Magic’s Tribute to Sheldon Menery Raises Over $2 Million For Charity

Last updated on January 18, 2025

Sheldon, the Commander | Illustration by Livia Prima

The “Sheldon’s Spellbook” Secret Lair has become Wizards of the Coast’s largest fan-driven charity donation according to a post by the American Cancer Society. Wizard’s tribute to the late Sheldon Menery raised $2.1 million to help fund cancer research.

“Words cannot express our gratitude to the fan community,” the Society said in their post.

Source: American Cancer Society/LinkedIn

“Sheldon believed deeply in the power of connection, storytelling, and shared experiences to build welcoming and inclusive communities,” said Wizards of the Coast in their own message about the collaboration. “We are forever grateful for his contributions to the world of MTG.”

Menery – who passed away in September 2023 after a prolonged battle with cancer – collaborated with Wizards on the design of the Secret Lair which features Sheldon on several of his favorite cards. As shown by the campaign's success, Magic players were eager to pay tribute to Menery and his contribution to the game we all love.

What Sheldon Menery Did for Magic

In the description for the “Sheldon’s Spellbook” Secret Lair, Wizards refers to Menery as the “godfather of the Commander format,” a fitting title for someone who did so much to develop and maintain Magic’s most popular format.

Menery was a former judge who was first introduced to Commander’s precursor, Elder Dragon Highlander (EDH), while stationed in Alaska. According to Polygon, he used to watch EDH’s potential creator Adam Staley play the format with a group of other judges. Menery later helped the format gain widespread popularity by publishing an article about it on StarCityGames in 2004.

After several articles about Commander for StarCityGames, Menery would go on to become a member of the now-defunct Commander Rules Committee, helping guide the format. He also helped to design cards for Commander 2021, including the Inkshield card, illustrated by Donato Giancola and featured in “Sheldon's Spellbook” Secret Lair.

Until recently, the Commander Rules Committee was an independent organization: maintaining the format was a labor of love for Menery, not an official position offered by WotC. All of us who enjoy Commander owe our fond memories of the format to Menery's hard work and dedication, which makes it all the more heartwarming to see his Secret Lair tribute become such a success.

Magic’s History of Charitable Efforts

Inkshield | Illustrated by Donato Giancola

“Sheldon’s Spellbook” may be the most successful and emotional examples of Magic’s charitable efforts, but it's far from the only one.

Another good example is Magic’s annual collaboration with the Extra Life program through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Wizards has worked with Extra Life for the last 10 years, most recently with the “Pixel Perfect” Secret Lair which is still on sale at the time of writing. Previous Extra Life campaigns include 2023’s “Ponies the Galloping 2” and “Extra Life 2022” which featured artwork from young artists as well as reimagined versions by Magic artists.

Wizards of the Coast also contributes to the MagiKids program which teaches young kids how to play Magic: The Gathering. The program is dedicated to helping kids learn social skills in a safe environment, while also benefiting from the reading comprehension and math skills needed to play Magic.

It can be a little too easy to get swept up in some of the negativity swirling around the Magic community, so it’s nice to remember the positive impact the game can have. The major support given to Sheldon Menery’s Secret Lair shows the strength of our community and the good we can do.