October Issue of Genii in the Mail! Let me know when you get it and what you think!

[Guest]

I don't think it takes away from the person featured on the cover. I look at it as curtain that opens to reveal the real star. Genii is a first class magazine in all ways and if this helps keep things running then I'm all for it. Open your mind to accept change and if it bothers you that much make your point made by not buying it, that will leave the secrets contained within to a smaller group who will appreciate it for what it is, namely, the best magic magazine out there.
Peace, Joe

[Guest]

Originally posted by joemagic1:
...namely, the best magic magazine out there.
Peace, Joe

Having an open mind, recognizing a possible financial benefit (ad revenue wise) from the ad wrap, enjoying the magazine overall, and believing the current implementation of said ad wrap could use some improvement are not mutually exclusive concepts.

[Guest]

The value of this wrap discussion (measured via the classic wordcount/utility ratio) is beginning to rival that of arguments over the origins of "Tilt."

[Stefan Fisher]

I received my copy yesterday (10/2) here in sunny Santa Clara. Looks like a great issue. The glossy "Genii Wrap" is better than the matte.

Stefan Fisher

[Steve Bryant]

Hey, Dustin, great article on John Gaughan. Just finished it. You guys must have had a ball looking through all that stuff. Also loved the Illusionist article; can't wait to buy the dvd. This issue EARNED two covers.

[Richard Kaufman]

The discussion about the wrap is subjective: a matter of opinion.

A discussion about the origins of Vernon's Depth Illusion inevitably gets tied up when someone calls it "Tilt," the name Edward Marlo gave Vernon's principle. This is not subjective, not a matter of opinion, but a recitation of facts. The sleight is Vernon's and Ed Marlo tried for many years to obfuscate on that issue. (End of discussion.)

[Guest]

Not in San Jose yet!
Steve V

[Guest]

Boy, when you say "end of discussion," you really mean it.

[Richard Kaufman]

Yes I do, because I don't want the entire thread to become sidetracked.

[Guest]

I am like a lot of Genii subsribers and don't really understand the value of the wrap. I was assuming it was to add advertisment (since that's pretty much all there is to it) but apparently I was wrong.
Richard could you tell us what is Genii staff intention with the wrap?
Otherwise, I can't complain, the magazine content is outstanding. Dustin: great article on John Gaughan.

[Richard Kaufman]

The value of the wrap is to give coverage outside the magazine to more of what's inside the magazine. The advertising on the other three surfaces is simply a way to support that goal.

[Guest]

Originally posted by Richard Kaufman:
The value of the wrap is to give coverage outside the magazine to more of what's inside the magazine.

I've always thought that function was achieved admirably by the masthead on the primary cover which clearly draws attention to other features. Since the photo and text on the ad wrap are pretty redundant (duplicating text on the masthead and photos generally found within), I'm a bit puzzled as to where the benefit is.

If more spotlight for other stories is needed, why not just enlarge the masthead to give it room to more properly highlight the other stories? Or simply integrate that information on the proper cover in some way as many other magazines do?

If having the ad wrap is a must, my suggestion to make the it a full and true "second cover" would leave room for the ads (to support the second cover) while giving a bit of room for the possibility of unique content that might dissuade folks like me from simply binning the wrap. Placing a true second cover inside the front cover would also address what some would consider legitimate concerns about obscuring the real cover and thus lessening its uniqueness.

[Guest]

I like what Joemagic said. It's very theatrical. Consider the wrap to be the opening act, and the person on the front cover to be the headliner.

--Josh

[George Olson]

I just wonder why everyone is making such big deal out of this... :confused:

It's a non-issue, get a life and talk about something interesting...please :rolleyes:

GO

PS No, I will not be drawn into a defense of my "position."

[Guest]

Originally posted by George Olson:
I just wonder why everyone is making such big deal out of this... :confused:

This thread was created in part to solicit opinions about the current issue (with the new wrap being prominently mentioned). I'm sorry if some find it distressing to read opinions not in line with their own.

It's a non-issue,

For you perhaps.

get a life and talk about something interesting...please :rolleyes:

I have one, but thanks for your obviously heartfelt concern.

PS No, I will not be drawn into a defense of my "position."

Of course

Why bother adding anything germane to the actual point at hand when it's easier to denigrate other posters for simply having a different point of view? ;)

[Pete Biro]

I agree with Mr. Olson. I think a good topic, or one as meaninful, would be "Does your postal delivery person fold it and ruin it sticking it through a narrow slit mail box?" Or... does it land on your porch face up or face down?

[Guest]

I don't have a problem with the wrap but in reading the debate was wondering if having it run the length of the spine but only partly across the width of the page might work out better for those that do. In other words the right edge of the cover would show when the wrap is covering it.

Hey, there's an idea! Short every other page and make each issue a Svengali magazine! :D

[Guest]

Originally posted by Pete Biro:
I agree with Mr. Olson. I think a good topic, or one as meaninful, would be "Does your postal delivery person fold it and ruin it sticking it through a narrow slit mail box?" Or... does it land on your porch face up or face down?

Hey Pete.

Is this thread not here to solicit comments about the issue? And as Richard has noted, the wrap is certainly part of the magazine, as removing it is tantamount to "mutilating" one's issue.

I'm sorry if it bothers you so much to deal with opinions other than your own.

[Guest]

Originally posted by Frank Yuen:
In other words the right edge of the cover would show when the wrap is covering it.

Not a bad idea at all, but I'm not sure it would allow enough ad space to support the cost of the wrap. Richard could tell us for sure I'd wager. I know that my local newspaper uses that sort of thing a lot and the non standard size (as with the current Genii ad wrap) and, in my opinion, continues to encourage removal. I tend to favor the idea of using a true "second cover", full size, the same stock as the real cover and placed on the inside so as to not to obscure the real cover.

Recently, Entertainment weekly did the multiple cover thing to celebrate the James Bond Franchise. The cover story (also Bond related) was front and center as usual, but opening up the magazine revealed 4 (or was it 5?) full covers each done in the style of the era of the various bonds. Not only was each cover really cool (with faux 60's, 70's, 80's references, etc.) but each one also added at least a full page of ad revenue per extra cover. So the readers got a really fun value added (the extra covers with unique content) and the magazine added several pages of full ad revenue. A true win-win situation I'd think.

[Guest]

Have anyone received the october issue in France ?

[Guest]

Originally posted by Chris Aguilar:
Hey Pete.

Is this thread not here to solicit comments about the issue? And as Richard has noted, the wrap is certainly part of the magazine, as removing it is tantamount to "mutilating" one's issue.

I'm sorry if it bothers you so much to deal with opinions other than your own.

Huh? It has nothing to do with the opinions expressed, but the well-beaten topic. My similar point in comparing the wrap discussion to "that other" over-beaten issue (in a previous post) is that all this energy might be better devoted to actually READING the magazine and - if necessary - commenting on the CONTENT.

[Guest]

Originally posted by Hostler:
is that all this energy might be better devoted to actually READING the magazine and - if necessary - commenting on the CONTENT.

I've read the current issue from cover to cover two or three times at this point, and have commented about the content already in this very thread. Quite nice of you to rather blithely assume that I had not.

I suspect that some folks might have missed that in their haste to dredge up clever(?) analogies or find other means to excoriate me for whatever reasons.

And strangely enough, some of those folks get so fixated on griping at me that they actually forget to follow their own advice, often failing to post up anything germane to the actual topic at hand themselves.

I suspect some might have missed my comments concerning the content of this months issue of Genii (or chosen to ignore them :) ) so I'll briefly re-cap.(and maybe even add a comment or two)

I found this to be an especially good issue, with some nice work by Dustin on the cover story and some great reviews by Mike Close. Richard and David did a great job with Magicana, and I especially enjoyed the oil and water variant and thought the LeClerc Razor thing clever, though it's doubtful it's something I'd personally use.

[Richard Kaufman]

Thank you all for your opinions on the new wrap. It will continue to appear on Genii for the forseeable future.

I'd like to continue this thread with comments on when you actually receive the issue and what you think of the contents.

[Guest]

Originally posted by Richard Kaufman:
Thank you all for your opinions on the new wrap. It will continue to appear on Genii for the foreseeable future.

I figured as much, but is there any chance you'd consider the suggestions from myself and others to potentially improve its implementation? (And by that, I don't mean getting rid of it)

I'd like to continue this thread with comments on when you actually receive the issue and what you think of the contents.

Sure, will do.

[Guest]

Originally posted by CLISSON:
Have anyone received the october issue in France ?

Nothing yet in this little corner of France (French/Swiss border).

[Guest]

Should I start worrying about no Oct?
Steve V

[Guest]

Yike, it was 10-3 before it showed up in NH...

Tom

[Richard Kaufman]

Issues can show up as late as the third week of the month, so there's plenty of time yet.

[Guest]

Thank you dude.
Steve V

[Amos McCormick]

Originally posted by Frank Yuen:
Hey, there's an idea! Short every other page and make each issue a Svengali magazine! :D

If you did that, you would have to read the first half of the magazine frontwards and the last half backwards. That would really be a pain, but it would tend to foil "unauthorized readers" and would help to maintain the secrets of our art.

;)

[Guest]

Originally posted by Amos McCormick:
... you would have to read the first half of the magazine frontwards and the last half backwards. That would really be a pain, but it would tend to foil "unauthorized readers" and would help to maintain the secrets of our art.

;)

I wrote to Ricard asking his feelings about making a blowbook out of some genii backissues. Figure it would be fun to show ads, editorials, reviews, magicana, blank pages and then pages full of arcane scribles and diagrams. :D ( Unless it's already been done, I'm claiming all rights reserved on that stuff )

Also considering...

Using the front flap as a gaff for some magic.

;)

[Richard Kaufman]

BACK TO THE TOPIC, please ... has anyone else just received their issue?

[Guest]

Arrived in San Jose today!
Steve V

[Guest]

Arrived in France yesterday.

Regarding the "let me know what you think" part of this topic, I just wanted to say that although I don't mind the ad wrap per se and do leave it on, I'll always think of this as the "Illusionist" issue rather than the John Gaughan issue. Likewise for the last two issues (mutatis mutandis). Maybe the feature articles shown on the wrap will end up having more prestige.

[Guest]

Arrived in South Africa Tuesday 10th October

What would be a great addition would be the Mad Magazine style fold-up at the back of Genii :-)

[Guest]

South Africa & France are apparently in good shape but west central Illinois still is awaiting the October issue.

Well, I am anyway! ;)

[Guest]

You know what ... I'am Happy ...I received mine today !
Thank you
Pat

[Guest]

Not yet.....
:confused:
Jacky
www.magicbooks.be

[Guest]

Arrived in Copenhagen today :)

[Guest]

Still waiting in Brooklyn. Three weeks later than usual.