Now on Kickstarter, Beetle Backs Playing Cards are the latest deck produced by the Gentleman Wake in collaboration with Widakk Design. The Beetle Backs are designed as a luxurious deck of cards intended for game night, magicians, as well as card collectors. The theme explores the Kafkaesque tale of Theodore. G. Willford, an entomologist who is obsessed in his study of the rhinoceros beetle.
There are a total of 6 editions: 4 editions (Crimson Red – Cobalt Blue – Prestige Black – Dynastinae Green) are currently available, with the other 2 (Prism Purple and Legacy Gold) locked behind stretch goals. The tuck box for Crimson – Cobalt – Prestige – Legacy features a typographic work saying the title of the series, along with an intricate framework with TGW initials and the illustration of a rhinoceros beetle. As for the tuck box for Dynastinae – Prism, it features the portrait of the entomologist as an anthropomorphic beetle. Studio Pression in France will produce all tuck boxes.
There are two different designs for the backs of the Beetle Backs. For Crimson – Cobalt – Prestige – Legacy, the back design features a two-way illustration of the beetle entomologist sitting in his vintage study within the intricate border. For Dynastinae – Prism, the back design features a symmetrical mirrored illustration of the entomologist standing with a cane complete with the initials of TGW.
The artworks will be printed on ivory background: CMYK with Metallic Pantone inks for Crimson and Cobalt – beautiful gold cold foiling for Prestige, Legacy, and Dynastinae – divine holographic cold foil for Prism. The cards for Legacy, Dynastinae, and Prism will be gilded.
The faces of the cards are designed in a way that is suitable for gameplay and magic, yet luxurious with custom artworks. The pips are all standard, with a single pip on each Number Cards will have the TGW initials. The court cards feature Widakk’s iteration of the classic courts, with hidden details of rhinoceros beetle – a homage to Widakk’s “The Devils in the Details”.
All of the Aces feature customized enlarged pips – Ace of Spades features an elaborate artwork of a flying entomologist within the floral framework and a glimpse of his gentleman study; the other Aces depict the multiple stages of metamorphosis of Theodore G. Willford – from man to beetle. Both Jokers feature identical illustrations of the beetle riding a penny-farthing, a homage to the vintage Bicycle jokers. The extra cards feature the portrait of the entomologist and the TGW placard.
All of the cards will be printed with Cartamundi on B9 Slimline stock with Linen Finish. Pledge starts at $20 for either Crimson or Cobalt Edition OR $26 for the Prestige Edition on Kickstarter.
