Vertigo tarot deckset series#

The minor arcana cards, like the major, take traditional RWS images and tropes and distort them, the same way that McKean’s art is recognizable as what it IS, but also is assuredly NOT the thing as you traditionally recognize it. Minor arcana cards don’t refer back to any specific Vertigo characters or lines - however, because McKean’s artwork is virtually synonymous with Vertigo because he created so many of the ubiquitous covers, his work is de facto its own “Vertigo line.” For some readers, this is not an issue, but for someone looking for a very specific Sandman or DC Vertigo deck, this might be a deal breaker. Lines represented: Hellblazer, Books of Magic, Death: The High Cost of Living, The Geek ( a personal favorite!), The Sandman (Morpheus is The Hierophant), The Enigma, Black Orchid, The Phantom Stranger, Sandman Mystery Theater, Shade, The Changing Man (another personal favorite), Doom Patrol, and Swamp Thing. Bear in mind that in the Vertigo tarot, there are only 18 major arcana cards that correlate to a specific Vertigo character. The lines are a cross-section of the 90s heyday of Vertigo. Though represented more than other comics in the Vertigo line, Sandman and Sandman-offshoot cards only represent a few cards. Note that this is a DC Vertigo tarot, not a specifically Sandman tarot deck.

Vertigo tarot deckset series#

The guidebook refers to this series of cards as “deep process” cards, which works, but I would have loved to see a few additional Vertigo characters represented (like Kid Eternity, who could have been a really interesting choice for Judgement, or The Moon.) While I appreciate that the deck didn’t “force” a character to represent cards to make it complete, please note the minor arcana do not correspond with specific Vertigo characters, I do think that there are characters who could have easily been matched to these attributions and to me, that seems like a missed opportunity, especially since none of the minor arcana are directly related to Vertigo characters or scenes.

Likewise, a series of 4 of the Major Arcana are not assigned a Vertigo figure (The Sun, The Moon, The Star, Judgement). Most of the cards of the Major Arcana are assigned an astrological attribution, with only a few exceptions. Your brain can’t take a lot of “short cuts” with readings from this deck, and that can be a good thing. The art of Dave McKean is a challenging choice for a tarot deck because it requires the reader to employ a certain measure of patience, because meaning and symbol do not lay themselves out for the taking, it is more of a gradual unfurling or unwrapping of meaning as you truly look at what’s on the card. I remember clearly as a high schooler my first best friend who read cards using this deck and to this day, they use this deck - so don’t let the cautionary note be discouraging. Though this may be a little intense for a new reader, for the new reader who is called to the cards, this will be like finding a puzzle piece that completes the big picture. In fact, these two decks have a very similar energy - if you get along with one of these decks, you are likely to resonate with the other.Ĭard explanations use both language and unconventional typography to signify meaning, and because of this, if you are new to reading or have not ventured outside of traditional RWS card meanings, this may be a little bit jarring at first, but it truly teaches the reader to explore shadow meaning as a primary card interpretation, not only looking at shadow meanings as part of a card reversal meaning. The book is one of the most unique guidebooks I’ve ever read, on par with the David Bowie Starman deck. The forward by Gaiman is everything you’d expect and want to read, affirming the idea that creativity and the occult are symbiotic entities that bring forth new ideas, new narratives, and new perspectives. *Best matched to an advanced or experienced reader - card interpretations often diverge or take a circuitous path from the traditional RWS card interpretations this might confuse a novice readerĪnything that brings together Rachel Pollack, Neil Gaiman, and Dave McKean can’t go wrong, and this deck showcases that. *In-depth, intense addition to a tarot collection *Gorgeous, eerie addition to a Sandman or DC Vertigo collection By Rachel Pollack and Dave McKean with Foreword by Neil Gaimanĥ Stars for artwork & Vertigo interpretationsĥ Stars for companion book, both in terms of content and publication/binding qualityĥ Stars for packaging, box & card holding tray