Legends & Mythology on Playing Cards
The great struggle between Light and Darkness, between the Titans and the Gods, often reframed as The Evil Empire, dystopia/utopia or irreconcilable political opponents. These themes are frequently chosen by playing card designers to create imaginative and visually striking playing card or tarot card designs.
Scottish Legends
Scottish Legends playing cards illustrated by Mark Oxbrow. published by R Somerville, Edinburgh, 1998.
Sirocco Playing Cards
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by Adam Wintle
Sirocco, nautical themed playing cards by Riffle Shuffle Playing Card Co. and designed by Nathan Oser, 2020.
Suicide King
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by Simon Wintle
The King of Hearts, holding a sword behind his head, is sometimes nicknamed the “Suicide King”. He can be seen to derive from a late medieval design showing a King wielding a battle axe.
Tarot of the Thousand and One Nights (1001 Nights Tarot)
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by Adam Wintle
This tarot deck captures the idealised Eastern world's magic from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, blending traditional archetypes with mystery and romantic allure. It celebrates the legendary Scheherazade and Eastern mysticism.
Valhalla spillekort
Characters from the Valhalla comics, designed by Peter Madsen, as commemorated on a Danish stamp.
Zodiac Bridge
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by Simon Wintle
Zodiac Bridge was designed by René Marcel Rivière and printed by AGM Müller in c.1989. A different sign of the zodiac appears on the clothing of each court card figure.