What deck, created two years ago by the versatile Filipino artist, Lynyrd Narciso, predicted the ascendancy of a certain unknown to national prominence? Name not only the deck and the person, but tell us what symbols in the card gave it away. Anyone use this deck? If so, what do you think of it? [Thanks to Lynn Araujo.]
Enough of you have figured it out, so I’ll let everyone know. This is the Vanessa Tarot by Lynyrd Narciso (2006, U.S. Games Systems, Inc.). The people (mostly female) have big heads and doe’s eyes like the BRATZ dolls that swept the international market a couple of years ago. Illustrations feature plenty of visual references to pop culture and fairy tales and have the same mix of adult themes and pre-teen dreams that you’ll find on TV and in the movies, including a multi-cultural cast of women scientists, warriors, judges, princesses and bartenders, and a few guys. This “cute” deck offers far more than you might think on first look. Here’s a review by Dan Pelletier.
Mary K. Greer has made tarot her life work. Check here for reports of goings-on in the world of tarot and cartomancy, articles on the history and practice of tarot, and materials on other cartomancy decks. Sorry, I no longer write reviews. Contact me
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October 23, 2008 at 2:12 pm
TarotByArwen
Wow! That’s the Vanessa deck I think and that is very much a Sarah Palin look-alike, isn’t it! Glasses, hair-do, Sunday school and the cross are all so relevant to her. I love the sexy stockings too along with the corset top.
I don’t have this deck, but it’s actually one I just looked at the other day.
October 23, 2008 at 2:30 pm
mkg
Arwen –
You forgot the $150,000 red jacket and shoes! Also the young men oogling her, since she has quite a Joe-Six-Pack following.
But, couldn’t it be Tina Fey?
October 23, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Connie
OMG, I had to run go get my Vanessa Tarot and look at the images again.
LOL, how amazing is that!
My view and interpretation of this deck is forever changed. From now on I will be compelled to think of it as the “Sarah Deck”. 8-P
October 23, 2008 at 6:27 pm
mkg
And check out the Emperor! Is that Senator Clinton or SNL’s Amy Poehler?
October 23, 2008 at 6:53 pm
TarotByArwen
That’s kind of scary that she is the Heirophant. That’s actually one of the cards I like the least! LOL I don’t do rules and structure. Amazing though! Gotta think the artist is psychic, eh?
October 23, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Ferol Humphrey
Funny! Very funny! Love this blog!
October 24, 2008 at 6:10 am
Rosegardenfae
Great feature.. love “Name that Deck” !!!
October 27, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Terri C
I use this deck! The Vanessa is a wonderful little deck. Very useful when reading in public, but not so friendly to Tarot places. 😉 My clients find the images quite delightful!
April 28, 2009 at 12:33 am
Andalusia
I don’t have that deck yet, because what I really want from Ly is his Majors-only Les Adorables deck (which I named unwittingly, hehe). 😀
September 30, 2009 at 12:18 pm
iceclone
Wow! I didn’t see how I would like this deck but since it’s from a Filipino artist, I might have to get it for support.
December 22, 2009 at 3:21 am
Helen
I absolutely love this deck and bought one for me and another for a friend (both in our forties). The modern characters are very easy to relate to. However, I was disappointed with the small size of the cards. I first became familiar with the computer images like the one above and it took some adjusting to get used to the smaller actual size, especially as my eyesight is not what it used to be.