It’s a calm, quiet week this side of the SNAP season—there aren’t any crazy takeovers or albums, just good old-fashioned variants coming out, one day at a time. It’s enough to make a guy come up with tongue-twisters to pass the time.
But that doesn’t mean nothing’s going on: as part of my ongoing going-away giveaway going on, I’ll be giving away even more free goodies in the form of codes: Pax Bundle: unaf6odDmu in fact, here’s one right now!
Be on the lookout after the article how to enter a giveaway for another; until then, don’t worry! I’ll keep giving going-away gifts, going on for the whole month, because I appreciate y’all. And that goes for everyone.
So let’s get going!
09/09
Cyberpunk and Chibi Cyberpunk Bastion
Artist: Dardo Studios, Rodgon/Mooncolony
Source: Release Bundle/General Pool (Rare)
Bastion’s launch comes, like all new cards, comes with new variants—and, more recently, comes with the new release method for the new card’s release variant. Now, if you purchase Bastion (or any new card) within 7 days of launch, a bundle with their exclusive release variant (and additional tiers that come with Boosters or a Mystery Border) will be available for purchase. This does mean that, in the short term, the Dardo Studios variants we saw for Moira last week and Bastion this week will be short-term exclusively available for $10; Second Dinner’s on the record saying they’ll be widely available at some point, but the timeline isn’t determined yet.
So for what that’s worth? It’s not too different from Spotlights in the previous iteration, though it’ll be pay-exclusive for that timeframe. But enough about price structure! I think Dardo Studios has done a fine job tackling these Cyberpunk versions of these characters, and in many ways they act as a second ‘base’ for subsequent variants using that design to draw from. If your’re attached enough to that design, you’ll likely enjoy the Chibi version by Rodgon and Mooncolony, using that same purple faceshield to let us know that this isn’t just Bastion, but, uh, Cyberpunk Bastion. It’s not a bad design! Overall, it’s probably one of the ones I’m more into, perhaps because it doesn’t hew too far from Bastion’s original look already as a cybernetic man, and it draws generously from that iconic Sentinel-purple he’s known for.
Creative House Pocket’s Mecha Thena Bundle
Artist: Creative House Pocket
Source: Bundle
Of course, more mecha is on the docket, and Thena’s the latest to get the Creative House Pocket mecha-anime treatment, translating her Lady of War-aesthetic into the complex and futuristic world of tiny segmented metal parts and roboticized weaponry. It’s fun for fans of that genre, and I’m reminded of designs from games like Warframe that really lean into the inscrutable complexity of these imagined mech designs that then culminate in a final silhouette that resembles a human warrior. Consider the bundle, mecha-fans out there!
09/10
Envar’s Cyber-Hobgoblin
Artist: Envar Studio
Source: Bundle
We’re getting more flavors of cybernetic across the board with this Envar Studio take on a futuristic Hobgoblin, complete with thoes neon green glowing lines (to let us know we’re in the future) and that faux-retro Goblin mouth-mask that feels like one of those modernizations, calling forward the regular design in a ‘cool’ way. It feels a bit like they were evoking what would be a 2099-type design for ol’ Hobgobby, and I think that for folks that want to really buy into the tech-theme of the season, this might catch your interest.
09/11
Jim Murray’s Debut Scorn Bundle!
Artist: Jim Murray
Source: Bundle
Jim Murray’s Scorn is his Marvel SNAP debut, and it’s likely my pick for favorite piece of the week—tied with another piece we’ll be getting to just a bit later. But Jim Murray’s incredible, painted piece for Scorn deserves special praise—it taps into comics’ inherent fascination with the musculature of the human form, and seeing a character like Scorn rippling in muscle feels like it realizes the 90’s Symbiote obsession in a style more reminiscent of lush sci-fi paperbacks.
It’s sick! And seeing that treatment for a (relatively) more modern character is a treat, even getting the more organic ooziness combined with technology (check out that gun!) that’s core to Scorn’s character. One of the most tempting bundles I’ve seen, for my money!
Malia Ewert’s Debut Nico Minoru!
Artist: Malia Ewert
Source: General Pool (Rare)
On the other side of the stylistic spectrum, Malia Ewert’s SNAP debut is a very cute, fun take on one of SNAP’s most iconic young characters! Nico is a character that’s rapidly become one of the more popular character for variants, and variants that tap into the more everyday, mundane aspects of these characters (for Nico, being a young teenager-to-twentysomething) is always a nice reprieve from the heavily actionized comic art we’re so used to seeing. And Ewert seems to be a terrific fit for that style—cute skull stickers in the background and the universal action for enjoying a sweet treat of a drink makes for an artist debut that’ll land right up there with other artists like Rian Gonzales, Sweeney Boo, and more! Hopefully, we see more from Ewert sooner than later.
09/12
Scott Fischer’s Kitty Pryde!
Artist: Scott Fischer
Source: General Pool (Super Rare)
The other artist I’m super pumped to see making a SNAP debut is Scott Fisher, whose background in comics actually comes from covers for Buffy comics! And having an artist like that tackle Kitty Pryde, Marvel’s original plucky girl-heroine turned iconic hero, feels just right. Of course, it helps that Fisher’s packing incredible painted detail to bring Kitty off the page, tapping into more recent looks with those red accents (as the Red Queen of Krakoa) while also keeping with that iconic X-Men yellow. The painterly rendering feels like it straddles the line between dream-like and realism, and the result is a fantastic variant for a character already positively flooded with incredible work in her catalogue—and one that stands out despite it. Phenomenal!
09/13
Rian Gonzales’ Chibi Hulkling
Artist: Rian Gonzales
Source: General Pool (Super Rare)
Rian Gonzales holds it down as the OG among the newbies this week though, as per usual—this round, we’re getting a cute Chibi Hulkling from her, brandishing that space sword and getting some adorable emotional support for an even smaller, Chibi-er Wiccan. I feel like a broken record whenever I say Rian is great at these, but this one in particular feels like it captures that anime root aesthetic really well within her style. I also love those rainbow hues working seamlessly with Hulkling’s skin (and the light bouncing off of it). It’s a must for Rian fans!
09/14
A.J. Nazzaro’s Havok!
Artist: A.J. Nazarro
Source: General Pool (Rare)
And we’re closing on a relative newcomer (but not someone brand new to SNAP): A.J. Nazzaro, giving us a fun new Havok blasting concentric circles off of the frame! It’s a fun extreme angle that we’re getting this time, and while it’s always visually striking to see those circles on the page, watching them blast upwards to frame Havok’s face is a fun compositional decision that changes it up while still keeping those graphic roots intact. I think Nazzarro has consistently done a great job stylizing the characters they’ve worked on in that appealing, animated style (moreso than many artists that try to do the same!) but this Havok might be their piece with the most energy to it yet. And at 700 Gold, we’re ending the week on a steal!
Wrapping Up
That does it for this week: it really was a quiet one! But there were quite a few bangers, too, and for cards I really love. So I want to hear from y’all once more, for this next giveaway—what character do YOU want more art for in SNAP? It might be a character that desperately needs new variants; it might be a character that’s already got a bunch! Bonus imaginary points if you have an existing piece from the comics in mind. But either way, let me know below, and leave your Discord handle for a chance at another code for goodies in game. And until next, TTFN: ta-ta for now!