MTG: WotC Suspends Work With Artist After Crux Of Fate Scandal

Wizards of the Coast has issued a statement in response to the recent controversy surrounding the potentially copied art for Strixhaven’s Crux of Fate.

Over the past few days controversy has swirled up around one of the new pieces of artwork for the newly released Strixhaven set. If you missed the story yesterday, it seems that the art from Crux of Fate has some striking similarities to a piece of fanart and may have been copied without permission from the creator for inclusion in the new set. We covered the story yesterday, but in brief:

The above artwork from Kitt Lapeña seems to have been copied into the art for the new Crux of Fate card pictured below:

Notable similarities include a match of the head and left arm, which includes an error made in the fan artist’s piece–the planeswalking Dragon Nicol Bolas is depicted with five claws/fingers instead of the standard three. Following in the aftermath of the post by Lapeña, who goes by scarypet online, Wizards of the Coast has released a statement outlining their response to the situation.

It has come to our attention that the card Crux of Fate from the Strixhaven: School of Mages Mystical Archive may overtly feature Magic: The Gathering fan art and the contracted artist did not receive permission for this incorporation.

These actions do not reflect the values of Wizards, and, as a result, we will be suspending future work with Jason Felix until we have been able to bring this matter to successful conclusion.

Others have commented that the artwork for Ugin, the other dragon featured in Crux of Fate’s art, also seems to match the art on a previously released card. Wizards has, for now at least, cut ties with Jason Felix, who’s credits include more than 150 card illustrations.

Lapeña, so far, has stated that she is “not really looking for confrontation” with either Felix or WotC, and has said her biggest takeaway is that Nicol Bolas has 3 fingers, not 5.

😓My biggest takeaway so far is that #NicolBolas has 3 fingers now, not 5. (😖I'm sorry master Velinov!) #MTG pic.twitter.com/J1dhXiAxfI

— 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚢𝚙𝚎𝚝 (@omgscarypet) March 30, 2021

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As WotC concludes their investigation, we’ll keep you updated

Author: J.R. Zambrano

Bell of Lost Souls Staff Writer and DM, J.R. covers RPGs of all stripes and on occasion eats sandwiches. You can ask him about either at [email protected]