The World of Playing Cards Logo
Published July 03, 1996 Updated January 08, 2023

Zoo Comics

ZOO COMICS animated playing cards made by Litografía Ferri, Valencia (Spain), first published in 1968.

1968 Spain Litografía Ferri Comic Books Transformation Card Games Spanish Suited Suits Add to Collection

Zoo Comics by Litografía Ferri, 1968

Collectible playing cards inserted into products such as tea, chocolate or tobacco had their hey-day from the end of the 19th century until the second world war, with superb chromolithography printing. These children’s playing cards produced in Spain in the late 1960s follow the same spirit with the traditional suit symbols and figures replaced by fruits and cartoon characters, commendable for promoting healthy eating!

Zoo Comics animated playing cards by Litografia Ferri, 1968

Above: "ZOO COMICS" animated playing cards made by Litografía Ferri, Valencia (Spain), first published in 1968 and reprinted in 1986. The traditional Spanish suit symbols have been replaced with oranges, hop blossoms, bananas and aubergines whilst small animals such as chipmunks, cats, monkeys and mice cavort around. The 'Sotas' ride scooters. There has been more than one edition of this superbly designed pack, with different jokers, and also with advertising on the reverse (e.g. Productos Chirruca).


avatar
1,433 Articles

By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.


Related Articles

Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs

Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs

A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds

Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds

A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Joker

Woodblock and Stencil Joker

A limited edition art print of the 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts

A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.

2010 Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland collector’s edition with illustrations of characters from the film, published by...

2001 Women by Royo

Women by Royo

‘Women by Royo’ erotic playing cards published by Heraclio Fournier, Spain, 2001.

1964 Monuments de Paris

Monuments de Paris

‘Monuments de Paris’ souvenir playing cards produced by Heraclio Fournier, c.1964.

2020 Commoners playing cards

Commoners playing cards

Created by Ian Cumpstey dedicated to the common land and the countryside.

1986 B. Braun-Dexon<sup>®</sup>

B. Braun-Dexon®

Publicity pack promoting B. Braun-Dexon’s atraumatic needles, with non-standard courts and pips.

1977 Bibaraja

Bibaraja

Amusing designs of boys as circus performers by Alberto Muñiz Sánchez.

1986 Peintres Latino Americains

Peintres Latino Americains

Original artwork by 18 different Latin American artists.

1985 Paco Lobo

Paco Lobo

Highly original and striking designs by Paco Lobo for the fashion house of the same name.

1970 Loewe: Moda Europea Siglo XVII

Loewe: Moda Europea Siglo XVII

Luxury pack for the Spanish fashion house Loewe, with 17th century costume designs by Margot Hamilto...

1988 Toros: De El Cordobés a Espartaco

Toros: De El Cordobés a Espartaco

Publicity pack for the Spanish newspaper Ya with caricatures of famous bullfighters by Fernan...

1994 Baraja de Alava

Baraja de Alava

55 different paintings by Emilio Lope depicting the history and culture of Vitoria and the province ...

The Search for New Games in the late 19<sup>th</sup> century

The Search for New Games in the late 19th century

A few new games survived and are still around today; most came and went and are only witnessed in th...

1996 Postak – Las Postas

Postak – Las Postas

‘Postak - Las Postas’ playing cards commemorating the history of the Basque postal service, Spain, 1...

1987 Bischofszell

Bischofszell

Advertising pack for the food producer Bischofszell, designed by Heinz Looser-Brenner, with non-stan...

2011 Colour doodle deck

Colour doodle deck

“1952-2002 commemorative deck” customised with doodles by an uncredited artist, UK, 2011.

1973 Marcello Morandini

Marcello Morandini

Modern designs by Italian artist Marcello Morandini using the simplest of forms and colours.

1984 Tarot de Madrid

Tarot de Madrid

Black-and-white photographs of models whose faces are made up using elements found on the major arca...

1992 Batman® playing cards

Batman® playing cards

Characters from Batman: The Animated Series on a pack issued in 1992.

2023 Marlow playing cards

Marlow playing cards

Visitor attractions and businesses to be found in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.

2023 Naipes de Personajes Granadinos

Naipes de Personajes Granadinos

Forty famous men and women with links to Granada, on a pack designed by Rubén Garrido.

2010 El Niño de las Pinturas

El Niño de las Pinturas

Forty-nine distinctive works by Spanish graffiti artist Raúl Ruiz.

2020 5th Kingdom playing cards

5th Kingdom playing cards

5th Kingdom Luxury playing cards designed by Maria Fedoseeva, USA, 2020.

1760 Vogelspiel

Vogelspiel

Vogelspiel, a German card game known as the “cuckoo game” also known as “Gnau”.

1790 Pere Pau Rotxotxo Puigdoura

Pere Pau Rotxotxo Puigdoura

Spanish national pattern by Pere Pau Rotxotxo Puigdoura (1766–1797).

1816 Spanish-suited deck by J.Y. Humphreys

Spanish-suited deck by J.Y. Humphreys

A rare Spanish-suited deck published by J.Y. Humphreys, Philadelphia, c.1816.

2019 Umbrella Academy playing cards

Umbrella Academy playing cards

Umbrella Academy playing cards created by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, USA, 2019.

2019 Murphy Varnish pack

Murphy Varnish pack

Reproduction of the 1883 Murphy Varnish transformation pack, USA, 2019

2020 Eclipse Comic playing cards (reproduction)

Eclipse Comic playing cards (reproduction)

Eclipse Comic playing cards is a reproduction of the first transformation pack printed in the USA in...

1984 Schwarze Katze (or Gioco del Gatto Nero)

Schwarze Katze (or Gioco del Gatto Nero)

Reproduction of a 40-card transformation pack with designs by “WS”, adapted for the game of Black Ca...

2008 Around the world in 54 cards

Around the world in 54 cards

“Around the world in 54 cards” hand-coloured transformation pack produced by Peter Wood, United King...

2011 The Broons and Oor Wullie playing cards

The Broons and Oor Wullie playing cards

Characters from The Broons and Oor Wullie comic strips on their 75th anniversary.

2023 Moorish Deck

Moorish Deck

Review of “Trzes’ Moorish Deck” facsimile published by Ulrich Kaltenborn, Berlin, 2023.

1988 El Jueves playing cards

El Jueves playing cards

Caricatures of 52 famous Spaniards for the satirical magazine “El Jueves”.

1980 Naipe Navarro

Naipe Navarro

Historical figures and artefacts from Navarre with designs by M. Sinués for the Navarre Association ...

1981 Bankunión playing cards

Bankunión playing cards

Ingredients and recipes for 24 dishes from different regions of Spain.

2022 Back to the 80s Lenormand

Back to the 80s Lenormand

History meets pop culture in a 36-card set that pays tribute to Lenormand's legacy and the colourful...

2023 Henley-on-Thames playing cards

Henley-on-Thames playing cards

Calendar events and visitor attractions to be found in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

1972 Souvenir Playing Cards of Egypt

Souvenir Playing Cards of Egypt

55 different photographic views of Egypt in full colour.

1885 Baraja Mística

Baraja Mística

‘Baraja Mística’ satirical playing-cards featuring revelling clergy published by Litografía Fernánde...

Hoyle v Foster: whose name should we remember?

Hoyle v Foster: whose name should we remember?

Hoyle’s name is associated with the rules by which many games are played, particularly card games B...