Howling Fury

Howling Fury was released in 1997 as part of the Portal set for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. This set was specifically engineered by Wizards of the Coast to act as an entry point for new players, featuring simplified rules text and a distinct card frame that omitted the complex timing restrictions found in the core game. The set was designed to be played in a self-contained environment, often sold as two-player starter boxes to encourage immediate gameplay.

The art for Howling Fury was created by illustrator Randy Asplund-Faith, who utilized a stark, visceral style to depict the chaotic essence of a red-mana spell. The card’s design sought to provide a straightforward burn effect that punished creatures for blocking, aligning with the aggressive, direct-damage philosophy typical of red spells in the game. While seasoned players initially viewed the Portal set as overly simplistic, the card remains a notable artifact of the game's mid-nineties effort to broaden its demographic reach.