(September 20, 2023) Acclaimed designer Kelly McMahon (Imperium) has created a deck of 54 playing cards that is a stylish illustrated tribute to the 1920s, with stunning art deco-inspired card designs. And that’s just the beginning, because the cards are also a murder mystery card game entitled BAD BLOOD, featuring a story by Mat Groom, a comic book writer who has penned the comic book adventures of the POWER RANGERS and ULTRAMAN and co-created the Image Comics sensation INFERNO GIRL RED. The campaign will also feature a collectible 8-page ashcan comic that takes you deeper into the world of Kelly McMahon’s BAD BLOOD, with a story by comics writer Mat Groom (INFERNO GIRL RED, AVENGERS UNLIMITED), art by Nicoletta Baldari (GLOW, MY BUDDY KILLER CROC), and edited by #1 NYT best selling author, Kyle Higgins (RADIANT BLACK, POWER RANGERS). The campaign will launch soon on Kickstarter.

The BAD BLOOD ashcan comic story is only available as part of the BAD BLOOD Kickstarter campaign and leads the reader into the city’s most exciting speakeasy, The Broken Promise, where the powerful, the duplicitous, the ambitious and the noble collide. Who is the murder victim, Dee Dumas, and how does she fit into this wider world of crime and glamor? How did she meet Joseph Field, the journalist who would wind up investigating her murder?

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve been enthralled by the mystery genre, be it film, television, literature or a good old fashion internet stalk, I love to be the detective!” said BAD BLOOD creator and designer Kelly McMahon, a graphic designer and illustrator based in Los Angeles by way of Melbourne, Australia. “The romanticized glamor of the 1920s masquerades for the realities of the era. A ritzy elegant design, lavish lifestyles and devious underground happenings. There is a similar romance in moving your life to the otherside of the world, the dream sparkles but the reality is much less polished. All of this led to BAD BLOOD, my idea for a card game and murder mystery experience that harkens back to my love of the 1920s and my love for a good whodunnit.

BAD BLOOD invites players to fill the well-polished shoes of journalist Joseph Field and uncover the mystery behind Dee Dumas’ murder. His journal is the key to solving this crime, read through his findings and decipher the clues across the deck of cards and you might just find yourself unraveling the threads of a diabolical conspiracy. Or grab a drink and try your hand at a game of poker as the body count grows, it’s your call…

Each character card brings to life a different faction of the one-time solve murder mystery that can be played alongside any traditional card game. In the BAD BLOOD game, it is no secret that Dee Dumas was an extremely talented thief, guilty as sin with a wicked smile, yet nobody was ever able to ever actually pin anything on her. She was on a track to develop a global reputation, to go down in the books as one of the great criminals of all time… until she was found dead at the docks. A single gunshot, to the head.

“I’ve collaborated with Mat to build out this sinful metropolis and its devious counterparts – a well documented investigation journal puts you in the shoes of the city’s finest detective and introduces the characters at play,” teases McMahon. “Mat’s clever narrative will keep you guessing even if you don’t have the winning hand. The murder mystery is a (very fun!) one-time solve – but it’s also my hope that by spending time with these characters – understanding their motives and aspirations and context – you feel closer to them. And because of that, I hope that each game that you play with this deck of cards, no matter your game of choice, you’ll feel an investment in the characters unlike anything you’ve experienced with a deck of cards before. They won’t just be card designs – they’ll be characters you know, friends and foes!”

Pledge tiers include:

• The Bad Blood Deck 54 Poker-size, 2.5″ x 3.5″ playing cards including 2 jokers and a ‘journal card,’ sealed in a tuck box.

• The Journal Publication Story by Mat Groom with illustrations and behind the scenes character development by Kelly McMahon, told in 40+ pages

• A limited edition 1.75″ BAD BLOOD enamel pin design

• An 8-page ashcan comic written by Mat Groom with art by Nicoletta Baldari

The BAD BLOOD campaign is now live on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kmmcmdraws/bad-blood-playing-cards-and-murder-mystery-game?ref=5cpv3v

To support the final days of Mat Groom’s INFERNO GIRL RED campaign, visit this link before Friday 9/22: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2129645662/inferno-girl-red-books-one-and-two-by-mat-groom-erica-durso?ref=2bxsh8

For updates, follow Kelly McMahon on Twitter and Instagram.

About the creative team:

Kelly McMahon is a celebrated illustrator and graphic designer, known for her minimalist style, composed of sophisticated vector shapes and bold colors. Whether working as a commercial illustrator, graphic designer, or as an artist creating personal pieces, Kelly’s designs are inspired by both an iconic sense of style and balance. Her work has been featured in collaboration with Clerks III, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot,, NO/ONE, Radiant Pink, Deer Arrow amongst many others. Kelly’s unmistakable designs can be seen at Gallery 1988 (LA) and Hero Complex Gallery (LA). In 2021 she successfully kickstarted Imperium, a deck of 52 playing cards celebrating a world of female rulers and their tales of victory in under 8 hours.

Mat Groom is a writer from Sydney, Australia. He’s the co-creator and writer of SELF/MADE from Image Comics, is a co-writer on the ULTRAMAN series for Marvel Comics, and written for DC Comics projects including the CRIMES OF PASSION anthology and the TALES FROM THE DARK MULTIVERSE series.