Alpha & Omega Cards

[Fud]

Hi Everyone,

NOW LIVE

Here are a few teaser snippets for you

A&O - Reformation - Box Foil GIF.gif (4.25 MiB) Viewed 5775 times

A&O - Reformation - Metallic Inks GIF.gif (2.49 MiB) Viewed 5775 times

A&O - Reformation - Air Cushion GIF.gif (2.06 MiB) Viewed 5775 times

- Printed by USPCC with metallic inks on Bicycle stock
- Embossed gold foil tucks with optional upgrades by GWH
- Unique artwork

Check it out!

[Harvonsgard]

Junker Jörg would be proud.

[vasta41]

The front of the tuck is kinda boring but I'm assuming that was done on purpose. Either way, I'm nitpicking and that's not enough to make me disinterested. I love everything else and I can't wait to see more!

[Fud]

OK, here are some more teasers from the upcoming Alpha & Omega 3-deck Kickstarter!

Make sure to FOLLOW THE PROJECT page now to get notified on launch!

Deck #1: Protestant Reformation!

- Printed by USPCC
- Hand-drawn woodcut style artwork
- Metallic gold inks throughout
- Beautiful historical detail!

Launching on the 30th, FOLLOW THE PROJECT page now to get notified on launch!

[Decknowledgy]

Absolute YES for me as a theology student, and you've got the three periods correct. Hopefully the three decks have different courts and backs!

[Fud]

Absolute YES for me as a theology student, and you've got the three periods correct. Hopefully the three decks have different courts and backs!

Awesome! As an MDiv, I certainly hope I got them right!

And yes, courts are specific to each deck, 1 deck per period. Same style of back, but different elements.

I'm looking forward to the launch

[vasta41]

This might be your best deck(s).

[rousselle]

If you're using really shiny metallic gold inks, that will go a long way toward making these evoke the styles of iconography I've seen done well by others.

It's always fun to see talented designers / producers branch out and trying new styles. Looking forward to seeing more about these!

[EvilDuncan]

I was a bit on the fence before with the empty-looking tuck, but those courts are really nice.

[Fud]

This might be your best deck(s).

Thanks!

If you're using really shiny metallic gold inks, that will go a long way toward making these evoke the styles of iconography I've seen done well by others.

As shiny as USPCC can do, I guess.

I was a bit on the fence before with the empty-looking tuck, but those courts are really nice.

The front of the tucks are minimally foiled, but the starburst embossing really makes it pop nicely. The embossed + foiled back really sets it off as well - the whole box was intended to come together, not just be a nice front

And, here are some more teasers from the EARLY CHURCH deck!

Make sure to FOLLOW THE PROJECT page now to get notified on launch!

Deck #2: Early Church!

- Printed by USPCC
- Hand-drawn woodcut style artwork
- Metallic gold inks throughout
- Beautiful historical detail!

Launching on the 30th, FOLLOW THE PROJECT page now to get notified on launch!

[Fud]

Last teaser before the launch on the 30th!

The 3rd deck in the Alpha & Omega series: GREAT AWAKENING

The Great Awakening (or the first among three evangelical revivals) swept through Britain, Europe and North America in the 1700's, giving birth to the strong traditions of Anglicanism, Methodism and many other foundational beliefs of the Western protestant church. Characterized by zealous speakers, passionate leaders and inspirational thinkers; this period left a theological legacy that continues to inspire and instruct us today.

• The ACES are significant events of periods around this time. The landing of the Mayflower, the Westminster Assembly of Divines, the open air preaching and camp meetings were pivotal events which drove the movement forward.

• The KINGS are the primary leaders of the awakening in their geographical areas. From preaching, to administration, government, grassroots revival and theological contribution; these figures shaped the religious revival of the 1700's: Whitefield, Edwards, Wesley & Wesley, Goodwin, Rutherford, Zinzendorf and Burroughs.

• The QUEENS and JACKS are other significant contributors who, though their involvement both great and small, continued the movement of Reformation.

The JOKERS are the principal opponents to the great awaking: Charles Chauncy was leader of the 'Old Light' factions which vigorously opposed the new revival breaking out, and William Laud who was the archbishop of Canterbury under King Charles I, who persecuted Puritans and dissidents.

Launching on March 30, 6am PDT / 9am EDT

See you there!

[Fud]

Alpha & Omega Playing Cards are now LIVE!



Come grab an Earlybird reward while they are still here!

- 3 Decks
- Early Church // Reformation // Great Awakening
- Hand-illustrated woodcut design
- Metallic golds inks throughout
- Embossed gold tuckbox
- Printed by USPCC
- Earlybird rewards available
- Tuck upgrades + unlockables throughout

See you there!
Ben

[vasta41]

ALIVE! And well (updated OP).

[Decknowledgy]

Got a full brick for these, first time in my collecting career.
These are so well design and depicted it would be MAD STOOPID not to pick them up and use them as teaching tools/aids for seminaries and church groups!

[justplaycards]

I agree they are beautifully designed, picked up the set.

[Harvonsgard]

They courts remind me a bit of Widakk, which is good. Selfish as I am, I would have wished for the three back designs being a tad more different but nonetheless a very nice mini series. Well done.

[Fud]

Got a full brick for these, first time in my collecting career.
These are so well design and depicted it would be MAD STOOPID not to pick them up and use them as teaching tools/aids for seminaries and church groups!

I'm going to use this in marketing forever. "MAD STOOPID"... Genius...

In other news, we hit 250% in roughly 24 hours, so gold foil seals for everyone!! Woo!!

Let's keep this moving to get to foiled inner tucks

Ben

[Decknowledgy]

Got a full brick for these, first time in my collecting career.
These are so well design and depicted it would be MAD STOOPID not to pick them up and use them as teaching tools/aids for seminaries and church groups!

I'm going to use this in marketing forever. "MAD STOOPID"... Genius...

In other news, we hit 250% in roughly 24 hours, so gold foil seals for everyone!! Woo!!

Let's keep this moving to get to foiled inner tucks

Ben

I shared this on my Facebook which has tons of friends in the ministry/church community and seminary education in Taiwan, and a good number is getting into groups to get bricks as far as I know. Hopefully more will be backing these, and a lot of them are first-timers using crowdfunding platforms and not even familiar with playing cards!

[Fud]

I shared this on my Facebook which has tons of friends in the ministry/church community and seminary education in Taiwan, and a good number is getting into groups to get bricks as far as I know. Hopefully more will be backing these, and a lot of them are first-timers using crowdfunding platforms and not even familiar with playing cards!

If you hear of them looking to get 2 or more bricks, send me a message first and I'll set them up a better reward tier!

[Fud]

Hi Everyone,

We have just passed 500% Funded, which unlocked the foil interior box print (the stretch goal I was most looking forward to!)

To celebrate, I have organized a giveaway with Intricuts for a 1-of-a-kind Reformation cut deck:

Super simple to enter to win: just go to THIS CONTEST PAGE and gain entries to win. I'll be drawing the winner at the end of the campaign, and the more entries you have, the more chances you have to win!

If you want to see a video of this incredible cut, just check out my post on our IG HERE.

Thanks!
Ben

[rousselle]

Got a full brick for these, first time in my collecting career.

Congratulations, my friend.

Of course, after you've done that once... it becomes easier to do it again.

Bwahahahahaha.

[EndersGame]

Alpha & Omega Playing Cards (Kickstarter)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/el ... ying-cards

A set of three decks of custom playing cards featuring characters from the Early Church, Protestant Reformation & Great Awakening

Cost: ~US$13 per deck
Current funding level: over 800% funded!
Kickstarter ends: Tuesday April 20, 2021



The Alpha & Omega Playing Cards project currently being crowd-funded on Kickstarter consists of three decks, each corresponding to a different significant period of church history:
● The Early Church
● The Protestant Reformation
● The Great Awakening

This project will especially appeal to Christians like myself. But it will also have appeal to people who have an interest in history, or who simply appreciate high quality custom playing cards.



The person running this project is Ben Jones from Elephant Playing Cards, who is very well known in the playing card industry, and a successful and experienced creator of many wonderful playing cards. A few years ago I covered quite a number of his custom playing cards in a detailed pictorial review article entitled Elephant Playing Cards - home of the famous Pipmen. Ben's Pipmen World deck continues to be an all-time personal favourite of mine.

But his latest project is far from whimsical, and deals with very serious material: figures from church history. As Ben notes on the project page, Biblical themes are a deeply rooted part of our history and cultural fabric, and it was time to produce something without cheesy clipart, and that was a quality product. What's more, events like the Protestant Reformation have had a significant impact historically, and their theologically importance is profound and ongoing.

The series approaches these events from a Protestant perspective, which I personally happen to share. But you don't have to agree with Ben's theology to appreciate the quality of these playing cards.



Of the three decks included, for me the Reformation deck is especially of real interest.

It's a fully custom deck, where all the cards depict various Reformation-related individuals and ideas. For example:
● The Kings are the primary leaders of the Reformation in their respective geographic areas: Luther, Calvin, Knox, and Zwingli.
● The Queens and Jacks are other key figures who played important roles.
● The Aces are milestone events in the reformations (e.g. the Reformation Solas).
● The Jokers are the principal opponents of the movement: Pope Leo X and Tetzel.



The artwork of the court cards is very detailed, and in wood-cut style, e.g. Luther is depicted on one side of the card nailing his era-defining 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, while on the other side he is confined to Wartburg Castle to escape the Catholic Church; a scene complete with the ink stain from his encounter with the devil.

The card backs revolve around a central cross that has an open book design to represent the Sola Scriptura principle that was key to the Reformation movement. The tuck box features Luther’s Rose in embossed gold foil signifying the hearts of the Protestant Reformation.



The other decks have a similar approach to their areas of focus. So the cards from the Early Church deck include influential leaders like Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, Athanasius, Polycarp, Chrysostom, and early church fathers like Clement, Origen, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Cyprian. The Great Awakening deck features individuals and preachers like George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Wesley.

The playing cards from this project are being produced on professional grade playing card stock with shiny metallic gold accents. I have several other decks produced by Elephant Playing Cards, and the quality is terrific. These particular decks are going to be printed by United States Playing Card Company, makers of the famous Bicycle brand, so that itself is a guarantee of quality.

As a bonus, all backers also get a free eBook with 10 popular card games that can be played with a regular deck.



Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with this project whatsoever, but I'm just a playing card enthusiast that appreciates creative and quality playing cards. As a Protestant Christian myself, with an appreciation of Reformed theology, I'm very pleased to see a high quality product that others can also appreciate. And as a collector of playing cards, I have a real appreciation for any custom deck of playing cards that is well done all round.

I've enjoyed many of the high quality custom playing cards from Elephant Playing Cards, and these look to be one of the best yet. Ben Jones is an experienced reputable creator, with a proven track record for delivering on what he promises, so backers can pledge with confidence. The project closes in less than a week, so if you want to get on board, now is the time to do so.

Kickstarter link:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/el ... ying-cards

[Fud]

Hey Everyone,

We just passed 900% Funding, which unlocked the last stretch goal - gilded decks with hand-pressed real gold wax seals. Pretty cool

Here's a full list of awesome upgrades that these decks have now!

If you want to pick up a deck or two before the campaign ends, now is the time! We only have 3 days left, and trust me, if you are a collector you will not want to miss these decks. You wouldn't want to be overpaying on a secondary market trying to complete a set of something...

Ben

[EndersGame]

Amazing stuff! Great work on the Kickstarter Ben.

I'm so pleased for you that there's been such a terrific amount of support for this project.

[Bradius]

I am looking forward to the rewards. However, I have to wonder about the reaction of most of the reformers to ending up on a deck of playing cards.

[brownsl]

i think the gilded deck looks really good but $45 for gilding, wax seal, and upgraded seal is just too much for me. So many good KS projects, so many with gilding.

[HFMJ]

Have you received your decks?
My package shows that was sent in October, but didn't received it yet. I had delays for some packages sent in October, but received them after approximately 2 months, but this project unfortunately not.
I am curious about other backers from different parts of the world. I am in Europe.

[brownsl]

I am in the US and have received my pledge.

[shkorc]

Yes, received my three decks a while back, in EU.