The Karnival Dose (Redux Edition) and Karnival Midnight (Deep Purple Edition) are both limited edition (2,500 each)  re-runs of earlier decks, but in different colour ways.  So the classic Karnival Midnight (from 2009) has had a makeover in purple and the Karnival Dose (from 2011) – which already had a slight back change in another limited edition in 2012 – has been made over in (blood?) red.

We’re watching you…

Well I did say it would be briefly didn’t I?  Now, if no one is watching, let’s talk about 1984…

This feels like a very different style of deck from previous Karnival decks and marks a step into the social and political arena – and away from skulls.  Mainly. There are still a couple of skulls on the back design – but they are wearing suits, so that’s ok…

If you’ve enjoyed Orwell’s dystopian novel then you will appreciate some of the ideas worked into this deck.  Clearly the idea of surveillance is significant – with a watching/transmitting eye at the heart of the design – and a warning on the tuck case!  The jokers pick up on this theme – their heads replaced with an eye and a ‘watching tv’ respectively, and with the slogans of ‘the party’ written underneath.

The colours are striking and the classic Karnival radiating pattern makes for an appealing fan or spread – face up or down.  The indices have been re-drawn in a brutalist style font and the pips are big and bold.  And you will notice another intervention of the theme on the Ace, nine, eight and four pip cards – see if you can work it out from the picture!

The pixelation of the faces on the court cards is a brilliant touch which fits well with the theme and adds interest to the design.  I was delighted to see two useful extra cards (instead of the usual advertising card): a double backer – which is useful in a variety of magic routines; and a double-faced card (7C/3H) which will also have plenty of uses.

They handle, fan and spread beautifully – with the classic intricate Hayles detail on both sides of the card making visually appealing displays.

All in all this is a great deck which is up to the usual Karnival high standards.  A must for collectors and could fit in well to an intriguing magic routine too.

The Karnival 1984 deck and all the other available Karnival decks can be purchased from Merchant of Magic (with thanks to Big Blind Media who kindly supplied the review copies).  And don’t miss the cracking bundle deal – 6 decks and a free uncut sheet!

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Up for grabs are their two latest decks. The gorgeous Karnival Hornets and the classic Karnival Midnight (with the new limited edition foil tuckcase).

How to enter
1. Visit and ‘like’ our facebook page (if you haven’t already done so)
2. In 25 words or less, tell us why you would like a pack of Karnival Hornets or Midnights. You can only enter once for each type of pack (so a maximum of two entries! Got it?!). Please make your entry on our facebook wall!
3. The entry that makes us laugh, smile, cry, or shudder the most will receive a lovely shiny new deck – in time for Christmas if the Royal Mail does their stuff.

The competition will end at midnight (GMT) on Saturday 17th December and the winner(s) will be announced on Bicycle-Cards.co.uk on or before 20th December.

Please note – we are a UK site and this is a UK ONLY competition. We cannot post cards outside of the UK.

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Karnival Midnights

What can we say?…

Well, as you will see, they are at heart, a black version of the original Karnival deck (see side by side comparison pic above). If you loved that, you’ll love these. Like their older brothers they have a subtle one-way back design. Always useful. There is less ‘noisey bleed’ (if you know what I mean) into the (white) border of the cards – which I think looks better. And, in fact, there are additional corner flourishes which look rather elegant.

Top quality USPCC card stock, so they handle really well. No problems there.

Barcode reveal on pack (see inset pic on right).

Extra double back card – very useful for lots of routines. A ‘BBM Advertising Card’ which also has a pic of a skull wearing a crown with another reveal (Q of H) on the bottom – see below:

They’re shipping now – so head over to Big Blind Media to get some before they’re gone…

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Karnival Midnight - sneak preview

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