The Avengers have been made into puppets and The Defenders have been incapacitated.  Can anyone stop Diablo from enacting his evil scheme? Your Major Spoilers review of Tarot #2 from Marvel Comics.

TAROT #2 (OF 4)

Writer: Alan Davis
Artist: Paul Renaud
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: January 29th, 2020

Previously in Tarot: Following the trail of an evil ichor and some strange visions, The Defenders have gone to The Avengers Mansion, where they discover a rampaging The Vision. After incapacitating the hero they attempt to figure out what is going on, only to discover that The Avengers are under the control of Diablo.

Well That Took A Turn

Tarot #2 kicks off nearly immediately after the events of the first issue of this series, with Diablo boasting about how he managed to take control of the ichor and use it against The Avengers.  He then uses the remains to fashion tarot cards of The Defenders to bring them under control as well.  With only Thor showing any resistance he’s able to bring both teams under his command.  Later, The Hulk transforms back into Bruce Banner and it’s revealed that Diablo’s control only affects The Hulk portion of his brain.  He teams up with the remains of The Vision.  Elsewhere, Diablo is still ranting about his plan to control the planet, when Kang the Conqueror arrives with a dire warning about the end of everything.  Diablo orders the combined forces of The Avengers and The Defenders to attack him. They manage to send Kang away, but then Hulk and The Vision arrive dressed as Yellowjacket and Ant-Man.  The take out Diablo and the heroes are freed from his control.  But before they can capture Diablo a portal to a demon realm opens up and both Diablo and Doctor Strange are sucked in.  The heroes begin to plan their next step while Captain America and Namor discuss the strange visions they’ve been having because it appears that there’s been some sort of temporal shift which has caused everyone who had forgotten about what happen to remember, including The Avenger’s computer system.

Cheesy, But Enjoyable

Tarot #2 is a strange comic book, especially when you realize that all the narration in it is actually Diablo speaking aloud.  In fact, there’s a lot about this issue that comes off as weird, goofy, and a little cheesy.  From random heroes popping up to comment on the ongoings, to random villains popping up to deliver out of nowhere plot changes, to seeing The Vision and The Hulk cosplay as Hank Pym, and then an interdimensional demon dropping in, this book is packed with over-the-top silliness, and I have to admit, it’s pretty fun.  The problem, is that it’s not very clear if all of this goofiness is intentional or not.  There is a certain earnestness to it all that suggests that it’s not going for laughs, but then you have a scene where Silver Surfer has to fly to Italy to get a caramel macchiato so it’s hard to tell at the best of times.

The Bottom Line: An Oddly Satisfying Comic Book

There’s a few reasons why I shouldn’t enjoy Tarot #2, the villain is ridiculous, the dialogue is cheesy, and all of the interesting parts of the plot literally come out of nowhere and don’t make a ton of sense. But, with that being said, somehow it all comes together to be a fun issue that seems satisfied with being an earnest, heart on its sleeve, splashy comic book, which is enjoyable in its own right. 4 out of 5  stars

---

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.

Tarot #2

73%

73%

A Strange and Fun Time

Tarot #2 is a silly issue that still manages to be greater than the sum of its parts and is a pretty enjoyable read.

• Writing

  6
• Art

  8
• Coloring

  8
• User Ratings (0 Votes)
  0