HypieLab’s part 2 of their Journey to the West project introduces the Bicycle Wukong & Bicycle Bull Demon King Playing Cards. Inspired by the classic novel, these cards continue the manga-style character designs seen in their Bicycle Geung Si & Bicycle Vampire (Western Vampire) decks, blending traditional Chinese storytelling with a modern artistic approach.

Journey To the West is a Chinese novel published in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty, which is considered one of the four greatest classic novels of Chinese literature and perhaps the most popular literary work in East Asia. The adaptation of The Journey to the West by HypieLab, designed by Sin Yee Lam, creatively blends Chinese mythology, Taoist and Buddhist philosophy with modern fiction.

Incorporating classic line-art characters, this production offers a fresh, artistic take on the traditional narrative, appealing to both contemporary and traditional audiences. The standard Bull Demon King Bicycle Edition cards feature premium stock with gold Metallic ink, made by the United States Playing Card Company in the USA. The Bull Demon King premium deck elevates this with gold cold foil on the cards and hot foil stamping on a premium cloth paper tuck case. While both editions feature the same characters on court cards, the premium edition showcases them in a distinct aesthetic style.