Foundations to Build On
The set of the year shows us what Magic can be
First, a hearty welcome to all of the new subscribers here to enjoy your first taste of Snacktime on the Stack. A big thank you goes out to my buddy Sam at Rhystic Studies for recommending this column to his readers. I’m glad you’ve all joined me here.
Getting excited about a ‘Core Set” is not something I thought would happen anymore. But Foundations, Magic: The Gathering’s newest set, is different. It’s the art and flavor fever pitch of the entire year; it highlights everything I love to see in Magic art, and in a way that feels natural, and unforced. And after a year of chasing different tropes through the multiverse, it couldn’t come at a better time.
It is simply: Magic.
Foundations
So what makes a set special? What makes the artwork of one outshine another? These are some ingredients to that Secret Sauce by way of Foundations
Veterans return: Chris Rahn and Zezhou Chen breathe new life into long-loved legends.
There are new folks, too: Annie Stegg finally gets her first Magic card!
Rising stars continue to make their mark: Josiah Cameron has painted this generation’s ‘Craw Wurm” in Quakestrider Ceratops, while Forest Imel sends forth a Solemn Simulacrum to be remembered.
And I could repeat this trifecta of highlights a dozen different ways this release. The median is raised across the board, and if ever there was a set to do a future deep dive, it’s this one. It’s just that strong and cohesive as a collection.
I also want to make mention of the basic lands present in Foundations. The first cycle, chosen by Art Director Dawn Murin and Creative Lead Ari Zirulnik, seek to epitomize each basic land type. As someone who has also gone art by art, land by land to choose their favorites, I understand what a monumental task this was, and how important it is to get it right.
The Rebecca Guay basic lands also return for Foundations. These timeless artworks are some of the best basic land artwork to ever appear on a Magic card. 10/10
There is also a third cycle of Character Lands, featuring ten different Planeswalkers of note in their home environments. These sort of things are always a flavorful addition for both Commander and Constructed: I’ve always said the story starts with basic lands, and these do their part to jumpstart (hehe) the narrative you create with your deck. Speaking of Jumpstart…
Jumpstart
Alongside Foundations is the latest iteration of Jumpstart, a format where any two packs can be smashed together to create an instant, ready to play Magic: The Gathering deck. It’s the perfect format for those looking for the next step in their learn-to-play experience, and is a nice palette cleanser for experienced folks looking for a change of pace. J25 boasts another 100+ new pieces of artwork across new cards and reprints alike, with one in particular I want to speak on. The Magic ‘Artwork of the Year’ hides within these packs.
Dark Confidant has been reprinted into this set with its sixth unique artwork, and the very first with a female-presenting protagonist as the confidant themselves. It’s an arresting image that immediately pulls you into the narrative, and you don’t even need to know it's a card illustration to know what’s at stake here. Beyond being filled with story and successful in conveyance at card size, the painting itself is a technical masterclass, and a testament to illustrator Victor Adame Minguez’s meteoric rise as an artist.
Minguez is continually raising the bar, both in his work, and the quality of Magic: The Gathering artwork overall. We’ve been waiting all year for, as Jerry Saltz says, that one piece of art that “makes you jump the f*@king track.” And this is it folks.
Special Guests
The Special Guests, begun during the Lost Caverns of Ixalan release, are a subset of ten high-level reprints themed to the look and feel of the current set. For Foundations, that meant a call back to the Standard formats of recent history, and the result is a groundbreaking set of artwork that is like nothing we’ve seen in this slot before. Under the brilliant art direction of Jameela Wahlgren, showcase frames from the last several years find new life again, housing never before used card types and creating an entirely new experience. It allows the Booster Fun legacy of these sets to live on, both as a memory to what has been, and a nod to what could be again.
Artists who made these original subsets sing were brought back for another swing at the plate. From Rovina Cai’s spells of Strixhaven to Jason Engle’s ethereal Theros Beyond Death constellations, Carly Mazur’s stained glass of Dominaria United to Wylie Beckert’s Throne of Eldraine storybooks, the best of those sets are back.. Every single one of these artists were instrumental in making the debuts of these frames and Showcase styles special, and they did not disappoint when brought back to do it again, like only they could do. (And PS-you can see these artworks in all their glory on Jameela’s Bluesky!)
And this isn't just a happy little accident, mind you; it was designed. It’s the result of ten spot-on artist choices, and the descriptions to go with them. Jameela has only just started showing their work as a Wizard, and it’s apparent what a standout addition they are to the team. This Special Guests puts Foundations over the top as a master-level set, and one of the best we’ve seen in the last few years.
End Step
Foundations is special, and is visually unlike the Core Sets that came before it. The team has unlocked the eleven herbs and spices to get everyone excited, from players picking up cards for the first time to twenty year veterans like myself. On the art side, this isn’t a result of less direction, or no direction, but rather the right direction. It’s Dawn and Ari combing through every basic land to find exactly the right one. It’s Zack Stella knowing exactly when to tap Victor for an important piece. And it’s Jameela Wahlgren just going off with the Special Guests .
If ‘Magic' is to become its own IP within the game of the same name, then let us hope it routinely looks and feels as good as Foundations. Not all sets can be like this obviously, but it’s nice to look at a body of artwork and say:
“Damn that’s good. That’s Magic, baby.”
Great read! Although didn't special guests start with March of the Machine, not Lost Caverns?
Incredible analysis and a breath of fresh air for Magic-enjoyers of all kinds