What it is: The full title is Tabula Idem: a queer tarot comic anthology. And that’s what it is, with a short comic for each of the Major Arcana. Some stories are more fantastic, some are closer to scifi, each one of them is gorgeous.
Why it’s on this list: This collection has 22 stories, all of them featuring queer characters. You have girls in love, boys in love, trans characters both binary and nonbinary. Characters defying what’s expected of their gender, alone or with a lover. It really does capture the spectrum of identities that our community has to offer.
Where you can find it: You can purchase the book or the ebook at their gumroad, and you can also find more information about the editors, the project, and the contributors on their blog @tabulaidemanthology.
Full List of the Contributors
Sometimes, a book sits on your shelf, waiting for you to need it.
That’s exactly what happened with the comic anthology Tabula Idem.
You know it’s the right time to read something when you’re crying only a few pages in. Even the introduction had my heart aching.
“The history of queerness is a history of adaption, of using creativity and community to flourish.... We design our own destinies, and then fight to protect and realize them.”
- Iris Jay, from the Introduction
With some anthologies, I am tempted to read them out of order, flipping around until something catches my eye. It is rare that I sit down and read one from front to back, but like the Major Arcana itself these anthology transitions expertly from one story to the next, each story building on the one that came before it. It was an experience, and a journey, which really speaks to how successful they were in keeping to their theme. I laughed, I cried, and I even caught myself repeating lines out loud just so I could hear them spoken.
It is very obvious that this project was put together when it was, because there is a defiance and a hopefulness in these pages. These characters face first meetings and the threat of a goodbye, they stare down evil and their own anxieties. And to watch these characters overcome, find their own versions of a triumph, is so powerful.
“Maybe it’s nice to imagine that things can be different... But they’re not really. But I think it’s okay to feel a bit helpless... Because I’m not alone, and never will be. You’re still the same... No matter what, I love you.”
- from XII The Hanged One, by Alain Helmers
You don’t have to understand Tarot to enjoy the symbolism of each story. At the beginning of each story you’re given a few lines of what the card means, and each story is capped by a beautiful tarot card featuring the characters of the story, in full colour.
Have I mentioned yet just how beautiful this book is? Not just the stories, but the whole book. So well done.
If I start trying to go in detail about each story, this will get ridiculously long, so I’ll just give you a bit of a taste from each. A coffee shop meetcute between two different kinds of artists. A dreamt connection turned tangible. An empath and their potion-making partner falling in love. A coming-of-age journey. A knight and their charge. Two lovers remembering together. A chariot racer and his carpenter. Two art thieves and a scandal. A light being restored. A ghost arcade and a new friend. A big move. A change in perspective. A necromancer and a transformation. Two rival gang members working together. Rio De Janeiro, 1927. “Fear holds no power over me for I am at peace and I am loved.” A scientist in space realizing there is always something more to discover. Magic and realizations in the rain. The winter solstice. Music and a burning conversation. And to finish off the collection, a merman shows a newcomer a new world.
Anthologies are often tricky, because there are always stories we like more or less and ones we wish were longer and ones we could have done without. I’ve never read an anthology that was this cohesive, where each story really did feel like part of a bigger whole that was the path this collection was leading us down.
It was the perfect thing to read at one am after a few days of feeling directionless. If you like comics, short stories, tarot, or if any of the little snippets above grabbed your attention, I highly recommend you get your hands on this anthology and give it a read.
- from XIV Temperance, by Lin and Capp
Reading Tabula Idem? Let us know what you think! And if you’re looking for more great queer content, reminder that this is Day 7 of 365 queer reviews, one for each day of 2018. You can find all the reviews here.
⭐️ 🌙 🔮 Finally got my copies of the Tabula Idem Queer Tarot Anthology! I couldn’t be more happy with receiving these today, it’s been a long journey for this project and I feel so humbled and excited to be one of the contributors to carry it along! A while ago I had a moment of panic when looking back on my comic, thinking that it wasn’t good enough and how did I even trick the editors into letting me in on this but after reading the book as a whole and seeing it in print, the hopeful energy in these books eased my doubt entirely away.
Special shout out to literally everyone who worked on this, every story, illustration, design choice, layout, after word and forward is full of such genuine care that it makes this book so so very special. This project will always have a special place in my heart and whenever Fortuna Media comes out with another call for artists/writers, I hope that I’ll have a chance to participate in those as well.
Been a while since we’ve posted on here, huh? Well, we’ve been behind the scenes working on production, receiving products, and today we got the most valuable jewel of all, the books themselves! We have some exciting news, so let's kick it off: BOOKS HAVE LANDED AND THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL!
SO what does this mean for you all with regards to rewards?! Well, tiers will start to ship out the week after our debut at Rose City Comicon! That's right- from September 8-10 at booth AA (Artist Alley) BB 09, both editors Iris, Hye, and contributor/Lovers author Nero O'Reilly will be there selling their own original works, along with copies of TABULA! Stop by for tarot, comics, and a whole lotta queer goodies! Unfortunately (to our current knowledge), it doesn't seem as if we'll be having any other contributors tabling at RCCC, so if you missed out on the initial Kickstarter launch, this'll be your chance to purchase them until after KS fulfillment, or at GeekGirl Con where editor Iris will be tabling! (Note: We will be selling them online, but as said, shipments and sales won’t be until after KS rewards are all sent out).
We'll post another small reminder update once RCCC starts, but that's all for now, folks! As said above, rewards fulfillment will begin as soon as we're back from RCCC, and you'll be receiving individual shipping notifications once your goodies are in the mail. For backers, make sure your survey addresses are all up to date, and we can't wait to get you these beautiful books and cards.
Thank you all again, and we hope to see you in Portland next week!
--IJ & HM
To see this post reflected on the Kickstarter page, more pictures, other updates and to follow along, click here for the update, or here to follow us on Twitter!
Hey there!! Keeping up with your tumblr and if you remember that queer tarot comic anthology Tabula Idem you posted awhile ago about, they didn't quite make it but relaunched a couple weeks ago! They're really close to goal and have the tarot deck now as a stretch goal but have a while to get it!
I saw that! I am really excited because they reached the stretch goal.
Tabula Idem: A Queer Tarot Comic Anthology
A 22 story, queer-centric comic anthology modeled after tarot's Major Arcana - now relaunched, reworked, and running once more.
Please share and back if you can! This is the last week!
SO HEY, FOLKS: Tabula Idem, the queer tarot-themed comic anthology I co-edited, is only $2.4K away from hitting its base goal! To help give our campaign a boost as we head into the second half of the campaign, Hye and I are doing a LIVE BROADCAST on our Kickstarter page tomorrow where we’ll be chatting and answering questions while I ink the intro comic to the anthology.
Starts at 6pm PDT! Check it out, and pre-order our anthology, at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/878734667/tabula-idem-a-queer-tarot-comic-anthology-relaunch!!!
Hello everyone! I’m part of the Tabula Idem anthology and we still need all the help and pledges we can with less than five days to go!
[ Support the Kickstarter now, featuring LGBTQ Comics and Creators! ]
Reblogs and signal boosts are greatly appreciated! These are some previews from my Tarot Card and comic, Lakas Reyna~ ( ”Reyna’s Strength” or “Strength of a Queen” ) Naturally about a Filipina :b
