Ask Magic: The Gathering players why they fell in love with the world’s most popular trading card game, and many of them will have the same answer: the art. In its 25-year history, MTG’s thousands and thousands of cards have attracted the talents of some of our plane’s best artists, and they’ve consistently made those few square inches of card stock into a premiere display. Now, for one of the game’s largest and most visible tournaments, MTG has once again enlisted the help of graphic artists to bring the beating heart of the game — mana — to life.

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Just in time for Grand Prix Las Vegas (June 14-17), publisher Wizards of the Coast has contracted Jeremy Pailler, Marko Manev, Orlando Arocena, Tom Miatke, and Tracie Ching to take the five basic “lands” in MTG (Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest; more or less the currency you use to play) and infuse them with the flair and spirit those lands represent. Above, the “plains” poster shows many of MTG’s heroes, walking confidently towards the dawn. Below, planeswalker Jace Beleren is seen atop an island, meeting with a sphinx.

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In the gorgeous print below, planeswalker Liliana Vess is stirring the dead in some gurgling bog.

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Representing fire, fury, and rebirth, planeswalker Chandra Nalaar flings a phoenix skyward in another print.

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Finally, Nissa, voice of nature, swirls life around herself. If you like MTG for the art, these prints are beyond beautiful.

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If you want to pick one or all up, the posters will be available in limited quantities at the following venues this year: GP Vegas, GP Singapore, GP Sao Paulo, GP Chiba and GP Barcelona. They will be 2’ x 3’ on matte paper at $5/poster during the events. Any remaining items will be available on mtgproshop.com following the last event.

What do you think of these prints? Necessary for any true planeswalker? Good enough to somehow double-sleeve? Let us know in the comments!

Images: Wizards of the Coast

Draw another hand of seven

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