Gavin Verhey is a former Magic: the Gathering pro player turned senior designer at Wizards of the Coast. Back in 2022, Wargamer interviewed him to discuss the explosive Maestros Massacre Commander deck. Verhey is an avid Taylor Swift fan, he once tumbled down a volcano, and it turns out he’s also a phenomenally talented drag performer. Verhey made a truly regal debut as ‘Gigi Wellplayed’ earlier this week on a new MTG Commander channel designed to bring the glamour of drag into Magic: the Gathering.
Irene the Alien and Bosco are two former queens who competed for the crown on RuPaul’s Drag Race. They’re now the hosts of Spell Slayers, where they launched Verhey’s drag premiere.
If you browse through all of MTG’s sets, you’ll find a beautiful tableau of characters that use fashion to explore themes of gender, identity, and sexuality. From Niko Aris’s impeccable violet hair to the form concealing robes of the Aetherborn.
This isn’t the first time that the worlds of drag and Magic have come together. Bosco and Irene also both previously appeared on episodes of Game Knights and Shuffle Up and Play. They’re now taking the spotlight and hosting their very own Commander content.
The opening episode of Spell Slayers featured two guests: Verhey as Gigi, and also Jane Don’t, another queen who made a name for herself attempting to conquer RuPaul’s catwalk.
During the game, Gigi piloted ‘Heads I Win, Tails You Lose’ a deck of their own design that was released to the public several years ago as a Secret Lair drop. As its name would imply, ‘Heads I Win, Tails You Lose’, is all about flipping coins. During the game, the odds were certainly in Gigi’s favor, as they managed to raise the power of their Okaun, Eye of Chaos until it hit six digits.
Actual Play content, much like drag, is a form of performance art. The two pair together perfectly. It’s always great to see games of Magic that feel truly theatrical, and I hope that Spell Slayers inspires aspiring content creators to be bold, authentic, and unashamedly awesome.
Have you ever played a Commander game fit for a Queen? Let us know about your most showstopping plays over on the Wargamer Discord server.
If you’re looking to see some cards worthy of their own mic drop moments, check out our list of the most expensive MTG cards.
Source: Wargamer
