Comic Strip Spread

Difficulty: Easy
Note: This spread works best with decks like the Diary of a Broken Soul or Surrealist Tarot because they display scenes rather than pips and do not use reversals.
The Comic Strip Spread is a simple nine-card chronological spread that looks like a page of a comic book. This method should be used to get a glimpse of the future as it would pan out naturally. It may be insightful to use this spread in coordination with biorhythms. The spread is easy to read as a storyboard, just like a comic strip.
The main subject is apparent in the first card, while the story plays out through the following tarot cards.
It is important to pay particular attention to the cards and the relationships with their neighbours. Notice which directions the cards are facing, and how they interact.
Your Comic Strip Reading
The Star![]() |
The Child![]() |
The Mountain![]() |
The Rods![]() |
The Ring![]() |
The Snake![]() |
The Bear![]() |
The Egg![]() |
The Harvest![]() |
Card 1: The Star
The universe and the laws that govern it, the state of life and existence, spiritual aspirations, the melancholy of dreams, eternity, universal consciousness, a spirit guide. The Star signifies success and the attainment of your goals. It reaffirms that you are on the right path and can move forward with confidence.
Card 2: The Child
The Child indicates youth, inexperience, naiveness, playfulness, and small size. The appearance of the Child may suggest a child coming into your life.
Card 3: The Mountain
Obstacles, danger, frustration, roadblocks, coldness, and hard work. The Mountain indicates a difficult challenge that will most likely isolate you from friends and enemies alike.
Card 4: The Rods
The Rods represent family quarrels, arguments, heated debate, domestic trouble, strife, cleansing by fire, consequences, and the number two and duality. This card indicates the need to make some significant changes in your domestic situation.
Card 5: The Ring
In the area of water (everything flows together to one) the ring shows new connections. For connections we need an inside and an outside, what means new life, new separation.
Karma, cycles, monotony, group work, connections, contracts, promises, and protection. The Ring signifies solidification.
Card 6: The Snake
Realm of Air
The snake has been searching and learning for a long time. Tried this, tried that, and so came nearer and nearer to the truth. It means the highest consciousness (yellow and white) following a long way of experiences.
Temptations, dark forces, cunning, deviousness, earthly intelligence, lower nature, and biological urges. The Serpent may represent someone trying to trick you. Be wary of people trying to take advantage of you, who may lead you down the wrong path. If the cards surrounding this card are favourable to you, this is a sign that you may be the one who is being devious.
Card 7: The Bear
Power, great strength, protection, spiritual energy, fame, a foundation of truth – but possibly jealousy, envy, and through these, tremendous wrath. The Bear is a very powerful sign, but be wary of the potential for excessive force.
Card 8: The Egg
The process of cleansing one's self. The stork is a deliverer. It delivers the message of card that occurs before it to the card that appears after the Stork. The ever-evolving nature of love.
Card 9: The Harvest
This card indicates inner knowledge, but not really wisdom. Something that one does not understand by experience, but in theory. A warning to be careful, as something that happens quickly can bring much pain. This card indicates that you will reap the harvest of what you have sewn.