Every year, it feels like there is a bigger emphasis on crossovers in the world of MTG. Many of these crossovers have been quite successful, such as the Lord of the Rings set. Some crossovers are given their own complete set, like in the case with Lord of the Rings, and others show up in unique products such as Secret Lairs. Alongside MagicCon Las Vegas, there were a ton of new products and spoilers revealed, many of which were crossover themed.
In conjunction with the Lost Caverns of Ixalan, we are getting Jurassic World cards that can be found in set boosters and collector boosters. Multiple Secret Lair crossovers were announced, such as the unique Princess Bride Secret Lair. Today, we will be covering yet another Secret Lair crossover showcasing the Evil Dead IP. The Evil Dead Secret Lair will become available for purchase on October 2, 2023 as part of the Spookydrop 2023.
Alternate Art Reprints
In this Secret Lair specifically, the cards that are featured are all reprints of previous cards. Handled in a similar way to the Godzilla cards that appeared within Ikoria, these cards have distinct names associated with the Evil Dead franchise. However, this is simply treated as an alternate name in the title, and functions similar to flavor text. This does not impact the gameplay of the card in question, and the original name of the MTG card is listed directly below the title.
The goal of these cards is to showcase previously created MTG cards in a new light that directly resembles the franchise featured in the crossover. In this case, given that the crossover revolves around the Evil Dead IP, there are lots of cool references to the horror film franchise. Take a look at this new variant of Field of the Dead, for example. The new title and artwork showcase the cabin in which the reawakening of the Kandarian Demon occurs.
The alternate version of Zombie Apocalypse shown above is another great example of the worlds of MTG and the Evil Dead being meshed. The artwork showcases the tape recording of Knowby’s Incantation that would lead to the Kandarian Demon’s appearance. Many of these cards, including Field of the Dead and Zombie Apocalypse, are likely meant to show off the effects of the Deadites that were capable of possessing the dead.
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Main Character Interpretations
In addition to directly referencing specific parts of the story, multiple cards from the Evil Dead Secret Lair were designed to show off a major character from the Evil Dead franchise. Because these cards are ultimately reprints, the hope was to have the abilities of a previous MTG card somewhat closely resemble that of the main character in question. In the case of Ash, Destined Survivor, the Equipment theme makes a decent amount of sense. This card features alternate art of Puresteel Paladin, which greatly benefits from playing lots of Equipment. Ash is well-known for incorporating both a chainsaw and a boomstick to his arsenal to help fight against evil, so utilizing this card does make some sense.
That being said, some players question why Ash wasn’t depicted as a legendary Creature. After all, Ash was the main character in which the Evil Dead franchise was largely built around. Perhaps this was meant to reference Ash’s past as a supermarket worker, as Ash wasn’t always depicted as a heroic individual. Still, given the focus on Equipment and how important Ash is to the story, using a legendary Equipment-matters card to show off Ash might have made the most sense. This might even have been more enticing to Commander players to boot.
Beyond Ash, we also get to see Linda, someone who went with Ash to the Tennessee cabin. Starting out as a character that Ash had some infatuation with, Linda would eventually become a Deadite herself. She even tried to kill Ash but was unsuccessful. Given the name “Linda, Kandarian Queen,” this card almost certainly resembles Linda after falling victim to possession.
The last reprint featured is none other than Vanquish the Horde. Based on the image and flavor text, it appears that this card references Ash learning that he needed to bury the book at the cabin where the start of his journey took place. All five of these cards have unique flavor text, titles, and artwork that make the Evil Dead Secret Lair a very cool product overall.
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Reprint Value
While the Evil Dead Secret Lair certainly looks extremely cool, it isn’t quite the steal financially that some of the other Secret Lair products have been. Still, that isn’t to say that there isn’t at least some value here. Most of the reprint value comes from Field of the Dead. Field of the Dead currently sits at roughly $22 according to TCGplayer market price, despite being banned in Pioneer and Modern. The rest of the cards, however, don’t add up to much. Vanquish the Horde is about $3, Puresteel Paladin is roughly $2, and both Varina, Lich Queen and Zombie Apocalypse are 25 cents or less.
Notably, though, these prices depict these cards in their cheapest traditional forms. Given that the Secret Lair will likely be on sale for $29.99 in non-foil, the copy of Field of the Dead alone makes this Secret Lair a decent deal. The foil version of the Evil Dead Secret Lair will likely go for $39.99, and some of the foil reprints go for more than their traditional non-foil counterparts. For example, a foil copy of Field of the Dead is roughly $30, and a foil copy of Zombie Apocalypse is roughly $5. The other foils aren’t worth much more than non-foils, but again, Field of the Dead alone helps make this Secret Lair a solid deal.
Sure, there’s no outrageously expensive reprint like Emrakul, the Promised End, but the product as a whole seems reasonable, nonetheless. If you are a fan of MTG and the Evil Dead, now’s your chance to get in on the fun.
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