Close Menu
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    The First Descendant Season 3: Breakthrough keyart

    The First Descendant Season 3 Looks Like A Gamechanger

    05/11/2025
    Mafia: The Old Country promotional still

    Everything We Know About ‘Mafia: The Old Country’

    05/08/2025
    Sunderfolk Phone Players

    10 ‘Sunderfolk’ Tips To Help You And Your Party Thrive

    05/02/2025
    Bob in Thunderbolts But Why Tho

    ‘Thunderbolts*’ Visualizes Depression As Only A Superhero Movie Can

    05/02/2025
    Games to Play After Expedition 33

    5 Games to Play After Beating ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’

    05/01/2025
  • Star Wars
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Blood of Zeus
  • MCU
But Why Tho?
Home » IDW Publishing » REVIEW: ‘Magic: The Gathering: Chandra,’ Volume 1

REVIEW: ‘Magic: The Gathering: Chandra,’ Volume 1

Derrick PittmanBy Derrick Pittman01/19/20205 Mins ReadUpdated:04/09/2023
Magic The Gathering Chandra - But Why Tho
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Magic The Gathering Chandra - But Why Tho

Magic: The Gathering: Chandra Vol. 1 is published by IDW Publishing, written by Vita Ayala, with art done by Harvey Tolibao, assisted by Tristan Jurolan, colors by Joana Lafuente, lettering by Christa Meisner & Jake Wood, with series edits by Zac Boone & Tom Waltz. This collected series follows the Pyromancing Planeswalker, Chandra Nalaar. In the world of Magic, there are planes and worlds similar to a multiverse. However one cannot travel to them unless you’re a Planeswalker, someone with a large amount of mana (magical energy). This story begins with our courageous, eager, and hotheaded heroine on the plane of Dominaria, rescuing a village from attacking sentient plant life. In the letterboxes, Chandra speaks to the reader, telling us who she is and a piece of her story while in the heat of action.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Her current location in Dominaria is lush and green, and as Chandra’s battle continues we see a piece of her power in glorious red coloring as she defeats her foes. Lafuente, Tolibao, and Jurolan create each amazing world, feeling like I was standing right beside Chandra and making me want to see more of the worlds she visited. Being a Magic: The Gathering player and seeing names of planes I recognized coupled with Changra fighting monsters in different biomes got me giddy with excitement.

I love that the author, Ayala, wrote this novel in the first person. You truly get to understand Chandra and can easily place yourself in her shoes. Although courageous, eager, and hothead, Chandra is going through things. She’s anxious, she’s worried, she’s hurting, depressed, and angry. Ayala wanted to show readers how human a powerful being like a Planeswalker can be. 

Chandra can’t sit still and she needs to help people as she can. She continues telling us her story, moving from plane to plane. We learn that her pain and strife comes from the battle she and her friends had with Nicol Bolas, an Elder Dragon Planeswalker. These events took place in War of the Spark: Ravnica (Magic: The Gathering), a novel by Greg Weisman. I am currently reading War of the Spark and I was happy that Ayala does not majorly spoil much of those events. They give the gist of what happened and lets us know that there were casualties. With Magic: The Gathering: Chandra being so captivating, this may spark readers into sinking their teeth into the backstory in War of the Spark.

While trying to confront her past and the pain that comes with it, Chandra comes face to face with a familiar adversary. I am not well versed in Magic: The Gathering so I needed to do a little research knowing that he appears in War of the Spark. Readers will ask who this character is, but Ayala makes it clear that this character is no friend and what his motives are: to further the anguish Chandra is in. The way this villain looks and the powers he possesses definitely wanted to make me learn more of this character while continuing to be fixated on our pyromancer’s development and journey. At the beginning of the book, we see our heroine being a total badass, letting us know her shortcomings and what she’s going through. However, she did not confront what she needed in order to heal.  This enemy sought to take advantage of Chandra’s pain and use it against her. It’s at this point you can see the catalyst and the growth of our protagonist.

Readers will appreciate Chandra’s character, story, and possibly relate to her plight. Chandra’s character development is extremely cathartic as she confronts her emotional turmoil. By story’s end, I feel Chandra becomes a much better person and planeswalker who understands she still has a lot to learn. I definitely learned a lot about myself and habits when struggling with my emotional issues, also making me appreciate Chandra a whole lot more. I too suffer from anger issues and depression. Chandra tried to do things on her own, not taking the support of her friends who knew what she was going through and experienced what she experienced in the War of the Spark. I know all too well of isolating myself and pushing away the people that care about me. But to see Ayala reinforce that it’s okay not to be strong all the time and lean on those that care about you the most, it was like a gentle reminder.

Magic: The Gathering: Chandra Vol. 1 is an amazingly easy read and enjoyable story thanks to Ayala’s talent. I never got lost or confused due to the amazing lettering and letterboxing by Meisner and Wood. I loved it when Chandra speaks to the reader,  with letterboxes ornate and in a reasonable space in speech bubbles. You are further drawn into Chandra’s world thanks to the art and vibrancy of Lafuente, Tolibao, and Jurolan, making you want to experience more.

Magic: The Gathering: Chandra Vol. 1 can be found wherever comic books and graphic novels are sold.

Magic: The Gathering: Chandra Vol. 1
5

TL;DR

Magic: The Gathering: Chandra Vol. 1 is an amazingly easy read and enjoyable story thanks to Ayala’s talent. I never got lost or confused due to the amazing lettering and letterboxing by Meisner and Wood. I loved it when Chandra speaks to the reader,  with letterboxes ornate and in a reasonable space in speech bubbles. You are further drawn into Chandra’s world thanks to the art and vibrancy of Lafuente, Tolibao, and Jurolan, making you want to experience more.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleEpisode 29: Let’s Talk About Deku
Next Article REVIEW: ‘NiNoKuni’ Captures The Spirit of The Series
Derrick Pittman

Related Posts

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Dog Of War #1

REVIEW: ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – The Dog Of War,’ Issue #1

04/05/2023
MMPRTMNT II #1 - But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II,’ Issue #1

12/28/2022
Dead Seas #1

REVIEW: ‘Dead Seas,’ Issue #1

12/21/2022
Star Trek #1

REVIEW: ‘Star Trek,’ Issue #1

10/26/2022
Super Trash Clash Volume 1

ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Super Trash Clash,’ Volume 1

10/20/2022
Star Trek #400 - But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘Star Trek,’ Issue #400

09/08/2022
TRENDING POSTS
The First Descendant Season 3: Breakthrough keyart Features

The First Descendant Season 3 Looks Like A Gamechanger

By Kate Sánchez05/11/2025

At PAX East 2025, NEXON previewed the groundbreaking mega-update for The First Descendant Season 3: Breakthrough.

Razer Joro product image
9.0
Product Review

PRODUCT REVIEW: The Portable Razer Joro Is A Travel Gamechanger

By Kate Sánchez05/08/2025Updated:05/08/2025

Reliable and uncompromising in its gaming features on the go, the portable Razer Joro is a travel gamechanger.

The Devil's Plan Season 2 key art
4.5
TV

REVIEW: ‘The Devil’s Plan’ Season 2 Is Off To A Rough Start

By Charles Hartford05/07/2025Updated:05/07/2025

The Devil’s Plan Season 2 challenges its contestants to outsmart and outmaneuver each other. Unfortunately, it does so in pace grinding ways

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here