The world of Magic: The Gathering finance is a constant source of surprises. Beyond the obvious ‘competitive results to high price’ pipeline, cards often find themselves spiking for other, more esoteric reasons. Even cards with a huge number of reprints can still be worth decent money if they’re in a desirable edition. For a perfect example of this phenomenon at play, you need look no further than the Shock promo included in the new volume of the MTG manga.
Shock is probably one of the most reprinted MTG cards of all time, with copies available for around two cents in most stores. Yet this version, included in volume two of Destroy All Humans: They Can’t be Regenerated, is worth considerably more. Buying a manga volume just to get a fancy Shock sounds silly, but with the current numbers it may actually be a smart decision.
The MTG Manga Shock Promo
For those paying close attention, the MTG manga Shock promo was actually revealed a long time ago. This is the same promo that was included in the Japanese version of Destroy All Humans: They Can’t be Regenerated volume two. We couldn’t be 100% sure if the promo would remain the same in the English version, but now we have confirmation.
Some players, including TheMaverickGirl, have gotten their hands on the English-language version of the second volume already. Consequently, images have been shared online that confirm Shock is the promo here, just like in the Japanese version. Based on this, we can likely assume that the English promos for the series will continue to match the Japanese ones going forward. This is good news since there are nice hits like Culling the Weak and Snuff Out later down the line.
For now, though, Shock will feel a bit underwhelming to many of you. This isn’t because the card is useless, mind you. Shock sees plenty of play in Standard, and is pretty much always legal in the format. Until Wizards works up the courage to put Lightning Bolt in Standard again, it’s a pretty solid option. It also sees sparing play in Pioneer, and plenty in Commander. You’ll definitely find a home for this card, in other words.
The underwhelming thing about Shock in this context is just how common the card is. Shock has had a whopping 34 printings, many of which have been at common in core sets. This means there are a ton of copies kicking about, making it a bit unexciting as a promo. For the financially-minded out there, however, the card may actually surprise you.
A Surprisingly Good Deal
At the time of writing, the Japanese version of this Shock promo is sitting at just under $8. If that seems high to you, then it absolutely is. Of the 34 Shock printings, 29 are worth $1 or less. The MTG manga promo Shock is number three in the overall list, only losing out to an FNM promo version and an ultra-rare Seventh Edition foil.
If you’re concerned that that $8 price tag may be inflated, then don’t be. This version was initially released in Japan in 2019, so it’s had five years to settle price-wise. The English language version should actually be worth even more than this too, based on pricing trends.
The English version of volume one’s Diabolic Edict promo is currently worth about $0.80 more than the Japanese original, for example. That’s not a huge markup on the $5.70 Japanese price, but it’s something. You can expect the English version of this Shock to be worth around $9 if the same pattern continues.
Given that volume two of Destroy All Humans is selling for $14.99 right now, this means you’re paying $5.99 for the manga in a sense, which is a pretty great deal. It may be a Shock, but it’s a high-value Shock that will likely be easy to sell at a later date. Of course, you may well just want to play with the card. It’s a very nice edition, in foil with the classic Randy Gallegos art in the current card frame.
Whether you’re a player or collector, there’s more to this Shock promo than meets the eye. The confirmation that spicy promos like Gush and Crop Rotation will also be getting English-language versions is pretty exciting to boot.
