Relaunched Nerds VS Jocks Final Day on Kickstarter

Relaunched late last month on Kickstarter, Nerds vs Jocks Playing Cards is a collaboration between Randy Butterfield of Midnight Cards and Mike Wilson. This is their third collaboration after the OCULUS deck and POLLOCK Playing Cards.

On the Kickstarter page, Mike explained,

After the success of OCULUS and Pollock, Randy and I decided to go in a different direction. We tossed around the idea of a vintage vibe. As 80s pop culture began to reemerge on TV with Stranger Things, and the retro fashion styles began to make a comeback, it wasn’t hard to decide on an 80s theme filled with brains versus brawn.

The designs for Nerds VS Jocks decks are bold, colorful, and unique. The look is inspired from classic 80s movies that are lighthearted and fun, and occasionally center on a Nerds VS Jocks storyline.

This includes lots of nods to some 80s characters found on the fully custom court cards including outfits, and props, plus references to the overall flashy vibe that made the 1980’s so grand.

Both Decks feature the same set of face cards. The Spades and Clubs represent the Nerds. The Hearts and Diamonds represent the Jocks. If you look closely, the Spade pips contain a floppy disk within, and the Spade Courts are representative of some prototypical Nerds of the 80s. The Club features a D12 dice graphic inside the pips, and the Club Courts are the gaming and sci-fi Nerds of the Deck.

The Heart pips contain a football goal post, and the Heart Courts represent the ultimate sports Jocks of the 80s - football players and cheerleaders! Finally, the Diamond PIPs feature a set of football threads within, and the Club Courts are the partying and workout Jocks of the 80s.

The tuck box and back design of the Nerds Deck features a closeup design of a dress shirt and, of course, the pocket protector that holds the tools for the quintessential “Nerd” of the 80s. The “Embroidered Patch” Nerds Logo is given a place of prominence on the shirt pocket.

Meanwhile, the tuck and backs for the Jocks Deck feature a closeup design of a letterman’s jacket. We chose “M” as the Varsity Letter, which stands for Midnight Cards and Mike Wilson. The “Enamel Pin” Jocks Logo is positioned on the large “M” Varsity Letter.

Both tucks will be printed on a premium Matte paper stock and include clear UV Spot Ink in strategic areas of the designs. The NERDS VS JOCKS Decks will be printed by Expert Playing Card Co., with their Taiwan printer on their Classic Finish. Now on Kickstarter!

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Kickstarter: Nerds vs Jocks Playing Cards

Nerds vs Jocks Playing Cards is a collaboration between Randy Butterfield of Midnight Cards and Mike Wilson. This is their third collaboration after the OCULUS deck and POLLOCK Playing Cards.

On the Kickstarter page, Mike explained,

After the success of OCULUS and Pollock, Randy and I decided to go in a different direction. We tossed around the idea of a vintage vibe. As 80s pop culture began to reemerge on TV with Stranger Things, and the retro fashion styles began to make a comeback, it wasn’t hard to decide on an 80s theme filled with brains versus brawn.

In terms of design, Nerds VS Jocks decks are bold, colorful, and unique. The look is inspired from classic 80s movies that are lighthearted and fun, and occasionally center on a Nerds VS Jocks storyline.

This includes lots of nods to some 80s characters found on the fully custom court cards including outfits, and props, plus references to the overall flashy vibe that made the 1980’s so grand.

Both Decks feature the same set of face cards. The Spades and Clubs represent the Nerds. The Hearts and Diamonds represent the Jocks. If you look closely, the Spade pips contain a floppy disk within, and the Spade Courts are representative of some prototypical Nerds of the 80s. The Club features a D12 dice graphic inside the pips, and the Club Courts are the gaming and sci-fi Nerds of the Deck.

The Heart pips contain a football goal post, and the Heart Courts represent the ultimate sports Jocks of the 80s - football players and cheerleaders! Finally, the Diamond PIPs feature a set of football threads within, and the Club Courts are the partying and workout Jocks of the 80s.

The tuck box and back design of the Nerds Deck features a closeup design of a dress shirt and, of course, the pocket protector that holds the tools for the quintessential “Nerd” of the 80s. The “Embroidered Patch” Nerds Logo is given a place of prominence on the shirt pocket.

Meanwhile, the tuck and backs for the Jocks Deck feature a closeup design of a letterman’s jacket. We chose “M” as the Varsity Letter, which stands for Midnight Cards and Mike Wilson. The “Enamel Pin” Jocks Logo is positioned on the large “M” Varsity Letter.

Both tucks will be printed on a premium Matte paper stock and include clear UV Spot Ink in strategic areas of the designs. The NERDS VS JOCKS Decks will be printed by Expert Playing Card Co., with their Taiwan printer on their Classic Finish.

Now on Kickstarter!

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Cardistry: The OCULUS Deck by Midnight Cards Coming Soon to Kickstarter!

[Update] The OCULUS Deck is now LIVE on Kickstarter! Pledge starts from $12.

The OCULUS Deck is a collaboration between Randy Butterfield of Midnight Cards and Mike Wilson (Instagram: @theDoc318). Mike and Randy both live in the Indianapolis area and have become good friends over the past couple years.

OCULUS is designed to be one of the first worker deck for cardists, while maintaining superior handling, design, and affordability.

The design for the deck is inspired by Pointillism. It features a full-bleed borderless design with bold and vibrant Reds and Blues. The Court Cards each have a radial design structure that gives them an abstract, yet familiar, look to them.

[Update] The OCULUS Deck is now LIVE on Kickstarter! Pledge starts from $12.

OCULUS will be printed by Hanson Chien Production Co., and will launch on Kickstarter on September 14th at 3:00pm EDT.

Kickstarter: POLLOCK Artistry and Cardistry Playing Cards

Final week! POLLOCK Artistry and Cardistry Decks are a collaboration between Randy Butterfield of Midnight Cards and Mike Wilson. This is their second collaboration after the OCULUS playing cards, funded a year ago. On the Kickstarter page, Mike explained,

After the success of OCULUS, I approached Randy with the idea of POLLOCK, as I thought it would be a good follow up to the pointillism inspiration that led to the design of OCULUS. After having had talked to a multitude of cardists about why they enjoy cardistry, and what pushes them to take the art even further and hearing time after time that “it’s a way to express myself”, I was instantly reminded of Jackson Pollock. Pollock took the canvas off the easel and placed it onto the floor and using ordinary house paint, he created extraordinary art. In my mind, this mirrored the way cardist take playing cards off the table and express themselves through sometimes seemingly impossible moves. Knowing what the idea would require from a designer caused a lot of hesitation, but I knew if anyone could find a way- it would be Randy.

Both POLLOCK Artistry and Cardistry Decks feature a splatter painting composite on the card backs. The colors are bold and interesting, which is broken down into two main color blocks - Light Blue and Yellow. Also included are strategic accents of Black splatter art that help finish off the design.

The Ace of Spade and Jokers mimic a Painting in a Gallery setting. The semi-custom Face Cards incorporate various color combos of the splatter painting composite and create a cohesive look for the rest of the Deck.

The designs for each tuck are meant to mimic the look of a Painting displayed in an Art Gallery similar to the Ace of Spades and Jokers. Each one will be printed 4-Color Process on a premium Matte Tuck material, and each will have a clear UV Spot Ink layer that will add a level of gloss in strategic locations.

The POLLOCK Artistry and Cardistry Decks will be printed in Taiwan by Expert Playing Card Co. on with their Classic Finish. Available NOW on Kickstarter for $13 per deck.

Less Than 4 Hours Remaining. SLOTS Playing Cards on Kickstarter

The SLOT series playing cards are inspired by the original Slot Machine symbols. The deck is another collaboration between Mike Wilson and Randy Butterfield of Midnight Cards. On the design, Mike said,

We decided a casino-style design would be the perfect representation of a theme like this! Each symbol is given a fictitious casino name of its own. The first gambling Slot Machine was the Liberty Bell by Charles Fey, in 1887. In honor of that, our hero Deck is the Liberty Bell Casino Deck.

 

For this project, they've focused on the four-leaf Clover symbol (Wicked Leprechaun Casino Deck) and the #7 symbol (Lucky 7 Casino Deck). Each design emanates class and sophistication for any game night!

The overall goal is to create 9 different SLOT Series Decks (broken down between 3 projects). When displayed side-by-side, each Tuck will have its hero Slot symbol highlighted in Gold FOIL and will descend in order from top to bottom.



Inside, the face cards are pretty much standard with the exception of the Ace of Spades and Jokers. The Ace of Spade for each Deck headlines a Vegas-style showgirl and the Jokers feature a unique old-school style Slot Machine with each Deck’s hero Slot symbol and color spotlighted. 

Each semi-custom recolored courts exudes luxury with the unique border treatment but remains extremely playable with the Court artwork we all know and love. The Face Cards for each Deck will feature a Metallic GOLD ink and 3 Pantone colors. 

Each SLOT Series Tuck Box will be printed on a premium Matte Tuck paper stock and will feature a Pantone flood color, Gold FOIL, and a second / accent FOIL. Each Tuck Box will also have an Interior printed design and embossing. 

The SLOTS Playing Cards will be printed by Expert Playing Card Co. on Classic Finish stock. Available NOW on Kickstarter for $15.

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News: We Just Released Issue Seventeen of Kardify Magazine

The Kardify Magazine #17 is here! Patrons who pledge $3 or more on our Patreon page. The monthly magazine compiles selected articles we’ve published from mid-September to mid-October. Our goal is to help you stay on top of the latest playing card news, releases and previews.

Funds received from the magazine will help us keep the site running and growing, and bringing new quality content to you. Our aim is to support designers by backing on crowd-funded projects and supporting magic and playing cards retailers with their new releases. If you want to support us, please head over to our Patreon page.

If you have an idea for an article you would like us to pursue, do get in contact with us. We hope you enjoy the read. In this issue:

+ Merah Putih: Find out what we think about this limited edition deck by Ade Suryana.

+ Bitcoin: A cool deck by Andrei Jikh, Patrick Kun and Billy French. Funded in under 10 hours, these stunning decks are on track to be in the Top12 most funded playing cards on Kickstarter.

+ Pollock Artistry: A collaboration between Midnight Cards and Mike Wilson, the second after the OCULUS deck.

+ Fontaine Guess & Wine: A new record for Zach Mueller! Sold out in 10 minutes but not without technical difficulties resulting in 45 minutes delay to the launch.

+ Squeezers: Have a look at the fun deck with a cool vibrant tuck box.

+ Tally-Ho Cardistry-Con 2018: A vibrant deck released by Bicycle Cards in conjunction to Cardistry-Con 2018 in Hong Kong.

+ Betrayers: Find out more about Giovanni Meroni's next release. Absolutely love the new artwork!

+ Voyagers: Produced by Theory11 the deck is inspired by the open road- with a spirit of adventure.

… and more! 52 pages of articles and deck images. Enjoy!

Medusa Playing Cards by Midnight Cards

Inspired by the legendary Gorgon of Greek mythology, Medusa Playing Cards are as dangerous as they are mesmerizing. Designed by Randy Butterfield of Midnight Cards and produced by Mike Wilson, this striking deck features a hypnotic back design of swirling snakes in vivid green and orange, printed on holographic foil stock for a dazzling, otherworldly effect.

The tuck boxes showcase the haunting gaze of Medusa wrapped around the matte paper case. Two editions are available during the campaign: the Standard Black Tuck, crafted with matte black paper and highlighted in green and orange foil, and the Kickstarter exclusive Limited Green Tuck, only limited to just 500 decks. 

Inside, each card face carries the myth forward. Borderless snake motifs dominate the back, while the courts, pips, and aces are comes with grunge textures and mythological icons: Medusa, Pegasus, Perseus, and the sword & shield of legend. Even the jokers pay tribute to Perseus, holding the severed head of Medusa.

The deck also features Ultra Green edges, a dyed green paper stock that resists chipping and keeps the deck looking fresh long after first use. 

Printed by Legends Playing Card Co. and pledge starts at $17 on Kickstarter.

Kardify Magazine Issue 101 Now on Patreon

We just dropped Kardify Magazine Issue 101 on Patreon! Patrons who pledged $3 or more will be able to download the latest issue from our Patreon page. This issue compiles selected articles published from mid-September to mid-October. Deck images, articles, and news to keep you informed and up-to-date with the latest playing card news, releases, and previews. If you love playing cards, you will love Kardify Magazine!

Also, don’t forget to check out our other cool reward tiers on Patreon! The tiers include monthly desktop and smartphone wallpapers, a mystery deck shipped to you every 4 months of ongoing contributions, social media shout-outs, and multiple sponsorship tiers! Check it out!

Funds received from the magazine will help us keep the site running and growing, and bring new quality content to you. Our aim is to support designers by backing crowdfunded projects and supporting magic and playing cards retailers with their new releases. If you want to support us, please head over to our Patreon page. If you have an idea for an article you would like us to pursue, do get in contact with us. We hope you enjoy the read. In this issue:   

+ 52 Plus Joker 2025 Club Deck: The official 2025 club deck, Moonbound, a striking collaboration of Giovanni Meroni, Boschiero & Newton and Legends Playing Card Company. Find Out More!

+ Odd Fellows: The story of Stockholm17’s Odd Fellows continues at 17 Sinner’s Street. The story unfolds through a deck of playing cards smuggled inside modified hip flasks.

+ Dualism Chroma: Check out the latest creation from Thirdway Industries, explores the delicate balance between good and evil through this extraordinary playing cards series. 

+ Medusa: Designed by Midnight Cards and produced by Mike Wilson, this striking deck features a hypnotic back design of swirling snakes in vivid green and orange, printed on holographic foil. Check it out!

+ Strange tales from a Chinese Studio: Bloom Playing Cards latest deck transforms ancient Chinese tales of love, and the supernatural into an intricate collection of illustrated cards. Find Out More!

+ Butterfly Try-All Set: Butterfly Cards is asking fans and collectors to help decide the future of the next Butterfly deck by allowing you test and compare three unique card stocks, while influencing the deck’s upcoming second edition.

+ Virtuoso P1 SG: The Virts announced the launch of a special edition Virts deck created to honor Singapore’s 60th anniversary!

… and more! 54 pages of articles and deck images. Enjoy!

POLLOCK: Euchre Edition Playing Cards

The POLLOCK: Euchre Edition playing cards is a beautifully designed set of Euchre playing cards inspired by the famed Expressionist painter, Jackson Pollock. This Kickstarter project is helmed by Mike Wilson in collaboration with Randy Butterfield of Midnight Cards.

Euchre is a beloved trick-taking card game, especially popular in the American Midwest. It is typically played with four players in two teams of two. The first team to reach 10 points wins the game. The POLLOCK: Euchre Edition is designed specifically for this game, providing a complete and artistic experience.

Unlike many card games, Euchre does not require the Two through Eight cards or Jokers. Each POLLOCK deck includes two complete Euchre decks in one box, offering great value with two decks for the price of one.

The POLLOCK: Euchre Deck features two full Euchre decks in vibrant blue and red, all housed in one tuck box. The back of each card showcases a bold and intriguing splatter painting composite, staying true to Jackson Pollock’s signature style.

The Ace of Spades and the tuck box design mimic the look of a painting displayed in an art gallery, enhancing the artistic appeal. The semi-custom face cards use various color combinations from the splatter painting composite, creating a cohesive and visually appealing deck. Additionally, the set includes two rules cards and four custom score cards, eliminating the need for makeshift score trackers.

The POLLOCK: Euchre Tuck Box is designed to resemble a painting in an art gallery, complete with a descriptor card and a red dot to indicate a sold piece of art. The back panel of the tuck box features a split design showcasing both back card color variations, making it a true collector’s item.

Printed by Legends Playing Card Co. and pledge starts at $15 on Kickstarter.