The 5 (and a bit) Colors of Magic – Blue (1994)

Here’s the fifth in a series of promo pieces I did for Magic, waaaay back in 1994. They’ve never been seen in public before but it being M:TG’s 20th anniversary it seemed like a good time to share them with you.

If you’re curious why these were never printed, the full story can be found in this prologue post.

Today, the color circle arrives at Blue –

5Color-Blue

Blue magic in 1994 featured a lot of air and water themed spells. In addition it’s the color of pure arcane knowledge, illusions, counterspells, and control (of creatures and time itself). It also felt like Blue Magic would be the color most used in the creation of artifacts, a position enhanced by the fact that Blue sits opposite the natural fecundity of Green.

It’s seems like a wildly random set of spheres of influence. Perhaps the catch-all for ideas that didn’t fit elsewhere. Or perhaps that’s my prejudices showing as Blue was my least favorite color to paint cards for.

Take a shot at guessing all the cards tucked away in this piece. As usual, the answers are below.


Blue Answers – What Cards Hidden Where?

This one didn’t really have anything sneakily tucked away, like White’s wards and Green’s Lifeforce, but the indirect application of some cards meant they slipped under many people’s radar –

5Color-Blue2

  1. A Zephyr Falcon mimicking…
  2. An Air Elemental because it’s actually…
  3. A Vesuvan Doppelganger.
  4. The planeswalker’s lopsided premature aging is a sign of overuse of one of Blue’s time spells, probably Time Walk. All those extra turns are sure to catch up with you eventually!
  5. A Wall of Air protecting the…
  6. Prodigal Sorcerer (benefitting from a Flight spell) who’s being attacked by…
  7. A Water Elemental.
  8. Island Fish Jasconius doing double duty as an Island since every image has included its associated land type.
  9. Sea Serpent
  10. Lord of Atlantis
  11. Merfolk of the Pearl Trident
  12. Siren’s Call
  13. Drowned

Next, we’ll wrap this whole thing up with Black.

~ by Pete Venters on September 28, 2013.