I call this a FAQ, but there are no "Frequently Asked Questions", because so far, this is just me. I will try to explain some of my reasoning for the cards and images I have chosen for the DC Super Tarot, and note some of the patterns, intentional and otherwise, between them. Those of you with any unanswered questions, or observations of your own, please feel free to E-mail me.
More than just trademarks, the characters are icons, and speak to our need for Power, Justice, and Protection. They have recently been linked in time by Wonder Woman author Eric Luke - Batman the Detective looks to the past for answers, Diana Goddess of Truth looks to the now, while Superman looks forward as the Man of Tomorrow. Taken as metaphysical analogies, Wonder Woman speaks of an age of primordial Matriarchy, Batman champions the Old Testament "Eye for an Eye" strictures, while Superman is the quintessential Christ figure, from the solar symbolism to the favorite son of a far away father to the ressurection and the life. If the Holy Spirit is seen as Sophia, the feminine aspect of God's wisdom, they are the traditional Catholic Trinity. the Father (Batman), Son (Superman - more Christ symbolism!), and the Holy Ghost (Wonder Woman). More essoterically, they are the Father (Batman), Mother (Wonder Woman) and Divine Child (Superman). (Though in the comics Superman is more often married off to his physical equal, Wonder Woman, Batman's position as Rulegiver makes him more of a Father figure.) They are defined by Body (Superman), Mind (Batman), and Spirit (Wonder Woman), as well as the Primary colors Red (Superman), Yellow (Wonder Woman), and Blue (Batman).
Any Trinities I have missed?
Quite simply, The Papess is the third card of the traditional Tarot. While the fact that she premiered after the guys played to this sequence, it was really no more than that. And taken in traditional sequence, she would be the first card of the Destiny (Empress, Emperor, Pope), Home (Paradise, Fortress, Arkham), and Icon (Star, Night, Sun) triples.
But more to the point, while the various triples are laid out in a consistant "Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman" order, this is a constraint of a two-dimensional display, not an indication of importance. Each member of a triple is as important as any other, each an equal part of a greater whole. Just as each paired triple should be taken as an equal but opposite aspect, a balanced pair. Only Origins, Adventures, and Endings, which all three characters share in equally, have any inherent sequence to them. And only the Reader, which contains none of the three but does share in the Male/Female/Divine Child symbolism, is elevated over any (and all) of the other cards.
As with many Tarot decks, many of the images in the DC tarot are linked not only to their DC backgrounds and Divinatory meaning, but also to the Four Natural Elements, Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. The most obvious are the Minor Arcana, which are linked to the elements like most decks, each suit corresponding to a single element. The Golden Age, an era of new energy and creativity is linked to Fire. The Fourth World, a place where gods clash in an eternal battle of ideology, is linked to Air. Vertigo, with it's magic as well as it's deeper emotional tinge, is linked with Water. And the Modern Age, the commercial here and now, is linked with Earth.
But even in the Major Arcana, we can draw some elemental connections. Superman was born in the fires of an exploding Krypton, only to travel through distant space and land on Earth, where he gained great powers, including those of flight and heat vision. Boundless energy controlled by careful thought, Superman embodies the elements of Air and Fire. A nurturing spirit as well as a protector, Wonder Woman not only embodies the elements of Water and Earth, but she is literally embodied by them, having been fashioned from clay - Earth mixed with Water - on the shores of Paradise Island - Earth upon Water. The pairing of Superman and Wonder Woman is made even more obvious, as their elemental natures perfectly complement and complete the other. Batman, both the World's Greatest Detective and the Defender of Gotham, is a combination of Air and Earth, and forms a bridge between the elemental extremes of the other two. But there is also an extreme within him, as Air and Earth are opposing elements, further illustrating the fierce duality of Darknight Detective.
Like any essoteric Tarot, I hope that the images on the cards, and the various linkages between them will lead those interested into further exploration of the history and symbolism of the modern myths that are comic book superheroes, just as Dave Van Domelen's original Super Tarot did for me all those years ago. Though only a mere sixty years old, superhero comics have aquired, subverted, and even invented a great many primordial images. Understanding our Pop Culture tells us as much about who we are as exploring the items of cultures that came before us we still treasure. Exploring our Entertainment, our Dreams, tells us how we see ourselves, and who we wish to be, if only for twenty-two pages.
But let's not get too analytical here, either. Be honest, when you hear "Tarot", you immediately think "The cards that can tell the future?" Whether you believe that the divinatory power of the Tarot is due to external guidance, internal enlightenment, or just random chance, everybody wants to know the future. For the Vertigo Tarot, Ms. Pollack suggested a new, comic book oriented layout. Of course, it required throwing out the cards she was unable to relate to the comics, and otherwise had little else to indicate it as Vertigo, much less comics. But we have already discussed my problems with the Vertigo Tarot. For the DC Tarot, I have created the "JLA Layout", which can be used for both divinatory and interogative purposes.
JLA Layout - The JLA Layout consists of six cards arranged in a symmetric circle around a seventh, corresponding to the original seven members of the JLA. Starting with the uppermost card, and continuing clockwise, the characters are Green Lantern (Top), Wonder Woman (Upper Right), Flash (Lower Right), Superman (Bottom), Aquaman (Lower Left), Batman (Upper Left), and J'onn J'onzz (Center). For general questions about the querent and their future, a card they identify with (not neccessarily the Reader) is chosen from the deck and placed in the center. Here, J'onn is the Shapeshifter, the "Hero of the Southern Hemisphere", with a Secret Identity in every corner of the globe. For specific questions on other topics, the center is left blank. Here J'onn is the Alien, the Unknown, the Mystery. The deck is then shuffled seven times - which is not only mystically significant but also statistically random! The cards are then drawn, one at a time, and layed out in this order: Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Flash, Aquaman, Green Lantern. The first three - again, our Holy Trinity - form a triangle facing the querent. These form the basis of understanding, point to internal matters, and indicate what has come before. The are the querent's physical Body below, and Mind and Spirit above. The second three form a triangle facing away from the querent, giving options, pointing to matters outside the querent or their immediate circle, and show what may yet be. They are the elements of the world, Land, Sea, and Air. In addition, the circle has a duality, with the light fantasy of Superman, Flash, and Wonder Woman contrasted with the more often grimmer and realistic exploits of Green Lantern, Batman, and Aquaman. Finally, the circle is divided into three axes: Superman and Green Lantern represent both physical power and authority; Wonder Woman and Aquaman represent more social issues, such as love and obligation to the community; and Batman and Flash are the cards of intellect and discovery. As with all Tarot, personal interpretations of the images and the feelings they invoke is the most important aspect of the reading.
Quite simply, you can't. As I said, these are DC's characters, I do not own the copyright, nor have I been given any permission to use them. If money exchanges hands, I can get in even more trouble. In all humility, if you are interested in something like this, write to DC and request that they produce a true DC Tarot deck. In the interim, I have done my best to scale the card images to the "standard" Tarot card. A color printer, some cardstock, a little rubber cement (and of course, all 22 images finally available), and you have yourself your own personal deck, a unique collector's item.