They all look good to me except for Ajani. Can't say I remember how last year's looked, but they ran out last year before my buddy had a chance to purchase. Hoping they print more this year, since I don't think they realized how popular these would be the first time around.
If they had Jim Lee do this instead of Jae, I'd fork over whatever ungodly amount people are selling them for.
Says a lot about my casualness when the new (?) Juggernaut art has me all giddy. I've been away from Magic for a little bit, but this looks great for a core set. I'll try a pre-release or two.
This is probably about the only way they can continue to develop the format without pissing off collectors and business partners, so I guess something's better than nothing.
Chances are there's more value in here than the asking price, so I'm not gonna scoff at the MSRP. The real problem is that they'll definitely be marked up to reflect the "value" of the contents. Either way, they have my attention.
Wait a minute. Are you claiming that because taxes push a product over the technical MSRP that a store is selling for more than MSRP if they sell it for 34.99?
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No, I was under the impression that MSRP for these is $29.99.
So has it been confirmed that Wizard will not be restocking until 2014? I found stray decks at Target and Wal-Mart, but I don't want to pay above MSRP for them ($34.99 + taxes = $40).
I work at walmart, but I work night shift. I check EVERY SINGLE NIGHT I work at 10pm (5 nights a week) for mind sieze decks, and although we've been restocked several times, they have never lasted on the shelves long enough for me to find them at 10pm.
(note: sometimes I check at 7am when I leave in the morning, but it turns out the vendor doesn't come in the early AM. I believe they restock them around 3-5pm, while I'm sleeping.)
We have every other deck just sitting on the shelves, they sell very slowly at my store. I was easily able to purchase the bant and esper one's for myself.
I've been checking my local Target and haven't seen any evidence of the decks having been stocked. No price sticker or anything.
I don't know why people keep latching onto the outfit. It's the same one he wears in the Return to Ravnica art--it even fits him in the same way. Moreover, Smokestack has mentioned that there are strict guidelines on planeswalker style and attire, and that he has received corrections on that very front. Those corrections may not have been on this piece, but the fact is that this is the outfit that Wizards of the Coast wants Jace to wear.
This is true. Stylistically, I loved Jace 1.0 and 2.0, but his costume has always been pretty dorky.
Edit: Actually, the Beleren outfit looks pretty boss; like he's wearing some kind of leather armor beneath that cape, instead of the body suit he's worn since RTR.
When I said I would most likely not do VS in the future, it was not because someone hurt my delicate sensibilities. I genuinely think I'm not the right person for that kind of job and there are people that would do a better job here. I was not happy with Elspeth vs Tezzeret and I am not happy with this one. Both are okay on a technical level, but nothing more, despite my efforts. I could do three normal illos in that time and both produce better content and have more fun doing it.
So if I pass a VS gig in the future, I'll do it because I have certain professional obligations towards my employer and towards myself. If I feel I can't fulfil them, I'll skip the job. Nothing to do with people having opinions on a public forum.
Very glad to hear it. Your body of work ranges from great to spectacular, and it only makes sense not to participate in a venture that would have your obvious talents restricted. I have to apologize for my "phoning it in" comment, since it's obvious that many other great MTG artists have also struggled with this; it was just the way I chose to phrase my feeling that duel deck PWs tend to look less good than their standard counterparts.
Let me be infinitely clear on something. I have no qualms with your skill as an artist. You could draw doodles and it would crush anything I could draw. I also understand that all art has a description now, which artists must cater to, therefore this pose was not your idea. You just drew what they told you to. Aka, drawing this card was a job, and we can take that or leave it. I get all that.
That being said, I, personally, dislike this depiction of Jace very much. He looks like a normal human wizard with no powers whatsoever. The pose is boring, the lack of power is boring, and the fact that (it looks like) he's wearing a damn onesie is atrocious. The only art I dislike more than this one is the Cloud-Strife-esque emo art on Memory Adept.
On the subject of his inclusion in this product, couldn't be happier. There really isn't any reason he belongs at $30, because that's just price-gouging. He's $10-15 at best, so for another five bucks you get Vraska and 118 more cards. Deal. Rather annoying that Vraska can just -3 to kill Jace outright, but also highly entertaining that Jace's +1 completely neuters the Assassin tokens. Even funnier that Jace's -8 can STEAL VRASKA from the opposing deck.
I usually purchase 2 on the spot if they're worth it, but I'm not too thrilled about $40 for basically 2 Jace's. I'm gonna get it because that's a helluva deal, but I would really like good reprints in here. And in decent numbers like EvT. ( <-- Best DD so far, btw.)
My guess is there'll be another money reprint or two in this set to sweeten the deal. I'll probably get one when all's said and done.
It has nothing to do with phoning in. You have to put two characters together in one piece but they have to work separately. There are also some pretty aggravating compositional restraints.
There's a reason I don't do comic covers and, given the reaction I see here,I won't be doing any more VS products for the foreseeable future either. Not my cup of tea it seems.
Gotcha - so it's a technical difficulties sort of thing. That makes perfect sense actually, and explains why the PW Duel Deck promos usually wind up looking what I can only describe as "off" compared to the artist's typical work.
It's certainly a different interpretation of Jace, but it's in line with his character's development.
I like the subtle contrasting of the background. Notice that Jace is in the light, framed by an open arch, with the city behind him. In contrast, Vraska is in the dark, framed by a shadowy corridor, surrounded by petrified victims.
It's not necessarily a rivalry I would have anticipated, but it's an interesting take on the radical new political dynamic in Ravnica in the wake of the Implicit Maze.
If I thought a work of art was terrible, I'd say so. I don't care if the artist were my best friend, and it doesn't matter if someone from Salvation made this particular piece.
But I'm really struggling to understand how people consider it to be bad.
For me, the art is "only" proficient, which is below the standard of work Igor normally puts out. There's just nothing particularly compelling in these depictions, whereas a lot of his other works are oozing with character and atmosphere (Nirkana Revenant is one of the best Magic works of all time in my opinion).
I swear, most artists phone it in when doing art for these products. Most of the time, the art seems worse than the original card. I understand it makes no sense from a professional perspective, but it's just strange to see.
If they had Jim Lee do this instead of Jae, I'd fork over whatever ungodly amount people are selling them for.
meat's Trade Corner
meat's Trade Corner
meat's Trade Corner
Chances are there's more value in here than the asking price, so I'm not gonna scoff at the MSRP. The real problem is that they'll definitely be marked up to reflect the "value" of the contents. Either way, they have my attention.
meat's Trade Corner
meat's Trade Corner
No, I was under the impression that MSRP for these is $29.99.
Suddenly, 13 isn't so high a number...
meat's Trade Corner
meat's Trade Corner
I've been checking my local Target and haven't seen any evidence of the decks having been stocked. No price sticker or anything.
meat's Trade Corner
Eh, can't blame 'em. Saves me some money.
meat's Trade Corner
I want a Spiritmonger reprint with new art.
meat's Trade Corner
This is true. Stylistically, I loved Jace 1.0 and 2.0, but his costume has always been pretty dorky.
Edit: Actually, the Beleren outfit looks pretty boss; like he's wearing some kind of leather armor beneath that cape, instead of the body suit he's worn since RTR.
Very glad to hear it. Your body of work ranges from great to spectacular, and it only makes sense not to participate in a venture that would have your obvious talents restricted. I have to apologize for my "phoning it in" comment, since it's obvious that many other great MTG artists have also struggled with this; it was just the way I chose to phrase my feeling that duel deck PWs tend to look less good than their standard counterparts.
meat's Trade Corner
My guess is there'll be another money reprint or two in this set to sweeten the deal. I'll probably get one when all's said and done.
meat's Trade Corner
Gotcha - so it's a technical difficulties sort of thing. That makes perfect sense actually, and explains why the PW Duel Deck promos usually wind up looking what I can only describe as "off" compared to the artist's typical work.
meat's Trade Corner
For me, the art is "only" proficient, which is below the standard of work Igor normally puts out. There's just nothing particularly compelling in these depictions, whereas a lot of his other works are oozing with character and atmosphere (Nirkana Revenant is one of the best Magic works of all time in my opinion).
I swear, most artists phone it in when doing art for these products. Most of the time, the art seems worse than the original card. I understand it makes no sense from a professional perspective, but it's just strange to see.
meat's Trade Corner
Well, at least this should decrease the price of Jace?
Boo this man.
meat's Trade Corner