FIRST TAROT
 
Classification: Magic item
Creator: Ashake with aid from Agamotto, Amun, Huahet, Keku, Nu, Oshtur;
Possessors: Ashake,
Dr. Stephen Strange, Ian McNee;
presumably the Ancient One (Yao); Balkis, the Queen of Sheba; Caius of Lacedaemon; Zhang Jiao; Merlin; King Solomon; the mystic Triumvirate (see comments);
possibly the Demon Rider (Kushala) and Nina the Conjuror
First Appearance: Secret Defenders#1 (March, 1993)
Powers/Abilities/Functions: The First Tarot is a powerful scrying item, capable
of revealing information about the past, present and future to an
individual who can properly read the images. Eternal and ever-changing, it appears differently to all those who use it.
Linked via enchantments to every living thing on Earth, the First Tarot
chooses from amongst all those possibilities the single best representative for each card's archetype.
Ashake used the cards primarily for foresight/precognition/prophecy.
Dr. Strange used it to help him subconsciously choose the ideal Secret
Defenders team members for any given mission.
When Ian McNee consulted the Tarot, the deck seemed to communicate with
him. If the being depicted on the card is someone he had met, he knew
who it was even before turning over the card. If he had heard or read
about the person, the Tarot would trigger certain important memories of
his that would help him figure it out. If he had no idea whatsoever who
the person was, the deck would give him a few flashes of insight: A
song, a color, or a smell. To get more clues, Ian would carefully study
the details of the card and then begin reading anything that seemed
even remotely related to the clues. This process might take weeks, but
eventually, he'd come across an obscure detail in anything from an
ancient tome to Entertainment Weekly, and he would get additional
flashes, letting him know he was on the right track. The more he
learned, the more the Tarot told him.
The Tarot cards could actually communicate directly with McNee,
although whether the beings represented by the cards did the
communication or whether the cards did it based on the
knowledge/abilities/personality of the archetype is unrevealed.
Discussion of the individual cards/archetype's significance is covered
under the individual cards as they are referenced in the history. |
History:
 
(Mystic Arcana#1/2 (fb) - BTS) - As foresight/precognition was not her specialty, Ashake created the First Tarot (although she didn't call it that),
painting images on flat cards made of bone, which helped her understand
the influences/patterns that shaped their lives. By observing and recording certain
archetypal individuals, Ashake created a set of images that became the
Major Arcana cards of the First Tarot. (Marvel
Tarot#1 (fb) - BTS) - Although the Tarot archetypes existed as living
individuals before Atlantis, this deck was the first instance of those
archetypes being recorded and structured in such a way that the
patterns they produced could be observed, as the patterns of the Seas
or the Seasons, to give clues about the future. (Mystic Arcana#1/2 (fb) - BTS) - Amongst the
forces/powers she accessed via the Tarot were Nu, of the primordial
waters; Amun, who rules air and the invisible; Hauhet, whose influence
was space and visible matters; and Keku, whose domain was darkness and
chaos.
(Supplemental
information from writer David Sexton) - Agamotto and Oshtur guided
Ashake in creating the First Tarot (aka the Tarot of Marvels) with the
goal of reflecting the mystical nature of the universe. Agamotto used
the spell that tapped into the four Cornerstones of Creation to manifest the Tarot. |
 
(New Mutants I#32 - BTS / Mystic Arcana#1/2 - BTS) <11th century BC> -
Via the newly-created First Tarot, Ashake sensed Heka-Nut's efforts to
ensnare Illyana Rasputin (and Dani Moonstar). Learning of their natures via the
Tarot, Ashake mystically intercepted them and brought them to her
home. Ashake's sorcery (drawing on the power of Ma'at/Oshtur) also taught her their language. 
(Mystic Arcana#1/2) - As
Dani slept, Ashake used the First Tarot to try to see the future. As
Ashake explained the cards, Illyana noted that they resembled the Tarot
cards used in her time; Ashake commented that while the cards reflected
the future era, like the movement in star and tides, they continued to
reveal the patterns of their lives. Ashake further noted that she
needed the cards to learn about Illyana, whose mind was closed to her.
|
 
Ashake further explained how swords marked Illyana
as one loyal to Ashake's patroness, Ma'at (another name for Oshtur), grey goddess of balance and
order, and that Illyana ruled, though her kingdom was barren (aptly
describing the limbo realm Otherplace). She continued that Illyana had learned
hard lessons in her short life and that she believed she could only
trust herself and that her past would only destroy her future if she
would have it thusly.(Supplemental
information from writer David Sexton) - Both eternal and ever changing, following
Ashake's travel into the modern era, the Tarot has been passed from
Sorcerer Supreme to Sorcerer Supreme (see comments). |
(Secret Defenders#1 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Tarot#1 (fb) - BTS) - As his powers waned following
severing ties with the mystic principalities whom he had long invoked for
power, Dr. Stephen Strange resolved to enlist fellow heroes into his service, using
the legendary First Tarot deck to predict threats and to select members to
confront each crisis.
(Fantastic
Four I#374 (fb) - BTS) - As Strange made a house of cards with the
First Tarot deck, Strange sensed that Spider-Man (Peter Parker) would be coming to
seek his aid to help convince the Human Torch (Johnny Storm) to
surrender to authorities after inadvertently setting fire to Empire
State University.
(Fantastic Four I#374) - After
Spider-Man’s arrival, Dr. Strange placed the Death/doom card, which
caused the house of cards to collapse. Strange noted that this
indicated that the Human Torch's current woes have far greater cosmic
scope than was readily apparent. '
At Spider-Man's behest, Dr.
Strange gathered Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch/Noble Kale), the Hulk (Bruce
Banner), and Wolverine (James Howlett/Logan), all three of whom had
previously served with Spider-Man as members of a substitute Fantastic
Four) to help him confront the Human Torch (Johnny Storm). This led to
a confrontation with the Torch and his Fantastic Four teammates
(Invisible Woman/Sue Richards, Mr. Fantastic/Reed Richards, Thing/Ben
Grimm), during which Wolverine badly wounded the Thing's face with his
claws.
|
(Secret
Defenders#1) - A tarot reading led Dr. Strange to choose Darkhawk
(Chris Powell), Nomad (Jack Munroe), Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter),
and Wolverine (James Howlett/Logan) to confront the threat of Zusommin,
an extradimensional (Zusom) viral swarm that had possessed and
empowered a number of agents to facilitate its goal of feeding on
humanity.
(Secret
Defenders#4 (fb) - BTS) - Via the Orb of Agamotto, Dr. Strange learned
of a series of grisly murders in the south-central USA (perpetrated by Roadkill).
Using the First Tarot, Strange's unconscious mind determined that
Namorita, the Punisher (Frank Castle), and Sleepwalker/Rich Sheridan would be ideal
to oppose this threat.
(Secret
Defenders#4 - BTS) - Strange gathered Namorita, Punisher, and
Sleepwalker, and he then explained the threat, showing him the Tarot he
used to select them.
(Secret
Defenders#4 - BTS) - Sleepwalker initially refused to work with them, but Strange took the others to investigate.
(Secret
Defenders#5 - BTS) - Sleepwalker joined the others in ultimately stopping Roadkill.
(Secret
Defenders#6 (fb) - BTS) - Learning of a threat involving Xandu, Strange
used the Tarot to select Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch/Noble Kale), Scarlet
Witch (Wanda Maximoff), Spider-Man (Peter Parker). Strange's own card
was inverted, indicating folly or a wrong choice.
(Secret
Defenders#6 (fb) - BTS) - Dr. Strange gathered Scarlet Witch and
Spider-Man, but he was unable to reach Ghost Rider, who was apparently
occupied with "Midnight Sons" business.
(Secret
Defenders#6 (fb) - BTS) - Dr. Strange, Scarlet Witch, and Spider-Man
encountered Captain America (Steve Rogers), and while the latter two were eager to
recruit Captain America to aid them and/or replace Ghost Rider, Dr.
Strange advised against this, as he had not been selected via the Tarot
cards.
(Secret
Defenders#15) - Via a tarot reading, Dr. Strange identified the threat
of Malachi, who sought the Moebius Stone to resurrect her lover,
Korahn. He further identified Luke Cage and Deadpool (Jack/"Wade
Wilson") as the heroes needed to oppose this threat. Lacking the time
to continue to deal with such missions in his condition (having been
nearly slain by Salome' and trapped in his extradimensional Forge
Canal), Strange decided he needed to choose a replacement, and he --
presumably aided by the tarot cards -- chose Dr. Anthony Druid.
(Secret
Defenders#15) - A subsequent tarot reading showed Druid as the Fool.
(Marvel Tarot#1 (fb) - BTS) - Ian McNee inherited the First Tarot from Dr. Strange.
(Marvel Tarot#1 (fb) - BTS) - Ian McNee consulted every scroll, book, or stone tablet about the First Tarot.
(Marvel
Tarot#1 (fb) - BTS) - Ian found that the Tarot communicated with him
during readings and helped him identify beings he did not recognize.
(Marvel Tarot#1 (fb) - BTS) <June 21> - A reading of the First Tarot led Ian to the conclusion that the nature of magic was broken.
(Mystic Arcana#1 - BTS)
- Posing as Oshtur, Chthon appeared before Ian McNee at dusk and instructed him to
gather the Cornerstones of Creation to restore the ancient sorcerer
Heka-Nut in order to save the Mystic Realms, which had been badly
damaged by the War of the Seven Spheres.
(Marvel Tarot#1 (fb) - BTS) - Ian
checked the First Tarot a dozen times, but repeatedly found the face on
the Fool card to be blank, and he did not receive any flashes of
insight to help his discovery. At that point, Ian was unable to
remember the Fool ever having a face. Nowhere in his research into the
First Tarot had he come across anything like this.
Ian put together his Catalogue of Correspondences. |
(Marvel Tarot#1 (fb) - BTS) - Ian repeatedly (at least 10 times) performed a reading of the First Tarot...
| | |  | |
| Nine times out of ten, the Magician card was Dr. Strange... | ...but one out of ten times, the Magician card was Ian McNee. |
The Priestess card (linked to Oshtur) featured Agatha Harkness, | Wanda Maximoff (aka
Scarlet Witch), | and Ororo Munroe (aka Storm), each one out of three
times. |
Ian
further noted that the Magician in the Tarot was always shown at the
center of a crossroads, trying to determine which direction he should
travel
| | | |
| Ten out of ten times, the Empress card (linked to Gaea) was Morgan Le Fay. Ian noted that he would need her aid to find the second item on his quest (the Ebon Rose). |
The Hierophant card (aka Priest, linked to Chthon; symbolizing
traditional values and associated with bringing the spiritual
down to Earth to create harmony) was consistently Modred the Mystic. | The Emperor archetype was linked by ancient pacts to Set. Ian
initially believed the scaled figure to be Naga, but as Naga
was apparently dead, he rightly suspected the figure
might represent Naga's great-great-great granddaughter, Nagala,
although he had never known the Emperor card to choose a female
subject. | One
out of two times, the Emperor card was drawn to Dr. Doom, who had at
the time been venturing further into the sorceress legacy of his Gypsy
mother, Cynthia von Doom. |
| | | |
| The Lovers card was consistently represented by Cloak (Tyrone Johnson) and Dagger (Tandy Bowen). | The Chariot card (indicating discipline and/or destruction) was consistently represented by Devil-Slayer (Eric Simon Payne). | The Strength card (symbolizing inner strength) was consistently represented by the Golem (although Ian initially mistook it for It the Living Colossus). | The Hermit card (which was partly about isolation) was consistently represented by N'Kantu, aka the Living Mummy. |
Ian
further noted that Cloak and Dagger were not romantically linked but
that the Lovers card was about more than the physical manifestation of
love. He further speculated that the First Tarot's choosing them
may indicate that they may have a mystical nature to them, bridging the
gap between science and sorcery.
| | | |
| The Wheel of Fortune Card, built around the idea of a trio, showed
Margali Szardos (past), Amanda Sefton (present), and Irene Adler (aka
Destiny; future). | The Justice card was
represented by the Valkyrie (Brunnhilde) ... | ...and Magik (Illyana Rasputin),
each one out of every two readings. | The Hanged Man card (signifying willing sacrifice) was Brother Voodoo (Jericho and Daniel Drumm). |
Ian
further considered that the Justice card showing two alternating
subjects was a sign that the deck was damaged, and he wondered if it
was a bad sign that both subjects were both seemingly dead at the time.
| | | |
| The Death card (signifying transformation and major change) was represented by Nina Price (aka Vampire by Night). | The Temperance card (signifying healing) was consistently represented by the sorceress Topaz. | The Devil card (signifying one's darker side) was represented by Satana and ... | ...Daimon Hellstrom, each one out of every two readings. |
| | | |
| The Tower card (signifying disaster and devastation) was consistently represented by Patsy Walker. | The Star card (signifying faith/hope) was consistently represented by Jennifer Kale. | The Moon card (signifying dreams, intuition, and confusion) was represented by Sleepwalker and... | ...Dream Weaver, each one out of every two readings. |
| | |
| The Sun card (signifying optimism) was consistently represented by Janus (aka the Golden Angel), the son of Dracula. | The Judgement (signifying choice and/or judging or being judged) card was consistently represented by the Pale Horseman / Cadaver. | The World card was consistently represented by the Man-Thing (Ted Sallis).
Per Ian McNee, the World card is about coming full circle: As the World ends one journey, the cycle begins again. |
| | | |
| The Ace of Swords was represented by the Sword of Bone, created by the Elder Goddess Oshtur | The Ace of Cups was represented by the Serpent Crown, created by the Elder God Set | The Ace of
Wands was represented by the Black Mirror, created (at least in part) by the Elder God Chthon | The Ace of Pentacles was represented by the Ebon Rose, created by the Elder Goddess Gaea |
These last four items were the four Cornerstones of Creation.
(Mystic Arcana: Sister Grimm#1/1 - BTS) - Ian
McNee had a dream that he kept drawing cards from the First Tarot, but
the deck was "stuck," and he only drew the Fool over and over again. 
(Mystic
Arcana: Sister Grimm#1/1) - Seeking answers in his mission to gather
the Cornerstones of Creation, Ian drew three cards from the First
Tarot: Justice (Magik), which/who called him a Fool and asked him to
consider when Oshtur, Bright Lady of Dawn had appeared to him; the
Empress (Morgan Le Fay), which/who asked if he had accepted his quest
with a pure heart or if he was forced?; and the Emperor (Nagala),
which/who told him that Set had not cast him into the Serpent's Sea and
asked Ian who else had such power?
(Mystic
Arcana: Sister Grimm#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - After consideration of what he
had learned from the Tarot, Ian realized that the Dark Mirror was not a
literal mirror, but rather a reflection of Chthon's dark soul: The
Darkhold. He further realized that the answers to the questions asked
indicated that he was being duped by Chthon.
(Mystic
Arcana: Sister Grimm#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - Aided by Ashake, Morgan Le Fay,
and Llyra, Ian McNee escaped Chthon's trap and thwarted his plot. Comments: Created by Roy Thomas, Andre Coates, and
Don Hudson.
According to David Sexton (who wrote Marvel Tarot and Mystic Arcana):
Following Ashake's encounter with Magik in the 11th
century BC (1100-1000 BC), she was brought into the present and stayed
their to help Ian McNee in his efforts to repair the fabric of magic.
The First Tarot was then given by Agamotto to Sorcerer Supreme King Solomon, and it was subsequently passed on to Solomon's successors.
Solomon was succeeded by Balkis, the Queen of Sheba; the mystic Triumvirate; Caius of Lacedaemon; Zhang Jiao; Merlin; the Ancient One (Yao); (possibly the Demon Rider (Kushala) and Nina the Conjuror); and Dr. Strange, who passed it on to Ian McNee.
In Marvel Tarot#1, Ian McNee notes that he has had the First Tarot for
almost a decade. That's a topical reference, as the Tarot was published
in 2007, and he received it sometime after Secret Defenders#15 (1994).
However, due to the sliding timescale, which indicates that Fantastic
Four I#1 took place less than 15 years ago (notably, Peter Parker was
15 when he became Spider-Man, he's still in his 20's), only a little
over 2 years occurred Marvel Time between those issues.
Also, per David Sexton, the art of using cards for clairvoyance and precognition is known as cartomancy.
This profile was completed 05/01/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Snood, with technical assistant by Markus Raymond and clarifications/supplemental information by David Sexton.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The First Tarot should be distinguished from:
- The Inficio Aquilus - another ancient and powerful Tarot deck--Gambit IV#1,3
- TAROT (Marie-Ange Colbert) - White Queen
and King Bedlam’s Hellions. Summon and control forms of objects and beings
represented on tarot cards--New Mutants I#16
- other Tarot cards, people, etc.
images: (without ads):
Secret Defenders#1, pg. 1, panel 1 (Ace of Wands);
panel 2 (Devil);
panel 3 (Death);
panel 4 (Six of Wands);
panel 5 (Hermit);
panel 6 (Knight of Wands);
panel 7 (Queen of Pentacles);
panel 8 (Knight of Swords);
panel 9 (Magician);
pg. 2 (Dr. Strange with house of cards);
#4, pg. 9, panel 3-5 (Strange with High Priestess, Justice, and Hermit cards);
#15, pg. 1, panel 1 (High Priestess);
panel 2 (Lovers);
panel 3 (Death);
panel 4 (Judgment);
panel 5 (Strength);
panel 6 (Hermit);
Fantastic
Four I#374, pg. 2, panel 1 (Dr. Strange with house of cards);
Marvel Tarot, pg. 44, panel 1 (Ace of Swords);
panel 2 (Ace of Cups);
panel 3 (Ace of Wands);
panel 4 (Ace of Pentacles);
pg. 45, panel 1 (Fool);
panel 4 (High Priestess - Scarlet Witch);
panel 5 (High Priestess - Agatha Harkness);
panel 6 (High Priestess - Storm);
panel 7 (Empress - Morgan);
pg. 46, panel 1 (Emperor - Naga);
panel 2 (Emperor - Doom);
panel 3 (Hierophant);
panel 4 (Lovers);
panel 5 (Chariots);
panel 6 (Strength);
panel 7 (Hermit)
pg. 47, panel 1 (Wheel of Fortune);
panel 2 (Justice-Valkyrie);
panel 3 (Justice-Magik);
panel 4 (Hanged Man);
panel 5 (Death);
panel 6 (Temperance);
panel 7 (Devil);
pg. 48, panel 1 (Devil - Hellstorm);
panel 2 (Tower);
panel 3 (Star);
panel 4 (Moon-Dreamweaver);
panel 5 (Moon-Sleepwalker);
panel 6 (Sun);
panel 7 (Judgement);
panel 8 (World)
inside back cover, panel 1 (Magician-Strange);
panel 2 (Magician-McNee);
Appearances:
Secret Defenders#1 (March, 1993) - Roy Thomas (writer), Andre Coates (penciler), Don Hudson (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Fantastic
Four I#374 (March, 1993) - Tom DeFalco (script, co-plotter), Paul Ryan
(penciler, co-plotter), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Secret Defenders#4 (June, 1993) - Roy Thomas (writer), Andre Coates (penciler), Don Hudson (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Secret Defenders#6 (August, 1993) - Roy Thomas (writer), Andre Coates (penciler), Don Hudson (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Secret
Defenders#15 (May, 1994) - Tom Brevoort & Mike Kanterovich
(writers), Jerry Decaire (penciler), Tony DeZuniga (inker), Craig
Anderson (editor)
Marvel
Tarot (August, 2007) - David Sexton (writer/designer), Doug Sexton (technical
consultant), Jeff Christiansen (continuity consultant), Michael Short
& Cory Levine (assistant editors), Mark D. Beazley & Jennifer
Grunwald (associate editors), Jeff Youngquist (editor)
Mystic Arcana#1 (Magik) (August, 2007) - first and third story (McNee) - David Sexton (writer), Eric Nguyen (artist), Nathan Cosby (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
second story (Magik) - Louise
Simonson (writer), Steve Scott (penciler), Kris Justice (inker), Nathan
Cosby (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (September, 2007) - third story (McNee) - David Sexton (writer), Eric Nguyen (artist), Nathan Cosby (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Mystic Arcana#3 (Scarlet Witch) (October, 2007) - first and third story (McNee) - David Sexton (writer), Eric Nguyen (artist), Nathan Cosby (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Mystic Arcana: Sister Grimm#1 (January, 2008) - third story (McNee) - David Sexton (writer), Eric Nguyen (artist), Jordan D. White (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
First posted: 09/05/2021
Last updated: 09/04/2021
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
© 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you
like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to
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