Massive Roster Revealed: Key Avengers and Notable Absences Spark Frenzy Among Magic: The Gathering and Marvel Fans

The anticipation surrounding the 2026 Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes set—a major cornerstone of the Universes Beyond initiative—has reached a fever pitch. In a recent and highly-anticipated communication, Mark Rosewater, the Head Designer for Magic: The Gathering (MTG), offered crucial insights into the character lineup, confirming which iconic Avengers and other Marvel luminaries players can expect to command, and, perhaps more tellingly, who has been left out of the initial assembly.

The Assembled Heroes: Who is Confirmed for the MTGMarvelSuperHeroes Set?

Following the successful launch of the standalone 2025 Marvel’s Spider-Man set, the 2026 release is designed to be an expansive, Standard-legal offering that delves into the broader Marvel Comics universe. According to key art and preliminary reveals, as well as comments from Rosewater’s popular “Blogatog,” the design team is embracing the vastness of the Marvel lore, promising a set rich in Legendary Creatures—a key appeal for the lucrative Commander format.

Confirmed and strongly hinted-at characters form a powerful core of the Avengers and beyond. The set, slated for a June 2026 release, is set to be a collector’s dream and a deck-builder’s powerhouse.

• Iron Man, Genius Innovator: As a foundational Avenger, Tony Stark’s inclusion is a given. Fans should anticipate artifact-centric mechanics that reward players for assembling a high-tech arsenal, tapping into high CPC keywords like ‘MTGArtifactSynergy’ and ‘LegendaryIronManCard’.
• Black Panther, Wakandan King: T’Challa is confirmed to be making an appearance, potentially utilizing mechanics focused on land or resource generation—reflecting the advanced, isolated nature of Wakanda. This card is expected to be a major finance target for collectors.
• Fantastic Four: While the Spider-Man set focused on a singular hero, the 2026 set is confirmed to feature the original Marvel family. This strongly suggests a “team-up” mechanic, or individual cards designed to synergize powerfully when played together, creating massive value for ‘MarvelTeamDeck’ builders.
• Scarlet Witch: Her reality-warping powers are a perfect fit for complex control magic and spell manipulation, positioning her as a top-tier commander option and a major spoiler season reveal.
• Thanos, and The Infinity Stones Saga: The art and ongoing narrative point directly toward a continued chase for the Infinity Stones. Rosewater confirmed that all six stones will eventually be printed, meaning this set is highly likely to contain the second stone following the 2025 release of The Soul Stone. This is a massive driver for high-value chase cards and sealed product sales.
• Ultron: The classic Avengers villain is expected to helm a powerful artifact or token-based strategy, providing a formidable counterpoint to the heroic lineup.
• Unexpected Heroes: Lesser-known but fan-favorite characters like Squirrel Girl and Luke Cage have been name-dropped or appeared in promotional art, signaling a deep dive into the comic roster that goes beyond the cinematic universe, adding to the set’s complexity and collectible value.

The Notable Absences: Who Didn’t Make the Cut?

While the confirmed roster is exciting, the true news often lies in the details of those who are explicitly not being included, or whose roles have been minimized—a necessary trade-off when designing a balanced, cohesive trading card game set.

Rosewater has had to manage expectations, particularly regarding characters that might be seen as cornerstones of the Marvel Universe but are being saved for future expansions or are simply too narratively complex for this specific set’s theme.

• X-Men: The design head has confirmed that while the X-Men are an incredible fit for the game—due to their clear tribal factions and huge cast—they are being reserved for their own dedicated future set. This is a strategic move to ensure both the ‘Avengers’ and ‘X-Men’ brands get the full development they deserve, allowing the 2026 set to focus firmly on the ‘Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes’ title, which centers more on the core Avengers and other New York-centric heroes and cosmic entities.
• Spider-Man Variants: Given the 2025 set was dedicated entirely to the Spider-Verse (Peter Parker, Miles Morales, Ghost-Spider, etc.), Rosewater implied that many of those specific variants and associated villains (like Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, and Venom from the Spider-Verse set) will not be the focus of the 2026 core set. While some overlap is inevitable, the design goal is to highlight the characters who weren’t in the first release. This distinction is crucial for collectors trying to predict future card value.
• The Full Cosmic Pantheon (Yet): While Thanos is in, the full, deep dive into cosmic Marvel—like the full roster of the Guardians of the Galaxy or the full spectrum of entities like Galactus—is likely being held back. This strategic pacing ensures that subsequent Marvel sets, which Rosewater has confirmed are part of a multi-year plan, maintain a fresh and exciting core theme.

The Economic Implications: High CPC Keywords Driving Card Values

The Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes set is not just a creative endeavor; it is a major financial play for Wizards of the Coast. The inclusion of high-demand characters directly correlates with search interest and, consequently, the value of associated MTG singles and Collector Booster Box pre-orders.

The strategic release of Infinity Stones cards—each a powerful, format-warping artifact—creates a multi-year, high-stakes hunt that drives engagement and secondary market prices. Players are already searching for “MTG Infinity Gauntlet Combo” and “Best MTG Marvel Commanders,” which are premium keywords that inflate the potential return on investment for retailers and speculators.

The promise of Commander Decks in this future Marvel set—a product notably absent from the Spider-Man release—is a massive concession to the community and will ensure a strong uptake among the most engaged segment of the player base, bolstering the long-term MTG financial health of the product line.

Conclusion: A Universe Poised for Unprecedented Growth

Mark Rosewater’s latest reveals confirm that the 2026 Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes set is being meticulously crafted to be a landmark release. By confirming key Avengers like Iron Man and Black Panther, while strategically reserving mega-properties like the X-Men for their own dedicated spotlight, Wizards of the Coast is building a multi-year narrative that will dominate the TCG market.

The focus on comic book versions, the confirmed inclusion of Commander Decks, and the continuation of the high-value Infinity Stone chase are all calculated moves designed to maximize collector excitement and competitive play, cementing the set’s position as a premium product for 2026.

Stay tuned for more official spoilers and deep dives into the mechanics of this highly anticipated Universes Beyond expansion as the June 2026 release date approaches. Pre-orders for sealed product and highly-valued singles are expected to begin escalating as more card art is unveiled.