(Photo by Scott Gaeta.)

The Ben Seck is the only character of his kind in the entire world. I fondly remember getting waxed by his off-curve Gotham Knights draft deck at the top tables of Pro Circuit Indianapolis 2004. That was exactly five years ago, and the good times still linger. Having him in charge of the new Marvel Superstars Trading Card Game is a very comforting experience. Our new cardboard obsession is in the best of hands. Enjoy our interview with TBS, there is some explosive information enclosed. Notice, especially, the terms “World” and “Championship”. Game on!

What mechanics does Marvel Superstars share with traditional trading card games, and what mechanics are unique?

While all Trading Cards are somewhat related, I see games as a mixture of ingredients that form together to provide a unique experience. Though Marvel Superstars definitely shares some ingredients with some other games, it also brings to the table its own unique mechanics, and the combination of these create a new game experience!

Which Marvel characters and storylines will be featured?

The movies that have included Marvel Comics heroes and villains are all fair game for inclusion into this game. Don’t worry if you don’t see your favorite movie or character represented, with the current boom in comics movies, it will be only a matter of time before your favorite character is in a movie! Marvel has a full slate of upcoming feature films (such as Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers movie) and there are plans to integrate each of these into the Superstars umbrella.

Will Marvel Superstars have an Organized Play tournament circuit?

Marvel Superstars will have an exciting and robust tournament circuit, all the way up to a World Championship event. More details about this will be forthcoming.

How long does each game take to complete?

Each game takes about 5-15 minutes.

How many cards are in a Marvel Superstars deck?

Currently, Constructed decks are 50 cards (with a limit of 3 of each card) and sealed pack has a size of 30 cards. It’s possible that both of these numbers are subject to change.

Does Marvel Superstars support sealed pack play, including draft?

Yes. We’ve made sure that this game will be perfectly playable in sealed pack as well as booster draft.

What kind of artwork will be used on the cards?

This game will exclusively use images that are taken from movie images that include Marvel characters.

What will the first set be called?

The first set will be called “Premier Edition”, an homage to the cinema movies that the game is based upon.

What are the plans for future sets?

There will be future sets – we plan to release 3 major expansions per year.

Where will Marvel Superstars be sold?

Marvel Superstars will be sold in hobby game stores, comic stores, as well as other stores that carry Trading Card Games. Major retailers will also have access to some configurations of this game.

Who are the designers involved in the creation of Marvel Superstars?

There are many hands involved with the creation of this game engine – every member of the Upper Deck R&D team has worked hard to put it together. Mike Hummel, Dave Humpherys and Jeff Liu were pivotal in providing the foundation of the game engine, and myself, Dan Scheidegger and Justin Reilly also had a hand in developing the engine.

What do you hope players will experience when they play a game of Marvel Superstars?

The excitement of playing your favorite super-hero that you have seen on the silver screen!



