Analysis of the LotR/Warhammer 40k Crossovers, and the Importance of Queer and Trans Representation in MTG (feat. Sheepwave)

On this episode of the podcast, guest collaborator Sheepwave and I discuss two important topics in the MTG sphere.  The first half of the show is dedicated to the announcement last week from Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast that there will be Lord of the Rings and Warhammer 40k crossovers with Magic expected sometime in 2022. We discuss the potential of crossovers in MTG as well as identifying the number of crossovers already present in Magic's design. In the second half of the show, we discuss how WotC has increased the visibility of queer and trans representation in the Magic lore by not only including Niko Aris as the first openly trans Planeswalker, but has also utilized Niko as a major part of the advertising campaign for the Kaldheim set instead of a footnote.  We discuss how representation can be crucial to bringing those who might not otherwise play into the game, which leads to a healthier overall playing community. Sheepwave can be found on Twitter at @sheepycutie, and her website is sheepwave.com You can find more episodes of my podcast on Spotify, Google Casts, and Apple Podcasts.  I am on Twitter at @MTGInQuarantine.