MTG PRINTING GUIDE
Brainstorm first appeared in Ice Age in 1995: ICE #61, a common illustrated by Christopher Rush, available in nonfoil only. This guide compares five collecting families: the Ice Age original, DiTerlizzi’s Masques-era art, Chris Rahn’s later reprints, Mystical Archive’s two art treatments and Mark Poole’s Artist Series. These six selected records let you compare the actual illustration, collector number and surface before opening the live printing archive below.
QUICK ANSWER
Brainstorm first appeared in Ice Age (ICE), 3 June 1995. The original is ICE #61, at common, illustrated by Christopher Rush. Available original finishes: Nonfoil only.
Printing records and official context reviewed . Use the shortlist for a physical-edition comparison and the explorer for current availability and format data.
Artwork could not load. The exact printing and source links remain available.
REPRESENTATIVE PRINTING
This static reference remains readable while live data loads. The interactive selected printing replaces it once verified data is available.
Check this exact catalogue record · View this printing on Scryfall · Search Cardmarket by card name
Live printing data loads separately.
RULES & FORMAT CONTEXT
Brainstorm draws three cards, then puts two cards from your hand on top of your library. This guide is about the versions of that card; a different painting does not change that sequence.
As reviewed on 10 November 2026, Wizards restricts Brainstorm in Vintage. The catalogue lists it legal in Commander and Legacy. A Mystical Archive printing does not grant legality in every format associated with Strixhaven. Compare Counterspell and Force of Will for other long-running blue artwork collections.
PRINTING HISTORY
Ice Age #61 dates to 3 June 1995. Rush’s illustration and the older frame identify the starting point, but the original is not a booster foil. Later rarity changes do not turn that first common into a rare.
Mercadian Masques #61 followed in October 1999 with DiTerlizzi’s artwork and both nonfoil and traditional foil. Its collector number happens to match the Ice Age record. Always read ICE or MMQ with #61; the number alone cannot distinguish them. The Masques foil is a genuine old-border reflective option, without pretending to be an original Ice Age foil.
Masters 25 #46, released in March 2018, credits Chris Rahn and offers both finishes. Its Ice Age watermark points to the card’s historical origin; it does not mean that this later printing is a 1995 copy or that Rush painted this illustration.
Strixhaven Mystical Archive introduced #13 and Japanese-art #76 in April 2021. Each has nonfoil, traditional foil and etched entries. Mark Poole’s Secret Lair #174 followed in June 2021 with nonfoil and foil. Those treatments represent distinct artist and product choices, not a single linear upgrade ladder.
PRINTING SHORTLIST
Selected physical editions; not every language, digital entry or minor reprint.
| Release / set | Collector number | Rarity | Artwork / treatment | Artist | Available finishes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Age (1995) | ICE #61 | common | Original illustration; original frame | Christopher Rush | Nonfoil only |
| Mercadian Masques (1999) | MMQ #61 | common | Alternate illustration; old-border booster edition | DiTerlizzi | Nonfoil, traditional foil |
| Masters 25 (2018) | A25 #46 | common | Modern-frame illustration; Ice Age watermark | Chris Rahn | Nonfoil, traditional foil |
| Strixhaven Mystical Archive (2021) | STA #13 | rare | Global showcase illustration | Justin Hernandez & Alexis Hernandez | Nonfoil, traditional foil, etched |
| Strixhaven Mystical Archive (2021) | STA #76 | rare | Japanese-language alternate-art edition | Ayako Ishiguro | Nonfoil, traditional foil, etched |
| Secret Lair Drop (2021) | SLD #174 | rare | Artist Series: Mark Poole; alternate illustration | Mark Poole | Nonfoil, traditional foil |
Finish labels belong to the individual source record. An etched or textured treatment is not an extra finish invented for every edition. A missing price is unknown, not zero.
ARTWORK & FRAME COMPARISON
Start with Rush’s ICE #61 and DiTerlizzi’s MMQ #61 if you want to compare two early interpretations. The shared number makes set identification especially useful. The old border by itself cannot tell you which artist or edition is in front of you.
Rahn’s A25 #46 and Poole’s SLD #174 provide two later paintings. Poole’s name belongs to the Artist Series here; it is not the original Brainstorm artist. Compare nonfoil copies first if your main question is which illustration you prefer, then introduce the foil surface separately.
STA #13 credits Justin Hernandez & Alexis Hernandez; STA #76 credits Ayako Ishiguro and is a Japanese-language alternate-art record. This is a new illustration, not merely the global artwork with translated text. When ordering, specify the collector number, language and finish together.
FOILS & SPECIAL TREATMENTS
The original ICE #61 is nonfoil-only. MMQ #61 offers a later old-border traditional foil; A25 #46 and SLD #174 have ordinary nonfoil/foil choices. The edition matters even if a listing uses only the word “foil”.
The Mystical Archive records list three finishes. Etched and traditional foil are distinct surfaces, while #13 versus #76 changes the illustration and language family. An etched #13 is not a Japanese alternate-art #76. Use the actual finish field and photographs under ordinary lighting; a static scan or simulated shimmer cannot demonstrate the physical surface.
MANASCOUT RECOMMENDATIONS
Original-printing collection: ICE #61 nonfoil is the historical anchor. Check the artist and set code rather than looking for an unavailable Ice Age foil.
Old-border foil deck: MMQ #61 is our first controlled comparison. Hold the artwork constant between its nonfoil and foil before choosing a more elaborate modern frame.
Artist-led binder: put A25 #46 beside SLD #174 to compare Rahn and Poole. The watermark and Artist Series product identity answer different collecting questions.
Archive treatment collection: compare STA #13 with #76 in the same finish first. Then decide whether etched or traditional foil suits that art. The live explorer is the place to extend this shortlist into other reprints, languages and current offers.
ALL PRINTINGS / LIVE EXPLORER
Use the shared set, language and finish filters to inspect an exact printing. Cardmarket links are independent third-party destinations. Catalogue prices are live reference fields where available, not fixed GBP offers. The digital foil animation is illustrative, not a photograph of a physical finish.
SCOUT MORE
Counterspell — compare another early blue card’s original art and later premium frames.
Force of Will — contrast blue-spell artwork across regular, borderless and foil editions.
Mystical Tutor — trace a Mirage original through boxed foils and later borderless art.
Rhystic Study — compare an original common with later anime and confetti treatments.
SOURCES & EDITORIAL REVIEW
Reviewed . The linked exact-edition catalogue records support dates, artists, rarity and finish availability; official sources support product treatment and format context where cited. The live explorer retrieves current Scryfall data separately. This is a dated editorial selection, not a guarantee of stock, price or unchanged future legality.