Polluted Mire

Polluted Mire was first printed in the Weatherlight expansion in 1997, later appearing in the 1998 Anthologies box set as card number 74. It is part of a cycle of 'landcycler' lands that entered the battlefield tapped, reflecting the game's shift toward more deliberate mana management during the late 90s. The card was designed to offer utility to players by allowing them to cycle the land for a card draw, providing a way to mitigate flooding in the late game while serving as a dual-purpose resource.

The artwork for the card, rendered by artist Heather Hudson, captures the bleak, swampy aesthetic synonymous with the black mana color identity in Magic: The Gathering. Hudson’s contribution to the game during this era helped define the visual tone of the Tempest block, emphasizing atmospheric and moody landscapes. Within the context of the Anthologies set, which served as a curated retrospective of early Magic history, Polluted Mire remains a notable example of the functional, utility-focused land design that characterized the game’s formative years.