Sat May 31, 2008 — by Rick Marshall

'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Tarot Cards and Ouija Board

First question for the spirits: When will we see more Firefly?

Every now and then, a product announcement comes across the wire that catches my eye. Sometimes the product is connected to a property I'm a big fan of, and other times it piques my interest for no other reason than it seems like a creative, original idea for a tie-in.

Not being a big Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan (I was more of an Angel person, to be honest), it's a case of the latter that prompts me to echo Dark Horse Comics' recent announcement that the publisher will be producing a set of tarot cards and ouija board based on the Buffy property. It's the sort of tie-in that's such a no-brainer I can't believe it hasn't been done already -- and after a quick Google for Buffy-related tarot cards and ouija boards, I salute the good folks at Dark Horse for getting there first (until someone tells me otherwise).

From the official press release:

Named for an award-winning episode from Season Seven of the BVS television series—and written by Buffy Season Eight: Wolves at the Gate author Drew Goddard—the Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Conversations with Dead People” Board is a great game for fans, in this world and the next, to communicate with each other about life, death, and other mysteries. In the tradition of the Sunnydale Hellmouth, through which countless entities gained entry, fearless souls can let voices from the other side guide the planchette along the board to spell out the answers to their queries. Folks can channel their inner Willow and hone their witchy skills, providing hours of fun for the whole séance! Accompanying the game board and planchette, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Conversations with Dead People” Board includes an exclusive, comic-style instruction book featuring sequential art by Buffy SeasonEight guest illustrator Paul Lee!

ComicBookResources ran an interview a while back with the tarot set designer, Rachel Pollack, and Buffy comic series cover artist Paul Lee, who provided art for the cards. The interview also features a bit more of the art from the cards, so be sure to check it out.

Over at Occasional Superheroine, Valerie D'Orazio also has a few additional pieces of art from the tarot set, and offers up some thoughts about the amount of flesh on display by the Buffy crew throughout the deck.

(am I bowled over by the tasteful nudity? or is my Buffy fan-geek cred just shining through? I think there is going to be more BTVS nudity in this one deck than there was in seven seasons and two different comic book series.)

She also offers her services as a tarot reader -- so keep that in mind, folks.

According to the official Dark Horse press release, both the tarot set and "Conversations with Dead People" ouija board will be available in September 2008, and cost somewhere in the $14.99-29.99 range. I've pasted full-size images from the press release below.

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