Gateway geekery

Time to find those old shoe boxes—trading cards are making a comeback. Specifically, the fantasy favorite Magic: The Gathering. The game is simple to pick up, yet complex enough for even the most fastidious overthinkers. A huge library of cards makes for endless strategic combinations, whether you're into dragons, vampires, mermaids—or, in my case, poisonous insects. The real beauty of Magic, though, is its affordability; it's been around so long that the cards are comparably cheap, whether preowned and handpicked at a specialty store, like A-1 Comics (818 Sunrise Avenue in Roseville), or bought in the form of a brand-new starter kit via big-name retailers. www.wizards.com/magic.