The legendary Diabolik Cards are back! Here's why every collector eagerly awaits them each year

For Diabolik fans, summer doesn't just mean new comic books on newsstands. For several years now, it has also become the time for one of the most anticipated releases for collectors: the famous Karte, the elegant poker card decks dedicated to the King of Terror.

The 2026 edition is no exception and returns with a refined box set that combines collecting, comics, and gaming, accompanied by a story that made the character's history: "Angoscia" (Anguish), the famous 1966 episode that recounts the first encounter between Diabolik and young Bettina.

A publication that, year after year, has become a fixed appointment for thousands of readers.

The Karte: a now unmissable tradition

Those who have followed Diabolik for a long time know this well.

The poker Karte are not just simple gadgets attached to a comic book, but a real collection that is renewed every year with new illustrations, new packaging, and always a very curated edition.

Each release offers an elegant box set containing two poker decks illustrated by great artists from the world of Diabolik, quickly becoming a sought-after item even by those who don't play cards.

Many collectors, in fact, buy each new edition without even opening the box set, keeping it perfectly sealed.

The 2026 Edition

The new collection includes:

• an elegant collector's box set;
• two decks of fully illustrated poker cards;
• the splendid artwork created by Giuseppe Di Bernardo;
• the volume Diabolik Cult – Angoscia, in a 132-page pocket format.

A combination that unites the charm of classic comics with a gadget that has now become a tradition in the series' editorial history.

Why "Angoscia"?

The choice is not random.

Published in 1966, Angoscia is remembered by readers because it introduces one of the most beloved secondary characters in the Diabolik universe: Bettina.

The child meets the King of Terror in dramatic circumstances and, unlike many other characters, manages to see beyond his criminal reputation.

This story indeed shows one of Diabolik's most human and complex sides, capable of experiencing feelings he rarely allows to surface.

For many fans, it still represents one of the most exciting episodes of the classic series today.

The cards are actually playable

A curious fact that not everyone knows concerns the Karte themselves.

They are not just simple illustrated cards.

Each deck is perfectly usable for playing poker, burraco, scala quaranta, and many other traditional games.

The quality of the printing and materials is one of the most appreciated aspects by collectors, so much so that many use the cards daily, while others prefer to keep them as display items.

Did you know?

Every year, both the illustrations and the box set's graphics change.

This means that each edition becomes immediately recognizable and helps create a true chronological collection.

Those who own all the releases can also observe the evolution of the artistic style of the illustrators who have interpreted Diabolik in recent years.

Giuseppe Di Bernardo and his unmistakable style

The illustrations for the 2026 edition bear the signature of Giuseppe Di Bernardo, an author much appreciated by Diabolik readers.

His realistic and elegant style lends itself perfectly to representing the dark charm of the King of Terror, Eva Kant, and the other protagonists of the series.

His artwork manages to enhance each single card, transforming it into a small collectible illustration.

A gadget that often becomes unavailable

Over the years, many editions of the Karte have quickly sold out.

Precisely because they are published only once a year, numerous collectors prefer to buy them immediately, avoiding having to search for them later on the used market, where some complete box sets have reached prices significantly higher than the cover price.

 

The final verdict...

The Diabolik Karte have now become an essential tradition for fans of the King of Terror.

Every new edition adds a piece to a collection that combines comics, art, and gaming, keeping alive a formula that continues to captivate readers of all ages.

If you are among those who eagerly await the new box set every year, you already know that this release cannot be missing from your collection.

And if it's your first time... get ready: one Karte leads to another.