Shepard Poorman

The Shepard Poorman Communications Corp. was a large commercial printer located in Indianapolis, Indiana. In the mid-1990s, Shepard Poorman was contracted by Wizards of the Coast to print cards for Magic: The Gathering. Shepard Poorman printed the Chinese-language version of Fourth Edition, as well as providing part of the Mirage print-run intended for sale in the United States. Boxes containing cards printed by the company have the words "Printed in USA by Shepard Poorman Corp" on them.

Print quality

The quality of cards printed by Shepard Poorman has been criticized. Some reported problems with the cards, as compared by those printed by Carta Mundi:

• the ink wears off more quickly
• coloration is different
• the corners have a different rounding
• have a powdery substance/feeling
• have a noticable smell, especially when new
• are more prone to misprints, such as large blue "blobs"

Another distinguising characteristic of cards printed by Shepard Poorman is the black glue layer between the front and back sides of the cards (Carta Mundi uses a blue glue layer). The black layer is water-soluble, which reduces the ability of the cards to withstand moisture.

Some report that the cards have a "thinner" feeling. This is a common complaint about most new sets and is largely unsubstantiated. Shepard Poorman purchased the cardstock from Carta Mundi.