Magic: The Gathering Artist Accused of Copying Colleague’s The One Ring Artwork at MagicCon

Fans at MagicCon recently exposed a controversy surrounding the artwork for The One Ring in Magic: The Gathering’s upcoming The Hobbit expansion. The design, created by longtime MTG artist Dan Frazier, was accused of closely resembling Marta Nael’s 2023 depiction of the same artifact from The Lord of the Rings crossover.

The similarities were undeniable, with both artworks featuring nearly identical inner reflections and background elements. Minor discrepancies, such as the absence of Elvish writing and slight inconsistencies on the ring’s lower and right sides, were the only deviations from Nael’s original.

From a close-up perspective, the resemblance was so strong that it could have deceived even the most discerning eyes in Middle-earth—if not for the vigilance of internet sleuths.

Wizards of the Coast addressed the situation directly, sharing a statement where Frazier admitted to using Nael’s artwork as a reference and acknowledged it as a mistake. The company also expressed regret that the artwork made it through their review process without detection.

"It's good that we're getting an admission of guilt, but first off, painting over something means actually painting over, not somehow reusing all the unique nuances of the original."

Critics questioned how a seasoned artist like Frazier could require such a detailed reference for a simple ring design, especially after removing its unique inscriptions. Despite the controversy, the acknowledgment of the issue prevented it from going unnoticed.

Wizards of the Coast also confirmed that Nael would be properly compensated and credited for her work, though some fans viewed the response as a half-baked apology. The community quickly took to social media to express their reactions, with many creating memes to highlight the situation.

Twitter user memeslich shared a single-image reply that captured the sentiment perfectly:

Another user, CTownEnjoyer, added:

Twitter user HiddenYoshi raised a broader concern, stating:

"This is what happens when you puke out new sets at a blistering pace. Slow down and bring some semblance of quality control back into the brand. The level of greed has been utterly disgusting."

The The Hobbit collaboration set is scheduled to release on August 14.