Source Material
Source material cards is the term given to a subset of Magic: The Gathering reprints or reskins that feature original artwork derived from an external intellectual property (the source). These cards are exclusive to the Universes Beyond product line and are often found in bonus sheets. The concept was first introduced with the FINAL FANTASY Through the Ages bonus sheet, which utilized existing artwork from the Final Fantasy franchise. However, these cards were not initially labeled as "source material".[1] The term was formally introduced with the Marvel's Spider-Man bonus sheet, which featured artwork taken directly from iconic comic panels.[2]
Source material cards have become a recurring and integral component of Universes Beyond releases, with all sets in 2025 including them and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles also confirmed to feature source material cards.[3] To date, source material cards have been exclusively reprints.
Card design
Unlike standard reprints, source material cards are designed to prominently showcase the artwork. They are produced in a borderless format, employing a modified version of the Japan Showcase visual style. This treatment removes all card frame elements, including the expansion symbol, retaining only the essential rules text and mana costs. To maintain readability, these cards use a bold, thickly-outlined font, and mana symbols are similarly outlined in heavy black.
The artwork used for source material cards can be drawn from a wide range of visual assets associated with the IP, including:
- Concept art.
- Screenshots from video games.
- Still frames from TV shows or full-motion videos (FMVs).
- Panels and scenes from comic books.
- Cover illustrations from printed media.
List of sets
The following sets used this card treatment:
- Final Fantasy (Through the Ages bonus sheet)
- Marvel's Spider-Man (on the bonus sheet)
- Avatar: The Last Airbender (eternal cards)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (on the bonus sheet)
References
- ↑ Zakeel Gordon, Jubilee Finnegan (February 18, 2025). "A First Look at Magic: The Gathering®—FINAL FANTASY™". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on February 25, 2025.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (August 295, 2025). "Collecting Magic: The Gathering® - Marvel's Spider-Man". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Athena Froehlich and Jubilee Finnegan (October 10, 2025). "Collecting Magic: The Gathering® | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: A First Look". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
External links
showcase-ub-source-material— Scryfall print tag