin filling a similar role: filling the field with many minor enemies that swarm the opponent.
1Green Goblin
Spider-Man’s most famous villain needs to be present in the MTG set. The Green Goblin has been battling the webcrawler for years, and their rivalry is about to spread into the planes.
How would Green Goblin work in Magic: The Gathering?
The famous version of the Green Goblin, with his Goblin Glider and Pumpkin Bombs, is the obvious choice, but many iterations can be used. Norman Osborn, as the villainous mastermind, could be a separate entity, along with the heroic version from the movies. Whatever the choice, the Green Goblin is the most natural fit for Marvel’s Spider-Man set.
