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I'll admit I kinda like these...

But that back is boring as hell!

Ah, was wondering when this one was going live.

Looks a bit boring as it is, here's some suggestions for improvements:

- Widen the court cards a bit, the indices are not big so there's plenty of dead space on the sides.
- Add some more detailed highlights to the court cards like the red roses, they are too few and far apart. The spade and club court cards can have some highlighted bits in the same silver color as the indices are.

The rose held by the Jack of Hearts looks like only half of it has been colored, which looks kinda weird. Oversight or intended?

Not sure what can be done to the back design, but I agree it's pretty boring. Maybe just have the double x in the middle and add something to the top and bottom? Some swirlies or something? Idk, I don't have an artistic third eye for things like that.

Other than that, it looks like a pretty decent deck. Love the brand spankin' new court cards, good job to whoever drew those!

PS. $1 off Early Birds isn't enough to bait me into getting one just to get one. Just sayin'.

I like them too - but my April budget is already blown out the water!


It looks like there is blood dripping from the flower - and that's what is coloured in.

I quite like the faces of this one, particular the update to the court figures. As mentioned, I guess they could be a little wider but I think they look great on the whole. The XX on the back is something we've seen before and not super inspiring, I'd almost like it better to take those and just keep the back plain with the pinstripe.

I pledged for one, mainly to see those faces in person.

Definitely sold on the court cards. The tuck and back need some work. I'm in for a couple.
I agree that the pinstripe back would work much better than the double X.

backed for 1 of the branded and 1 bicycle at the moment, love the faces, and the way the red stands out in small areas of the cards.

The two color faces present a common problem on all black courts, how to keep them from looking boring compared to the red color on the hearts and diamonds. I'd suggest going in and popping out small features on the all black courts in white to match what he's done on the red cards. The flame on the Jack of clubs, the rose on the Queen. Just might make them stand out a bit more.

ETA: That line around the spade and club symbols in the pips might look good in white as well.

TLZ1979 wrote:backed for 1 of the branded and 1 bicycle at the moment, love the faces, and the way the red stands out in small areas of the cards.

Pledged the same. Overall the deck is well done.

Lovely courts, like everyone has said, this needs a more inspiring back design. even though the deck is double black, i think the deck is too dark.

OK MAJOR EDIT (I remember seeing the queen somewhere before):
I guess i know why the back design is what is it. Gamblers bought the design off a designer for the court cards, but the designer didnt make a back design (hence the inconsistency), but nothing is wrong with that. HOWEVER, I have a problem with this, WHY DID YOU REMOVE ALL THE GORGEOUS COLOURS ON THE ORIGINAL COURT CARDS. Please, relaunch this project with the coloured courts, a better back design.








credits: http://playingcardcollector.net/2013/09 ... hn-powell/

^^ Those colorful courts do look better than the ones of the Double Black deck. I pledged for only Bicycle brand but once again, too many black decks out.

Oh wow those color ones are nice.

I love the courts and when I saw it for the first time, I thought it would look better colored. I also had a feeling that the courts weren't their original creation since the cards are coming from Gambler's Warehouse which was suspiciously linked to BMPokerworld, who also bought the rights for the Grungeland deck. It might not have any logical connection but just sharing.
Anyway, I'll be in for two later. Would have wanted to add the Legacy deck but there's no combined shipping when adding them on which just sucks.

Gambler's Warehouse bought all of his business interests. It was announced yesterday in the Introduction forum by Alysha. I knew but was asked to give them a few days...

I have to agree that the colored courts look better.

Mike Ratledge wrote:I have to agree that the colored courts look better.

I wish that alysha had come to us before the launch of the project, so many little things to be changed that can make this deck that much better.

volantangel wrote:

Mike Ratledge wrote:I have to agree that the colored courts look better.

I wish that alysha had come to us before the launch of the project, so many little things to be changed that can make this deck that much better.

Agreed, but that's not her area really - though I suppose she can get Eddie to rethink their strategy, I hope. It all boils down to that exact same thing: if people come and show us what they are doing in advance, 9 times out of 10 (if they listen) they end up getting funded. Almost universally if they don't, the deck goes down the tubes.

I suppose that the argument can be made that I'm biased, but that's just garbage: UC has a diverse membership of Cardists, Magicians and Collectors from around the globe, not just a focused few. Collectively when we look at something we know whether it will work or not, with very rare exception. Thinking about it I can't even come up with one example where we 'panned' something and it worked, unless you're talking about Elite or Collectible PCC, which don't need KS in the first place. I'm certain that me saying this will point out that I'm wrong - they always do.

I know Randy well enough to say that he doesn't even know what Kevin at HOPC/TBC is doing at times, apparently nobody does. How anyone with any business sense could let Heretic, Clipped Wings, Absinthe and effectively Requiem, Sawdust, etc (and other follow-on decks by just these 3 designers and who knows how many more?) just walk after signing contracts is beyond me. Instead of Heretic for Christmas last year we got Black NOCs and White Diamond Luxury decks - well, at least that's what they printed. Heck, he already sells "Curator" exclusively for Emmanuel Jose. It just doesn't make sense - business-wise or otherwise.

The fact remains that we willingly give deck artists a boost free, and all they have to do is let us suggest things, listen and respond. All they have to do is let us see what they are doing, it's almost sad sometimes, because they often wait too long to rescue their projects.

Mike Ratledge wrote:

volantangel wrote:

Mike Ratledge wrote:I have to agree that the colored courts look better.

I wish that alysha had come to us before the launch of the project, so many little things to be changed that can make this deck that much better.

Agreed, but that's not her area really - though I suppose she can get Eddie to rethink their strategy, I hope. It all boils down to that exact same thing: if people come and show us what they are doing in advance, 9 times out of 10 (if they listen) they end up getting funded. Almost universally if they don't, the deck goes down the tubes.

I suppose that the argument can be made that I'm biased, but that's just garbage: UC has a diverse membership of Cardists, Magicians and Collectors from around the globe, not just a focused few. Collectively when we look at something we know whether it will work or not, with very rare exception. Thinking about it I can't even come up with one example where we 'panned' something and it worked, unless you're talking about Elite or Collectible PCC, which don't need KS in the first place. I'm certain that me saying this will point out that I'm wrong - they always do.

I know Randy well enough to say that he doesn't even know what Kevin at HOPC/TBC is doing at times, apparently nobody does. How anyone with any business sense could let Heretic, Clipped Wings, Absinthe and effectively Requiem, Sawdust, etc (and other follow-on decks by just these 3 designers and who knows how many more?) just walk after signing contracts is beyond me. Instead of Heretic for Christmas last year we got Black NOCs and White Diamond Luxury decks - well, at least that's what they printed. Heck, he already sells "Curator" exclusively for Emmanuel Jose. It just doesn't make sense - business-wise or otherwise.

The fact remains that we willingly give deck artists a boost free, and all they have to do is let us suggest things, listen and respond. All they have to do is let us see what they are doing, it's almost sad sometimes, because they often wait too long to rescue their projects.

Mikey, quit your day job, we can set up the UC playing card company XD

Hey all,

Yes, Mike is correct with it not exactly being my area. I didn't really have much say in the technical or artistic development of this project. I mainly handle our PR, website updates and social media. I definitely see the advantage of previewing any future deck ideas here before the projects are launched though. I will speak with Eddie to see what can be done to accommodate some of the suggestions that you all have made. We really appreciate all of the feedback here, this is definitely a huge learning experience for all of us at GW.

volantangel wrote:Mikey, quit your day job, we can set up the UC playing card company XD

No, I've got better things to do than try to compete in an area that is already healthy and growing by leaps and bounds. UC is a forum, we can help (a lot!) but we don't need to get into the retail business, that is a certainty from past history here.

Bikefanatic wrote:^^ Those colorful courts do look better than the ones of the Double Black deck. I pledged for only Bicycle brand but once again, too many black decks out.

Those are sweet!

Hey guys I originally designed the deck and super pumped you guys dig the deck. Kinda took a good long while to see these come about not exactly how I had planned on but I will be working with Gambler's warehouse to complete the deck so I'm really looking forward to finishing this one off.

Thanks, again, Johnny! It looks like the black/black version is easily going to do $25,000+ and I'm hoping that we get to see the (original) full-color version of it soon after!

Apart from the white highlights on the black suits, I don't see any changes made that would have made me pledge for this. Oh well.

@Jonnypowpow - I guess ppl are scared of you. Hence the response date.

@volantangle - Great find. It neat to see two decks of the same type and style with a different perspective. It seems Jonnypowpow is going dark....

Mike Ratledge wrote:Thanks, again, Johnny! It looks like the black/black version is easily going to do $25,000+ and I'm hoping that we get to see the (original) full-color version of it soon after!

If the Original Full version is released, I wonder what it'll be called? I've changed my pledge to a unbranded deck because I want to add more decks to the non-Bike collection and also I think with the name Double Black and the XX, it's like it's own brand.

Why is it whenever I see the headline for this thread the scene from This is Spinal Tap where he says, "how much blacker can you get? The answer is none. None more black."

Eddie just hit me up today to do my own branded version of the deck and I have to say I think its going to be so sick! Here's a tiny little sneak peek.

I expect they will be uploading the full version really quickly here just wanted to give you guys a heads up and thanks for all the interest. Gambler's warehouse and I are coming up with a full color version here soon as well but I'm really excited to see my deck produced and have you guys respond to it.

If it weren't for you guys I'd have never have known they were being produced and neither would gambler's warehouse know about me. They didn't know who I was and Im very excited to be working with them.



Thanks again guys!

Available later tonight: Bicycle Double Black Limited edition decks!
Only 500 of each deck ( Version 1 and version 2), and they will be individually numbered!












CBJ

Jonnypowpow wrote:Eddie just hit me up today to do my own branded version of the deck and I have to say I think its going to be so sick! Here's a tiny little sneak peek.

I expect they will be uploading the full version really quickly here just wanted to give you guys a heads up and thanks for all the interest. Gambler's warehouse and I are coming up with a full color version here soon as well but I'm really excited to see my deck produced and have you guys respond to it.

If it weren't for you guys I'd have never have known they were being produced and neither would gambler's warehouse know about me. They didn't know who I was and Im very excited to be working with them.



Thanks again guys!

So basically they took your art without your permission and you're ok with that? And btw pass. There is no reason to have 4 different boxes with the same deck especially 2 limited ones that are nearly identical. Can anyone say cash grab?

vjose32 wrote: So basically they took your art without your permission and you're ok with that? And btw pass. There is no reason to have 4 different boxes with the same deck especially 2 limited ones that are nearly identical. Can anyone say cash grab?

They bought the art from him. Please don't be so quick to pass judgement, Victor.