Marvel has released a traditional 78-card tarot deck featuring iconic characters from all over the Marvel Universe, including Wolverine and Loki.
The Marvel Tarot Deck and Guidebook was written by Syndee Barwick and illustrated by Lily McDonnell. The cards imagine Marvel characters as tarot archetypes, for example, Daredevil as Justice, Ms. Marvel as the Sun and Black Panther as Judgement. The cards also feature minor character icons, like Deadpool’s Jeff the Land Shark as the Ten of Cups and Scarlet Witch’s famed headpiece as the Five of Coins. The set is on sale now and comes in a gold-foiled decorative gift box with a guide to the meanings of each of the 78 cards as well as unique tarot spreads.
The Process Behind Bringing Marvel to Tarot
Barwick and McDonnell spoke to Marvel about what went into bringing the Marvel characters to life in the tarot set. For McDonnell, working on the tarot cards brought together two of her passions. “My work is greatly influenced by my love of ornate Art Nouveau illustration and comic book art,” she said.
The goal of publisher Rizzoli Universe was to create a tarot deck that married the decorative and symbolic qualities of traditional tarot decks with Marvel’s current visual style. “When designing my cards I made notes of the meaning and visual elements from […] traditional Rider-Waite cards. Wherever possible, I posed the character with the same gestures, including the graphic icons, flowers, creatures, environments, and any visual symbols, including colors, that I could employ as a link back to the original card designs. I then worked to blend those visuals into the Marvel comic universe. As a comic fan, I also wanted to ensure that I captured every character and item as accurately and appealingly as possible.”
For Barwick, writing the guidebook meant bringing in Marvel references to bolster fans’ experiences with card readings. “Weaving card meanings with each character, telling a story for each card in both the Major and Minor Arcana was so much fun! Fans/readers/practitioners will find layers of meaning and story within the pages of the guidebook and the art of the cards,” she said. “The Marvel character-centric spreads I created truly felt divinely inspired, once again weaving characters with the essence of a soul journey/soul story. […] I hope that they help guide the Marvel tarot users into a deeper understanding of self or situation.”
The Marvel Tarot Deck and Guidebook is on sale now.
Source: Marvel
