Though the primary appeal of Magic: The Gathering has always been the game itself, the story and worlds of Magic have kept fans invested in the franchise for decades. Despite the wild and inventive setting, adaptations have always struggled to capture the wonder of Magic. With the release of Magic #1, BOOM! Studios aims to change that. While the result does have some problems, it displays the spark of something remarkable.

Taking place sometime after the game's epic War of the Spark storylineMagic #1 follows the three fan-favorite planeswalkers Ral Zarek, Vraska, and Kaya. On the plane of Ravnica, the three are all forced to contend with dangerous assassins. The mystery of who sent the assassins and why is one that will take the three guild masters across the multiverse as they meet familiar faces and contend with dangerous new threats. Though each Planeswalker is powerful in their own right, differing personalities and clashing egos will test the trio as much as any would-be assassin.

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Coming from writer Jed MacKay and artist Ig Guara, Magic #1 is an interesting take on the source material. Fans interested in how the story will unfold from its basic summary may want to temper their expectations for this first issue. Beyond a few minor twists, this first issue is all about setup. Though some deeply entrenched fans may be off-put the narration reiterating basic details of Magic's world, newcomers and those less familiar with the game's story will undoubtedly appreciate the comic's attempt at simplifying complex ideas. Despite this narration though, the comic moves at a brisk pace which will undoubtedly excite any Magic fans who want to see action.

Magic #1 Cover

While the action is strong, the real reason to pick up Magic #1 is its Planeswalker characters. MacKay's dialogue combined with Guera's visuals make the three main characters a delight to read at every turn. Their interactions with each other feel spot-on in a way that even some of the game's actual stories miss. It's obvious that both creators have more than a passing familiarity with the characters which have become the face of Magic: the Gathering.

Unfortunately, the most diehard Magic fans will be disappointed to learn that the comic is officially non-canon to the game's story. Despite the disappointment of some fans though, this may ultimately prove to be a boon as it will allow the comic's creative team to tell the story they want to regardless of continuity. Aside from a strange change to the character of Niz-Mizzet, this first issue leaves itself more than enough wiggle room to fit into continuity if it proves popular enough. Additionally, it's worth mentioning that the Planeswalkers featured on Magic #1's stunning variant covers don't make an appearance in the issue.

Despite the strong character work though, Magic #1 moves so fast that it's difficult to tell how exactly the rest of the series will turn out. The mystery and set-up are interesting in their own right, but it's too early to tell whether they'll be going anywhere. Given the strength of the setting and the creator's understanding of the source material, fans should have hope that BOOM!'s take on Magic will succeed where other adaptations have failed. Look for Magic #1 when it releases on April 7th!

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