Welcome to our new collaboration project! We are excited to present the Mantis Playing Cards, an original card game developed by Sean Devine and designed by Manel. De Mantis Playing Cards is our first foray into the world of reading style marked card games. When Sean first approached us with the idea for this game, we were immediately intrigued. The vintage vibe combined with the modern mantis twist really appealed to us. �� Why the praying mantis? Urban legend says, “When you see a praying mantis, beware of smoke and mirrors.” How fitting for a magic card game! �� Yes, the Mantis Playing Cards are specifically designed for magic tricks. It is a fully marked deck with a reading style marking system. The cleverly designed markings allow you to recognize the value of each card with a quick glance at the back. Sean, Manel and our team went through several versions of the marking system, tweaking along the way to find a balance between deception and usability. Ultimately, we moved the markings to the long side of the cards and next to the edge, so they are readable in spreads. �� From the first sketches, Sean and Manel changed the backs to a subtle one-way design. This feature is well hidden, but once you find it, it will always be there, allowing you to perform amazing magic tricks with the one-way principle. We chose faces from 1885 Bicycle, redrawn and perfected by Daniel Schneider to complete the vintage feel of the game. We adjusted the color scheme of the court cards by replacing the usual blue with the same green as on the backs. Manel designed a simple and elegant Praying Mantis Ace of Spades and a pair of identical Jokers. Thanks to the Jokers you have duplicates right out of the box.
