Makin' That Neighborhood Magic
Corbin Parker talks MTG at Neighborhood Comics
What was your first exposure to Magic the Gathering?
I was first introduced to Magic: the Gathering back in 1997 during Tempest block (back in the day, sets were released in groupings of 3, with the titular anchor set and two follow-up expansions). My next door neighbor played, and he would let me look at his cards. I remember being both enchanted and a little frightened by the artwork (Soltari Champion in particular has always stuck in my mind). But I didn’t start playing until around 2002 during the Judgement / Onslaught blocks. The game wasn’t even 10 years old yet, and there were only two main forms of play: Constructed, which consisted of 60 card decks that stuck to certain guidelines - Type I (now Vintage), Type II (the most recent blocks, now called Standard), Type 1.X (Extended, now defunct, included the last 4 block), or Type 1.5 (all available cards except for the banned list, now called Legacy), and Limited, which consisted of two formats: Sealed, where you opened a tournament pack or 6 booster packs and built a 40 card deck on the spot, or Draft, where a group of 6-8 each open a pack, select a card, and pass the remaining cards to the person next to them (continuing until everyone has selected a packs worth of cards... Then you do it 2 more times!).
Why do you think there is so much crossover between comic readers and MTG players?
I think a lot of it comes from the love and appreciation of the art on the cards, the design process, and the logic puzzles built into deck building and game mechanics. There are many Comic artists who find themselves doing illustrations for magic cards as well (Tracey Yardley, Ron Spears, and BROM are just a few local examples). Brandon Sanderson just wrote a great essay in his blog on January 30th where he discusses the disappointing and alarming rise of AI art, ultimately asking “What actually is art?” (the read is very much worth your time). He takes a somewhat lazy statement made by Roger Ebert 15 years ago, claiming that video games can never be art because the true use of gaming is “victory-focused” and therefore a commercial product “like a toaster”. By extension, I imagine he would not consider a card game like MTG art. I digress, I love being at the shop when someone who doesn’t normally come on Monday or Friday Night (our two weekly play evenings that start at 4), and exclaims “Wait, we can play Magic here now?” Another favorite is “I used to play 30 years ago!” Well, come on back and play. Or sell us your cards so you can buy more comics!
What made you want to teach others how to play MTG?
I actually get way more joy out of talking about and teaching the game than playing it. We’ve hosted 4 Magic Academy classes at the shop, where new players get to learn how to play through specially constructed decks that are meant for teaching. We go over the story behind the game, what winning looks like, the card layout, the different colors and types of cards, and how turns work. At the end, players get two special Jumpstart booster packs, specifically made to open and shuffle together to create a unique deck, and play their first, full game. They receive card sleeves and deck boxes to hold and protect their new cards as well. The fun for me is getting to see it on people’s faces when things start to click, when they the make their first cool play, or when they see a new ability that gets them excited to play their next game.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about MTG?
This is a tough one, because a lot of the misconceptions are about the players themselves and not so much about the game (though you can insert your grandmother’s opinion about Satanism here I suppose). There is a certain intensity that comes with being passionate about any hobby, and it can sometimes manifest itself in less than desirable ways - screaming, flipping tables, abusive language or name calling with the intent to hurt, the list could go on. I would say, especially within our community, that is way more the exception than the rule (as I have never actually seen any of those things happen). Which leads nicely into the next question!
What makes MTG play at NBRHD different?
It is all about Community building. Lee and the team have done such an extraordinary job creating and supporting this “new wave” of Comic Shop experience in Savannah: a specific focus on the customer experience, intricately curating every aspect of the business, and reaching out to the overarching Sequa Community in the Savannah area to see what they need. So when Lee approached me about starting this up at NBRHD, there was a question that needed to be answered so we could continue to live up to the Neighborhood Culture: How does this support and improve our Community? The only reason we started playing at the shop was because you, dear reader, asked for it. We try to end every invitation to play with “New Players and New Faces Welcome!” In the last 4 months we’ve grown from me, Kevin, and Damani playing a 3 person Commander game, to a sold out, 24 person Prerelease event for the newest release, Lorwyn Eclipsed. I tell everyone who comes to play with us, at the end of the day, we’re here to have fun. Everyone mostly plays casual commander in pods of four, with a few standard players here and there. We do Limited events like Booster Drafts a few Friday’s a month. And we try to support every event that Wizards of the Coast throws our way so there is something for everyone. A lot of our players can walk or ride their bike to the store and many of them are first time players. We’ve got a store library of decks that people can borrow to play with, and we just started selling singles to support players and their deck building. Whenever I see a new player, I ask their name and write it down so I will remember (and dear goodness I try, so forgive me if I ever make a mistake!). At the end of the day, I really do think its our community that makes a difference. A lot of our players play at some of the other local stores, and I think that is great too. But I think we’ve got something a little special at NBRHD. And its not just the fact that we can someone fit 24 players in our little shop. The real Magic is the friends we ma- Jk. I’ve been told to stop saying that. But its true. This whole experience has been incredible for me, and I truly thank everyone who has come out to play this silly little card game with me. Hopefully I’ll see you at the next set release on February 27th - Universes Beyond: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
