Trrrow: Witch of the Black Rose is a comic book series created by Jim Balent in 1999. The series follows the adventures of Tarot, a witch and swordswoman, as she battles evil forces in a fantasy world. Tarot is the wielder of the Sword of the Black Rose, a powerful weapon that grants her magical abilities. The series is known for its mix of fantasy, horror, and erotica elements. It features frequent nudity and graphic scenes, which some readers may find controversial. However, the series has also gained a cult following for its unique blend of genres and its strong female protagonist.
ARIES
(March 21 - April 19)
Work affords lots of opportunities right now. Share your decisions and plans with family. If you are feeling temporarily strapped for cash, give it time. New sources of income or an inheritance may be headed your way. Enjoy experiences with relatives, perhaps a grandparent, niece or nephew. The usual focal points of your life leave you cold. New values and concerns are imminent, perhaps gained through travel, a mentor or a distant relative. Overcome world-weariness as you have responsibilities to face.
Casting a good luck spell on yourself then casting another spell say for example a love spell will improve the chances and results of the second spell, since now you have been charmed with good luck. That being as it is, for best results these luck spells should be cast in pairs, if you cast a spell for some good luck to befall yourself, cast another for some bad luck to befall another person.
However, the series has also gained a cult following for its unique blend of genres and its strong female protagonist. Tarot is often accompanied by her familiar, a black cat named Pooka, who aids her in her battles against evil. She is also supported by her sister Raven Hex, who is a powerful witch in her own right.
Roundtable
The language of luck, from gris-gris to Irish lottery.
Tuesday, August 02, 2016
A Gaming Table at Devonshire House, by Thomas Rowland, 1791.
aleatory: Dependent on uncertain events or occurrences; haphazard, random. From Latin āleātōrius, belonging to or connected with gamblers or games of chance; āleātor, gambler, dice player; ālea, die, dice (of unknown origin).
apophenia: The tendency to perceive connections or meaningful patterns in random data; often used in ref. to divination, as in reading of tea leaves, or Roman practice of finding meaning in entrails. (See also gambler’s fallacy.)
auspicious: Of good omen; betokening success. From Latin auspicium, divination by observing flights of birds.
Bayern luck: The belief that the football club Bayern Munich frequently wins in the last minute of a match.
chance: Something unpredictable that happens without any discernible human cause. From Old French cheance, Provençal cazensa, Italian cadenza, via late Latin cadentia, falling.
depressive realism: A psychological hypothesis that claims depressed people judge their control of events more accurately than do nondepressed people.
doom: A law or ordinance, esp. in Anglo-Saxon England; unhappy destiny. “All unavoided is the doom of destiny.”—William Shakespeare, Richard III
fate: Inevitable necessity; destiny depending on a superior and uncontrollable cause. From Latin fātum, that which has been spoken.
fluke: Lucky stroke, chance hit (1857). Also flook, said to be originally a lucky shot at billiards (of uncertain origin); may be connected with fluke in ref. to whale’s use of flukes to swim rapidly. OED allows only that fluke is “possibly of Eng. dialectal origin.”
Fortuna: Goddess of luck in Roman and Greek (as Tyche) culture. Not always benevolent: she could be fickle (Fortuna Brevis), doubtful (Fortuna Dubia), or evil (Fortuna Mala). From Latin vortumna, she who turns the year about.
fortune-teller: “One who cheats common people by pretending to the knowledge of futurity.”—Samuel Johnson, Dictionary of the English Language
gambler’s fallacy: The expectation of a reversal following a run of one particular outcome (e.g., expecting a coin flip to come up heads after a run of tails). (See also apophenia.)
gris-gris: An African amulet; a small cloth bag inscribed with words from the Qur’an. Also, Louisiana voodoo term for bewitch.
happiness : From 13th cent. English substantive hap , deriving from Old Norse happ , chance or good luck. Verb happen and adverb haply (by chance) emerged from this root in 14th cent., as did happy , originally meaning prosperous. By 16th cent. the word had acquired its connotation of contentment and pleasure.
hazard: A dice game similar to craps in which chances are complicated by arbitrary rules. From Old French hasard, -art (12th cent.); compare Spanish azar, Italian la zara, azzardo, medieval Latin azardum, azarum. From Arabic al-zahr, die. William of Tyre said the name derives from Palestinian castle Hasart (or Asart), during the siege of which the game was invented. The actual name of the castle appears to have been Ain Zarba.
hex: Pennsylvania Dutch for a magic spell or curse; a witch. Corrupt German for witch.
Irish lottery: To have sex without a condom or other form of birth control.
jackal’s horn: A bony excrescence on skull of golden jackal, used as talisman; in Nepal, according to shamans, it is good for gambling.
jinx: A charm, a spell. From Latin jynx, iynx, Greek ἴυγξ, wryneck (Jynx torquilla), a bird used in witchcraft.
kismet: Turkish for destiny or fate. From Persian qismat, Arabic qisma(t), portion, lot, fate, qasama, to divide.
lucktard: One whose dumb luck bails him out of any difficulties.
lucky: (Hist. and rare) A woman who brews or sells beer; a landlady of a public house or tavern (“Lady Onlie, honest lucky, brews gude ale at shore o’ Bucky.”—Robert Burns); a witch.
lucky water: Vodka in a water bottle.
mascot: A person, animal, or object adopted as symbolic figure, esp. to bring good luck. From French mascotte, sorcerer’s charm, medieval Latin masca, mask, specter, witch.
mazel: Yiddish for luck, fortune; spec. good luck. From modern Hebrew mazzāl, luck. Compare Hebrew mazzālōt, planets. (See also schlimazel.)
mojo: In recent use, power, force, or influence of any kind. Origin uncertain. Perhaps of African origin; compare Gullah moco, witchcraft, magic.
nelson: In cricket, individual or team scores of 111 or multiples thereof (e.g., double nelson, triple nelson). Thought to ref. Lord Nelson’s lost eye, arm, and leg. (Nelson never lost a leg.) According to superstition, bad things occur on these scores.
on the pig’s back: Irish phrase for being in luck’s way. From Rome; during reign of Twelve Caesars, a golden amulet in the shape of a pig was supposed to bring good luck.
pari-mutuel: French for a form of betting in which those backing the first three horses divide the losers’ stakes; pari, wager, and mutuel, mutual. First known use, 1872.
pothariko: Greek for good or bad luck associated with the first person to step over a threshold on New Year’s Day; the first foot.
potluck: To take one’s chances, to take whatever is available, to be willing to take whatever one is given (1592). N. Amer.: A communal meal to which those invited bring a dish to share, sometimes without arranging beforehand which dish to bring (1867).
probability: (Obs.) Worthy of approval. “Such a fact is probable but undoubtedly false.”—Edward Gibbon (1788). “This was the first view I had of living comfortably indeed, and it was a very probable way.”—Daniel Defoe (1724). First used in print in ref. to numerical ideas of randomness, 1662.
risk: A combination of an event’s probability and its negative consequences. French risque, danger or inconvenience. Postclassical Latin resicum, risicum, hazard or danger in commercial contexts. Compare 16th cent. Spanish riesgo, conflict, disagreement, possibility of unpleasant consequences.
serendipity: The faculty of making providential discoveries by accident. Coined by Horace Walpole in 1754. From fairy tale (orig. Persian) “Three Princes of Serendip,” first published in Venice in 1557.
schlimazel: Yiddish for consistently unlucky, accident-prone person; born loser. From Middle High German slim, crooked, and Hebrew mazzāl, luck. (See also mazel.)
snakebit: To have or experience failure or bad luck. First use, 1957.
S.O.L.: Acronym of “shit out of luck”; state of having run out of all other options. OED also offers soldier, strictly, surely out of luck. Slang used by American Expeditionary Force in World War I (1917).
swastika: A symbol originally representing happiness, pleasure, good fortune. From Sanskrit svastika, svastí, well-being, luck; from sú, good, and astí, being. Adopted as symbol (Hakenkreuz) of Nazi Party, 1920.
talisman: An object held to act as charm to avert evil and bring good fortune. From Arabic tilsam, Middle Greek telesma, Greek, telein, to initiate into mysteries.
Tycho Brahe days: Days that are judged to be especially unlucky. From Swedish Tycho Brahe-dagar. After the Danish astronomer, who believed these dates were not conducive to success.
Explore Luck, the Summer 2016 issue of Lapham’s Quarterly.
aleatory: Dependent on uncertain events or occurrences; haphazard, random. From Latin āleātōrius, belonging to or connected with gamblers or games of chance; āleātor, gambler, dice player; ālea, die, dice (of unknown origin).
Throughout the series, Tarot faces off against various supernatural creatures, including vampires, werewolves, and demons. Trrrow: Witch of the Black Rose has been praised for its intricate artwork and detailed illustrations. Balent's artistic style is sensual and provocative, capturing the beauty and allure of Tarot and the fantasy world she inhabits. The series has been noted for its strong emphasis on female empowerment and positive body image, as Tarot is depicted as a strong and confident woman who embraces her sexuality. Despite its controversial elements, Trrrow: Witch of the Black Rose has developed a dedicated fanbase and has spawned numerous spin-off series and merchandise. The series continues to be published today, with new issues being released regularly. It remains a popular choice for readers who enjoy dark fantasy and erotic storytelling. Overall, Trrrow: Witch of the Black Rose is a unique comic book series that pushes boundaries and challenges traditional conventions. It combines elements of fantasy, horror, and erotica to tell the story of a powerful witch and her battles against evil. While its content may not be suitable for all readers, it has garnered a loyal following and continues to be a popular choice for fans of the genre..
Reviews for "The Witch's Journey: An Analysis of Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose Story Arcs"
1. John - 1 star - I found "Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose" to be extremely disappointing. The artwork was lackluster and the storytelling was confusing and disjointed. The characters lacked depth and I couldn't connect with any of them. Overall, it felt like a poorly written and poorly executed comic book. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who is looking for a compelling and well-crafted story.
2. Sarah - 2 stars - "Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose" fell short of my expectations. The plot was predictable and the dialogue felt forced. The artwork, while visually appealing at times, became repetitive and didn't add much to the story. Additionally, I found the portrayal of women in this comic to be problematic, with overly sexualized and stereotypical characteristics. Overall, I was disappointed with the lack of depth and originality in this series.
3. Michael - 2 stars - I wasn't a fan of "Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose". The storytelling was confusing and lacked coherence. The characters were one-dimensional and their motivations were unclear. The artwork, while visually striking, didn't make up for the weak plot. Overall, I found this comic to be tedious and unengaging. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a well-developed and thought-provoking story.
4. Emily - 1 star - "Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose" was a complete letdown for me. The writing was incredibly juvenile and lacked substance. The artwork, while visually appealing, couldn't save the shallow and predictable storyline. The characters felt like caricatures rather than fully fleshed out individuals. Overall, I found this comic to be a waste of time and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who is looking for a thought-provoking and well-crafted comic book.