The contents of the “Sheldon’s Spellbook” Secret Lair drop, a seven-card Magic: The Gathering release honoring “Godfather of Commander” Sheldon Menery and benefiting the American Cancer Society, were revealed in a stream on the Commander Rules Committee Twitch channel and as a separate preview on X (formerly Twitter).
Each card expresses aspects of Sheldon’s approaches to Commander and life, creating a portrait of one of Magic: The Gathering’s pivotal figures.
The Cards
“Sheldon, the Commander” is a special version of legendary creature Ruhan of the Fomori, commander of Sheldon’s signature Commander deck, “You Did This to Yourself“, depicting Sheldon as a larger-than-life heroic figure.
Inkshield also depicts Sheldon, this time in the midst of a spell he designed while contracting for Magic: The Gathering’s publisher, Wizards of the Coast (WotC). Inkshield was one of Sheldon’s signature spells, playing into his favored theme of turning opponents’ spells to his own ends.
Bene Supremo, or Greater Good in Italian, reflects half of Sheldon Menery’s ancestry. (Magic: The Gathering does not print cards in Finnish.) The flavor text translates to “Life is beautiful.”
Eladamri’s Vineyard pays tribute to Sheldon’s love of good wine and good company. He once wrote an entire article pairing his various decks with wines and other beverages.
Sheldon’s theme of togetherness continues with Teferi’s Protection, one of four cards quoting him and the first of two crediting him by name.
Command Tower, a staple card in the manabases of many decks, quotes Sheldon Menery as he declares bluntly’s blunt declaration, “Hate has no place here.” It reflects Sheldon’s efforts, official and unofficial, public and private, to make Commander’s community welcoming for as many people as possible.
Sol Ring, arguably the defining card of the Commander format as a whole, completes the drop with the most complex tribute to Sheldon. The art, depicting the Sol Ring as a wedding band, reflects his marriage (in his X biography, he described himself as a “Trophy husband”) and his long career writing about Magic judging and Commander. The flavor text, a quote from Shakespeare’s history play Henry V, honors both his scholarly pursuits (his Master’s thesis focused on Henry V) and his twenty years of military service with the United States Air Force.
The Beneficiary
Sheldon Menery was public about his seven-year-long battle with cancer, and he made a point to attend as many Magic events as possible despite his diagnosis and struggle. It is fitting, then, that the Sheldon’s Spellbook Secret Lair Drop will benefit the American Cancer Society, his chosen charity and the beneficiary of donations collected at the first major memorial for Sheldon in September 2023. The foil and nonfoil releases will be printed to demand, unlike other recent Secret Lair drops, and the ACS will receive half of all proceeds, with a minimum $250,000 donation.
