Peter Parker's CameraPeter Parker's Camera | Art by Lixin Yin

Marvel's Spider-Man is swinging into Magic and all of its formats, including Competitive Commander, obviously. Now this is a reasonable Standard-power level set!

I’ve felt wild having cards to hit for every color, even gold cards and lands, for several sets in a row. Have I reached on a bit of them? Of course, you have to do that sometimes. However, in this edition, I’m not hitting all of the colors; there’s potential successes and potential successes only.

Let’s enter the multiversal world of Spider-Man and see what it brings forward for cEDH!

But First: Sick Reprints!

The Universes Beyond sets continue to bring forth interesting reprint sheets with cool art. I wanted to give an honorable mention-level look at the cards contained within. I do have to say - while these cards contain interesting art from around the history of Spider-Man comic runs, they could have used another pass. Several of them are borderline hard to read or have text in a strange looking place, just because they followed the exact same formatting for all of them.

Path to ExilePath to Exile and ReanimateReanimate don’t exactly need reprints, but having new art for them is always welcome. Mindbreak TrapMindbreak Trap, while also relatively affordable now, gets its fourth printing. I didn’t imagine that we would get three new versions of the card in this short of a time frame, but as they say, we take those.

The real cEDH get here is the first ever reprint of Opposition AgentOpposition Agent - a card that would currently run a pilot around $20 for its Commander Legends treatment. Whether I like the art or not, more versions of playable cEDH cards being made more affordable will always be good in my book.

Blue

Spider-SenseSpider-Sense

Affordable counterspells, especially those with StifleStifle-like effects tacked on, will always at least get a look from me. However, most of them end up never seeing play as it does take quite a lot of juice from a card for it to enter the blue cEDH lexicon.

Spider-Sense is a very real new option however, letting aggressive or low-to-the-ground decks recycle their tapped creatures for a discount on a powerful counter. Web-slinging, a mechanic new to this set that asks for the return of a tapped creature to your hand in exchange for a reduced cost, makes Spider-Sense cost only , a huge difference from the already relatively affordable .

This is another spell that decks helmed by Rograkh, Son of RohgahhRograkh, Son of Rohgahh or maybe the likes of Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow that have cheap commanders to return will make great use of. Getting a creature tapped may be the largest ask - which predisposes me to also ask “Is this a Tymna card?” Probably.

Rograkh can handle it with the likes of Springleaf DrumSpringleaf Drum and Paradise MantleParadise Mantle, but what about other decks? Creatures will have to get busy in the combat step or have tap abilities of their own. If a deck already has that capability, Spider-Sense reads like a home run.

Lady Octopus, Inspired InventorLady Octopus, Inspired Inventor

Lady Octopus, Inspired Inventor reminds me of Jhoira, Ageless InnovatorJhoira, Ageless Innovator, Sam Black’s first cEDH commander that he piloted for some time. They both build up counters in order to cheat counters into play, but while Jhoria gets them from tapping, Lady Octopus receives them from each first and second draw or every turn.

She quickly builds up ingenuity counters with the help of a Mystic RemoraMystic Remora or Rhystic StudyRhystic Study, but without these would need a lot of work (and normal draw steps) to cheat in the most valuable options, such as God-Pharaoh's StatueGod-Pharaoh's Statue.

The similarity between the two cards is interesting, but I’m not sure that Octopus solves any of the problems Jhoria already has. It's a bit slow and is still missing the most powerful artifact, Bolas's CitadelBolas's Citadel. Heck, Lady Octopus is even a color less than Jhoria.

Where she could be interesting is the 99 of artifact-focused decks, enabling explosive starts from a one-drop that could evolve into a mid-game artifact cheating value engine in its own right. Those decks unfortunately still don’t exist meaningfully at this point, beyond those jamming Urza and Arcum Daggson to this day, but I’ll be on the lookout for Lady Octopus to appear in the main deck of a few commanders regardless.

Black

Black Cat, Cunning ThiefBlack Cat, Cunning Thief

I’ve seen people refer to Black Cat as doing an Etali, Primal ConquerorEtali, Primal Conqueror impression. She does let her controller take a hefty look at an opponent’s library and then choose two cards to play at a later time. The huge difference is that Black Cat requires one to actually pay mana for spells one wishes to cast from among those exiled. That’s not very good!

In an infinite mana-type scenario, Black Cat seems like a cute-at-best-option through which to win the game, but for how much mana she demands up front, I’m not getting the hype that I’ve seen around the corners of the Community.

As always, I wish to be proven wrong, but this is a card that I'm misaligned with others on, so I figured I would mention it at least.

Gwenom, RemorselessGwenom, Remorseless

Gwenom is, without question, the most intriguing card for cEDH buried in this set. The rules text:

“Whenever Gwenom attacks, until end of turn you may look at the top card of your library any time and you may play cards from the top of your library. If you cast a spell this way, pay life equal to its mana value rather than pay its mana cost.”

Hello, Bolas's Citadel? Citadel has been one of the most powerful cards available in cEDH for years, being easily cheat-able into play with the help of a variety of cards and letting pilots quickly burn through their decks in return for their life. Just watch out for lands!

Getting access to a second copy of this effect for the format brings intriguing options to decks that have, for one reason or another, wanted more. Or, perhaps the fact that she's a creature is relevant for decks already on a graveyard plan.

She's also a deathtouch and lifelinking 4/4, something that will help her get through while also bumping up the life for the Bolas's Citadel effect.

The requirement to attack is, predictably, the hard part here. If played as the commander, hoops will have to be jumped through to give her haste, lest her controller has to wait a full turn cycle to try to get the game rolling. Short of that, the best options available are playing her in the 99 and then using the likes of Sneak AttackSneak Attack and Goryo's VengeanceGoryo's Vengeance, cards my boomer heart has always wanted to see in cEDH, to cheat her into play with haste.

However, even with these options available, she still has to get to and live through the combat step, something that, as a long time Malcolm enjoyer, I can assure is somehow always harder than it seems when it matters most.

If that wrinkle can be figured out - and she can be cheated out with haste - I anticipate Gwenom will be a superstar for black cEDH decks. I'm just happy I'm not the one who has to solve the deckbuilding problems.

Red

Electro, Assaulting BatteryElectro, Assaulting Battery

Electro, Assaulting Battery does an interesting impression of another classic cEDH card, Birgi, God of StorytellingBirgi, God of Storytelling, if the fact of Birgi’s backside (the better half of the card) is ignored. Getting with every instant and sorcery spell cast keeps the gravy train rolling on a big turn, partially refunding spells as they’re put onto the stack.

The most interesting part of Electro is that all red mana, not even just the red mana he produces, won’t go away for as long as you control him. This opens up interesting situations to use the Assaulting Battery as storage to hold over mana for a big turn, floating something like four or five red to pump into even more spells that make mana during or after the next turn cycle.

I like a lot of things about this card and will be trying it in some of my more spell-heavy decks, especially those that can more easily afford his sneakily hard to cast cost.

Spider-PunkSpider-Punk

Spider-Punk brings a new and powerful Dosan the Falling LeafDosan the Falling Leaf or Defense GridDefense Grid impression to the sans-white decks that continue to look for answers for their lack of SilenceSilence and Voice of VictoryVoice of Victory.

Read my full thoughts on Spider-Punk in Evaluating Spider-Punk for cEDH here on EDHREC.

Multicolored

Norman OsbornNorman Osborn // Green Goblin

Norman Osborn // Green Goblin really is a tale of two cards, both of which are intriguing on their own. Norman Osborn, the front side, isn’t immediately jump-out cEDH strong, but does offer an interesting angle of getting the Green Goblin into play for cheaper (if worried about commander tax later in a game) and a small amount of conniving utility to churn through the deck and put cards in the graveyard.

The main attraction here is obviously the Green Goblin, a card that has “break me please!” written all over it. Grixis colors means that the best cards are available. Spells cast from the graveyard are cheaper (basically free, really). Discarded cards gain the ability to be cast from the graveyard for the rest of the turn.

Lion's Eye DiamondLion's Eye Diamond, already a broken enough card in its own right, looks incredibly powerful here. Together with other discard-draw engines, I can easily imagine a Green Goblin deck casting a Wheel of FortuneWheel of Fortune, discarding a Lion's Eye Diamond, recasting the Lion's Eye Diamond, cracking the Diamond, and going crazy from there.

Obviously, that’s pure upside and Grixis decks have a high bar to clear to be better than the likes of Rog/Si. At some point, Grixis pile Commanders can be interchangeable, each offering a bit of a different flavor to the proceedings. But, the mayhem granting and massive graveyard discount (which can also matter hugely for getting a bit of a janky Underworld BreachUnderworld Breach win started) makes Green Goblin feel like the first major alternative option to the pure power of having a free commander grants to Rog piles.

Spider-Woman, Stunning SaviorSpider-Woman, Stunning Savior

Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior is a cheap creature with a powerful stax ability that only effects opponents! Tapping down specifically artifacts when they enter can represent a major roadblock at all points in the game, though obviously the sooner she comes into play, the better she'll be.

Add in that she's a flying 2/2 and there may be a bit of a stew going here.

The most immediate implication is stuffing her into Sisay decks, given that she is a two-drop legendary creature that, very importantly, is two colors. The hybrid mana also makes her trivially easy to cast, if one is just casting her normally.

Ironically, outside of Sisay, the addition of blue to the color identity is more of a hindrance than a help. Sure, she can be pitched to the likes of Force of WillForce of Will, but most of the decks that may want to play a dedicated stax creature are outside of Azorious.

She's a great Tymna attacker though! Let's play stax in Blue Farm!

Artifacts

Peter Parker's CameraPeter Parker's Camera

Peter Parker’s Camera is my more niche pick of the set. It has obvious, immediate applications in the likes of Godo as it's essentially a cheaper Strionic ResonatorStrionic Resonator that's also more easily tutorable. Oswald FiddlebenderOswald Fiddlebender has always been looking for one-mana artifacts, for all the sickos out there who still play him.

In looking at other decks that care about a high-impact activated ability, Sisay jumps to mind immediately. However, in a tight five-color list, it may not make the cut. Magda also immediately pops to mind for me and that list always seems to have a spot to spare for experimental weird stuff. Especially after the recent printing of Tezzeret, Cruel Captain[/e], a cheap artifact with an interesting or unique effect is always going to catch my eye.

The Camera specifically feels like the type of card that will play a niche but important roll in decks for a long while.

Ultimate Spider-Man #153

I’ve gotta be real, I think I may hate this set. I have loved, liked, felt indifferent, or been annoyed by every other Magic set in the history of playing (well over a decade now, having started with Return to Ravnica block). But this one feels a little bit different.

It feels rushed, a bit hacked together; every card is extremely over-designed or completely phoned in. The characters and other cards in the set don't feel cohesive at all. It's smaller than normal.

However, despite all of this, there are some sick cards for cEDH that hopefully will see some level of play! I think that Green Goblin especially has the chance to go the distance, along with Spider-Sense and maybe even Peter Parker’s Camera. How about you?

More Spider-Man: