Out of all the MTG sets being released in 2026, Marvel Super Heroes is undoubtedly the biggest of the bunch. It might not have multiverse-shaping consequences, like Reality Fracture, and its power level is a mystery, but Wizards is definitely going all out. Not only are there tons of products to collect and play with, but there are even some surprisingly early early-access events, too.
Avengers Academy MTG Event
Last night, Wizards of the Coast announced a new set of Magic Academy events, specifically for Marvel Super Heroes. Dubbed the Avengers Academy, these MTG events are designed to teach new players the basics of the game in a casual environment. Wizards has been running similar events for a couple of years now, with strong success; however, there are some changes this time around.
For starters, the format is changing, and there seems to be less of a focus on rule leaning. Instead of the normal tutorials followed by Sealed-esque normal gameplay, the Avengers Academy uses the Two-Headed Giant format. This means you’ll pair up with a friend for a 2 vs 2 match against another pair.
According to Wizards, this formatting twist should allow the more experienced friend to guide the new player through the game. Additionally, each player will use only one of the 30 provided half-decks, allowing for more variety between games. As always, the two 30-card decks can also be combined into a 60-card deck for future play, if desired.
Currently, the contents of the five new Welcome Decks have not been revealed by Wizards of the Coast. Instead, only the deck boxes have been revealed so far, confirming some of the characters that’ll be inside. For now, it’s unclear if the Welcome Decks will contain any exclusive cards, as past Welcome Decks have done.
A Pre-Prerelease
While the format change should help new players get to grips with MTG, it’s not the only change being made. Curiously, Wizards is running the Avengers Academy MTG event ahead of schedule, as they begin two weeks before the set’s release. Running from June 12th to 18th, these events start before the Marvel Super Heroes Prerelease events do.
For better or worse, this means that the Avengers Academy event will be the first opportunity for MTG players to use Marvel Super Heroes cards. Notably, this does not change the date at which Marvel Super Heroes cards become legal to play in constructed formats. That date, for reference, is June 19th, which is when Prerelease events for the set begin.
Due to this change, it’s highly likely that many Avengers Academy events will be very well attended. While this seems good on the surface, it could potentially push out newer players. As such, you might want to contact your local game store early and book in once the event is scheduled.
Pretty Poor Promos
While getting to play with Marvel Super Heroes cards early is exciting, Wizards isn’t making these events unmissable. For starters, Welcome Deck cards tend to be on the weaker side, so seasoned players shouldn’t need them. On top of this, the usual promo that’s offered at Magic Academy events has been scrapped.
Instead of getting a card like Darksteel Colossus or Mary Jane Watson at the Avengers Academy MTG event, players can get accessories instead. Attendees can receive a “themed drawstring bag and double-sided Hero // Villain token.” There will also be a pair of “wearable Loki horns” up for grabs; however, you don’t get these for just turning up.
According to Wizards’ article, you’ll need to register for a Marvel Super Heroes Two-Headed Giant Prerelease event to receive these goodies. While this is a good way to keep players involved, it’s unclear how popular these events will be due to the format. Notably, the Marvel Super Heroes gubbins that are up for grabs will only be available while supplies last.
A Test Worth Taking
Right now, it’s unclear how this bizarre Avengers Academy MTG event series will end up doing. While running them before prereleases does dedicate time to training new players, it’s hardly a perfect system. The temptation to play with new cards could easily push newer players out, just as the Two-Headed Giant format could.
Despite these concerns, it does feel better to run these introductory events before a set’s release. This way, stores won’t have to pick between running these casual-focused events and ones for the newly released set. Due to this, this could end up becoming the new normal going forward, depending on success.
For now, we’ll just have to wait and see how these events go and what the Welcome Decks look like. Wizards have said that we’ll see their contents “in the future,” but there’s sadly no telling when that might happen.
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