Magic: The Gathering’sSpongeBob SquarePantsSecret Lair cards have just been previewed, andI’m genuinely shocked by how bad half of them are. There are threeSpongeBobSecret Lairs, two of which are more in line with what you’d expect from aUniverses Beyondproduct. One features unique artwork of SpongeBob characters, each a reskinned version of an existingMagiccard, similar to the popular Hatsune Miku cards; the other is basic lands withSpongeBobsettings. However, the thirdSpongeBobSecret Lair was so surprisingly off-brand forMagic, I thought the cards were fake when I first saw them.
When it was first announced thatMagic: The Gatheringwould start regularly including outside IPs, I was nervous about what that would mean for the quality of the cards. Things like theWalking DeadSecret Lair had worried me thatMagicwouldn’t be creative with its visual presentation ofUniverses Beyondcards, or worse, resort to using screenshots from movies or shows. While many of my fears were quickly assuaged by the level of effort taken in the design for sets likeMagic’sLord of the Ringscrossover, theSpongeBob SquarePantscards prove that my fears weren’t totally unfounded.
MTG’s SpongeBob Cards Are Full Of Screenshots & Memes
One Of The SpongeBob Secret Lairs Uses Screenshots For Card Art
The upcomingSecret Lair × SpongeBob SquarePants: Internet Sensationcards are a collection ofMagiccards featuring moments fromSpongeBobthat have become popular internet memes. These cards do not feature artists' recreations of the moments, but insteadfeature what are essentially screenshots from the show(though it does look like they may have been touched up a bit). To be frank, these cards look cheap, and I think it’s a little absurd for these cards to cost the same as cards with original commissioned artwork.
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For a long time, players have been making their own proxies of cards, sometimes using screenshots or memes. A common one to see is the meme of Batman slapping Robin being used as a proxy for the card Counterspell. I have no problem with this; proxies are a good way to make decks more affordable or customize them to your liking. What I do take issue with isWizards of the Coast charging full price for cards that look like unofficial proxies.
One might argue the secondary market price of the cards in theSpongeBob SquarePantsSecret Lair helps justify its price tag, but secondary market value holds no bearing on the production cost for Wizards of the Coast. Had Wizards paid artists a commission to create original versions of the artwork from these memes, it would explain why they needed to cost as much as normal cards. As is,it feels more like a way for the company to offset some of the licensing costs forSpongeBobby skimping on the art budget for these cards.
Previous Universes Beyond Sets Have All Featured Original Art
Universes Beyond Sets Have Never Used Screenshots Before
What makes theSpongeBob SquarePants: Internet Sensationcards so disappointing is thatthey are a departure from the high quality of art that is typically present inUniverses Beyondsets. TheLord of the Ringsset is a great example of howMagic: The Gatheringhas been able to create unique visual depictions of existing IPs. Instead of simply recreating the look of the Peter Jackson films,Magiccreated unique looks for many of the settings and characters from Tolkein’s work.
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TheupcomingFinal Fantasycrossoveris another good example of this creativity. Previewed characters like Celes andTerra fromFinal Fantasy 6have me excited to see how other characters from early games are depicted. Even characters like Cloud and Sephiroth, whose models look close to theirFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthversions, are being stylized in a way whereyou can easily tell theMagicversions from screenshots of the game.
The Secret Lairs forTheWalking Dead,Stranger Things, orDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thievesweren’t my favorite because the cards looked too much like pictures of the actors. However,even these sets were a huge improvement over theSpongeBobcards, since they at least featured original artwork. I personally didn’t want to pay $30 for a Chris PineMagiccard, but I could at least appreciate that its commissioned art contributed to its price tag.
I’m Worried SpongeBob Could Set A Precedent For Using Screenshots Going In Sets Like Avatar: The Last Airbender
If SpongeBob Sells Well, Wizards Might Consider Continuing To Use Screenshots To Cut Down On Art Commissions
At the end of the day, I’m not overly concerned with the quality of theSpongeBob SquarePantscards. It’s clearly a set that is leaning into its inherent absurdity, and I wouldn’t expect or want aSpongeBobset to be a serious affair. That said, I am a little worried thatthis could set a bad precedent for otherUniverses Beyondsets based on existing TV shows. Perhaps because they are both Nickelodeon properties, therecently announcedAvatar: The Last Airbendersetis the one that I’m most concerned about.
If theSpongeBob SquarePants: Internet Sensationcards sell well, I’m worried that Wizards of the Coast and/or Hasbro could see this as a sign thatthey could simply use screenshots fromAvatar: The Last Airbenderin lieu of commissioning original artfor the cards. Cutting down on the production cost of cards would, after all, create a larger profit margin for the company. Wizards of the Coast also previously tried cutting costs for artwork using AI art even after insisting it didn’t, as reported byPolygon. This doesn’t leave me overly confident that the company isn’t still looking for shortcuts.
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Magic: The Gathering’s high-quality artwork has long been a selling point for the game. It’s part of what initially attracted me toMagic, and it’s why I buy some cards I have no intention of ever actually playing. While I thought my initial fears thatUniverses Beyondmight lead to a cheapening of the game’s visuals were unfounded, theSpongeBobSecret Lair has brought them back in full force.
Source:Polygon
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering is a strategic collectible card game where players use customized decks featuring creatures, spells, and abilities to reduce opponents’ life totals to zero. It combines fantasy themes with tactical gameplay, resource management, and deck-building. Published by Wizards of the Coast, it remains an influential trading card game over three decades after its initial release in 1993
