Fandom decks are all the rage these days – at least if you go into any big bookstore. Your favorite animated film, TV show or fantasy movie from the 1990’s is bound to have a themed tarot to go with it, thanks in large part to the work of Insight Editions.
Although, the trend is not new. Lo Scarabeo and Llewellyn have been on this for years, using pre-existing art and popular literature to bring us Rackham Tarot, John Bauer Tarot, Bosch Tarot, Bruegel Tarot, Tarot in Wonderland, and the Edgar Allen Poe Tarot, among others.
Of course, these decks can be fun to play with. We can use them to examine how our learned knowledge of concepts and experiences in life and divination match up against the imagery of a favorite artist, the storyline of a film, or the lyrics to our favorite musician’s songs. It’s cute, but does it really work? Is adding another artist’s ideas, developed for their own expressive purposes, helpful in a situation where we want to use the cards to investigate or reflect on our lives, or the situation of someone we’re reading? If so, how does that work, and are there limits or strengths in using pop culture decks in this way?
These are the questions I was asking myself as I pondered adding a couple of new fandom decks to my collection, and I thought it would be interesting to ask you as well – I’m sure we have a range of experiences around this. I hope you’ll share and tag me. Or, if you don’t post in your own space, feel free to leave a comment here.
As I was finishing the final notes for this episode, I realized I have one fandom each in four different categories: visual artist, movie, band, and author. That wasn’t on purpose; I’ve been accumulating these over years and one of them was an unexpected gift. But it’s interesting to see the subtle decisions and influences that are coming together in my collection.
Decks mentioned in the video, in the order presented:
Tarot Banksy, collated and independently published by Cooptylew (c. 2021). From the public works of graffiti and mural artist, Banksy. Available from the collator’s website.
The Nightmare Before Christmas Tarot, illustrated by Minerva Siegel, published by Insight Editions, 2020. Based on the film by Tim Burton with music by Danny Elfman. Available from the publisher’s website.
The Grateful Dead Tarot, illustrated by Erin Cadigan; concept and text by Elizabeth Jezorski. Based on the music and lyrics of The Grateful Dead. Originally published in a deluxe edition independently, 2021. Now available in a mass-market format with rainbow backs and borders from Insight Editions, 2024. Details and links to both editions available from the artists’ website.
Jane Austen Tarot: A Deck of Sense and Sensibility by Linda Falken, The Book Shop, Ltd., 2024. Based on the work of writer Jane Austen. This work features characters and plot moments from multiple novels: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and Northanger Abbey.
A few fellows on YouTube have made videos about this particular Jane Austen deck. Here are comments and impressions from Juli at Peekaboo Rose, Mims, and Lady Kara gives us a full walkthrough.
