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Post That! by Bedros "Spidey" Akkelian

Posted: July 22nd, 2010, 12:10 pm
by Necromancer
First of all, this is one entertaining card sequence! I don't generally do non-mental card stuff, but this one tickles me. Thanks for printing it.

About the spider drawing (for people whose nicknames aren't Spidey): since Paul the Psychic Octopus has gotten so much international press these days, maybe draw him instead?

Best,
Neil

Re: Post That! by Bedros "Spidey" Akkelian

Posted: July 22nd, 2010, 6:03 pm
by David Acer
Necromancer wrote: About the spider drawing (for people whose nicknames aren't Spidey): since Paul the Psychic Octopus has gotten so much international press these days, maybe draw him instead?


Love it. And I'm not just saying that because my father was a psychic octopus.

Re: Post That! by Bedros "Spidey" Akkelian

Posted: August 9th, 2010, 12:39 pm
by Travis
This is suspiciously similar to David Harkey's "Simply Divine" published in 1991 in his book "Simply Harkey".

Re: Post That! by Bedros "Spidey" Akkelian

Posted: August 10th, 2010, 1:46 pm
by David Acer
Travis wrote:This is suspiciously similar to David Harkey's "Simply Divine" published in 1991 in his book "Simply Harkey".


I haven't read "Simply Harkey" so I can't speak to the similarity of the tricks, but suspicion isn't part of the equation - at worst Spidey has inadvertently reinvented (or closely matched) David's effect. I'll track down a copy and look into it. Interestingly, I remember this happening four or five years ago when we ran a trick by Alex Elmsley called The 4D Card, which we later learned (and reported in a subsequent issue) was very similar to a routine published years before by J.K. Hartman.

Re: Post That! by Bedros "Spidey" Akkelian

Posted: August 10th, 2010, 2:47 pm
by Travis
I suppose "suspiciously" wasn't the best choice of words, as I don't wish to assume or imply that Spidey lifted the material.

As for "Simply Harkey", give it a read either way. One of the best books of fresh, creative close-up material in the past 20 years.

Re: Post That! by Bedros "Spidey" Akkelian

Posted: August 10th, 2010, 3:13 pm
by Richard Kaufman
Simply Harkey was so well received that David Harkey never wrote another large book and subsequently dropped out of sight in the world of magic.

Re: Post That! by Bedros "Spidey" Akkelian

Posted: August 11th, 2010, 2:31 pm
by Travis
David still performs magic quite regularly, and has been writing a book of new material. He hasn't been as visible in the magic community by choice. David branched out into commercial/television/film acting, and he had children, which became the focus of his life. He doesn't really care what the latest magic buzz is, like some of the rest of us.

I think David's book was very well received. It's often been compared to the kind of creative, playful style of magic associated with Paul Harris, though David's writing is far more elegant. "Simply Harkey" is also, in my opinion, one of the most beautifully produced magic books I've ever owned.

Re: Post That! by Bedros "Spidey" Akkelian

Posted: August 18th, 2010, 12:18 am
by David Acer
David Acer wrote:
Travis wrote:This is suspiciously similar to David Harkey's "Simply Divine" published in 1991 in his book "Simply Harkey".


I haven't read "Simply Harkey" so I can't speak to the similarity of the tricks, but suspicion isn't part of the equation - at worst Spidey has inadvertently reinvented (or closely matched) David's effect. I'll track down a copy and look into it. Interestingly, I remember this happening four or five years ago when we ran a trick by Alex Elmsley called The 4D Card, which we later learned (and reported in a subsequent issue) was very similar to a routine published years before by J.K. Hartman.


Okay, I picked up a copy of Simply Harkey from John A. Greget books at the Midwest Magic Jubilee this past weekend and took a look at "Simply Divine." In that effect, a divining rod is drawn on the plastic wrapper of a cardcase, then visibly transfers onto the deck, moves from card to card, and finally arrives on the back of a selection. Published in 1991, the trick is definitely a forefunner to "Richie's Little Stickman," first published in the June 1992 issue of Genii, which in turn inspired Bedros Akkelian's "Post That" in the August 2010 issue. But the handling for all three routines is very different, and "Post That" is distinct in that it incorporates a Post-It Note to effect an interesting final transfer.