Comrade Workwear, a socialist apparel brand, has stirred significant controversy with the launch of its “Most Wanted CEO” playing cards. Released on December 16, 2024, and priced at $18, the deck features prominent corporate executives divided into four suits symbolising various forms of exploitation:
- Hearts: Exploiting people
- Diamonds: Hoarding wealth
- Spades: Profiting from destruction
- Clubs: Damaging the planet and its people
Each card includes a QR code linking to a website outlining alleged wrongdoings by the featured executive. The back of the cards is styled as a shooting range target, complete with a red silhouette at its centre—a design choice that has drawn sharp criticism in light of America’s ongoing gun violence crisis.
The release comes just weeks after the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City on December 4, 2024. This incident is part of a larger pattern of violence in the United States, where there have been 38 mass killings resulting in 165 deaths this year alone. Since 2006, mass killings have claimed over 3,000 lives and injured more than 2,000 individuals, underscoring a dire and persistent issue of gun violence.
Founder James Harr defended the playing cards in a statement likening them to the “most-wanted Iraqi” cards distributed during the 2003 Iraq invasion. Harr insisted that the cards aim to expose corporate wrongdoing rather than incite violence, describing the project as a critique of a capitalist system where profit is prioritised over societal well-being.
A Divisive Reception
The cards have sparked a fierce debate over their potential implications. Critics argue that the imagery and messaging could incite violence, particularly in a country grappling with frequent mass shootings and politically motivated attacks. The New York Police Department has issued a bulletin warning that materials like these could inspire extremists or grievance-driven individuals to commit further violent acts.

Free Speech vs. Public Safety
This controversy highlights the delicate balance between free expression and public safety. With the U.S. witnessing a historic number of mass killings this year, critics contend that the cards’ design—particularly the shooting range motif—risks normalising or trivialising violence. Proponents argue that the cards shine a necessary light on corporate excess and exploitation, serving as a symbolic critique of systemic inequities.
Looking Ahead
Despite the backlash, the “Most Wanted CEO” playing cards remain available for pre-order, with fulfillment expected within six to eight weeks. As debates continue over the cards’ ethical and societal impact, they serve as a flashpoint for broader conversations about corporate accountability, free expression, and the pressing need to address gun violence in America—a crisis that has claimed thousands of lives and shows no signs of abating.
For now, the cards sit at the intersection of artistic expression and political critique, embodying the tension between exposing systemic issues and the unintended consequences of provocative messaging in an already volatile environment.