Monthly Update #22 (October 2024)
Remembering Jon Racherbaumer. ❤
I begin this month’s update with a heavy heart: Jon Racherbaumer died unexpectedly in New Orleans on October the 22nd. He authored over one hundred and fifty books and countless articles on close-up magic, inspiring generations of magicians with his brilliance, humour, and literary skill. He wasn't just a magician—he was an important cultural figure who illuminated the world of magic through his masterful performances, insightful writings, and profound intellectual curiosity. Though I never had the privilege of meeting him personally, his writings guided me through my early years as a magician, particularly his monthly column “On the Slant” in Genii Magazine. He was also one of the first magicians to have a membership website, to which I was a subscriber.
Jon was far more than a performer or writer. He was a scholarly sage of magic, renowned for his extraordinary breadth of knowledge and meticulous attention to detail. I particularly appreciated his recommended reading, which expanded far beyond sleight of hand into literature, philosophy, technology, and the broader human experience. His intellectual generosity transformed how many magicians understood their craft, elevating magic from mere entertainment to a nuanced art form.
The magic community will feel Jon’s absence profoundly. His influence rippled through generations of performers, writers, and thinkers, inspiring us to look deeper, think broader, and push the boundaries of our art. His legacy is not just in the tricks he invented or the words he wrote, but in the intellectual and creative spirit he championed.
Racherbaumer is survived by two brothers, seven children, eleven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and his long-time companion of forty years, Jessica Hack. A celebration of his life is planned, honouring a man universally admired for his profound contributions to the magical arts.
In the coming weeks and months, I’ll also be featuring magic inspired by his remarkable body of work—a tribute to a man who understood that magic is ultimately about wonder, connection, and human potential.
Jon always concluded his “On the Slant” columns with “Onward…”—a simple word that spoke volumes. It was his quiet encouragement to continue exploring, learning, and advancing the art we all love. So, in the spirit of Jon Racherbaumer:
Onward…
New on MBOT
There are two new articles on Marty’s Bag of Tricks this month. I also wrote up a new handling for Herb Zarrow’s “Revolving Aces” called “High Card to Hell” (link below).
Performance Diary: Sandwiches & Sorcery 🥪🪄
Reading time: 4 minutes
Can close-up card magic compete with sandwiches?! I share my experience performing close-up card magic at a university networking lunch. The article concludes with valuable lessons learned.
Playing Cards with the Devil
Reading time: 11 minutes
Throughout history, the image of a magician playing cards with the Devil has captivated audiences and inspired countless stories, from vintage magic posters to folk tales warning against the perils of gambling. The article explores this rich tradition through various supernatural tales from the British Isles.
High Card to Hell 🔥
Reading time: 16 minutes
“High Card to Hell” is a card trick that reimagines the classic Spectator Cuts to the Aces plot through the lens of European folklore about gambling with the Devil. It transforms a simple gambling demonstration into a dramatic performance piece perfect for Halloween or bizarre magic shows.
More Spooky Sorcery! 👻
Here are some older blog articles with spooky Halloween vibes you may have missed.
True Voodoo: 5 Voodoo Myths Busted! 🧟
Reading time: 8 minutes
This blog post debunks five common myths about Voodoo. Do we have a responsibility to help correct damaging stereotypes about this misunderstood religion?
Jazz, Murder & Magic! 🎷💀🎩
Reading time: 11 minutes
This blog post discusses a true crime card trick inspired by New Orleans in the 1900s. It features a mysterious killer, the Axeman of New Orleans, who vowed to spare victims in homes where jazz music was playing. This theme can be incorporated into various presentations of the card trick, including a darker variation that resembles a “supernatural ritual” to summon the Axeman’s ghost! 🪓👻
And if you’d like to learn a new card trick with a theme suitable for Halloween, I’ve got you covered.
Twodoo Voodoo 💀
Reading time: 12 minutes
This blog post details my two-person adaptation of Guy Hollingworth’s brilliant “Voodoo Card” trick.
Man with the Axe 🪓
Reading time: 11 minutes
This trick combines the Ten-Twenty Force with a true crime presentation based on the Axeman cold case. A spectator pretends to be a police officer searching for notorious serial killer of New Orleans.
The Axeman’s Ghost 👻
Reading time: 7 minutes
This is a darker variation of the “Man with the Axe,” with a supernatural presentation in which a spectator seemingly summons the spirit of the Axeman of New Orleans through a card ritual. This version uses only one force card and includes additional theatrical elements like a printed letter and a “ritual” spelling procedure. It concludes with the spectator finding the remaining three Kings to “break the curse of the Axeman’s ghost.”
A little reminder that paid Ruseletter subscribers get direct access to all of my trick tutorials.
Regular Ruseletter Articles
This month, I also managed to write a new edition of Packet Trick Paradise. This one is available to free and paid Ruseletter subscribers alike.
Packet Trick Paradise: Paradox of Love ❤
Reading time: 21 minutes
Three Jokers transform into Aces of Hearts and a Ten of Hearts to illustrate that love grows when given away, inspired by writer Elbert Hubbard’s quote, “The love you give away is the only love you keep.” The detailed tutorial covers multiple handling methods, preparation requirements, and performance tips while incorporating Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love into the presentation.
Riddle Me This!
What has 13 hearts but no lungs or stomach? A deck of playing cards, of course! I stumbled across this riddle online this month, and it occurred to me that you could use it to introduce a card trick. Ask someone the riddle, then pull a deck from your pocket and use the interaction as an excuse to perform and quick and impressive card trick. You could even magically produce a deck in some way. Better yet, you could incorporate a performable puzzle or two into your performance.
LSOH Out of Beta!
As a member of several online magic communities, I can confidently say that Doug Conn’s Learn Sleight of Hand (LSOH) stands out as my top pick (with David Williamson’s Sleight School coming a very close second). Having been a founding member, I’ve witnessed the site’s evolution from a closed beta to its current state, thanks to Doug’s unwavering dedication. I consider Doug a friend and mentor, and his values as a magic creator resonate deeply with my own. My endorsement of LSOH is not given lightly; I only do so when I believe in the true value a magic service like this provides to its members.
What sets LSOH apart is its unparalleled support. I’ve been a member of many similar sites, but none match the value that Doug’s community provides. The active Discord isn’t just a platform for interaction, it’s a vibrant community where you can talk to Doug and make friends with other LSOH members. The community offers a regular schedule of live webinars with Doug and other guests, providing a conn-sistent learning experience. There’s a wealth of conn-tent using a variety of props, not just cards and coins. Most importantly, Doug’s teaching skills are exceptional. I’ve met my fair share of magic luminaries, and even the great performers tend to be bad at teaching. Doug is one of the rare exceptions.
To celebrate “National Magic Week”, Doug Conn has opened up memberships again at his magic training and community site, Learn Sleight of Hand. Doug is offering a limited time 30% off on all LSOH memberships (Use coupon code MagicWeek at checkout). This offer is only valid until tomorrow (Friday, the 1st of November), so if you want to take advantage, you’ll need to act fast!
Yesterday evening, we had a blast at one of our regular online meet-ups on Zoom. It was a “Mischief Night Jam” with a few fellow members of LSOH. I stayed up past the witching hour to participate in the fun, and it was definitely worth it! Recordings of these sessions are available to all members after the event, for those who can’t attend live.
Here’s an excellent example of the type of live events and conn-tent that you can expect as a member (there’s plenty of additional free material on Doug’s YouTube channel). This month, we were treated to an exceptional live lecture from Alexander the Magician. Alexander, dressed in an outfit reminiscent of the pulp action anti-hero The Shadow, performed some baffling and beautiful coin magic, pulling silver coins in a flash of fire from a lit candle!
I strongly recommend you subscribe to his YouTube channel.
Alexander can also be found on Instagram if YouTube isn’t your thing.
Dai Vernon Meme 🤣
Dai Vernon famously boasted that he’d never worked a day in his life. He also said that one of his greatest joys was that he’d never needed to perform magic to make a living. He then went on to say, “But I wouldn’t ever want to perform magic for a living, it’s more fun perfecting it.”1
It was for this reason I found this meme so funny! So much so, I decided to create a couple of versions of it using better quality photographs of The Professor.
This first one uses the famous photo of him from his youth:
And here’s another using a photo of Dai when he was much older, but still looking sharp:
A special shout out to my friend Mathieu for making me aware of this very funny meme. Do you have any other Vernon memes? If you do, post them below.
Three Videos Worth Watching
Here are three more videos worth watching this Halloween.
Matchbox Teleportation Trick
Joel Dickinson is producing a lot of excellent free content at the moment. I particularly like this very old teleportation trick using a matchbox.
The impact of this routine could be dramatically heightened by introducing a Zippo lighter at its conclusion, presenting it as your “survival backup plan.” By weaving in themes of wilderness preparedness and survival skills throughout the performance, you can transform this simple effect into a compelling piece of magic. For maximum theatrical impact, consider pairing this with either Werry’s Matchbox Illusion or The Sympathetic Matchboxes (Pat Conway’s 1957 creation) to create a thematically cohesive set.
Jay Sankey’s Four Ace Trick
I’ve been performing a Spectator Cuts to the Aces trick like this one for a while. However, Jay has developed some clever subtlties that make the whole trick feel more random and impressive:
You can adjust Jay’s method to also find the four Kings to provide a cool kicker ending to this four-Ace routine. I’ll leave you to work out the details.
High Card Anime
Finally, here’s a new anime I recently discovered called High Card. I’ve just started watching it, but I like it a lot. It is especially enjoyable if you like playing cards and magic (for obvious reasons).
The show follows Finn, a young man who discovers a mysterious deck of fifty-two magical cards that grant unique powers. This discovery thrusts him into a fast-paced world of high-stakes espionage, crime, and intrigue. With its vibrant animation style and gripping action, the show keeps viewers on edge as Finn teams up with others in a race to secure the cards and the formidable abilities they bestow.
That’s it for another month. I hope you have a happy Halloween! 🎃
Yours Magically,
Marty
Nick Lewin, “Dai Vernon. The Master.,” Remarkable Magic, September 10, 2011, https://remarkablemagic.com/2011/09/10/dai-vernon-the-master/.
Jon was a nice man and always good to me. He will be greatly missed. ✨💜🙏