Art of MTG - Ixalan

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Happy Friday MTG peeps,

We won't be yattering about the FULL sheet of foil Ixalan cards today, but certainly want to talk about Ixalan.  Specifically, the upcoming art book, which most definitely has us very hyped.  We love exploring new Magic: the Gathering Planes of Existence through the beautiful art pieces, card flavour text and of course through the Magic Story installments on the Magic: the Gathering site.  Here is the official Press Release from WotC and Viz Media -

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WIZARDS OF THE COAST AND VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCED THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – IXALAN

PRESS RELEASE – 

Wizards of the Coast and VIZ Media have jointly announced the latest edition of THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING collection with the release in January 2018 of THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – IXALAN. The fifth release in VIZ Media’s ongoing series of impressive hardcover art books presents the incredible illustrations of Magic: The Gathering™.

The substantial 240-page tome will feature dozens of full-color works by an impressive array of talented artists, including Christine Choi, Daarken and Titus Lunter, and will be complemented with additional in-depth lore by bestselling author and Magic: The Gathering Senior Game Designer James Wyatt.

THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – IXALAN invites fans to set sail for the uncharted jungles of Ixalan, where dangerous beasts, magnificent ruins, and lost treasures lie waiting to be discovered. Saddle up your dinosaur mount and brave the unknown as you search the plane for a prize forgotten by history… until now!

VIZ Media also announces the opening of pre-orders for THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – IXALAN. Scheduled for retail release on July 4th, THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – AMONKHET will present scores of full-color illustrations from artists such as Cliff Childs, Winona Wilson, Christine Choi and Adam Paquette. Additional insights and lore on the dangerous and beautiful world of Amonkhet are provided by James Wyatt. Amonkhet is the latest expansion game for Magic: The Gathering and is set for release by Wizards of the Coast this month.

Throughout its 22-year history, Magic: The Gathering has visited many richly imaginative worlds through card sets and stories. Developed by Wizards of the Coast, Magic: The Gathering has more than 20 million fans, is played in more than 70 countries, and is available in 11 languages. Magic: The Gathering has won numerous notable awards, including a Mensa Award and multiple Origins Awards, the Hobby Game industry’s annual top award.

“Magic’s newest plane explores untamed jungles teaming with dinosaurs that come to life in THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – IXALAN,” says Elaine Chase, Vice President of Global Brand Strategy and Marketing for Magic: The Gathering. “We are excited to continue working with VIZ Media to provide our fans and players a deeper dive into Magic’s art and detailed lore.”

“Our unique catalog of THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING books has delighted fans and players, and we are very excited to announce the addition in early 2018 of THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – IXALAN,” says Joel Enos, Editor, VIZ Media. “The stunning artwork depicting these imaginative realms combines with intriguing lore and extensive background to make each book an ideal complement to Wizards of the Coast’s iconic strategy card game.”


THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING: AMONKHET 
THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – IXALAN 
THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – KALADESH 
THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – INNISTRAD 
THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – ZENDIKAR 
Available through from VIZ Media.

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The Art of Innistrad

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Happy Monday MTG peeps,

You may recall from our MTG Realm Tumblr post (linky over here) of the news that came out of PAX Seattle - the announcement of a hardcover book 'The Art of Magic: the Gathering: Zendikar' (Amazon linky here), which in fact will be hitting book shelves on or about 5th January 2016.

Well, the big news out this afternoon is that VIZ Media of San Francisco has hashed out a another deal with Wizards of the Coast to produce and publish yet another MTG art book - this time, we are traveling to Innistrad for the Summer of 2016.  Which, given the time frame, will be coming just after the release of the next Magic: the Gathering set 'Shadows over Innistrad', but perhaps before the second follow-up set to this.  Anywhoos, here is the book cover image and the announcement -

VIZ Media and Wizards of the Coast have jointly announced the expansion of the Magic: The Gathering® publishing catalog with the addition of a second art book to the collection.

Set for release in Summer 2016, THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – INNISTRAD will feature full color illustrations showcasing the mysteries of Innistrad – its peoples, provinces, and monsters.

In THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – INNISTRAD, terror falls from the skies on blood-spattered wings and nameless horrors lurk in the shadows.

These pages, lavishly illustrated with the award-winning art of Magic: The Gathering, are your entry into a world beset by terrible evils on all sides and betrayed by the hope it held most dear.

Tread lightly as you follow the heroic Planeswalkers of the Gatewatch as they investigate these dark mysteries.

Whether you are MTG gamer who enjoys playing or a fan of the storyline, we think that all certainly enjoys the stunning artwork that WotC endeavours to produce in each set.  In summary, we are most excited to see more of this book and would be thrilled to see this on our coffee table.  :) 
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The Secretist Part 2

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Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,

This is post number two of two (first one here) of our exploration of Doug Beyer's book series 'The Secretist' which provides Wizard of the Coast's literary back-drop to Magic: the Gathering's Return to Ravnica set.  Previously, WotC had published paperbacks to accompany select sets but have moved this to eBooks in keeping with the times.  The first book, 'Return to Ravnica: The Secretist, Part One' sets the stage for a re-introduction of the plane of Ravnica and provides some components which resulted in printed cards found in the first set of the Return to Ravnica block. In this post we'll loook at 'Gatecrash: The Secretist, Part Two'.  Buy your eBooks online - these are significantly less expensive than previous paper copies, and you don't even require a eReader as you can read within a browser.  If you are like us here at MTG Realm, you will likely not only want to bathe in the flavour of the story line but have the actual game card as well.  Drop by MTG Mint Card to pick up Magic: the Gathering Singles from this set and others.
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Summary:
 
When we last left our telepathic protagonist Jace, he had discovered a code inscribed in ancient stone in Ravnica's historic Tenth District. It points at something called the Implicit Maze, and as Jace delves deeper, he finds that this mystery connects to the mysterious project of the brilliant dragon Niv-Mizzet and the Izzet guild the dragon commands.

This information is so dangerous, so likely to warp the equilibrium of the ten guilds in this post-Guildpact world, that Jace has taken extreme steps to extricate himself from the whole matter.
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Here are some notes from 'Gatecrash: The Secretist, Part Two'.  Read the eBook, and drop us a line in the comment thingy to discuss.

Chapter 1 - A Wanted MindJace and Emmara are confronted of Mirko Vosk who discovers that Jace had purged his mind of his research. Niv-Mizzet has Ral Zareck switch gears on the Maze project.  The demon Rakdos has the blood-wtich Exava initiate a riot. 
Chapter 2 - Unfamiliar Depths
Isperia, the Sphinx guild leader of the Azorius reassigns Officer Lavinia to a desk job.  The vampire Mirko Vosk is punished by the Dimir guild leader Lazav. 
Chapter 3 - Stirring Up the Past
Jace and Emmara meet Trostani, Jace makes no friends, especially with the Selesnya Elf Captain Calomir.  Ral Zarek and Skreeg piece together Jace's investigation at his destroyed study.  

Chapter 4 - Aid from an EnemyThe Rakdos, lead by Exava riot while Jace meets with Lavinia at New Prahv.  Ral's search dead-ends at the Forum of Azor, seeds of suspicion are sewn within Emarra and Jace needs help from the two headed Ogre Ruric Thar.

Chapter 5 - Changes of Heart
Selesnya prepares to march against the Rakdos, while Niv-Mizzet and Ral begin to understand the Implicit Maze. 

Chapter 6 - Armies in the Streets
Rakdos, Gruul, Selesnya and Boros clash in the streets.

Chapter 7 - Rough CrowdsJace is captured by Exava and then in turn by Captain Calomir while Niv-Mizzet makes an important announcement.

Chapter 8 - Unmasking
Lazav reveals himself to Jace and promptly imprisons him.

 - cliffhanger -
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Agents of Artifice

You may recall this previous post about the MTG novel 'Alara Unbroken', by Doug Beyer. If you were not aware, there is another novel titled, "Agents of Artifice: A Planeswalker Novel", by Ari Marmell to be released on February 3, 2009.


Here is the skinny from WoTC marketing . . .

It is the dawn of a new age in the Multiverse. The balance of power is shifting and Agents of Artifice brings readers to the heart of a planeswalker struggle.

In Agents of Artifice, Ari Marmell reimagines planeswalkers, taking fans deeper than ever into the lives of the Multiverse's most powerful beings:

Jace Beleren, the prodigal son, a powerful telepath whose choices now will forever determine his path as a mage;
Liliana Vess, a temptress whose beauty belies a dark secret and even darker associations; and
Tezzeret, leader of an interplanar consortium whose quest for knowledge may be undone by his lust for power.

Follow these characters in their quests for knowledge and power. Will Jace's choices lead him astray of the right path? Will Liliana's past finally catch up with her? Will Tezzeret allow hubris to obscure his vision?