Issue 105 of Kardify Magazine is now on Patreon!

 

Issue 105 of Kardify Magazine is now 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-January to mid-February. 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:   

+ Shuffled Stories Vol. 2: From Jack Brutus Penny, a thoughtfully designed playing card deck that celebrates the shared history between tarot and playing cards. Check it out!

+ Bicycle Baroque: Drawing inspiration from the Baroque period (1600–1750), this limited edition deck by Mark Stutzman channels the grandeur, drama, and ornamental excess commissioned by Europe’s most powerful monarchies. 

+ Crazy 8's 2026 Edition: The latest release by Jackson Robinson features a whimsical chalkboard-inspired art style, playful on the surface yet layered with meaning. Find out more!

+ Avatar: This Theory11 deck invites you into the bioluminescent world of Pandora, transforming James Cameron’s epic universe into a fully illustrated deck designed to be experienced in the hand. 

+ Bicycle Bluey: A vibrant deck featuring Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, and Chilli  designed to capture the spirit of the beloved animated TV series.

+ Kamiarizuki: Drawing from Japanese mythology, the latest deck from Bloom Playing Cards is inspired by Kami-Ari-Zuki, the sacred “Month With Gods”. Have a look!

+ Year of the Horse: TCC Fashion welcome the 2026 Lunar New Year with an elegant blend of symbolism, craftsmanship, and Eastern aesthetics. Designed as a celebration of new beginnings, this limited edition deck channels hope, momentum, and prosperity.

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

Liminal Playing Cards by Thirdway Industries

Liminal, a new playing card series that exists beyond the door, suspended in a world that is both hidden and ever-present. This new Thirdway Industries' release will feature two versions of the deck, with final names still to be revealed. The red box edition, adorned with the Two-Faced creature, will feature metallic gilded edges and will be available exclusively to Patreon supporters of Thirdway Industries. 

The foil is luminous, and richly detailed, giving the cards a striking presence in hand. Both versions of the deck will be housed in tuck boxes made with custom specialty paper, enhanced by hot foil stamping and 3D sculpted embossing. This time, the embossing was designed specifically around the architectural form of the box itself, making it an integral part of the design rather than a surface embellishment.

From a design perspective, Liminal represents an experiment in a slightly different direction than Gio's usual work. It leans into surrealism, built on symbolic forms such as Betrayers and Order, but with greater detail and a structure that feels more traditionally “standard” for a deck of playing cards. Much of the visual language draws inspiration from classic French card design, while remaining fully custom throughout. 

The lore of Liminal is intentionally incomplete. It is not meant to be fully explained, only suggested. This ambiguity is central to how Gio approaches storytelling through playing cards. The Liminal World exists beyond the threshold, metaphysical in nature and hidden in plain sight. Within it rule four Genii... Hatred, Insight, Gold, and Blood- figures that serve as kings, sometimes benevolent and sometimes cruel, their true nature never fully fixed.

Alongside them are four Sirens, the queens of this world, whose voices shape its rhythm and tone. They are known as Devout, Serene, Majestic, and Alluring, each singing a different kind of truth. Standing at the threshold are four Guardians: Wise, Bestial, Favored, and Silent. Whether they exist to prevent entry into the Liminal World or to stop something from escaping it remains unclear.

The Jokers take the form of four beings known as the Wanderers, described as gods made flesh... strange, powerful, and incomplete. Only one is revealed for now: the Two-Faced One, a clever and opportunistic figure who shifts with the wind and survives by constant change.

Liminal wee be printed by Kingstar using gold cold foil, a process chosen for its ability to cover large foil areas while preserving extreme precision and fine detail.

Labyrinth Playing Cards on Kickstarter

At first glance, Labyrinth appears restrained... clean lines, familiar structure, a simple deck of cards. It isn’t. Designed by Jackson Robinson of Kings Wild Project, Labyrinth is a puzzle-based playing card deck in which every court card is a fully solvable maze. 

The Kings, Queens, and Jacks are not illustrated in the traditional sense. Instead, they are hidden within the maze itself. Each court card begins as nothing more than an intricate labyrinth: no portraits, no faces, no obvious imagery. Only paths, turns, and dead ends. 

The card offers no visual clues as to what it contains. To reveal the court, the maze must be solved. When the correct path is traced from beginning to end, it resolves into the full form of the King, Queen, or Jack. The portrait is not printed on top of the design, it is formed by the solution. The puzzle and the image are one and the same.

Adding another layer to the concept, the maze solutions and the court figures they create are printed in invisible UV-reactive ink. Under normal lighting, the cards show only the maze structure, with no answers or hints. When exposed to ultraviolet light, the hidden path illuminates and the court figure emerges. What was previously concealed becomes instantly visible, reinforcing the deck’s central theme of discovery.

Originally conceived and drawn over seven years ago, Labyrinth’s full vision was delayed due to the high cost and technical limitations of UV-reactive printing at the time. Recent advancements in printing technology have made the process far more accessible, allowing the concept to be realized as originally intended.

Labyrinth continues Jackson's tradition of detail-driven, concept-forward playing card design. Rather than relying on ornate illustration alone, the deck invites interaction. It rewards patience and attention, offering both a functional pack of cards and a layered puzzle experience within the courts.

Printed by KWPCC and pledge starts at $14 on Kickstarter.  

Bicycle Disney Beauty and the Beast Inspired Playing Cards

Step into the timeless magic of Disney’s classic tale with Bicycle Disney Beauty and the Beast Inspired Playing Cards. Housed in an elegant gold-foiled tuck box, this enchanting deck transforms family game nights into a moment of storybook wonder.

Inside, each court card has been custom-designed to bring beloved characters... Belle, the Beast, Mrs. Potts, and others, to life in stunning detail, while the card backs feature the iconic enchanted rose, adding a touch of fairy-tale charm to every game.

Printed by the USPCC on premium Bicycle cardstock with the signature Air-Cushion finish. Available now for $.12.99 on Cardtopia.