Bad Girl Tarot Deck

The Bad Girl Tarot is a 78-card deck created by Brooklyn-based comic book artist and illustrator Katie Skelly. Known for her work in titles like _My Pretty Vampire_ and _Operation Margarine_, Skelly brings her distinctive cartooning style to the tarot, synthesizing inspirations from b-movies, psychedelia, horror, and European erotica. The deck features both Major and Minor Arcana, with illustrations inked by hand and then digitally colored.

Skelly's narrative focus on 'bad girls' — witches, bikers, outcasts, vampires, party girls, femme fatales, and weirdos — informs the imagery of this deck. While the illustrations are styled with an eye towards psychedelia and sexuality, they are also informed by the classic Rider-Waite deck. Skelly enlisted the consultation of professional reader The Real Housewitch to ensure fidelity to specific card symbolism, aiming to make the deck readable for both novice and experienced tarot users alike.

The cards are printed at a larger-than-standard size of 3.5 x 5.75 inches, providing ample space for visual interpretation. The project successfully funded on Kickstarter in 2018, raising $12,767 from 212 backers. Stretch goals achieved during the campaign included a super smooth card print finish, gold foil on the tuckbox covers, and additional illustrated items like a sew-on patch and a newsprint zodiac foldout.

This deck is ideal for tarot readers who appreciate a bold, retro-inspired aesthetic with a focus on empowered, unconventional female archetypes. It will appeal to fans of indie comics, b-movies, and psychedelic art, particularly those who enjoy a blend of classic Rider-Waite symbolism with a modern, edgy twist. Experienced readers will find the RWS foundation familiar, while its unique style offers a fresh perspective. Collectors of artist-driven decks will also find this a compelling addition.

Katie Skelly is a comic book artist and illustrator based in Brooklyn, New York, known for her distinctive style in titles like _My Pretty Vampire_ and _Operation Margarine_. Her fascination with tarot began after a personal reading helped her overcome a negative experience. This led her to create custom tarot cards for a friend's wedding, sparking an obsession to create her own full deck. Skelly's work consistently focuses on 'bad girls'—witches, bikers, outcasts—and synthesizes inspirations from b-movies, psychedelia, horror, and European erotica.