I’m a sucker for all things dark and gothic, and that reflects in my tarot decks: they tend
to focus on the darker side of spirituality, on shadow work, on the trauma and the uncomfortable. No wonder many people have told me that my readings look like bad news. As perfection incarnate – otherwise known as Lady Gaga – once said, “If you don’t have shadows, you’re not in the light.” So true, and yet how easy we forget.
Lucky us, however, to have a tarot deck that reminds us exactly about that, in all of its raw intensity, in all of its surreal feeling, to keep it present and be direct while still conscious about it. I’m talking about The Lubanko Tarot, by E. Lubanko. It is a deck that comes in hand (pun… kinda intended) when working with the shadow, but also with the light in equal measure.
The Lubanko Tarot [Llewellyn]
- Publication Date: October 8, 2025
- Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
- Page Count: 244 pages
- Card Count: 80 cards
- Dimensions:06 x 2.19 x 6.09 inches
Explore the Surreal, the Intense, the Queer, and the Divine
Lubanko invites you to dive into the many facets of life through a mythical, sensuous, colorful, and unapologetic lens. This deck and its full-color guidebook are inspired by but also diverge from the Rider-Waite-Smith system, creating a collection of archetypes with greater dimension and relatability for modern readers.
Each of the 80 cards―including three versions of the Lovers card―is packed with decadent meaning to meditate on, helping you decipher your personal metaphor and mythos. These cards encourage you to ask deep questions―to seek the truth in all its light and darkness. As you journey through the deck, you will discover the diversity of life on earth and the divinity of transcending our expected forms.
Printed with sustainably sourced paper and ink.
Includes 80 cards; a 244-page, color guidebook; and a card altar.
The art is plain amazing, and I don’t have anything else to say, but I will because otherwise my editor won’t be happy. The art style is flashy, combining fantasy and impressionism through a modern, unique style. E. Lubanko knows without a doubt how to create an atmospheric world card by card, an effect that gets highlighted the more cards you use for your readings.
I have read that some people use tarot as a tool to connect with their creativity, and personally, I use it to find a solution to whatever issues I see in the reading. There’s a balance between both uses here due to the art’s experimental nature.
Taking inspiration from the RWS tarot deck, some of the cards in The Lubanko Tarot are closer in art terms, while others are entirely original. One of those cases is The Lovers, presented in three variations that reflect the different intensities love can take on for different people.
I got the best results while keeping all three in the deck to get a more specific message, which I highly recommend to everyone as well. However, although the book says the figures are “purposefully gender ambiguous, focusing on dynamics of different intensities and moods rather than assigning specific archetypes and ways of loving to a particular sexuality or gender” (page 49,) I saw a sapphic-presenting couple, a straight-presenting couple, and one I think might be gay or straight-presenting, which is not what I expected when I read that description.
Selections from the Lubanko Tarot [Llewellyn]
The book also keeps the descriptions of the Minor Arcana short as a way of experimenting with poetry and incantations. While I got mixed results reading it, they do offer valuable insight into the cards that will help newcomers a lot. For me, it was a good way to go back to the basics while also discovering new layers to the cards, like with the Six of Cups.
The texture is smooth to the touch, although it’s quite thin and requires care when shuffling, and the matte black border adds yet another layer of charm to the experience. I believe The Lubanko Tarot will be a useful deck for those who want a more impressionist approach, something highly metaphorical with recognizable images, and who like intense colors to reflect intense energy.
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