"Star Trek in Magic: Great Idea, Questionable Extras"

"Star Trek in Magic: Great Idea, Questionable Extras"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

When it was revealed that Star Trek would become a Universes Beyond set for Magic: The Gathering, a friend asked me how I felt about it.

My answer was... mixed.

On one hand, there is so much Star Trek lore that I would love to see translated into Magic cards. I've watched almost everything the franchise has put out, even if some of its more recent iterations made me want to gouge my eyes out afterward.

To me, Star Trek isn't what it used to be. It has been hijacked by identity politics and the pursuit of appealing to a so-called "modern audience." Much like what happened with Doctor Who, the franchise often feels like a walking zombie, wearing the skin of a brand it no longer resembles.

So when the previews focused on Captain Kirk and Captain Janeway, I was relieved. Seeing two of the franchise's greatest captains gave me hope. I'm sure Captain Picard will be included as well, and probably a few characters from the newer series, but I'm hoping Wizards of the Coast stays away from the Kelvin Timeline and instead focuses on classic Star Trek—the version that made so many of us fans in the first place.

That said, there is one preview that I'm not particularly on board with: the autographed cards.

I understand why people have cards signed. Maybe it's their favorite artist. Maybe they want a keepsake from a memorable tournament or a hard-fought match against a respected opponent. Those signatures have personal stories behind them.

What I don't understand is creating autographed versions as premium chase cards. The regular versions would have been perfectly fine. As much as I like Star Trek, I don't necessarily want my Magic cards to look like collectibles that belong in a display case instead of being shuffled into a deck.

Then again, perhaps that's exactly the point. Those autograph cards aren't really meant to be played with—they're meant to be displayed. A way of saying, "Look what I pulled," and earning a little more nerd cred than the next fan.

As for me, I'll probably be buying singles, and I'm seriously considering picking up the Commander decks. I'm just not convinced this will be a particularly exciting set to crack open by the box. Hopefully, I'm wrong.

If there's one thing the past few years have taught me as a Magic player, it's that patience usually wins. Waiting a few months before buying sealed product or expensive singles has often paid off, as Wizards of the Coast has shown a tendency to lower prices once the initial hype has faded.