Card Sets
All cards are marked in the lower left with an expansion code or set code, a three-letter code identifying the set in which the card was published. The first letter of the set code indicates the setting (D for DC Comics and M for Marvel Comics), except for the Essential Collection set, which starts with the letter E.
Most Vs. System cards are released in expansion sets, of which there were a total of 18. The first 14 expansion sets all had either 165 or 220 cards, but starting with Marvel Legends, which had 273 cards, the size of expansion sets grew larger, peaking at 330 cards of the Marvel Universe set. Marvel Legends also debuted a card face layout redesign.
The game was also periodically supplemented by the release of starter deck sets, of which there were a total of 6. The starter deck sets each contained two playable 40 card mini-decks. They pitted two teams against each other, typically a "hero" team versus a "villain" team. The first 3 (X-Men vs. the Brotherhood, Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock, and Batman vs. the Joker) drew all their cards from other expansion sets. However, the last 3 (Batman, Fantastic Four, and X-Men) contained new cards not in expansions sets. Each of the last 3 starter sets also were published to coincide with an associated film also released that year (Batman Begins, Fantastic Four, and X-Men: The Last Stand, respectively). UDE had originally planned to release a 7th starter set, for Superman (to coincide with the 2006 Superman Returns movie), but that set ended up being cancelled and never released.
Additionally, UDE planned an Essential Collections line geared towards introducing characters from outside the Marvel and DC Universes. However, only one such set ever ended up being released, the Hellboy Essential Collection. It contained two pre-constructed 60-card decks, a comprehensive rule book, and a number of other extras. Like the starter decks, the Hellboy Essential Collection is tournament-legal.
UDE also planned a Giant-Size line. However, the only set ever published in the line was The Coming of Galactus, a set geared toward multiplayer play in which multiple players would be pitted against a single powerful player taking on the role of Galactus. All cards in the set were legal for tournament play, with the exception of an oversized Galactus card and "Planet" cards.
Finally, there were exclusive sets, consisting of promotional cards associated with a particular expansion set released through venues such as conventions and tournaments. The exclusives sets are listed here rather than in the table below. The 5 exclusive sets (with set codes in parentheses) were:
- associated with Marvel Legends: Age of Apocalypse (MAA) and Marvel Exclusives (MEX)
- associated with DC Legends: DC Exclusives (DCX)
- associated with Marvel Universe: Marvel Equipment (MEQ) and Marvel Ultimates (MUL)
The following table lists all non-exclusive sets in chronological order of release:
| Release order (expansion sets only) | Set name | Set code | Setting | Set type | Date | Featured teams | Teams introduced | Size (number of cards) | New mechanics and notable features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 !1 | Marvel Origins | MOR | Marvel Comics | expansion set | 2004-04 !April 2004 | X-Men Brotherhood Doom Fantastic Four Sentinels |
X-Men Brotherhood Doom Fantastic Four Sentinels Skrull Negative Zone |
220 | First set |
| N/A | X-Men vs. the Brotherhood Starter Deck | MOR (same as for Marvel Origins) | Marvel Comics | starter set | 2004-04 !April 2004 | X-Men Brotherhood |
none | 080.000 !80 total, all reprints | All cards are drawn from the Marvel Origins expansion set |
| N/A | Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock Starter Deck | MSM (same as for Web of Spider-Man) | Marvel Comics | starter set | 2004-06 !June 2004 | Spider-Friends Sinister Syndicate |
Spider-Friends Sinister Syndicate |
080.000 !80 total, all reprints | All cards are drawn from the Web of Spider-Man expansion set, released a few months later |
| 02 !2 | DC Origins | DOR | DC Comics | expansion set | 2004-07 !July 2004 | Gotham Knights Arkham Inmates League of Assassins Teen Titans |
Gotham Knights Arkham Inmates League of Assassins Teen Titans Fearsome Five Deathstroke |
165 | Boost Loyalty Transferable |
| N/A | Batman vs. the Joker Starter Set | DOR (same as for DC Origins) | DC Comics | starter set | 2004-07 !July 2004 | Gotham Knights Arkham Inmates |
none | 080.000 !80 total, all reprints | All cards are drawn from the DC Origins expansion set |
| 03 !3 | Web of Spider-Man | MSM | Marvel Comics | expansion set | 2004-09 !September 2004 | Spider-Friends Sinister Syndicate |
Spider-Friends Sinister Syndicate |
165 | Evasion |
| 04 !4 | Superman, Man of Steel | DSM | DC Comics | expansion set | 2004-11 !November 2004 | Team Superman New Gods Revenge Squad Darkseid's Elite |
Team Superman New Gods Revenge Squad Darkseid's Elite |
165 | Cosmic Invulnerability |
| 05 !5 | Marvel Knights | MMK | Marvel Comics | expansion set | 2005-02 !February 2005 | Marvel Knights Crime Lords Underworld X-Statix |
Marvel Knights Crime Lords Underworld X-Statix |
220 | Concealed Dual-Loyalty Hidden area First reprint: Marvel Team-Up |
| 06 !6 | Green Lantern Corps | DGL | DC Comics | expansion set | 2005-05 !May 2005 | Green Lantern Emerald Enemies Anti-Matter Manhunters |
Green Lantern Emerald Enemies Anti-Matter Manhunters |
220 | Concealed-Optional Willpower Non-character cards ("Construct") |
| N/A | Batman Starter Deck | DBM | DC Comics | starter set | 2005-06 !June 2005 | Gotham Knights League of Assassins |
none | 080.028 !80 total, 28 non-reprint | Some cards are drawn from the DC Origins expansion set; others are new Released to coincide with Batman Begins, the 2005 Batman film |
| N/A | Fantastic Four Starter Deck | MFF | Marvel Comics | starter set | 2005-06 !June 2005 | Fantastic Four Doom |
none | 080.028 !80 total, 28 non-reprint | Some cards are drawn from the Marvel Origins set; others are new released to coincide with Fantastic Four, the 2005 Fantastic Four film |
| 07 !7 | The Avengers | MAV | Marvel Comics | expansion set | 2005-08 !August 2005 | Avengers Masters of Evil Kang Council Thunderbolts Squadron Supreme |
Avengers Masters of Evil Kang Council Thunderbolts Squadron Supreme |
220 | Leader Reservist Non-character cards ("Team-Up") |
| 08 !8 | Justice League of America | DJL | DC Comics | expansion set | 2005-11 !November 2005 | Justice League of America Justice League International Injustice Gang Secret Society |
Justice League of America Justice League International Injustice Gang Secret Society |
220 | Ally Dual team affiliations |
| 09 !9 | X-Men | MXM | Marvel Comics | expansion set | 2006-02 !February 2006 | X-Men Brotherhood Morlocks Hellfire Club |
Morlocks Hellfire Club |
220 | Mutant Traits (Physical, Mental, and Energy) |
| N/A | X-Men Starter Deck | MXS | Marvel Comics | starter set | 2006-02 !February 2006 | X-Men Brotherhood |
none | 080.032 !80 total, 32 non-reprint | Some cards are drawn from The X-Men expansion set; others are new released to coincide with X-Men: The Last Stand, the 2006 X-Men film |
| 10 | Infinite Crisis | DCR | DC Comics | expansion set | 2006-04 !April 2006 | JSA Shadowpact Villains United Checkmate |
JSA Shadowpact Villains United Checkmate Secret Six Crisis |
220 | Vengeance Backup Loyalty-Reveal Identity concept expanded Non-character cards ("Magic") "Champion" characters |
| 11 | Heralds of Galactus | MHG | Marvel Comics | expansion set | 2006-09 !September 2006 | Heralds of Galactus Inhumans Kree Doom Skrull |
Heralds of Galactus Inhumans Kree Infinity Watch |
220 | Press Terraform Cosmic-Surge |
| 12 | Legion of Super-Heroes | DLS | DC Comics | expansion set | 2006-12 !December 2006 | Legionnaires Future Foes Teen Titans Darkseid's Elite |
Legionnaires Future Foes |
220 | Substitute Alternate use of Cosmic |
| 13 | Marvel Team-Up | MTU | Marvel Comics | expansion set | 2007-02 !February 2007 | Spider-Friends Sinister Syndicate Underworld Marvel Defenders Wild Pack |
Marvel Defenders Wild Pack |
220 | Dual Loyalty Alternate use of Boost Paying attack or defense |
| N/A | Hellboy Essential Collection | EHB | Hellboy | Essential Collection | 2007-02 !February 2007 | B.P.R.D. Thule Society |
B.P.R.D. Thule Society |
055 !55 | First and only set not set in Marvel or DC Universe |
| 14 | World's Finest | DWF | DC Comics | expansion set | 2007-07 !July 2007 | Team Superman Gotham Knights Revenge Squad Arkham Inmates Outsiders Birds of Prey |
Outsiders Birds of Prey |
220 | Insanity |
| 15 | Marvel Legends | MVL | Marvel Comics | expansion set | 2007-08 !August 2007 | X-Men Brotherhood Marvel Knights Fantastic Four Doom Shi'ar |
Shi'ar | 273 | New card layout Concealed and Concealed-Optional changed from keywords to symbols team symbols added "Legendary Character" concept Minor rule changes and clarifications Vast number of game mechanics temporarily abandoned to make the game easier for newer players |
| N/A | The Coming of Galactus | MCG | Marvel Comics | Giant-Size set | 2007-11 !November 2007 | Heralds of Galactus | none | 042 !42 | For multiplayer play, pitting multiple players against a single player taking on the role of Galactus |
| 16 | DC Comics Legends | DCL | DC Comics | expansion set | 2007-12 !December 2007 | JLA Teen Titans Injustice Gang Secret Society League of Assassins Doom Patrol |
Doom Patrol | 273 | Return of Reservist Return of Concealed-Optional characters Return of dual affiliations Secret Society and Villains United teams combined into one team |
| 17 | Marvel Universe | MUN | Marvel Comics | expansion set | 2008-06 !June 2008 | Avengers Thunderbolts SHIELD Crime lords Warbound Negative Zone Alpha Flight Infinity Watch |
SHIELD Warbound Alpha Flight Asgardians Atlantis Invaders Nextwave Phalanx United Front Nova Corps Weapon X |
330 | Rally Return of Boost (including Boost on non-character cards) Return of Leader Return of Terraform Return of Substitute Return of Evasion Return of Cosmic Return of Invulnerability |
| 18 | Marvel Evolution | MEV | Marvel Comics | expansion set | 2008-11 !November 2008 | X-Factor Exiles X-Force Marauders Weapon X |
X-Factor Exiles X-Force Marauders Starjammers Runaways Purifiers |
275 | Shift Energize Hunter |
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