On February 15th, the Commander RC revealed a new Secret Lair drop via their Twitch stream. This drop, titled Secret Lair: Sheldon's Spellbook, pays tribute to the late, great Sheldon Menery, a figure many have said was "the Godfather of Commander". The drop contains seven cards and showcases what Sheldon sought to cultivate within the format. It also memorializes Sheldon himself in no small terms.
A Good Commander Needs His Tower
Command Tower, a card from Secret Lair: Sheldon's Spellbook. Illustrated by Titus Lunter.The first card revealed was Command Tower. A mainstay in most decks in the format, Command Tower is a beautiful representation of Sheldon's dream of the ideal format. With its flavor text, Sheldon makes note that the fanmade Magic format we all know and love is to remain inclusive. Titus Lunter illustrated this card with a marvelously prismatic effect.
Sheldon Loved The Finer Things In Life
Eladamri's Vineyard, a card from Secret Lair: Sheldon's Spellbook. Illustrated by Alayna Danner.The next card, Eladamri's Vineyard, pays homage to the idea that Sheldon appreciated his friends and colleagues. The flavor text, "Good company is sweeter than any summer wine", emphasizes this point to a T. The card, one of very few depicting wine or vineyards, was illustrated by Alayna Danner.
Sheldon Valued The Greater Good
Bene Supremo, a card from Secret Lair: Sheldon's Spellbook. This card is an Italian translation of Greater Good. Illustrated by Johannes Voss.The next card, a copy of Bene Supremo (Greater Good), is in Italian because Sheldon always called it Bene Supremo, and is a nod to Sheldon's Italian heritage. The Commander RC's stream confirmed this when initially revealing the drop. Bene Supremo was illustrated by Johannes Voss and depicts a young girl embracing a dragon tenderly.
A Great Effort To Turn Games Around
Inkshield, a card from Secret Lair: Sheldon's Spellbook. Illustrated by Donato Giancola.Inkshield was one of the cards that Sheldon helped Wizards of the Coast design for the Silverquill Commander deck from Strixhaven: School of Mages, and he is on the record as saying it was among his favorite cards printed. The art, illustrated by the impeccable Donato Giancola, shows Sheldon himself as a Silverquill mage, and the card features an iconic quote by the man: "You did this to yourself."
One Of Sheldon's Favorite Commanders
Sheldon, the Commander, a card from Secret Lair: Sheldon's Spellbook. This card is a reskin of Ruhan of the Fomori. Illustrated by Livia Prima.Those who were lucky enough to have played games of Commander with Sheldon know that one of his most iconic and favorite decks to pilot was led by Ruhan of the Fomori. This card, illustrated by Livia Prima and featuring another quote by the Godfather of Commander himself, is a reskin of Ruhan with Sheldon in command.
One Ring To Command Them All
Sol Ring, a card from Secret Lair: Sheldon's Spellbook. Illustrated by Lindsey Look.The next card in Sheldon's Spellbook is Sol Ring, a staple of the Commander format. This card merits inclusion just as Command Tower does. People may be confused as to why William Shakespeare's Henry V is featured in the flavor text. It seems that Sheldon included a major scholarly essay about the Elizabethan play in his Master's portfolio. Most assuredly, this play had a major effect on Sheldon and his scholarly work.
Sheldon's Spellbook Has His Protection As Well
Teferi's Protection, a card from Secret Lair: Sheldon's Spellbook. Illustrated by Steve Argyle.The final card included in Secret Lair: Sheldon's Spellbook is Teferi's Protection. Notably, this card has flavor text quoted from Sheldon, complete with proper attribution. The art, illustrated by Steve Argyle, depicts the former planeswalker Teferi Akosa casting a spell to shield his colleagues in battle from danger.
Secret Lair: Sheldon's Spellbook is an on-demand drop. Please note that this drop is an outlier from other drops, which are limited in their print-runs from here on out. The drop will run from February 26th to March 24th, and it will cost buyers $39.99 for nonfoil or $49.99 in foil. What's more, proceeds will go to benefit the American Cancer Society, an organization that helped Sheldon through his final days.
Josh Nelson wears many hats. They are a music journalist when not writing gaming news. Beyond this, they're a scholar of the Sweeney Todd urban legend, a fan of monster-taming RPGs, and a filthy Aristocrats player. Josh has been playing Magic since 2001 and attributes their tenure to nostalgia, effort, and "aesthetic".
