Vertigo Tarot to be reissued in July

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 01 May 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Ophiel	01 May 2002
Here's the latest on the reissue of the Vertigo Tarot (based on characters from DC Comic/Vertigo)... from PREVIEW mag (a huge monthly, announcing all new comics, action figures, trading cards, etc.) May issue...page 100. Vertigo Tarot Deck Set - New Edition. Written by Rachel Pollack, painted by Dave McKean. In stores 17 July. The NEW EDITION features all the material from the original Tarot set, incl laminated cards (thicker than the previous version.) Vertigo characters... 2.58" x 4.75" format. Also includes a 128 pg book by Rachel Pollack ("78° of Wisdom.") Retail $29.95(U.S.) Available from DC Direct. Quantities limited.

Zhritza	01 May 2002
This is very strange... I bought the reissue several months ago, at Dreamhaven, an excellent sci-fi/fantasy and comics shop here in town (Melvis can back me up on this :) ). And, I found a review online by someone else who bought this printing of it: http://www.lunarace.com/deck35.html But the DC site does seem to imply that it hasn't been released yet. Maybe the first run sold really fast and it has been out of stock these past few months...? Anyway, everyone, if you are OK with collage art and dark colors, go buy it when it comes out. Really. The book is fantastic, and the art is very evocative for being so abstract. If you end up not liking it, I can guarantee you that someone will want it from you for trade or purchase; and my guess is that it won't be in print all that long, after which it will be very sought after.

.dc	01 May 2002
i agree... this is weird. i know because i am the proud owner of 3 vertigo decks. two of the re-release from last year and one original set. and as far as i know they are not doing anymore releases since the cards are still selling like hot cakes. i love this deck. it;s my primary deck of choice and i use it for all my public and private readings. i do recommend this deck for collections but unless you do like the darker side of life don't use it for readings. the cardstock used is definately thinner than the original printing, hense the reason for me to stock up on the decks (i know one day i will hafta replace my primary) but the smaller size makes it easier to shuffle. the only gripe i have is that the book that comes with it, has horribly small text. the original deck featured a hardbound (big print text) book while this re-release is softback. blessesd beltane! .dc .. and oohers, you live close to dreamhaven... sigh...

truthsayer	01 May 2002
that is strange b/c i bought my vertigo reissure in september 2001. i can't imagine that they re-did the whole deck. i suspect the demand was higher than the supply. these ppl are out to make money. it would behoove them to print more decks! by the way, i love mine but really haven't gotten into reading it. i don't plan giving it up either!

Geenius at Wrok	01 May 2002
I also have the second edition Vertigo deck. Love the art, not so jazzed on the manufacturing quality. The surfaces show scratches easily, and the edges are already showing wear from normal handling. Maybe the difference in this latest run is the lamination—making the cards more durable? One can hope.

Zhritza	01 May 2002
Quote: Originally posted by .dc ... and oohers, you live close to dreamhaven... sigh... Yeah, I know a few people who work there... Everyone at Dreamhaven is apparently a close personal friend of Neil Gaiman, and they'll never let you forget it :D

.dc	01 May 2002
okay, that's kewl. i have been to their website and their catalog of stuff of his is impressive. what i don't find impressive is that attitude of i know (insert famous person here) and i won't let you forget about it attitude. i know a few "famous" people myself but i rarely tout my own horn. everyone knows someone or has had a brush with someone. i know chuck palahniuk (author of fight club) but i don't go around spreading that everywhere. i have a book signed by gaiman. oohers... i'm sooo kewl. *rolls eyes* yeah, it's kewl to meet a famous person but to act that way about it is bad. just my thoughts, .dc

Zhritza	01 May 2002
yeah... my point exactly. I could go on for days on end about this type of attitude issue, actually, but I'd better not })

phirefly	01 May 2002
gonna call cyborg-1 (my local comic shop) tomorrow and see if i can pre-order. i love dave mckean's artwork. i've always wanted an original, but they're a bit elusive.

.dc	01 May 2002
phirefly, you don't need to preorder. they prolly already have a copy in stock. and if they don't there's all sorts of sites online you can get it from... eBay being the um... not so cheep way to get it. mckean also did another 22 card tarot deck, again limited edition. however, i'd rather wait for him to do a full 78-card deck before i invest in $50 for 22 cards. blessed be, .dc

Zhritza	02 May 2002
Quote: Originally posted by .dc mckean also did another 22 card tarot deck, again limited edition. however, i'd rather wait for him to do a full 78-card deck before i invest in $50 for 22 cards. Oh, jeez -- he did?? Is it in print now, or is it already done being put out?

phirefly	02 May 2002
.dc: thanks. i'll let you know what i dig up locally tomorrow. i'd rather buy locally than online, but if i turn up naught, i'll look around here too. thanks for the advice, and the tip on the other mckean deck. i agree on the $50 for 22 thing. he's good, but i'm not rich.

.dc	02 May 2002
Qolus, yes, the deck is out. i think published by the same folx that do his art books (which are also inSANEly expensive). the deck is *again* hard to find but can be found by searching on eBay. i recommend searching under the generic tarot as you'll be bound to get it and the vertigo, not all those with mckean decks post under his name. phirefly, good luck on getting a deck. i love mine. =) all of them. blessed be, .dc

phirefly	02 May 2002
.dc: you were very right! i called up cyborg-1, and they said they've had a copy sitting in their display case for over a year now. i don't understand how i could have been in there so many times and missed it. but, found a cheaper copy on ebay. gonna try that route first. thanks for the advice :}

.dc	02 May 2002
sweet.... good luck with eBay. getting it should be easy. i'm sure you'll loive it. if you have any questions let me know, i'd love to trade opinions blessed be, .dc

Ophiel	03 May 2002
I can't seem to get a file small enough to upload to this group. I scanned the page that describes this deck. The mag is called "Previews" and it's all about comics, action figures, videos, etc. It's usually sold in comic stores. If you still doubt, go to this link, for DC Direct, and tap on the Vertigo Tarot Deck link...you'll see the release date as 17 July 2002. This is for real. I had heard that Rachel Pollack (who wrote the accompanying book, Rachel Pollack as in "78° of Wisdom" fame) was very unhappy with the card's appearance in the last reissue. This run is supposed to make that right. http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/index.html

.dc	03 May 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Ophiel If you still doubt, go to this link, for DC Direct, and tap on the Vertigo Tarot Deck link...you'll see the release date as 17 July 2002. This is for real. I had heard that Rachel Pollack (who wrote the accompanying book, Rachel Pollack as in "78° of Wisdom" fame) was very unhappy with the card's appearance in the last reissue. This run is supposed to make that right. she was unhappy with the card's appearance? or the book? and grrr... gonna hafta procure one of these. shit... how many vertigo decks i gonna hafta have. all of them? YES! =) blessed be, .dc

Ophiel	05 May 2002
She was unhappy with the cards, from what I heard. My source is pretty reliable. But then, am I? Heh heh... I heard the first reprint was on thinner stock with washed colors. This deck is supposed to be an improvement. How does your reprint deck look? Has anybody compared the original print to the first reprint? Your impressions?

Ophiel	05 May 2002
I found this review of the first reprint. While this doesn't prove anything, it is the same impressions I read shortly after the reprint was issued, on the Vertigo message board. Here are the two key paragraphs from that review: " First problem, the book text is too small, presenting difficulty for my mature eyes without using some type of magnifier. The pages of this edition are filled with a stylish text that wraps around the black, grey and white images in a variety of configurations. Here style serves only to reduce function, taking away from the ability to easily read what Neil Gaiman says in his introduction or Ms. Pollack has to say about this Tarot in the 128 page 7 x 4.65 inch paperback book. The Fool is numbered zero, Strength is eight and Justice is eleven. The court cards are King, Queen, Knight and Page. Second problem, I find the images to be too dark. The Internet depiction of the cards that first attracted me appeared much lighter than the actual deck once in hand! It is not brooding or symbolic when details are lost in the shadows, swallowed by the brownish black umber of the cards border. Third problem, I find the cardstock is much too thin for shuffling and that the cardface is barely coated which will lead to scratching just a few uses. These problems lead me to believe that "use" of the cards was not a factor taken into consideration in the manufacture of this re-issue. What I do love about this deck is the integration of type with the border and the contemporary sparse style of the fonts. On the back of the cards is a fabulous light filled design. " YOU CAN READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW AT: http://www.lunarace.com/deck35.html

Zhritza	05 May 2002
I only have the first reissue and cannot compare it to the original, but I will say that although the card stock is pretty thin, I find the deck easy to shuffle (the cards don't do that sticky thing). The colors are sort of subdued and have a very matte finish, but I thought that made sense for McKean's style. The only complaint I have is that the edges of the cards are indeed sorta cheap. They seem almost like they were punched out of perforations in big sheets of card stock. And, looking at the edges closely, I now see that on a few of the cards the black is a little chewed-up looking and is revealing little bits of the raw white paper underneath. Is this going to worsen as I use the deck? I've barely even used it! ...Great. Now I feel like I have to get the new one, too... DC Comics is a bunch of poopheads! :mad:

isthmus nekoi	07 May 2002
I got the reprint deal and also found the stock flimsy. I'm pretty careful w/shuffling though... the edges wore pretty quick at first, but I haven't noticed any difference for awhile now. I only use V to read for myself so I don't mind. Maybe it informed my impression of V as a very sensitive deck!! I think the second deck is called the particle tarot and you can buy it in book form. McKean's added two extra cards. The full decks for both Vertigo and Particle are available for viewing here: http://www.dreamline.nu/

Zhritza	07 May 2002
thanks for the link, isthmus! the Particle is beautiful in many ways, although -- despite the fact that I understand the creative logic behind it -- the Empress' having a zillion breasts is sorta, well, funny like ha-ha.

Ophiel	08 May 2002
Thanks for the link to the cards. The Empress has a zillion boobs? Odd...I only counted sixteen, top row to bottom, 5 6 5. Too bad there wasn't just one more in the middle...5 7 5 is the haiku form.

isthmus nekoi	08 May 2002
You're welcome ^_^ I think the image is derived from ancient depictions of the Greek goddess Diana w/multiple breasts.

Zhritza	08 May 2002
I know the imagery has a background, but when I look at McKean's art... Okay, I've been a fan of the Sandman comics for about a decade now, and a bunch of my friends and acquaintances are or were into Sandman too, so McKean's art will always have a bunch of associations for me that are unrelated to the art itself. Somehow, in that frame of mind, the breasts make me laugh... isthmus - Diana? the huntress, the Artemis equivalent? Is this true? If it is, this adds a whole new dimesion to her for me (no pun intended)

isthmus nekoi	10 May 2002
yes, Diana! Interesting parallel isn't it. The actual statues have more breasts. It's like the ultimate in plentitude which is pretty Empressy! I read the Sandman too although I don't read American comics very much... also loved McKean's art in Violent Cases. Hmmm. I wonder if there are enough ppl interested to do a Vertigo study group... I've never read about many of the characters in the deck except for Sandman ones and Enigma.

Riversea	10 May 2002
I and/or my husband might be interested in a Vertigo study group. The only trouble is, we're just starting out as students of the Tarot in general, so the Vertigo might just complicate matters at this time. We've had the deck for quite a number of years, and aside from doing some simple spreads with the Majors and admiring McKean's artwork, we've not really put much effort into studying the deck. We loved the Sandman comics, but we did read Black Orchid (the image on the Strength card), the Geek (the Emperor), some of Books of Magic (the Magician), and small bits of Doom Patrol (the Tower) and Swamp Thing (the World). It's been years though, I don't know how much I remember of most of them. By the way, has anyone seen Giaman and McKean's children's book? It's called THE DAY I SWAPPED MY DAD FOR TWO GOLDFISH It's a bit trippy, but it is also very sweet and funny.

isthmus nekoi	13 May 2002
Sorry for the late reply. It is a horror going back to dial up!!! I own a copy of Enigma so I'd have no problem going back there for details... although it's only in one card - the chariot. I've owned the deck for almost a year though... and have made many observations about the images so I'd love to share those. Yeah, the Goldfish story is pretty funny ^_^

Zhritza	14 May 2002
Enigma is fantastic. Yes, I would be interested in a Vertigo Tarot study group; I've never been in one on Aeclectic before so I hope I don't make a fool of myself in there :D Is three or four enough for a group?

isthmus nekoi	16 May 2002
I think 3-4 ppl is fine, as Vertigo is not the easiest deck to get into... If we can outline some objectives and guidelines I'll post them into the Study Group forum ^_^ The group could cover: - background of the comics used and how they relate to the respective cards - maybe a little background on Dave McKean - details about the cards that aren't mentioned in the book - dealing w/reading the minors which deviate a lot from the traditional Rider Waite meanings Any other suggestions?

Zhritza	17 May 2002
That sounds fairly complete... A lot of the way that the symbolism works is very different from what I'm used to; McKean really seems to have gone with his gut in some cases, using metaphors that just came to him. I wish I knew for sure whether Pollack's symbolic interpretations in the book are purely her impressions, or whether he explained his line of thought to her. Anyway, I would ideally like to discuss that aspect of the deck as deeply as you guys are willing, in this prospective group. I'd love to get others' ideas about how to make the metaphors stick in the ol' noggin.

isthmus nekoi	17 May 2002
Qolus> This sounds good. I'm in summer school up to the end of June but when that course is over, I should be able to devote more time to the group. And yay! Someone to discuss those minors with ^_^ For now, I guess we can work on an FAQ for others interested... Riversea, are you still interested?....

Riversea	17 May 2002
Sounds good! :) I'll be extremely busy the next couple of weeks (learning about my new part-time job, giving the house a good cleaning, etc.), but after that, I should have more time. Looking forward to getting know the Vertigo better!

isthmus nekoi	18 May 2002
Great! I was trying to think up stuff for an FAQ but had trouble coming up w/some. I've never written one before! Maybe a little introduction to the deck and its history, and the history of Vertigo's comic line could suffice? I could do a little write up and when we're not so busy we can start the group in the proper forum and post it up there. I wonder how the other groups do it.

The Vertigo Tarot to be reissued in July thread was originally posted on 01 May 2002 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.