Switching gears, the biggest announcement of the past week (and possibly the biggest announcement on Metagame.com thus far in 2006) was the start of the Fan Card Crossover feature. You, the fans, will be able to vote on a new feature of a card each week, as the community builds a new card together, step by step. I’m extremely excited to see what you guys come up with! The first step in the card’s creation will be posted today, so keep checking back on this very website!

Also, it seems that no one has been able to solve Nate Price’s ???? puzzle yet. A few of you are on the right track, but need an extra nudge in the right direction. So, we will repost the puzzle with a new hint on Wednesday, March 1 at midnight, EST. Need more incentive? I’m going to add a box of JLA to the prize pool, which already included a box of Marvel Origins, a box of DC Origins, and a box of X-Men. The stakes have been raised, so let’s see what you’ve got!

Now that you’re up to date with all of the buzz, let’s review what you might have missed this past week on Metagame.com.

On Monday, Rian Fike took you through his fun Sneak Preview weekend. Again, if you’re one of the many people who feel left out reading these reports, make sure you don’t miss the Sneak Preview for the next set! In true stubarnes fashion, Rian was wowed by the new version of Longshot, and the art on Mutant Massacre. We’ve also witnessed the start of yet another 1-drop character obsession for Mr. Fike; Multiple Man ◊ Jamie Madrox will surely be a recurring presence in Rian’s articles for quite some time.

Tuesday brought its usual anticipated R&D column, and Mike Hummel did not disappoint. This week, he explained the difficulty of featuring the Freedom Force and Acolyte characters, while still staying true to the classic Brotherhood theme and mechanics. Needless to say, the finished product has made the hardcore Brotherhood fans among us very happy. In fact, Mr. Willoughby would have something to say on this topic later on during the week.

Michael Barnes continued the “Old school X-Men updated for 2006” theme with a deck designed around Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Michael takes this classic location, adds in some of its contemporaries from Marvel Origins, stirs in Dr. Light, Master of Holograms, sprinkles in a generous amount of new X-Men goodness and bakes at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Once the hot new creation cools off, it’s ready to smash face. Don’t like the cooking analogy? Well, Mr. Barnes didn’t include anything about the Nobu restaurant this week, so we need to increase the food-language quota appropriately.

For Thursday, Nate Price took one for the team and steered us away from the X-Men party to focus on the business of JLA draft. While JLA may be old hat to most of you, it’s of extreme importance to anyone who will play at the Pro Circuit next month. Players would do well to heed the tale of Aaron Weil, who went 10-0 during the Constructed day of Pro Circuit Los Angeles 2005, only to take an extreme 0-9 nosedive during the second day’s Booster Draft portion. Moral of the story? You’d better know how to draft, or you’ll forever wonder what could have been. Luckily, Nate is here to help you with your card evaluation skills, among other helpful draft play tips.

This week, he finished up Plot Twists. Study the information wisely, and be sure to go back to previous articles in the series for a refresher course.

On Friday, Tim Willoughby brought us back to The ’Hood. This would be slang for “Brotherhood”, as Tim is far too polite and British to be convincing with an urban attitude. None the less, he takes us on a history lesson with the team, going over old builds in order to create a new deck that is primed to cause some damage in 2006. Many players are salivating over Amelia Voght, and Tim’s provided the proper blueprint for pain.

Wrapping up the week, Ben Kalman spends Saturday finishing up his Dark Phoenix Saga series. As always, Ben’s columns are essential reading for anyone who wants to learn more about the history and lore behind the cards. Next week, Ben will get into a polarizing figure within the Vs. community: Wolverine. Believe it or not, our favorite clawed Canadian has his own support and hater clubs, and both sides are passionate about their opinion. Regardless of your stance, no one can argue against the fact that Wolverine is one of the most iconic superheroes around, and I’m looking forward to seeing Ben’s recap of his history.

This past week was an exciting one, and I’m looking forward to what this week has to bring! Keep coming back every day, and we’ll continue to provide you with the quality news, features and commentary on Vs. System you’ve come to expect.

Toby Wachter

Managing Editor, Metagame.com