Gorilla Titan

Banana Comedy Appreciation

Despite your hatred for bananas, Gorilla Titan is still one of the best flavor texts of all time, yes?

I was responsible for putting that on the card. I do respect banana’s place in comedy.

Appreciation Flavor Gorilla Titan Humor

Unstable Pun Cards

Hey Mark! My birthday was on the 17th and I was too busy with work to remember to ask you a question. Will we ever get more pun / funny cards like Apes of Rath, Gorilla Titan, or Goblin Offensive? I love cards like that, they're a great addition to the game, even if used sparingly.

Check out Unstable. : )

Ape Apes of Rath Birthday Goblin Goblin Offensive Gorilla Titan Humor Unstable

Infect Mechanic Return

With infect not seeing much play in standard... Does that decrease it's chances of seeing a return?

No. If players enjoy a mechanic, it can return. By the way, to answer the questions I’m sure to get, yes, infect was the number one ranked mechanic in Scars of Mirrodin. It’s the Gorilla Titan flavor text of mechanics (meaning it was both beloved and behated).

Flavor Gorilla Titan Infect Mechanics Scars of Mirrodin Standard

Gorilla Titan's Text

This is not a question, but I want to personally thank you for Gorilla Titan's flavor text. For years, whenever I entered caption contest, I always try to use "I want a banana THIS big!" and I'm amazed how often it works. When a Magic card is making other aspects of my life funnier and happier, it's a great thing.

Happy we could help. : )

Appreciation Flavor Gorilla Titan

Flavor Text Mixup

You said, "I was in charge of flavor text for Innistrad and it was late in the process and Gorilla Titan didn’t have flavor text yet." Didn't you mean Odyssey?

I did mean Odyssey. I have corrected it.

Flavor Gorilla Titan Innistrad Odyssey

Liking Gorilla Titan

Do you like the Gorilla Titan's flavor text? : )

Like it? I’m the one responsible for putting it on the card. I was in charge of flavor text for Odyssey and it was late in the process and Gorilla Titan didn’t have flavor text yet. So I tried something novel. I put the sketch up on the wall with a piece of paper below it with “Write a caption for this picture”. A whole bunch of things got written down but nothing made me laugh like “I want a banana this big” so I put it on the card as the flavor text. Gorilla Titan is one of only a handful of cards which ranked both Top 5 and Bottom 5 for its flavor text, which is an awesome thing to happen, so I have no regrets with my choice.

Flavor Gorilla Titan Odyssey Wall

Gorilla Titan Humor

Do you enjoy Gorilla Titan's flavour text nowadays?

Probably one of the best uses of a banana. : )

Flavor Gorilla Titan

Duel Deck Idea

When will we finally see the Duel Deck: Maro vs. Gorilla Titan?

We haven’t made that yet?

Duel Decks Gorilla Titan Mark Rosewater

Artwork Observation

"Does it seem like the art for Gorilla Titan is missing something?" Tom asked fruitlessly.

: )

Art Gorilla Titan

Signing Items

Would you sign a real or fake banana?

No, I have to draw the line somewhere. I will sign a Gorilla Titan though and it mentions a banana.

Gorilla Titan

Odyssey Flavor Excellence

The best flavor texts of all times are from odyssey, i think you did a great job. Wild mongrel, gorilla titan and so many others.

I experimented a lot. Thanks.

Flavor Gorilla Titan Odyssey Wild Mongrel

Flavor Text Feedback

You have claimed responsibility for werebear's flavor text? You realize that many people found that flavor text unbearable, way above their pun tolerance threshold.

It and Gorilla Titan was ranked in the top 5 and the bottom 5 of Odyssey flavor text. In general, I prefer to make things that some subset loves even if another subset despises it rather than make something that no one is bothered by but no one is passionate about.

Flavor Gorilla Titan Humor Odyssey Threshold Werebear

Gorilla Titan Creation

How could you have let Gorilla Titan happen under your lead? Well, especially its flavor text.

Let it? I’m the one that chose to do it.

Flavor Gorilla Titan

Gorilla Titan Anatomy

Why does Gorilla Titan have a tail? Gorillas are apes, not monkeys, and are hence tailless in real life.

You’re thinking of Earth gorillas.

Ape Gorilla Titan Monkey

Flavor Text Timing

Did the Hyalopterous Lemure flavor text come before or after the art? Or more generally, when is flavor text finalized usually?

Flavor text, with a few exceptions like Gorilla Titan, always comes after the art.

Art Flavor Gorilla Titan Hyalopterous Lemure

Banana-Related Autographs

There is at least one Magic card that mentions Bananas, Gorilla Titan. If we send you those will you sign them?

I will sign Gorilla Titans. I was actually the one responsible for that flavor text. (I didn’t write it, I was in charge of the flavor text for Odyssey and chose to put it on the card.) It has the wonderful distinction that it’s in both the Top 5 and Bottom 5 pieces of Odyssey flavor text. The flavor text came about because I tried an experiment were I put some art up on the wall with sheets below them and asked people to write flavor text to match the art. I thought Gorilla Titan was so funny, I put it on the card. See, I do see the value of bananas in comedy. (Although note there is no banana actually pictured - the way I like banana in my comedy.)

Art Flavor Gorilla Titan Humor Odyssey Wall

Banana Sympathies

WAIT A MINUTE! are you trying to fool us, pretending you are anti-banana? it WAS you, was it not, who wrote the flavour text to Gorilla Titan?!! *glares interrogation light in MaRo's face* admit it! you ARE a banana-sympathizer, aren't you?!!

I did not write the flavor text. I was the one who put it into Odyssey because I was in charge of names and flavor text for that set. For the record, while I do strongly dislike bananas, I can support their use as a comedy tool.

Flavor Gorilla Titan Humor Keyword Actions Mark Rosewater Odyssey

Flavor Text and Art Process

Since someone else asked about cards being based on art, I thought I'd ask a related question. How often does the flavor text get written after the art, and how often is it influenced by the art? (I'm thinking of a personal favorite, Gorilla Titan.)

Seldom although you did pick one example where the flavor text was written to match the art.

Art Flavor Gorilla Titan

Flavor Text Opinions

I remember someone on DailyMTG talking about a godbook study where Gorilla Titan had both the most-loved and most-hated flavor text in Odyssey. Have there been any flavor texts that have were equally divisive since then?

That someone was me. There have been similar pieces of flavor text, unfortunately I cannot remember any off the top of my head.

Flavor Gorilla Titan Odyssey

Gorilla Titan Opinion

As someone who wants to outlaw bananas, how do you feel about Gorilla Titan?

We’ve agreed to disagree on the topic.

Gorilla Titan