Review: Magic the Gathering: Spell Thief #1...

by Steven Leitman

Magic the Gathering: Spell Thief #1

IDW Publishing

Written by Matt Forbeck

Art by Martin Coccolo & Christian Duce

Colours by J. Edwin Stevens & Baileigh Bolton

Dack Fayden, Planeswalker thief, has stolen a valuable artifact from Ravnica, the Ancient Fang. Using his abilities to learn the artifact's secrets, instead he witnesses the destruction of his hometown through the eyes of the villain that committed the act: Sifa Grent. Dack sets out to track her down at her next destination: Innistrad. Once in Innistrad, he meets a cathar by the name of Ingrid Reichert. Ingrid aids him in tracking down Sifa, who has allied herself with a local vampire Baron. In tracking down the Baron, they learn that Sifa has travelled to Ingrid's hometown and plans to steal the souls of the inhabitants, just like she did to Dack's hometown. Dack and Ingrid manage to stop her, but she escapes and planeswalks away. Dack follows and finds himself in front of an enormous castle…

I like this it really is like you are reading a session from a well played game. Part of the appeal of RPG’s is that you can find yourself in a character doing things you’d never get a chance to do in real life. Here in Dack we get a chance to feel as if he’s the character you are playing and this is how you would progress in the game.

For those that don’t play RPG’s will like this though because it has all those elements that make up a good story. Action, Adventure, intrigue and a love hate relationship that keeps the motivation to find Sifa alive. Plus the skills he shows and situations he finds himself in are pretty fantastic. Both the inner and spoken dialogue is incredibly well done here.

It is a great story actually and one that is able to transcend the genre and become just a great read. These stories are perhaps the most overlooked and yet the most entertaining.