Wizards Has Announced a New Charity Secret Lair for the Late Sheldon Menery

In September of last year, Magic: The Gathering fans were saddened by the news of Sheldon Menery’s passing after a seven-year battle with throat cancer. Menery was revered by Magic fans as the pioneer of the Commander format, which has since become the most popular format of Magic: The Gathering. His passing left a profound impact on the community.

Following this news, Magic: The Gathering revealed its plans to release a special card in tribute to Menery, the artwork of which was unveiled at MagicCon last year. Although there hasn’t been much information about the card since then, Magic: The Gathering has now announced that it will be featured in a new charity Secret Lair called “Sheldon’s Spellbook,” portraying Menery himself within a version of Inkshield.

The cards included in Sheldon’s Spellbook were recently showcased on the Commander Rules Committee Twitch channel. Alongside Inkshield, other cards featured in Sheldon’s Spellbook include Teferi’s Protection, a valuable staple in Commander; Sheldon, the Commander, another card showcasing Menery’s likeness, and an Italian version of Greater Good, crafted to honor Menery’s Italian heritage. Scott Larabee from Wizards of the Coast later shared a special video revealing the cards, which can be found here.

During the stream, it was also explained that the Secret Lair will be available for pre-order on February 26, with pre-orders running until March 24, and half of every sale proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society. All the cards were selected and designed in part by Menery and will feature standard Magic backs. Additionally, it was mentioned that although the Commander Rules Committee members were unaware if there is a secret card, it’s best not to anticipate one.

Sheldon’s Spellbook will be offered in both foil and non-foil versions, priced at $49.99 and $39.99 respectively, and will be a timed-box release. This means that if you pre-order the set between the specified dates, you are guaranteed to receive one. Considering that most Secret Lairs are typically limited releases, it’s a thoughtful gesture to see this rule deviated for such a special occasion.

In other Magic news, Wizards of the Coast recently announced that Magic: The Gathering will be featuring two major crossovers each year starting in 2025, similar in scale to the recent Tales of Middle-earth crossover. The Marvel and Final Fantasy crossovers will be the first ones out of the gate, having already been announced for 2025 releases.