Welcome to our latest collaboration! We're buzzing to unveil the Mantis Playing Cards, a unique deck brought to life by Sean Devine and designed by the talented Manel.
The Mantis Playing Cards mark our inaugural foray into the realm of reader-style marked decks. When Sean pitched this idea, we were all in—who could resist that vintage charm with a cheeky modern twist?
So, why a mantis? There's a cheeky urban legend that goes: "When you see a mantis, beware of smoke and mirrors." Now, isn’t that just the right vibe for a magic deck?
Absolutely, the Mantis Playing Cards were crafted with magicians in mind. This isn’t just any deck; it’s a fully marked one, featuring a reader-style marking system that lets you whip out the value of any card with just a quick peek at its back. Sean, Manel, and our crew tinkered through several versions of the marking system, ensuring we hit the sweet spot between being sneaky and user-friendly. Ultimately, we shifted the markings to the long side of the cards, right by the border, so they’re a doddle to read in spreads.
From the initial sketches, Sean and Manel opted for a subtly clever one-way design for the backs. It’s a bit of a magician’s secret—once you spot it, it’s there for you to use in all sorts of jaw-dropping tricks.
We’ve decked out the cards with 1885 Bicycle faces, all redrawn and polished by Daniel Schneider to nail that vintage aesthetic. The court cards got a little revamp too; we swapped out the usual blue for the same lush green as on the backs.
Manel also crafted a stylish and simple praying mantis Ace of Spades, alongside a pair of identical Jokers. With those Jokers, you’re ready to go right out of the box!
