This last week at the store, one of our periodic unexpected treasures walked in the door: An original, sealed-in-plastic box of Magic: The Gathering Revised Edition booster packs from 1994. According to Henchman Chris (his actual job description), the response of the seller to hearing his offer was a moment of silent shock, and the questions about whether to break it up to sell as individual packs or maintain its two-decade-old unbroken seals. Most amazingly, since this dates back to the point where Otter Disaster and I actually (poorly) played MTG, I actually had a knowledge enough to join in the Magic discussion for the first time in a very long time. My favorite card of the set, since I enjoyed playing red/white, was the mighty Serra Angel, a card whose illustration was not only awesome, but bore a slight resemblance to Gillian Anderson, who was one of my strongest woman-crushes of the day. In fact, the only deck of cards I still own contains four of the Revised edition Serras, which begs today’s perhaps-nerdier-than-usual query…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) remembers being able to buy Beta edition MTG packs in the stores (though, admittedly, at a ridiculous price), asking: What’s your favorite single card from any collectible card game?
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I can’t think of one off the top of my head, but I really enjoyed MtG’s art in general. My three favorite artists that I can recall were Rebecca Guay, Richard Ferguson, and Quinton Hoover. Three very different styles, but three dynamic artists that just bring a wonderful sense of place and history to the cards they illustrate.
From Magic, It’s definitely the Revised edition Unholy Strength.
When that card art was discontinued, I ran out to a bunch of local shops and bought up all their copies to use as book marks.
It’s a treat when I go to re-read one of my old hardcovers and one of these cards falls out.
Images? MTG: Blood of the Martyr from The Dark or Fylgia from Ice Age
Name? Yugioh Malevolent Nuzzler!
I always liked The Cheese Stands Alone, from the Unglued Magic the Gathering series. I actually won a game with that once.
Heh.
I used the heck out of Sol Rings and Howling mines, so I give the utility slot to those two.
But for things like Flavor text, Wave of Indifference can’t be beat.
With all of the tens of thousands of cards out there in all of the various card games, who could possibly pick a true favorite?
From non-tournament legal cards, it is a tie between Magic’s Unglued “Flock of Rabid Sheep” and “Rock Lobster” (my late partner gave me a binder with the complete set of Unglued because of how much I loved those cards), and Pokemon’s “Ancient Mew” fully holographic card.
For regular cards, I’m partial to any version of Magic’s “Akroma, Angel of Wrath” (which using frequently in my decks earned me the nickname “Lil/Little Akroma” at the card shop).
Brother says Giant Catarpiller because quote, “I’ve seen hornworms big as a man’s fist,’ the traveler said, and nodded soberly when our jaws went slack at his ignorance,”
My personal favourite is the Fruitcake Elemental. I pretty sure you guys all know why by now. Blacker Lotus is a runner-up though.