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

Ace of Pentacles	8 of Swords	9 of Swords
Page of Cups	The Hanged Man	The Swamp
The Tower	5 of Swords	Knight of Cups

 

 

 

 

Card 1: Ace of Pentacles

A fencing mask on a skeleton with a cadeceus over a black sun before fire. Refer to the symbolic meaning of each to find the answers you seek.

 

 

 

 

Card 2: 8 of Swords

Why in Pulp Fiction did he go with a Samurai Sword? He had a damn Chainsaw! Half the swords in pawn shops are cheap crap that'll break if you try to use it, chainsaws are dangerous, vicious weapons. It would have been way wiser and way cooler if he went with the Chainsaw. Way cooler.

That aside: It's about sacrifice. Nothing's free and nothing ventured means nothing gained.

 

 

 

 

Card 3: 9 of Swords

Drawn on July 4th to the sound of fireworks. Weapons and explosives are now components of ritual as often as components of battle. I suppose they always were.

 

 

 

 

Card 4: Page of Cups

AKA Jack of Hearts in traditional playing cards. One eyed as a result. If the world seems backwards, it's not.

The world is right where it's always been, it's more likely yourself that's gotten turned around. Nah just kidding, the world's gone nuts. Deal with it as best you can and don't forget which way is up – It's the opposite of the way your tears fall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Card 5: The Hanged Man

5:00 – Card 2

Male, Water, Cancer.

A victim, weakness, prey. To try and then to fail in the worst way hurts, but it's better than standing still or letting those around you dictate your actions. There are great ambitious lives throughout history now deemed failures, even some angels have failed. But failure nonetheless.

 

 

 

 

Card 6: The Swamp

8:00 – Card 1

AKA Temperance in the traditional Tarot. Male, Earth, Scorpio.

Stagnation, nothing moves, nothing changes. Barriers block every effort to improve or change, not that rock has anywhere to go. The elements and life move around it, grow from it, decay upon it, but it goes nowhere.

 

 

 

 

Card 7: The Tower

10:00 – Card 4

Male, Earth, Libra.

Failure and Loss. Defeat and ruin. The higher it's built, the harder it falls and the more it crushes when it does. That doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't worth building. Defeat can be accepted and the ruins left behind in favour of greener pastures, or one can start to rebuild. The latter is more difficult, but often more rewarding.

 

 

 

 

Card 8: 5 of Swords

An homage to Bosch and Bruegel, and a card symbolic of victory to the well-armed and pain to the unprepared or unwilling to defend.

 

 

 

 

Card 9: Knight of Cups

An homage to David Lynch. I don't know what divinatory meaning you might get out of a cowboy duel in a kitchen sink, but please do let me know if you find one.

Traditionally, it means romantic change is coming. If you're smart about it, for the better.