I like the art. Particularly because it rubs against the recent establishment. Stick it to the man little lady.
Seconded. It's reminiscent of the distant past of Magic, before corporate branding took over and told the artist what to draw. It's an awesome throwback to cards where the artist did what they wanted to do and Wizards said, "Whatever, sure, we'll use this picture of a dragon's head as an artifact that makes things more powerful and this one of a clown and a bunch of shapes to represent stasis."
I like the art. Particularly because it rubs against the recent establishment. Stick it to the man little lady.
Seconded. It's reminiscent of the distant past of Magic, before corporate branding took over and told the artist what to draw. It's an awesome throwback to cards where the artist did what they wanted to do and Wizards said, "Whatever, sure, we'll use this picture of a dragon's head as an artifact that makes things more powerful and this one of a clown and a bunch of shapes to represent stasis."
Until someone linked to Steve Argyle's page with the sketches and the process, I was thinking something totally different. My first impression, judging by the white hair and the etherium sword, I thought this was esper graveyard art. Makes sense to me. Take an esper girl, zoom in enough, and now she's Thalia!
But nope. This piece was created to show Thalia all along. I like it, but mostly because of how unusual it is for Magic.
The problem with defining this format by what is "fun" is that everyone seems to define fun as what they don't lose to. If you keep losing to easily answered cards, that means you should improve your deck. If you don't want to improve your deck, then you should come to peace with the idea that you are going to lose because you chose to not interact with better strategies.
As a promo card collector, i feel bad for needing this card. The art is not bad, but it just doesn't feel as a mtg card.
The first one thalia didn't show much of the face, this one shows only the face...
It's Steve Argyle art!
Guy is responsible for giving my girl Liliana some of the best art ever and to be honest this is pretty sweet too.
Unfortunately the card itself doesn't go into any type of deck that I like to play but you can't have everything, right?
That art is terrible. It's moronic to think the world needs glamor shot with Playboy lips on a holy warrior. Totally misses the point of the character. It's like a close-up of the academic Jace zoomed in on him flexing his biceps. The seductive style works perfectly for Liliana. But Thalia? Not so much.
Anything bringing variety is good...making a card identifiable through art is important and is being forgotten by Wizards....honestly, every blue instant/sorcery lately looks like a murky dark blue/green mishmash, it's boring and redundant. I miss the days of the OG Shivan Dragon and 2 or 3 Phil Foglio cards per set...maybe...
That art is terrible. It's moronic to think the world needs glamor shot with Playboy lips on a holy warrior. Totally misses the point of the character. It's like a close-up of the academic Jace zoomed in on him flexing his biceps. The seductive style works perfectly for Liliana. But Thalia? Not so much.
How is this art seductive?
She has a totally serious and determined facial expression just like you would expect from you know the "Guardian of Thraben". Just because she is a woman doesn't make it seductive.
That art is terrible. It's moronic to think the world needs glamor shot with Playboy lips on a holy warrior. Totally misses the point of the character. It's like a close-up of the academic Jace zoomed in on him flexing his biceps. The seductive style works perfectly for Liliana. But Thalia? Not so much.
How is this art seductive?
She has a totally serious and determined facial expression just like you would expect from you know the "Guardian of Thraben". Just because she is a woman doesn't make it seductive.
That's pretty selective thinking. Brian is right on this one, this is not 'just a woman' (although I'd probably choose 'glamourized' over 'seductive'). It's a very deliberate depiction of woman with a supermodel's face featuring very full lips, who apparently has time to put eyeliner on every morning before she goes out and kicks ass for Thraben. I don't care about it one way or the other and Magic has seen much worse, but let's not pretend the artist didn't specifically choose a glamourized depiction here.
It's pretty obvious the intent is to attract/seduce. Anyone seeing it any other way is being obstinate. Just because a sword was added there doesn't make her focussed on protecting (for example).
I love steve argyle but this one is a no-no for me.
Wow, people are looking way too deeply into this. It's not like it's the prerelease version of Hero of Bladehold. It's just some girls face. If Jace, Memory Adept can wear eyeliner, why can't Thalia?
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If you look at the Steve Argyle's commentary and sketches, he went through a lot of perspectives. Of those sketches, only a few are the close-up head shot.
http://www.steveargyle.com/#!thalia-guardian-of-thraben/c9g5
As long as there is a concept team and art director at Wizards, artists are effectively told what to draw.
Almost every single one of those other concepts blows this one away
Feel free to tell me yours!
Ooh, I really like the perspective on the sketch in the second row, third column.
The four sketches on the bottom left (an the one on the upper right) are so much better ;_;
Seriph0 on cockatrice
EDH Decks
WBGKaradorWBG
But nope. This piece was created to show Thalia all along. I like it, but mostly because of how unusual it is for Magic.
You need to play in a World Magic Cup Qualifier later in the year.
Promo Thalia, no.
The first one thalia didn't show much of the face, this one shows only the face...
U Merfolk | GR Tron | WUR Jeskai Control | WBG Abzan Company
EDH:
G Ezuri, Renegade Leader, Fighting for Rivendell
WU Brago, King Eternal, Long Live the King
WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon, Worship the Dragon
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
Guy is responsible for giving my girl Liliana some of the best art ever and to be honest this is pretty sweet too.
Unfortunately the card itself doesn't go into any type of deck that I like to play but you can't have everything, right?
How is this art seductive?
She has a totally serious and determined facial expression just like you would expect from you know the "Guardian of Thraben". Just because she is a woman doesn't make it seductive.
That's pretty selective thinking. Brian is right on this one, this is not 'just a woman' (although I'd probably choose 'glamourized' over 'seductive'). It's a very deliberate depiction of woman with a supermodel's face featuring very full lips, who apparently has time to put eyeliner on every morning before she goes out and kicks ass for Thraben. I don't care about it one way or the other and Magic has seen much worse, but let's not pretend the artist didn't specifically choose a glamourized depiction here.
It's pretty obvious the intent is to attract/seduce. Anyone seeing it any other way is being obstinate. Just because a sword was added there doesn't make her focussed on protecting (for example).
I love steve argyle but this one is a no-no for me.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG