Wizards of the Coast Apologizes After New ‘Hobbit’ One Ring Card Accused of Plagiarism
Wizards of the Coast has apologized after fans accused artist Dan Frazier of plagiarizing Marta Nael's 'One Ring' artwork for a new Magic: The Gathering card. Frazier admitted to using Nael's art as a reference and painting over it, calling it a regrettable mistake. Wizards acknowledged failures in its review process and pledged to credit both artists and compensate Nael on digital card versions.
- ▪Dan Frazier admitted to using Marta Nael's 'One Ring' artwork as a reference and painting over it for the new Magic: The Gathering card.
- ▪Wizards of the Coast expressed disappointment for not catching the issue during review and apologized for the oversight.
- ▪The company will credit both Dan Frazier and Marta Nael on digital versions of the card and ensure Nael is compensated for her work.
- ▪Frazier apologized publicly and stated he would also apologize to Nael privately.
- ▪The Hobbit-themed Magic: The Gathering set is still scheduled to launch on August 14, 2026.
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Just a day after announcing its new Hobbit cards for Magic: The Gathering, Wizards of the Coast is responding to backlash and accusations of plagiarism. Online fans noticed art for the “One Ring” card by artist Dan Frazier shared similarities to previous art by Marta Nael, who made her own “One Ring” art for Magic’s 2023 crossover set with Lord of the Rings. Both versions can be seen below, which shows Nael’s has elven runes and is held by Gollum in the fires of Mount Doom, while Frazier’s has the ring glowing sans…
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