Wild Cards is a series ofscience fictionsuperheroshared universe anthologies,mosaic novels, and solo novels. They are written by a collection of more than forty authors (referred to as the "Wild Cards Trust") and are edited byGeorge R. R. Martin andMelinda M. Snodgrass. Set largely during analternate history of post-World War II United States, the series follows humans who contracted the Wild Card virus, an alien virus that rewritesDNA and mutates survivors. Those who acquire crippling and/or repulsive physical conditions are known as Jokers, while those who acquire superhuman abilities are known as Aces, and those few who acquire minor, insignificant powers not worthy of being called aces are known as Deuces.

The series originated from a long-running campaign of theSuperworldrole-playing game,gamemastered by Martin and involving many of the original authors. The framework of the series was developed by Martin and Snodgrass, including the origin of the characters' superhuman abilities and the card-based terminology.

The first installment,Wild Cards, was released in January 1987 byBantam Books and, as of February 2025, thirty-three books have been released through four publishers. The series has been adapted to comic books, graphic novels, and role-playing games.

Set during analternate history of post–World War II United States, the series follows events after an airborne alien virus is released over New York City in 1946 and eventually infects tens of thousands globally. The virus, designed to rewriteDNA, was developed as a bioweapon by a noble family on the planet Takis, and it is taken to Earth to test on humans, who are genetically identical to the people of Takis. Dr. Tachyon, a member of this family, objects and attempts to stop them. However, his attempt crashes their ship, releasing the virus.^[1]

The virus affects each individual differently, and it becomes known as the Wild Card virus because of these "random and unpredictable" symptoms. It kills 90% of those who contract it and mutates the remaining percentage. 9% survive but become Jokers, who develop minor or crippling physical conditions. The remaining 1% become Aces, who remain human or mostly human in appearance but develop superhuman abilities; Aces whose abilities are too trivial or specific to be generally valuable are called Deuces.^[1]

Wild Cards began as a two-year-long^[2] campaign of theSuperworldrole-playing game, gifted toGeorge R. R. Martin byVictor Milán,^[2] inAlbuquerque, New Mexico; the players were science fiction writers, including Gail Gerstner-Miller, Milán,John J. Miller,Melinda M. Snodgrass, andWalter Jon Williams, and Martin served asgamemaster.^[3] Because of the amount of time and creative energy put into the campaign, Martin initially thought to write a novel on his character, Turtle.^[2] However, he realized this would have "rescued one character from [the]SuperWorld campaign, but would have meant discarding all the rest". Since the game had been built by a group, he felt it should be ashared universe anthology, which were popular at the time.^[2][3] Martin invited other writers he believed would be interested in the universe, includingRoger Zelazny,Lewis Shiner,Pat Cadigan,Howard Waldrop,Edward Bryant, andStephen Leigh.^[3]

Martin said that the group loved comic books and superheroes but wanted to approach the material in a "grittier, more adult manner than what we were seeing in the '80s". He cited the series' "sense of history" as a strength and expressed frustration with theretroactive continuity of mainstream comics.^[4] Martin also felt that the multitude of sources for superpowers in comics strainedsuspension of disbelief when taken together, and he believed a single plausible source was needed. Snodgrass suggested a virus, which allowed for the superpowered Aces, the "monsters and freaks" Jokers, and a high death toll.^[2] Snodgrass and Martin also developed the card based terminology,^[3] and Milán developed thepseudoscience of the series.^[2]

The series was originally meant to be set in a then contemporary 1985, but Waldrop, who was to write the first story, insisted that his story take place right after World War II. This created a forty-year gap between the first chapter and the remaining stories, pushing later contributions to fill in the intervening decades. Martin noted that this forced the authors to write about events they would have otherwise ignored, particularly theHouse Un-American Activities Committee and theMcCarthy hearings, which gave rise to characters and plot points that "added immeasurable richness to our world and depth of our characters". Waldrop's story also forced Williams to rewrite a new story, "Witness", which became the only shared world story to appear on the final ballot for aNebula Award.^[2]

British writerNeil Gaiman met with Martin in 1987 and pitched aWild Cards story about a character who lives in a world of dreams. Martin declined due to Gaiman's lack of prior credits at the time. Gaiman went on to publish his story asThe Sandman.^[5]

Bantam Books, under itsSpectraimprint, published twelve books between 1987 and 1993, including two solo novels written byMelinda M. Snodgrass andVictor Milán.

Baen Books published a new triad between 1993 and 1995 subtitledof a New Cycle. In 2002, Martin commented that he felt the triad was creatively "three of the strongest volumesWild Cards ever had" and that the series "came back strong" after stumbling with a previous storyline; he conceded, however, that the triad was "very dark", acknowledging it was a commonly-voiced complaint, and that he felt switching publishers was a mistake.^[17]

• 1993Card Sharks^[18]
• 1994Marked Cards^[19]
• 1995Black Trump^[20]

In 2000, ibooks Inc. purchased two new installments and the rights to reprint the first eight books of the series; the two new books were published between 2002 and 2006, including a solo novel byJohn J. Miller, and reprints for six of the first eight books were issued.^[21] The company filed forChapter 7 bankruptcy in July 2005, shortly after the death of founderByron Preiss.^[22] In December 2006, J. Bolyston & Co. Publishers, parent company of the Brick Tower Press imprint, acquired all of Preiss' assets, including those of ibooks, for $125,000.^[21][23] Brick Tower Press offerede-book versions of its titles, includingDeuces Down andDeath Draws Five viaHumble Bundle in February 2016.^[24]

• 2002Deuces Down^[25]
• 2006Death Draws Five (novel by Miller)^[26]

Tor Books, an imprint underMacmillan Publishers, published the series in both print and e-book format. It released thirteen new installments from November 2008 to August 2022. Tor Books also reprinted the first twelve, sixteenth & seventeenth novels as of November 2021.^[27][28][29]

Tor Books also published online supplementary material. A multi-author blog supportingInside Straight opened in February 2008. The blog followedAmerican Hero, the fictionalreality television show in the book, and posted in-character "confessionals" from the twenty-eight characters competing on the show.^[43] That supplemental material was republished by Tor as an e-book titledAmerican Hero: A Wild Cards Novel on March 3, 2020.^[44][45]

Twenty-three short stories were published through the Tor Books website from January 2013 through July 2022:

A short story, titled "Lies My Mother Told Me" byCaroline Spector, was published in theDangerous Women anthology, also edited by Martin. The anthology was released in December 2013.^[69]

An additional short story, titled "I Have No Voice and I Must Zoom Meeting" byPaul Cornell, was published on the official Wild Cards website in July 2020.^[70]

The series returned to Bantam Books in July 2023.^[71] Upcoming books includeHouse Rules.^[72]

Bantam also began publishing original graphic novels featuring stories set within the Wild Cards universe.

• 2023George R. R. Martin Presents Wild Cards: Now and Then: A Graphic Novel (Written by Carrie Vaughn with art by Renae De Liz)
• 2023George R. R. Martin Presents Wild Cards: Sins of the Father: A Graphic Novel (Written by Melinda M. Snodgrass with art by Michael Komarck and Elizabeth Leggett)

The collection of authors who have contributed to theWild Card series is known as the Wild Cards Trust^[73] or the Wild Card consortium.^[74] As ofJoker Moon, published in July 2021, forty-four authors have written for the series. Five authors have written for at least one novel released by each publisher of the series:Michael Cassutt,Stephen Leigh (often writing as S. L. Farrell),John J. Miller, Walton Simons, and Snodgrass. Every installment was edited by Martin, who has also contributed as an author to ten books; later installments were co-edited by Snodgrass.

Wild Cards was adapted into a role-playing game format bySteve Jackson Games. Written byJohn J. Miller and published in June 1989, the sourcebook usedGURPS Supers rules and contained descriptions of sixty of the characters.^[77][78] A supplement titledAces Abroad, written byKevin Andrew Murphy, was released in 1991.^[79][80]Green Ronin Publishing publishedWild Cards Campaign Setting, written by Miller, for itsMutants & Masterminds RPG in August 2008; the game debuted atGen Con that year. Two supplements were released: an adventure anthology titledAll-in and a character book titledAces & Jokers.^[81]

A four-issueWild Cardslimited series was released in 1990 byEpic Comics, an imprint ofMarvel Comics.^[82][83] The issues were then collected and published as atrade paperback in October 1991.^[84] They were also included inEpic: An Anthology, released in 1992.^[85] A second limited series titledWild Cards: The Hard Call, written byDaniel Abraham and illustrated byEric Battle, was published over six issues from April to September 2008 byDabel Brothers Productions.^[86][87][88] Dabel Brothers partnered withDel Rey to collect the titles in July 2008, includingWild Cards: The Hard Call, asgraphic novels beginning in fall 2008.^[89] The issues were collected in a hardcover edition published by Dynamite Entertainment in February 2011.^[90]

Marvel Entertainment began publishing a 4-issue comic book limited seriesWild Cards: The Drawing of Cards scripted byPaul Cornell in July 2022. The series adapted material from the firstWild Cards novel.^[91]

Bantam Books published two originalWild Cards graphic novels in 2023:George R. R. Martin Presents Wild Cards: Now & Then by writer Carrie Vaughn and artist Renae De Liz, andGeorge R. R. Martin Presents Wild Cards: Sins of the Father by writer Melinda Snodgrass and artists Michael Komarck and Elizabeth Leggett.^[92]

Unabridged audiobook versions of the first five books have been released. Audiobooks of the first two installments were released byBrilliance Audio in November and December 2011.^[93][94] Versions of the third, fourth, and fifth novels were released byPenguin Random House from February to March 2016, featuring voice talents for each character.^[95][96][97] The sixth and seventh installments were released in February and June 2017. Commencing in August 2018, HarperAudio (UK) began releasing a new set of audiobooks in the series. The first three (Mississippi Roll,Low Chicago andTexas Hold'em) were narrated by William Hope. Next, Peter Noble narrated the two UK Wild Cards works (Knaves Over Queens andThree Kings). The sixth audiobook from HarperAudio (UK) (which was released in August 2021),Joker Moon, was performed by Maya Saroya. On a side note, in the UK,Three Kings has been released beforeJoker Moon, while the opposite is set to happen in the US.^[98][99]

In October 2011, Syfy Films, a joint venture betweenSyfy Channel andUniversal Pictures, acquired screen rights toWild Cards under the direction of Gregory Noveck, senior vice president of production. Snodgrass was asked to write the screenplay, and she and Martin were to serve as executive producers. At the time of announcement, the film was intended to have a contemporary setting and the Sleeper among its characters. This was the second time the series was optioned.^[4]

In August 2016,Universal Cable Productions acquired the rights to create a television series. Martin stated that the development was in early stages and that the production was working on choosing characters and stories to adapt. Because of his exclusivity contract withHBO, which airedGame of Thrones based on Martin'sA Song of Ice and Fire, Martin said he will not be involved in the adaptation. Snodgrass is to serve as an executive producer.^[100] In a blog post, Martin said that Noveck is also to serve as an executive producer.^{[101][102][103]}

Universal Cable Productions was teaming up withHulu in November 2018 to develop two series based on the novels to establish a potential connectedWild Cards universe for the streaming service,^[104] but as of 2021, the upcoming series was moved from Hulu toPeacock.^[105]

• Official website
• Wild Cards series atMacmillan Publishers, parent company ofTor Books
• Wild Cards cover art gallery atWild Cards official website
• Wild Cards atThe Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
• Wild Cards Universe at theInternet Speculative Fiction Database

• Wild Cards
• Book series introduced in 1987
• Books by Chris Claremont
• Novels by Roger Zelazny
• Works by George R. R. Martin

• All articles with dead external links
• Articles with dead external links from November 2020
• Pages containing links to subscription-only content
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia