Alice Kolb and Daniel Peter fill a fag machine with stunning illustrated cards

You don’t really see them in the UK anymore but there was once a time when fag machines populated bars, clubs, railway stations, street corners and children’s swimming pools so that everyone could readily get their hands on a dose of sweet lady nicotine at a moment’s notice. There’s still a few lingering in Switzerland though, so Daniel Peter and Alice Kolb have found a more family-friendly and creative use for them.

Der Apparat is their latest project for the International Comicfestival Fumetto where, for a limited time only, they’ve filled an old cigarette machine in Lucerne with packs of cards illustrated and silk-screened by some of the best artists in Europe. Each one features cheeky characters from the likes of Shoboshobo, Serafine Frey, Aisha Franz and Icinori, and those without images are typeset with witty German turns of phrase. These won’t be around for long, so if you’re in Lucerne act now!