Gathering and Organizing the Untapped Magic

Magic: The Gathering's Chandra Nalaar in both Funko and comic
book forms, as well as some random card sets.

Another rainy May morning has provided an opportunity to better organize my small collection of Magic: The Gathering cards. Most of my engagement with the game's narrative is limited solely to reading the IDW comicbook miniseries, Chandra (2018), which fleshes out a fully-developed adventure of popular cosplay character Chandra Nalaar. I have slowly acquired about 1000 cards in the past 3 years (a number that surrounds much more impressive than it is to the uninitiated). My investment in the cards is primarily an investment in something recreational for my brother and I to do when he visits, and the free time afforded by quarantine has prompted be to take my very limited understanding to the next level. 

As I means of better familiarizing in how to play (with my brother, he'll often play open hand games so I can try to figure it out), I have decided to better organize what Magic the Gathering cards have been accumulating in my "office." MY hope is that this will help me understand the nuances of the game. While I have only actually played the game twice, I have occasionally picked up a pack for fun and have periodically placed them in a binder or individual sleeve just to admire the artwork. 

The shear number of Youtube videos, online articles, and resource guides with player suggestions on just how to best organize the cards is incredible. Ultimately, I came across a 2019 article from Popular Mechanics, of all places, "How to Play 'Magic the Gathering:': Everything You Need to Know". The article offers the most concise and accessible explanation of the game's groupings and method of play.

Step 1: separate cards out by "mana" or color. Pictured are
Mountains (red), Islands (blue) and Plains (white or yellow). 

Step 2: Separate out mana (land) cards into "Type": Creature, Sorcery,
Instant, Enchantment, Artifact and Planeswalker. Pictured here are
Islands in four type categories.

Pictured here are Plains cards separated into five types. Note: I had
not realized that artifact cards where so rare. Of the three mana
I made it through today (Islands, Mountains and Plains) the only artifact
cards I had were Plains cards of what appeared to be an older vintage.

There are a few different options for further ordering the cards and my Step 3 will likely mean organizing each card within it's Type alphabetically. A few basic observations (none of which are very illuminating to an "expert":

• The initial draw here for me, as a very casual participant, is initially the same as that which attracted my to TSR's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons as a kid; the beautiful artwork. Each iteration has a slightly different aesthetic and, in some instances, a very different artistic style. 
• Just as there is "a tweet for everything" when it comes to President Trump, there are also cards for every situation, feeling and event, and I don't mean just as it pertains to the game. As I was thinking about attending another potentially tiresome Zoom meeting, I pulled the "Silent Observer" (Islands, Creature) which seemed appropriate as I am often more of a watcher than talker in these activities. Frankly, my mind often falls into a "Enshrouding Mist" (Plains, Instant) during these "meetings."
• I really dig the high level vocabulary that could be taught, in theory, through potential student interaction by the diction employed in the cards. The Magic world is full of creatures such as the "Skirsdag Supplicant" (Swamp) as opposed to a "beggar" and artifacts like an "Explosive Apparatus" (Swamp) instead of a "gear" or "gizmo." The implications, much like that of comic books or video games, is pretty interesting to consider...

Prior to trying to learn a little more about Magic: The Gathering a few years ago on one of my brother's visits to the U.S., my only previous interaction with the system was as an annual holiday present. That is, until he began expecting them each year. Thanks to the latest deck's, Ikoria, use of Toho kaiju (giant monsters), I recently picked up a Booster Box, the contents of which I will add to my "collection". Who knows? Maybe I will actually get the opportunity to play with them this time, too!