{"id":84617,"date":"2025-08-22T08:53:19","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T08:53:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/84617\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T08:53:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T08:53:19","slug":"8-graphic-novels-nonfiction-books-about-tarot-cards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/84617\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Graphic Novels & Nonfiction Books About Tarot Cards"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Elisa Shoenberger has been building a library since she was 13. She loves writing about all aspects of books from author interviews, antiquarian books, archives, and everything in between. She also writes regularly for Murder & Mayhem and Library Journal. She’s also written articles for Huffington Post, Boston Globe, WIRED, Slate, and many other publications. When she’s not writing about reading, she’s reading and adventuring to find cool new art. She also plays alto saxophone and occasionally stiltwalks. Find out more on her website<\/a> or follow her on Twitter @vogontroubadour.<\/p>\n

View All posts by Elisa Shoenberger<\/a><\/p>\n

The iconography of tarot cards lends itself quite well to the world of graphic novels and nonfiction. So much of tarot is based on the visualizations, from the nude man and woman from the Lovers to the black night on a pale horse as Death. Add in the multiple combinations of cards, diverse readings, and all the wonderful themed and illustrated decks, and tarot is just ripe for further creativity. It seems only logical that such a visualized medium of graphic books would use tarot cards in its imagery and plots.<\/p>\n

The only thing that left me a little disappointed was that there were not many graphic books about tarot cards by authors, artists, colorists, or letterers of color. I know that there are more inclusive tarot cards being released with each passing year, so I hope that we\u2019ll have more diverse perspectives about tarot cards in graphic works soon.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, here are eight graphic novels and nonfiction books that use tarot cards in their books.<\/p>\n

\"Minor<\/a>Minor Arcana Vol 1<\/a>, written and drawn by Jeff Lemire, colored by Patricio Delpeche, lettered by
Steve Wands<\/p>\n

I am a big fan of Lemire thanks to his work with Black Hammer and Gideon Falls, so when I heard he was doing a series around tarot and other occult practices, I knew it was a win. Theresa never thought she\u2019d return to her horrible hometown and her fake psychic mother, but when her mother becomes sick, she finds herself taking care of her. Theresa soon realizes that her mom\u2019s abilities and other occult practices were real. But that now means she has to deal with the figurative and literal ghosts of her past and hometown. Each chapter references a different tarot card, though the Tower keeps coming up\u2026Volumes 1-4 are now available.<\/p>\n

All Access subscribers, continue on for more graphic novels\/nonficiton books about tarot<\/p>\n

Elisa Shoenberger has been building a library since she was 13. She loves writing about all aspects of books from author interviews, antiquarian books, archives, and everything in between. She also writes regularly for Murder & Mayhem and Library Journal. She\u2019s also written articles for Huffington Post, Boston Globe, WIRED, Slate, and many other publications. When she\u2019s not writing about reading, she\u2019s reading and adventuring to find cool new art. She also plays alto saxophone and occasionally stiltwalks. Find out more on her website<\/a> or follow her on Twitter @vogontroubadour.<\/p>\n

View All posts by Elisa Shoenberger<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>The Tarot Cafe. Vol 1<\/a> by Sang-son Pak <\/p>\n

Even supernatural beings need help with love, fortune, and their careers. That\u2019s what Pamela gives to her clients through her tarot cards when she\u2019s not working at a cafe. With each querent (the person asking the questions for the tarot reader), readers follow a story to see how each fortune plays out. And then there is Pamela herself, who has her own tragic history, but you\u2019ll have to read through Volume 7 to find out what happens.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>A Land Called Tarot<\/a> by Gael Bertrand<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a comic for people who want to revel in the imagery. It\u2019s a wordless comic following the Knight of Swords as he explores the land of tarot. The graphics are astonishing and detailed, though you may want to have some knowledge of tarot, the major and minor arcana, before reading to get the full impact.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>The Tarot Circle<\/a> by Leah Moore, illustrated by Ivy Berces and Jem Milton (November 4, 2025)<\/p>\n

I\u2019m excited about this forthcoming book. The cards are fascinating in themselves, but the known and unknown history of tarot is also quite compelling. There\u2019s not a lot so far about this one, but the basic premise is that\u00a0Jay doesn\u2019t know much about tarot cards, but she finds herself drawn to the Ace of Cups Bookstore. There she meets a diverse group of friends who are exploring the history and meaning of tarot, from its possible origins in Egypt, to the female artists behind the most famous tarot decks, and more.<\/p>\n

\"Tarot<\/a>Tarot: A Graphic History: Pamela Colman Smith\u2019s Story of Arcana, Symbols & Magic<\/a> by Valentina Grande & Chiara Raimondi (August 19, 2025)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Speaking of female artists behind tarot, this graphic history tackles the backstory of Patricia Colman-Smith, the woman behind the Rider\u2013Waite\u2013Smith tarot deck, which is one of the most standard decks you\u2019ll see out there. She drew the now-famous tarot cards, but all the glory (and money) went to her male compatriots. Only recently have people been adding her name to the deck, formerly known as the Rider-Waite tarot deck. The story explores Patricia\u2019s life, moving to Jamaica and then NY. She eventually returned to her home country of England and joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which focused on the world of the occult. That\u2019s where she gets involved with drawing the deck.<\/p>\n

\"Grimm<\/a>Grimm Fairy Tales: Tarot<\/a>, written by Joe Brusha,\u00a0 artwork by Renato Rei, colors by Grostieta<\/p>\n

This series takes the world of tarot and puts it on an even more epic scale. Instead of a deck of cards, tarot becomes an order called The Mysterious Order of Tarot that wants to take over the world. The Emperor has domain over the courts of Cups, Pentacles, Swords, and Wands, and wants to take over the realm. Talisman may be the one who can fight against the order, as he runs away from his own fate. It\u2019s part of the larger Grimm Fairy Tales Universe, a dark fantasy series focusing on fairy tales and mythology. There are six volumes in this particular series.<\/p>\n

\"Cardcaptor<\/a>Cardcaptor Sakura<\/a> by Clamp, translated by Maria Simpson<\/p>\n

Okay, so this is not exactly about tarot cards, but there\u2019s a gap in diversity when it comes to writers, artists, and tarot card graphic books. This manga series focuses on Sakura Kinomoto, a fourth-grader who finds Clow Cards, magical cards by a sorcerer Clow Reed, and accidentally releases them into the world. Despite her age, Sakura gets the mission to get them all back, but she\u2019s not the only one after the cards. And each card puts Sakura\u2019s newfound magical skills to the test. There are 12 volumes, as well as a 70-episode anime series and other media!<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>Arcana: The Lost Heirs<\/a> by Sam Prentice-Jones<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a new series just published in June 2025. Tarot + witch academy + a queer cast of characters? Yes, please. Magic is nothing new to the lives of Daphne, James, Koko, and Sonny, who grew up with the mysterious Majors who control the Arcana, an organization of witches who control and look over the magical world. But for Eli, it\u2019s a revelation. He and his four new friends find instant connection, but realize that there are a lot of open questions and no answers. The five friends have to band together to find out the dark secrets about the Arcana and the Majors. It\u2019s fun to see the different ways tarot cards are interwoven in this story.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t wait to see what other tarot-themed graphic novels and nonfiction books will be coming up in the near future. For folks who want to explore tarot cards in fiction, check out this essay I wrote called Beyond Reading The Cards: The Use of Tarot in Fiction<\/a>. Or if you want to find inclusive tarot and oracle cards, check out this 2023 listicle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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