Hello awesome folks! I hope that you are having an great day today! The latest set is here, and the previous Block set on Ixalan had my favorite flavor of any block since I love the pulp fiction that it was inspired by. Here you can check out my first take on this topic from a few pictures released well before publication: The Pulpy Flavor of Ixalan | Article by Abe Sargent (coolstuffinc.com)

Basically, I was looking specifically at Edgar Rice Burrough's Hollow Earth series where people have a pirate nation with high tech bad guys and then dinosaurs, tribes, and more. I also pointed out that D&D did a Hollow Earth campaign with a Mesoamerican nation called the Sons of Azca, so that was something that resonated with me. I hoped that it was revealed that Ixalan was the Hollow Earth of another well known plane like Ravnica. And now we are heading back to Ixalan, but under the ground, so this inspiration is engaged.

Note that the "Lost Caverns" part of the name of the set also is alluding to something in the same oeuvre. What? The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth which is a very popular old school 1st Edition D&D adventure you can find more about here (The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth - Wikipedia).

Chimil, the Inner Sun

Let's get started with our look at the art here with Chimil, which is a key thing in the set. Hollow Earths have an internal sun that doesn't set in the center of their sky, although there often is weather since there are clouds and such there. But there are no nights or the setting of the sky. Is Chimil that? I like the art here too. As you can see, the Inner Sun here has a nice color to it off to the right and then you can see the temple art just below it that it's above. Nicely done Adam Paquette!

Growing Rites of Itlimoc

Let's move with my favorite re-art from this set. Growing Rites! This is a powerhouse in casual tables like Commander since it's a cheap Gaea's Cradle when played well. As you can see, this is showing the Rite in progress and you are seeing these cute mushroom critters really focused on making this happen. The mid-Rite green focus looks great here and I really enjoy it. Also, a shout out to the Cradle of the Sun as well underground. Good job Josu!

The Belligerent

Now let's turn to a vehicle with a color combo, in this case Izzet. As you can see, this legendary vehicle shows a key vehicle in the Ixalan storyline. Here we have this nicely done art by Bruce Brenneise. I love how fleshed out and detailed the piece is, even the water and waterfall that surrounds it. I enjoy the action of this ship as it gets ready to tumble over falls. Love it loads.

The Millennium Calendar

Now, let's turn to our third artifact in today's section! This is Zoltan Boros's 1-drop legendary artifact. As you can see, it is showing a fun Mesoamerican styled clock. I think he does a brilliant job with the colors, the details, the human sized dorks on the lower-right corner to show how big it is and loads more. It's so detailed, carefully done, and a great use of color too.

Thousand Moons Crackshot

Now let's head to a common White Grizzly Bear that's here just for the art, not for it's role in depicting stories, characters, places or more. Our Human Soldier has a great use of hair, the spheres, the figure in motion and more. It's a brilliant piece to have done, and normally the art on rares and mythics like planeswalkers and stuff tends to me more detailed and fleshed out, but this is a common! And who crafted this art? Marie Magny!

Ojer Taq, Deepest Foundation

Let's stick in white for this legendary God. I love all of the art in the Ojer/God cycle, but this is my favorite! The God is a brilliant use of pink, and then you get a faraway vista picture of what we are looking at. Also, you can see the great detailed lush picture of the God's clothing too. I also love Temple of Civilization and then its also a great far away picture of the Temple in question and great use of pink too! Great use of faraway vistas stuff Cristi!

Ojer Pakpatiq, Deepest Epoch

Now let's turn to the next Ojer in the color cycle, the Blue one! I love this one too! Chris Rahn made this blue majesty! Then this has a fun use of color too, but more closer in view than the first Ojer. I love the detailed work of the serpentine creature and then the Mesoamerican styled Temple of Cyclical Time is pretty good too. Love this pair loads!

Aclazotz, Deepest Betrayal

Now let's turn to Steve Prescott's Bat God! This is a great use of detail at distance as well, and then you have the purple here in the wings that so well and fleshed out. It's so good and then look at the fires and how realistic they look. Good stuff! Temple of the Dead has a great detailed and fleshed out section to it as well.

Bloodletter of Aclazotz

Let's stay in Black and high on the alphabet for this Bloodletter of our Bat God! This is a very lush Vampire Demon. I love the spiked flail that's showing a threat, and the look and bat wings here as well. Antonio José Manzanedo made this!

Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might

Now let's turn to Red! The Victor Adame Minguez take on Gods is great! I adore the flaming sword in his fist and then the headpiece is also well flashed out and awesome-sauce! Temple of Power is great too with the volcanic look about it!

Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth

Let's finish the God cycle with my favorite one and the first one I called to build around in Commander. As you can see, this, awesome Wurm-ish looking God is awesome! It's very strong with the attention to detail, and the Temple of Cultivation is my favorite land in this cycle. This is awesome with the focus from far away! Love it loads Ryan!

Amalia Benavides Aguirre

Now let's turn to this gold colored Orzhov rare! This is illustrated by Alix Branwyn. As you can see, this detail of the character is lovely, I really like the clothing and the detailed piece, pretty common for legendary these days and Alix doesn't disappoint!

Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar

Let's finish with another piece by Marie Magny! This legendary Cat Warrior is strong with the details and looks underground. I love the main figure's posture and the fun looking two handed weapon being wielded. Nasty stuff!

And there we go! What pieces of art from this set sell you? As a reminder, I am not an artist or a trained critic, but just someone who enjoys it!