A Marvel of Magic Design
Magic design veteran Mark Rosewater breaks down the creative process and team structure behind the upcoming Marvel crossover set. Get an early look at how iconic comic heroes were brought to life on cards, including an exclusive preview of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.
- Mark Rosewater led exploratory and vision design for the Marvel crossover set.
- Dave Humpherys served as the set design lead alongside creative lead Aaron Mesburne.
- Daniel Holt led the design team for the set's four Commander decks.
- The article reveals the final preview card for The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.
Assembling the Design Teams
The collaborative effort behind this massive comic crossover spanned several distinct design phases and specialized teams. Mark Rosewater headed up both the exploratory design and vision design stages, serving as one of the primary lore experts for the intellectual property. He relied heavily on Jeremy Geist as his second-in-command, while creative lead Aaron Mesburne ensured that art details and character concepts remained true to comic history.
When the set transitioned to its primary construction phase, long-time designer Dave Humpherys took over as set design lead. His group focused on drafting environments, standard format balances, and flavor synergies across color pairs. Meanwhile, Daniel Holt took the helm for the product's four Commander decks, building top-down legendary cards designed specifically for multiplayer casual play.
Pitching Marvel to Wizards
Long before full production began, initial pitches required proof-of-concept card designs to show how well the comic universe translated into collectible card mechanics. Rosewater put together a seven-card sample deck covering a spread of rarities, colors, and iconic characters to demonstrate top-down design possibilities to executives.
Early pitch concepts included double-faced mechanics for Bruce Banner transforming into the Hulk, direct artifact theft for Thanos, and specialized equipment rules for Cap's Shield. The pitch also featured iconic staples like Rocket, Scarlet Witch, and a standard S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent to highlight everyday universe elements.
A Fan-Favorite Deep Cut
To prove that lesser-known comic characters could shine just as brightly as major movie stars, the initial pitch file included a dedicated niche selection. Rosewater designed a card for Doreen Green, better known to comic fans as Squirrel Girl, showcasing tribal mechanics focused on building a wide board of creature tokens.
That initial concept paved the way for the official preview card featured in the set, now officially titled The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. The final card maintains the original spirit of swarming the board with forest friends while fitting neatly into the set's broader design framework.
