Here we see the lovely Mistress of Death showing off her sleek new dress of screaming necromantic doom. Woven entirely from the shredded hopes of the unfortunate souls who've crossed her. (Which, as it turns out, makes a comfortable, breathable material which accentuates both shapeliness, and pure smoldering evil.)
​
Convincing her to take time out of her dark ambitions and pose for this painting cost me four souls, a complete signed collection of original The Tick comics, and a small child she assured I would never see again.
Totally worth it.
Dress design by Devourobot VII, High-Fashion Robot Cannibal.
I always loved Lili’s original costume. But I admit I was thrilled to get a chance to introduce her new look. Innistrad, with its opulent vampires, towering gothic castles, and pampered werewolves, I was thinking Lili would indulge herself. Gold, silk, leather, and every inch of her ensemble dripping rich with luxurious details. Golden demon skulls for clasps, gems cradled in platinum linked together for a belt. The super-copious extravagance demanded by a megalomaniacal corpse-raising demon-murderer covered in diabolic legalese scar tattoos.
​
In the end, this version didn’t really work for her card. For one, all those details don’t reduce down to an itty-bitty card window all that well. But the main reason was simply that it didn’t look like it was part of Innistrad, home and resort town of every movie monster in the multiverse.
Some of the Lili’s that could have been. The early ideas for Liliana of the Veil.
(When she get’s a new planeswalker card, she should be lounging in a throne made of ex-Griselbrand. Munching on a rack of barbecued werewolf ribs.)
​
It’s by far my most popular card in Magic the Gathering. I’ll be the first to tip my hat to Wizard’s of the Coast for that. It’s popular because the card is amazing, and people love Liliana’s character and stories. I just lucked out in getting to create the artwork for one of the most useful cards she appears on.
