Photos courtesy of Britt Bender
Formed in 2014, hardcore rock band The Funeral Portrait (TFP) is one whose entire foundation is built on community.
The entirety of the band plays Magic: The Gathering, and, what's more, they all avidly play Commander. A few days ago, at the Montage Music Hall in Rochester, NY, I interviewed TFP's vocalist, Lee Jennings, on what the game of Magic means to him, both in his professional life and as a hobby. Furthermore, we spoke about how the game and his career interweave.
A huge thanks to Lee, the whole of The Funeral Portrait, and Atom Splitter PR for facilitating this interview!
<blockquote>The whole band plays Magic: The Gathering. What is the predominant play style for each of The Funeral Portrait’s band members?
Oh, so we only play Commander. I'm trying to think of what a lot of the guys’ decks are like. I know [drummer] Homer [Umbanhower] has a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain America, First Avenger" href="#" target="_blank">Captain America, First Avenger</a> deck, and one of us has <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Wise Mothman" href="#" target="_blank">The Wise Mothman</a> from Fallout. And then one of mine is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls</a>. I can never say his name. I've edited it, not even that much, because it's just that the deck is insane. Like, I didn't have to do anything, and I was beating these guys [in the band] who spent over a thousand dollars on decks, and I'm just like, all right, I found it at Walmart. Yeah, that's me with decks. I'm not even joking, I just got lucky, because all of them really wanted that one, right, and I was the only one who found it.</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_177638" style="width: 1290px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TFP-playing-magic.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-177638" class="wp-image-177638" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TFP-playing-magic.jpg" alt="The Funeral Portrait playing a game of Commander. Image credit: Brittney Bender" width="1280" height="853" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TFP-playing-magic.jpg 2048w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TFP-playing-magic-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TFP-playing-magic-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TFP-playing-magic-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TFP-playing-magic-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /></a>The Funeral Portrait playing a game of Commander.</div>
<blockquote>How often do you get to play Magic when you're on the road, and what are your favorite formats to play?
Commander. Commander, always. I think it's the easiest to play. I think it's the most fun to play, right? Growing up, I got into Magic after I got into the Pokémon TCG, because my cousin was really into Magic, and he has some pretty rare old cards that he has graded. He's just sitting on it now forever. That's your retirement fund, which is sick. I love that now, with nerd culture, we're the rich ones because we kept our old toys and hobbies. 
But I think I try to play once a week. My bandmates literally play, well, they're playing right now. You know, before meet and greets. So they play almost every day. I do all these other things, but I definitely enjoy it, so, yeah, absolutely, I try to play on my phone, too. I love Arena, but it also takes up all the space on my laptop.
Have you gotten the chance to play Magic against members of other bands you've toured with, such as Eric Vanlerberghe from I Prevail, and if so, who are your favorite opponents among them?
We have not played against I Prevail yet, but the reason why is because we're day three into the tour, and everybody's still going crazy. But, we’ve already talked about - oh, my God, I love it - so, The Funeral Portrait, because basically everybody in our camp plays, we’ve talked about doing a tournament. The Funeral Portrait versus I Prevail. It's just one of these things that’s a family happening, and it's so much fun.</blockquote>
<blockquote>If The Funeral Portrait had a Secret Lair drop specifically crafted by the band, what four to five cards would it contain, and why?
So, in the band’s imagery, we have these conceptual characters called Icons, who are characters that represent songs for us. We have the Night Terror, who would be Black, my favorite, yeah. I just like evil decks. [laughs] There’s the Angel, and then you have the Alien, among others. I’d design them to have their own colors, and I know every card game kind of has that, but I think the fundamentals of it are really cool. 
We've had fans make us cards, right, but they've included us. I would love to see them make our Icons. That would be really cool. I think the Angel would definitely be - oh man, could I just make her a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sliver Hivelord" href="#" target="_blank">Sliver</a>? Especially for [bassist] Rob [Weston]'s deck, that's what he does. The Alien's difficult, because what are they? It's really across the board. The Alien could probably be blue. And then we have the Guide, which we would make green. Then the Twins red. Also, the Blood Mother. We also have the Priest - he’s new. We've barely ever used him, but he was in “Holy Water”. White, probably. It makes sense; he's more human, and so there you go.</blockquote>
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The Funeral Portrait - Dark Thoughts (Official Music Video)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a8DP5vhiDTk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<blockquote>Magic or otherwise, what kind of visual arts most inspire the aesthetics of your music videos?
I'm really into larger-than-life things; I grew up doing theater and stuff, but I also grew up in nerd culture. I have a massive Pokémon collection, as I said, and we all play Magic and stuff like that. I want to include fandom in everything, and I think that all of that is based around fandom. A lot of companies, like Wizards of the Coast, think about fandoms first. I know Magic's had a little bit of issue with that lately, I've heard, but they just release so much.
We went to Millennium [Games] earlier; it's probably my favorite card shop in the U.S., and we've been to a million of them. That's something big for us. We’ll all go together, we'll Uber, we'll drive there, we'll walk somewhere. I think a huge part of our band is community, right, so I love that Magic is really built around community. With video games, it’s a little bit like that, with games like Warcraft or even Diablo; you have to have a community to play them. But I think the best part about Magic, etc., is you have to physically be with someone. Yeah, you can play on Arena, but it's not the same as holding the cardboard in your hand.
You recently used Magic-inspired imagery to promote this tour. In fact, that is how I a) found out you play Magic, and b) found out you were swinging by Rochester. So what prompted this decision? Was it Magic's popularity, your personal interest in the game, or something else?
A little bit of everything, I think. For us, the game has exploded. About the time that we really all got into it, it was like the summer of 2024. I think that's really around the time it really, really became massive for us, so it's because we play. And a lot of our fans know that; a lot of fans bring us cards, or they bring us booster packs, or even bring us very expensive cards. So, you know, we're like, “okay, well, they found out what our decks are.”
We’ve played Magic with people, and we've even done contests before where we pick one winner to play with us. We literally taught a radio contest winner how to play Magic, and it was an older lady and her son. It was for charity, so the highest bidder got to do it, and so she did it for him, and it was really cool. It was for the Trevor Project, which we've worked with a million times, and for us, it was cool to have that opportunity. It's not a big deal for us to sit down and teach them how to play, so it was fun.
What is the biggest takeaway for your professional life that you have gleaned from the game of Magic?
To just have fun.
I think that's it, right? I think that's a big thing. Yes, there's World Championships, and all those things for every trading card game now, right, but at the end of the day, the idea of it is community and fun, and I think that is very important to us as a game. As we get up on stage, we have a lot of fun, and guess what, that means the audience has a good time, they have fun, so that's the biggest thing. I used to play Pokémon semi-professionally back in the old days. That was a very big thing for me growing up, and, you know, I got into Magic, I even got into like HeroClix, and I even tried Warhammer once, and I was like, 'this is too expensive.' I keep telling everybody, I said, 'When I retire, at the age of like 80, probably, I'm getting so into Warhammer,' so that's what I want in my dungeon.
I think it's peaceful, you know, and I think Magic is too; it's something big for us, as I said, it's because we go to shops, and there's something about a local shop. And GameStop, I know, started carrying them and stuff, whatever. It's way more about being in the local community. And we've even played in some tournaments. One day off, we just found a draft. I think it was for Duskmourn: House of Horror. It’s so much fun to do stuff like that, because you just meet people. It's so cool. We just have fun.</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_177639" style="width: 1290px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Lee-Jennings-featured.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-177639" class="wp-image-177639" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Lee-Jennings-featured.jpg" alt="Lee Jennings, passionate as ever, performing onstage a few hours after our interview. Image credit: Brittney Bender" width="1280" height="853" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Lee-Jennings-featured.jpg 2048w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Lee-Jennings-featured-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Lee-Jennings-featured-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Lee-Jennings-featured-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Lee-Jennings-featured-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /></a>Lee Jennings, passionate as ever, performing onstage a few hours after our interview.</div>
Sure enough, as we exited the band's green room post-interview, the rest of the band (save for Cody Weissinger, who had yet to arrive at the Montage) were locked in a three-player game of Commander. Robert was running <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zhulodok, Void Gorger" href="#" target="_blank">Zhulodok, Void Gorger</a>, while Homer was playing his <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glarb, Calamity&#039;s Augur" href="#" target="_blank">Glarb, Calamity&#039;s Augur</a> deck. Gareth Calk, the newest member of The Funeral Portrait, was playing his <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vorel of the Hull Clade" href="#" target="_blank">Vorel of the Hull Clade</a> deck. Making the Eldrazi proud, or at least as proud as unfathomable eldritch horrors can be, Robert out-valued his bandmates and took the win soon thereafter.
A huge thank-you once again to The Funeral Portrait. This was an awesome glimpse into their professional and hobbyist lives!
&nbsp;

An Interview with Lee Jennings of The Funeral Portrait

<h2>"It's About Joyful Belonging"</h2>
We're one month out from the inaugural <a href="https://shoebox.gg/?utm_source=SpaceCow&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=Newsletter">Shoebox</a>!
What is Shoebox?
It's an event, and one that promises to bring together a community of Magic: The Gathering fans for a weekend to celebrate that mutual love of the game. <a href="https://shoebox.gg/badges">Badges are on sale now</a> for Shoebox, taking place in St. Paul, Minnesota on March 13-15.
In their own words, Shoebox is a convention that focuses on what you love most about Magic: creative expression, social play, and friendly competition. EDHREC is proud to support the endeavor, and over the last year or so, Shoebox's founders and organizers have been hard at work ensuring the first-time event becomes the first of many.
We sat down with one of Shoebox's founders, Haiyue Yu, to talk about where the idea for the event formed, what's gone into making it a reality, and what attendees can expect from Shoebox.
<div id="attachment_175897" style="width: 433px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8866-scaled.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-175897" class=" wp-image-175897" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8866-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="423" height="564" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8866-scaled.jpeg 1920w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8866-225x300.jpeg 225w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8866-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8866-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8866-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 423px) 100vw, 423px" /></a>Haiyue, one of Shoebox's founders (photos provided)</div>
EDHREC: First off, tell me about yourself - what's your background outside of Magic, and with Magic?
Haiyue: I was actually an IP lawyer in a previous life back in the UK! I moved to Canada in 2018 and became an entrepreneur. In Magic, I built the <a href="https://vmlmtg.com/">VML project</a>, which was a league for people of marginalised genders. We ran for 4 years, 13 seasons of play, and helped thousands of players experience and develop their talents in competitive play. We radically changed what competitive Magic looks like, with players from our program regularly making PT Top 8s.
I care a lot about breaking down barriers and creating joyful communities in Magic. I also do some tournament casting - I cover the <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Arena_Championship">Arena Championships</a> for Wizards and have also worked on <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Magic_Online_Premier_Play_Program#Seasonal_Model">MTGO Champions Showcase</a> and the Set Championships as well as smaller events.
<div id="attachment_175898" style="width: 725px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8216.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-175898" class=" wp-image-175898" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8216.jpeg" alt="" width="715" height="412" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8216.jpeg 1856w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8216-300x173.jpeg 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8216-1024x590.jpeg 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8216-768x443.jpeg 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8216-1536x886.jpeg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 715px) 100vw, 715px" /></a>VML appearing on MTG Arena</div>
Tell me about the Shoebox team - anyone you'd like to call out, what their roles are?
The four main founders are myself, Alex, Greg, and Gwen. Alex is my fiance - we've worked on a few projects together (and we're getting married in May!). Greg is a stalwart of the Cube community, who runs the <a href="https://vertex.mtgcu.be/">Vertex series</a> on the East Coast. Gwen has the tech chops - he's the founder of <a href="https://cubecobra.com/landing">Cubecobra</a>, which is the software most Cube designers use, and <a href="https://hedron.network/">Hedron Network</a>, which is a tournament software for Cube. We actually all met at Cubecon back in 2024.
The wider team are people we know and trust from our time in the community - judges like Rob and Jenn, Mike Linneman who works with the artists, Misha from <a href="https://www.birdsofmtg.com/">Birds of Paradise</a>, Andy (co-host of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@luckypaper">Lucky Paper Radio</a>, the biggest Cube podcast) with the design work, etc.
Of the founders, I would say that Alex is the finance guy, but he's also very passionate about making sure attendees have a great experience. Greg does a lot of the event planning and logistics. Gwen is our tech wizard. And I'm the one doing comms and a lot of general project management. We very conveniently all have complementary skill sets.
From the beginning, how did the idea for Shoebox formulate?
It was actually a bit of synchronicity. Back in 2020 I came up with the idea for a Safe Playspace at MagicCon, which we ran with Birds of Paradise. From that, Misha and I had worked on a pitch to Wizards for some bigger community projects at MagicCon.
I really believed in those ideas and I was throwing around the idea of a community-focused convention with Alex, but it didn't get much further than some napkin maths. And then literally a week later, I met Greg and Gwen through some mutual friends at this Moroccan breakfast joint. We got chatting and it transpired that they had been thinking that the Cube community should have more than one big event every year. We realised quickly that our ideas were very compatible with each other, and it all grew from there.
<div id="attachment_175899" style="width: 653px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_2469-scaled.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-175899" class=" wp-image-175899" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_2469-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="643" height="482" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_2469-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_2469-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_2469-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_2469-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_2469-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_2469-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 643px) 100vw, 643px" /></a>VML and Birds of Paradise teaming up to create a gaming space at a MagicCon.</div>
What have been some challenges getting the event from an idea to where it is now?
Well, it turns out that it's pretty hard to make a convention!
I'm being a bit flippant, but I think taking any new project on has the same challenges: you're essentially trying to learn how to do ten different jobs at once. I think those are all kind of just part of the process, though. The absolute toughest challenge has been something we never expected we'd have to deal with: the actions of ICE and the subsequent unrest in Minnesota.
It's been really tough as we've had to make changes to our plans due to staff not feeling safe travelling to the area. However, we strongly believe that a joyful community is necessary, not just a nice thing to have, for people in difficult times, which is why we've decided to keep the event on and support the local economy. We're also donating 10% of our profits this year to Minnesotan organisations that help those affected.
What has surprised you about this undertaking? Anything fall into place easier than expected?
Definitely! I think I've been surprised at just how much passion people already have for this event, and how much people are willing to step in and help to make it a reality.
Of course, when you start a project you always hope that others will share your vision, but it's still very humbling when people are so inspired that they will call in favours and take time out of their own schedule to lend a hand. <a href="https://shoebox.gg/vendors#artists-at-shoebox">Mike with the artists</a> is a great example of this. We have some artists coming like <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CTom+W%C3%A4nerstrand%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Tom Wänerstrand</a> and Chase Stone who very rarely go to events, which I'm super excited about.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blood Moon|DRK|58"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Capsize|TMP|55"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teferi&#039;s Protection|C17|8"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth|C19|18"></div></div>
What has been the community reaction to Shoebox so far?
Incredibly, overwhelmingly positive. Whenever I talk to anyone about it, I get the feeling that we've tapped into something on a deeper level. You can almost see the enthusiasm bubbling up as the message resonates.
If you had to distill the ethos of Shoebox, what would that be? Like, what's the overarching vibe?
To me, it's about joyful belonging. We sat down very early and asked ourselves: what is it that keeps people playing this game, not just in terms of quick dopamine hits, but for decades? And we came up with these three ideas: creative expression, social interaction, and friendly competition.
We want Shoebox to feel like all the best parts of Magic. So it could be sick plays, or shiny cards, or beautiful pieces of art, but it's also the silliness, the crazy stories, and the unique experiences that you tell your playgroup about for years after the event.
How has your experience in Magic aided you in planning Shoebox?
When I was doing the VML project we did a lot of community work and convention work, which helped. We're all people who have been to countless events and between us we've seen all the aspects of it, and the driving force behind what we're doing is that we are making the event that we've always wanted to go to. I think the other important part is that we're people who aren't bound by how things are normally done; we're willing to give new concepts a go and think about conventions from the ground up, focusing on player experience.
What's your elevator pitch to a potential attendee?
Come and be part of a Magic event that is about playing in fun, creative ways! You'll meet cool people and try new formats you've never heard of. It doesn't matter if you can't afford the most expensive cards or decks, just bring whatever's in your shoebox at home and get ready for a good time. Also, we have <a href="https://shoebox.gg/information#shoebox-pins">neat pins</a> you can collect 🙂
Of all the events, guests, tournaments, and attractions planned, what are you most looking forward to?
For me it has to be the <a href="https://shoebox.gg/events#carnival">Carnival</a>.
It's something that's completely new we're trying out; a whole area of free minigames, indie formats, and community artists. We have some awesome cosplayers who will be hosting and making it a vibrant and exciting place to be. I'm also extremely excited about Shivam's chaos sealed draft brawl event, because that's a lot of different words all put together and it promises to be a blast.
<a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/unnamed-e1770653859418.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-175901" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/unnamed-e1770653859418.png" alt="" width="860" height="374" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/unnamed-e1770653859418.png 1380w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/unnamed-e1770653859418-300x130.png 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/unnamed-e1770653859418-1024x445.png 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/unnamed-e1770653859418-768x334.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px" /></a>
<hr />
<h2>A Vibrant and Inclusive Grassroots Convention</h2>
A big thank-you to Haiyue for giving us the rundown on Shoebox!
Shoebox will be taking over the <a href="https://www.rivercentre.org/">Saint Paul River Centre</a> in St. Paul, MN on March 13-15. <a href="https://shoebox.gg/badges">Badges for the event are currently on sale</a>, with a variety of tiers and perks to choose from. To keep up-to-date on Shoebox, check out the event's <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/shoebox.gg">Bluesky</a> page or join the event <a href="https://discord.com/invite/sgH3ujewUv">Discord</a>.
Will you be making the trek to St. Paul next month to jump into the Shoebox? Let us know your thoughts below, and if we'll see you there!
<h3>Read More:</h3>
https://edhrec.com/articles/magic-in-miniature-iii-an-interview-with-3-of-its-artists
https://edhrec.com/articles/improving-the-gathering-with-women-in-magic
https://edhrec.com/articles/an-interview-with-donny-caltrider-ahead-of-magic-in-miniature-iii

What Is Shoebox?

Product images courtesy of Gatherer's Tavern
When it comes to showing off your Magic: The Gathering fandom, there are plenty of options out there, but few are quite as unique as Gatherer's Tavern. Each product bearing the Gatherers' Tavern logo is forged by a team of artists, designers, engineers, and lifelong fans who believe that collectibles shouldn’t just sit on a shelf and look cool.
<a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/pages/about">Gatherers’ Tavern was founded</a> on the idea that we want our fandoms to live with us, as a badge or identity. The Singapore-based design and manufacturing studio's mission is a simple one, but one that has brought its small team to the big stage.
It’s why industry giants like Wizards of the Coast, Paramount, and Konami have partnered with Gatherers’ Tavern to develop accessories and collectibles that look and feel like artifacts pulled straight from the stories that inspired them.
At EDHREC, we make a point to partner with community members who have a valuable story to tell and design and create products that we use ourselves. Gatherers' Tavern is a great example of a company that cares about where their products end up: in the hands of planeswalkers across the multiverse.
Here are some highlights from their expansive product line (with a surprise guest appearance from Cinnamon the Cat at the end!):
Affiliate disclosure: We greatly value your support at EDHREC and thank you for your continued readership. By clicking on the links provided and by purchasing products mentioned, we may receive a small affiliate commission.
<div id="attachment_171653" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG000_2__2.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-171653" class="wp-image-171653 size-full" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG000_2__2.webp" alt="Gatherers' Tavern team" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG000_2__2.webp 600w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG000_2__2-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></a>The Gatherers' Tavern team at MagicCon Atlanta!</div>
<h2>DOMARU: The Heart of a Samurai</h2>
Among Gatherers’ Tavern’s signature creations is the DOMARU line, a collection inspired by the strength and precision of Japanese samurai armor.
The ethos behind DOMARU is simple: your collection deserves the same level of protection and honor as any treasured relic on a battlefield!
<div id="attachment_171637" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/domaru-boxes-ot5-scaled.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-171637" class="wp-image-171637" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/domaru-boxes-ot5-scaled.png" alt="Gatherers' Tavern Domaru Deckboxes" width="960" height="1200" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/domaru-boxes-ot5-scaled.png 2048w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/domaru-boxes-ot5-240x300.png 240w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/domaru-boxes-ot5-819x1024.png 819w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/domaru-boxes-ot5-768x960.png 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/domaru-boxes-ot5-1229x1536.png 1229w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/domaru-boxes-ot5-1638x2048.png 1638w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /></a>DOMARU Deckboxes come in multiple color options</div>
<h3>DOMARU Boxes: Armor for Your Cards</h3>
These premium storage boxes are designed to keep decks and dice safe within an armored exterior that looks great on a shelf or tabletop.
<a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/avatar-the-last-airbender-domaru-boxes?variant=51428333650199&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">MTG Licensed DOMARU Boxes</a> feature:
<ul>
<li>Spacious storage for 130+ double-sleeved or 100+ triple-sleeved cards</li>
<li>Modular dividers with alternating top tabs for customizable organization</li>
<li>Strong magnetic closures for reliable, travel-safe sealing</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_171640" style="width: 1036px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ATLA-DOMARU-social-media-11-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-171640" class="wp-image-171640" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ATLA-DOMARU-social-media-11-scaled.jpg" alt="Gatherers' Tavern Licensed Deck Boxes" width="1026" height="1282" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ATLA-DOMARU-social-media-11-scaled.jpg 2048w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ATLA-DOMARU-social-media-11-240x300.jpg 240w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ATLA-DOMARU-social-media-11-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ATLA-DOMARU-social-media-11-768x960.jpg 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ATLA-DOMARU-social-media-11-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ATLA-DOMARU-social-media-11-1638x2048.jpg 1638w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1026px) 100vw, 1026px" /></a>Show your love for Avatar: The Last Airbender with these officially licensed deckbox options!</div>
They also feature a growing lineup of themes:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/avatar-the-last-airbender-domaru-boxes?variant=51428333650199&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">MTG x Avatar: The Last Airbender</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/edge-of-eternities-domaru-boxes?variant=50562977267991&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">Edge of Eternities</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/tarkir-dragonstorm-domaru-boxes?variant=50297395282199&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">Tarkir: Dragonstorm</a></li>
</ul>
Gatherers’ Tavern Original DOMARU Boxes feature:
<ul>
<li>Strong magnetic closure</li>
<li>Room for 100 double-sleeved cards</li>
<li>Two internal dividers</li>
<li>Acid-free, PVC-free materials</li>
</ul>
<h3>DOMARU Binders: Your Collection, Your Story</h3>
<a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DOMARU-Binders-CC-marketing-02-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-171638" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DOMARU-Binders-CC-marketing-02-scaled.jpg" alt="Gatherers' Tavern Binders" width="888" height="1110" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DOMARU-Binders-CC-marketing-02-scaled.jpg 2048w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DOMARU-Binders-CC-marketing-02-240x300.jpg 240w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DOMARU-Binders-CC-marketing-02-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DOMARU-Binders-CC-marketing-02-768x960.jpg 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DOMARU-Binders-CC-marketing-02-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DOMARU-Binders-CC-marketing-02-1639x2048.jpg 1639w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 888px) 100vw, 888px" /></a>
For collectors who want more than simple storage, DOMARU Binders offer a space to express identity and creativity.
<a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/crimson-glow-domaru-patch-binder-cryptids-collection?variant=51549329326359&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">Patch Binders</a> feature:
<ul>
<li>Hook-and-loop exteriors for customizable patches</li>
<li>Side-loading, PVC-free, acid-free pages</li>
<li>Zipper closure</li>
</ul>
There are also multiple binder sizes to fit your needs:
<ul>
<li>4-Pocket (160 cards, includes 2 small patches)</li>
<li>9-Pocket (360 cards, includes 2 large patches)</li>
<li>12-Pocket (480 cards, includes 4 patches)</li>
</ul>
<h2>ARTY: Cute, Practical, and Ready for Adventure</h2>
<a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_8266.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-171643" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_8266.jpg" alt="Gatherers' Tavern ARTY Appa action" width="675" height="844" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_8266.jpg 1200w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_8266-240x300.jpg 240w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_8266-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_8266-768x960.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 675px) 100vw, 675px" /></a>
The <a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/appa-arty-box?variant=51428309303575&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">ARTY line</a> transforms beloved characters and worlds into adorable (and fuzzy!), functional bags that can accompany you from FNM to the next MagicCon.
You'll see a few different options for ARTY bags on Gatherers' Tavern website, including popular commanders Chatterfang, Animar, Loot, and some newer faces from Avatar: The Last Airbender, like Appa and <a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/momo-arty-box?variant=51428328505623&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">Momo</a>!
Each ARTY Box features:
<ul>
<li>Holds 100+ double-sleeved cards</li>
<li>Personality and protection!</li>
</ul>
<h2>SLAB: Fantasy in Every Corner of Your Space</h2>
<a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MTG-Slabs-Social-Media-Post-2-scaled.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-171650" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MTG-Slabs-Social-Media-Post-2-scaled.png" alt="Gatherers' Tavern SLAB" width="821" height="1026" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MTG-Slabs-Social-Media-Post-2-scaled.png 2048w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MTG-Slabs-Social-Media-Post-2-240x300.png 240w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MTG-Slabs-Social-Media-Post-2-819x1024.png 819w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MTG-Slabs-Social-Media-Post-2-768x960.png 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MTG-Slabs-Social-Media-Post-2-1229x1536.png 1229w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MTG-Slabs-Social-Media-Post-2-1638x2048.png 1638w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 821px) 100vw, 821px" /></a>
For fans who love surrounding themselves with glimpses of their favorite worlds, <a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/rhystic-study-slabs?variant=50530901262615">SLAB acrylic standees</a> transform official artwork into vibrant desk companions. Fan-favorite Commander cards, like <a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/rhystic-study-slabs?variant=50530901262615&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">Rhystic Study</a> and <a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/ugin-eye-of-the-storms-slabs?variant=50530917351703&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">Ugin, Eye of the Storms</a> offer a fun way to showcase your taste in deckbuilding.
<h2>KLIGGS: Pocket-Sized Passports to Magic</h2>
<a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-171645" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-1.jpg" alt="Gatherers' Tavern Kliggs 1" width="752" height="752" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-1.jpg 1080w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-1-768x768.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" /></a>
Hanging from keys, zippers, straps, or bags, <a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/lathril-blade-of-the-elves-keychain?variant=51618750628119&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">KLIGGS keychains</a> offer an adorable burst of fandom charm. They’re small, easy to carry, and instantly recognizable. KLIGGS are conversation starters, collectibles, and pocket-sized invitations to joy.
<h3>MTG Licensed Kliggs:</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/atraxa-praetors-voice-keychain?variant=51618664186135&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">Commander Keychains</a>, including <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/sakashima-keychain?variant=51603350683927&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">Partner Commanders</a>, including <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sakashima of a Thousand Faces" href="#" target="_blank">Sakashima of a Thousand Faces</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/sarkhan-keychain?variant=51618696495383&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">Planeswalkers</a>, including <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sarkhan the Masterless" href="#" target="_blank">Sarkhan the Masterless</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/tamiyo-lil-walkers-keychain?variant=51603309003031&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">Li’l Walkers</a>, including <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tamiyo, the Moon Sage" href="#" target="_blank">Tamiyo, the Moon Sage</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/products/shiko-keychain?variant=51629518127383&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">Tarkir Dragons</a>, including <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shiko, Paragon of the Way" href="#" target="_blank">Shiko, Paragon of the Way</a></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-171646" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-2.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="1080" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-2.jpg 1080w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-2-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-2-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-2-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-2-768x768.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /></a> <a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-5.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-171647" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-5.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="1080" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-5.jpg 1080w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-5-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-5-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-5-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Commander-Keychain-IG-5-768x768.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /></a>
<h3>Gatherers’ Tavern Originals:</h3>
<div id="attachment_171757" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/cinnamon.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-171757" class="size-large wp-image-171757" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/cinnamon-1024x567.png" alt="cinnamon the cat, gatherers' tavern mascot" width="1024" height="567" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/cinnamon-1024x567.png 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/cinnamon-300x166.png 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/cinnamon-768x425.png 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/cinnamon.png 1478w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>Cinnamon the cat!</div>
And don't forget to add some Cinnamon spice to your accessory collection, <a href="https://www.gathererstavern.com/search?q=cinnamon&amp;options%5Bprefix%5D=last&amp;page=2&amp;utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=GT">with this collection of products featuring Gatherers' Tavern Kitty-in-Chief, Cinnamon</a>!
<h2>The Heart of the Tavern</h2>
What truly sets Gatherers’ Tavern apart is the spirit behind every product. Each piece represents the combined imagination of a team that lives and breathes within the worlds they help bring to life. Their work is more than just merch, it’s a shared love letter to the fandoms that shaped them.

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