Spring, at last, is here. And as the Winter frost thaws, it reveals the bounty beneath: a fresh batch of off-the-wall entries inMagic: The Gathering’s esteemed Secret Lair series. Grouped together under the Spring Superdrop, these eight new Secret Lair Drops are as striking as they are varied, presenting bold new takes on well-loved cards and forgotten favorites alike.
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From Showcase cards from pre-Showcase sets to the long-awaited full Drop by Rebecca Guay, there’s something for everyone in this bumper Springtime harvest. Join us now as we celebrate the turning of the season by looking at the best of this bold new batch.
10Questing Beast, By Omar Rayyan
A card notorious bothfor its power leveland for having too many abilities to possibly remember, Questing Beast left behind a lasting legacy when it slunk its way out of Standard in 2021. It receives a suitably grand interpretation here, with Rayyan using Eldraine’s storybook frame to bring the Beast to life anew.
The tangled vines of the frame blend seamlessly into those of the art, drawing the reader into the scene: a lone Phyrexian warrior standing their ground against a reimagined Questing Beast, all three heads roaring with a newfound vitality that’s a far cry from the more subdued tone of the original. It feels like a page from a medieval epic, albeit one in which you’re rooting for the huge, terrifying monster for a change.
9Linvala, Keeper Of Silence, By Alayna Danner
A piece that reminds us of the serious religious origins of Magic’s Angels, Alayna Danner’s take on Linvala feels grand in the cosmic sense of the word. Using the vast expanse of space as her backdrop, Danner shows us Linvala standing watch over the Earth itself, as the stars twinkle on in the distance.
Excellent setting aside, Linvala has never looked better, blending more grounded attire with a solemn facial expression and distant stare: a sobering combination that perfectly captures the weight of her responsibilities. As a final touch, the celestial rings protruding from her back perfectly encircle the full moon behind her: a well-placed reminder of her heavenly power.
8Muddle The Mixture, By Rebecca Guay
The mere mention ofMagic art icon Rebecca Guayis enough to get players excited, and this Superdrop features some of her most exciting work to date. Chief among this is her take on Muddle the Mixture, a name which seems to have been taken as a personal challenge by Guay during its creation.
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From the simple painting style of the character’s trousers, the slightly askew pose, and the use of chalk outlines on a pure black backdrop throughout the piece, Muddle the Mixture feels like nothing Guay has done before. And while the text in the graffitied-on speech bubble may translate to ‘Very Guay,’ it’s hard to think of a piece she’s created that’s ‘less Guay’ than this one.
7Nezahal, Primal Tide, By Yeong-Hao Han
Imagining a Showcase style for the pre-Booster Fun expansion of Ixalan, Yeong-Hao Han shows us one of the five Elder Dinosaurs immortalized on some kind of currency based on the circular shape. The creature itself is lovingly rendered, with the blue highlights on its spines and teeth welcome touches, but the real star of the show here is the interplay with the card frame.
The various feathers and carvings that enshrine the coin feel like authentic parts of the world, rather than just set dressing, building up our picture of Ixalan’s culture and how its people revere the Elder Dinosaurs through their art. It’s a perfect use of a Showcase frame.
6Ulvenwald Tracker, By Aya Kakeda
Despite the simple, almost childlike style on display here, Aya Kakeda’s take on Ulvenwald Tracker is rich in detail, building up the relationship between a Shaman and the Bear they’re taming in a single, perfect frame. This begins with the Shaman, and their distinctive animal skin hat with leaf ears, mirrored in the staff they hold in their hands.
The colors used for the Shaman transfer over into the small headpiece atop the Bear in the background, serving as a symbol of their bond. you may feel the cutting edge of the icy criss-cross winds that dominate the backdrop here, reminding you of the harsh conditions these sworn companions are training under and giving an idea of the strength of their friendship in the process.
5Thassa’s Oracle, By Lauren YS
‘Cool’ isn’t a particularly articulate way to describe a piece of art, but it’s hard to think of a more fitting term for this radical reimagining of Thassa’s Oracle. From the bright neon colors, the superb use of translucency, and the sea-inspired tattoos and accessories sported by the Oracle herself, everything just oozes an offbeat chic that represents a welcome change from the Magic norm.
Of particular note is the thermometer-esque red rod held like a cigarette between the Oracle’s fingers, perhaps some oceanic equivalent of our vices here on the surface. This pairs up nicely with the visor over her face, a means of shielding the rest of the sea from the harmful outputs of her cigarette: an act of rebellion in a world rapidly hurtling towards climatic disaster.
4Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain, By Lisa Heidhoff
A stalwart throughoutevery age of Dominaria, and every major battle on the Plane, Jhoira is a fan-favorite character with good reason. Lisa Heidhoff’s new interpretation is a welcome one, however, subtly conveying the psychological toll living through so much war and destruction can have on a person.
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This can be seen in her pained expression and how her eyes search the horizon for answers in a cruel and arbitrary world. It can also be seen, more literally, in the flames that wreath Jhoira here, reminding her of all she’s lost and all she will never know again. It’s a complex and mature take on a popular character that will continue to hold weight as long as the world knows suffering.
3Cleansing Nova, By Rebecca Guay
Rebecca Guay fires on all cylinders with this piece, finding a romantic angle in the unlikeliest of places: the art for a white board wipe spell. Showing two spirits embracing above a scene of molten destruction, Guay shows us how great love can spring from great tragedy. And how, in Magic’s fantastic world, death can be the release that opens the way for love to pass.
It’s largely simplistic overall, with muddled blacks and reds making up the background, but the spirits themselves are rendered in Guay’s typical loving style, with sweeping bodily curves and hair that seems to flow on forever. As their dark hair blends with the smoke beyond, the Spirits, and the viewer, find some unexpected peace in this piece.
2Nature’s Will, By Aya Kakeda
In a piece that feels straight out of the works of Tove Jansson, Aya Kakeda brings us a whole world filled with colorful characters in this one vivid scene. The central sasquatch-like creature bears a wide grin as hisFrog fan clubfeeds him, as the flavor text informs us, strawberry crumble: a true testament to their friendship, given the difficulty of sourcing that in a forest.
Each Frog is distinct, with different arrangements of leaf skirts, headdresses, and carried bowls, implying a hierarchy within their society. The backdrop is a lovely final touch, using simple scribbled lines to convey trees, adding a childlike innocence to an already joyful piece.
1Selfless Savior, By Randy Vargas
A piece both beautiful and tragic in equal measure, Randy Vargas crams a full movie’s worth of story and heart into a perfect moment here. Showing a beloved family dog standing its ground against a group of shadowy attackers, we can anticipate what happens next even without the aid of the card’s mechanics and flavor text.
The little touches, like the expressions on the family’s faces in the background and the red ribbon tied around the dog’s neck, likely signifying a strong bond with the child, really tug the heartstrings here. As boys in Magic go, this Savior is as good as they come.
