Review by Steve Vaughn

The Wizards’ Journal #5

On 01/28/06 Steve Vaughn reviewed The Wizards' Journal #5 on his Internet Radio Show "Off The Shelf", on http://www.magicbroadcast.com Here is a partial transcript containing the essence of what he had to say (technical difficulties prevented me from recording the entire review):

The Wizards' Journal is for magicians who like to build stuff. You have to be willing to put in some effort to got out to the hardware store or the dollar store and spend some time putting things together. An example is Madame Zelda.

I don't know if they still have these things at the boardwalk anymore. We used to be able to go up to the Gypsy Robot Machine and ask questions. I think they got very popular again when the movie "Big" came out with Tom Hanks where he becomes a kid. He went up to a Gypsy Fortune Teller machine and made a wish and she gives a message to him. That starts the movie where he wants to be grown up.

The Journal (#5) also has got how to produce a dove if you're in your swimming suit and other really interesting stuff like that. You ought to go check it out.

I don't know how often this comes out, but it's really worth looking into. It's interesting and it's not expensive. I've gotten a lot worse and a lot less for $40 and for $10 it's kind of hard to lose.

Spellbinder's note: Steve Vaughn was sent a copy of The Wizards' Journal #5 when it was selling for $10. The price has recently been raised to $20 to comply with some magic organizations' rules about not charging less than $2 per trick.

Regarding skill level: Some of it, you're going to have to put it together. I don't know how many people are going to put the effort into building some of the stuff that's in The Journal, but even if you're not at that level, it's still very interesting reading. I don't know who Spellbinder really is, but he's a go-getter. He puts out some neat stuff.

Recap: The Wizards' Journal is for someone who is really ambitious. It's not a whole lot of work, but if you make the effort to go out to the hardware store and put it all together, you've got some pretty cool little stage items.

I will, again, say this. Is Spellbinder out there listening? The one problem I have with what they put out is that they are definitely in love with graphics programs to draw the illustrations. In a lot of cases I think it's better to make your illustration just by hand. The lines may be a little shaky and whatever, but it's better than trying to force it all into the squares. But it's very creative stuff, well written, and it's not expensive. Go check it out.