No-Show Monday: Other things for your ears edition
August 26, 2019
We all need something to listen to as we’re sleeving up some precons, but unfortunately that won’t be CommanderCast this week. It’s too bad because I have definite opinions on butter coffee and The Boys to share, but those will just have to slide onto the back burner for now.
To hold you over until then, here are some goodies for your ear canals to help you through the week.
No-Show Monday: M20 Spoilers Inbound
June 17, 2019
The golden age of M20 spoilers is upon us, friends. There’s just something about the way this season of cards has hit one after the other – and has been neatly & judiciously spread out – that just warms my heart (and fuels my Magic addiction). I’m not always WotC’s biggest fan, but sometimes you just need to give credit where it’s due: these folks have put together some sweet sets lately.
No-Show Monday: Dragon’s Maze Revisited
May 6, 2019
This is the only time I’ve actually liked a fake Reddit spoiler card
If you’re a Ravnica set without any shock lands, you’ve got a tough road to hoe in my book. I’ve been pretty down on War of the Spark lately and even though that set falls squarely in the “no-shocks” category I’ve come around a bit in recent days now that I’ve gotten a chance to play with some of the actual cards. I still don’t think it’s a great set, but for me the logical point of comparison for WotS was the other infamous “no-shock” Ravnica set: Dragon’s Maze.
Dragon’s Maze gets a lot of shit as a set and it’s not entirely undeserved. I can tell you from experience that playing that set in limited was trash and it didn’t make a huge splash in EDH at the time either. If I can set the dial on the wayback machine to six years ago when it released on May 3, 2013, I think it’s fair to say that most of us were unimpressed. Overall, Dragon’s Maze just left me waiting for the next round of spoilers to wash the bad taste out of my mouth. (Thankfully, the first Modern Masters set came out the next month and collectively blew our damn minds, so I didn’t have to wait long.)
This whole War of the Terribly Named Set / grumpy-old-man-thing I’ve been going through lately has led me to go back and take a second look at the last Ravnican stepchild with a fresh perspective. And you know what? It’s actually better than I remember.
No-Show Monday: We’re Just Silly About Spoilers Edition
January 7, 2019
My reaction to Ravnica Allegiance spoilers:
I’ve been pretty open about my disappointment in Guilds of Ravnica on the ‘cast, so maybe it’s the low expectations that set instilled in me that has me over the moon for the new hotness rolling out these past two weeks. I don’t know. What I do know, however, is that I’m actually excited for a Ravnica set again, which hasn’t happened since Return to Ravnica.
2019 is definitely coming up roses so far.
No-Show Monday: M19 for the Holidays Edition
December 17, 2018
The holidays are upon us again and podcasts unfortunately have take a backseat to family stuff. I know, I know. You’re saying, “But Mark, why bother with your flesh & blood relations at this festive time of year when there’s cardboard wizardry to get up to?”
You make a fine point, sir or madam.
“No-Show Mondays” are usually where I get a chance to spout off about a few random cards that caught my eye and that I don’t have the heart to inflict upon Adam, Mike, or some other unsuspecting guest, so why should today be any different?
With that said – and with all apologies to Mr. Dickens:
I have endeavored in this Ghostly little post, to raise the Ghost of an Idea (namely that M19 was an excellent little core set with a number of underrated cards), which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it aside in favour of YouTube videos or Twitch streams elsewhere.
Your faithful Friend and Servant,
–Mark
No-Show Monday: The “Life Happens” edition
November 19, 2018
This is the face of disappointment I see in my head
I really do hate doing two No-Shows in a month but, as the title says, sometimes life doesn’t take my plans into account. How very inconsiderate of you, Life.