Keith,

If you're good with arts and crafts, you could make your own in Rider back, but they're a pain to make perfect. The reason we used Mandolins is because the wings are larger and easier to see, and the TA cards are only being printed in Mandolin. You could also just use your Mandolin Wings gimmick with a normal Rider back deck. Laymen won't notice such small differences.

Matt

I just got my wings effect today. And after watching the dvd and doing it fora few people, I have to say this effect is AWESOME! It is all self contained and very easy to do! I highly recommened this effect to anyone! The gimmick seems to be durable and will a long time. I hope they offer a refill pack just for the gimmick. As said above you could make you own if you like.

Penguin has WINGS in stock!!!!

In Red back:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S14349

Or Blue:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S14350

You even get a full regular deck of cards, which is a nice touch!

I'm looking forward to picking this up.

Question: Are there any limitations as to how close you can hold the gimmick to the spectator(s) when performing this effect? Do you need to stand a few feet away to prevent them from seeing anything strange with the card?

Thanks for the reply Matt

Looks like I'm in for this one! Hopefully laymen don't notice the bonus effect: "shrinking wings"

The effect is done at a arms lenth from the spectators. So far I have not had any problems with them being susicious about the card.

Seriously? Is there a bonus effect by that name? Tell me more.

Hey Keith & Daffy,
I slip a Wings gimmick right in with a normal deck, even though I prefer mandolins now. I am bias

Fun fact:
On the DVD performance footage there is a family that Matt performs for. They were using a blue bicycle deck and playing Go Fish when we approached them. All worked out perfect.. The flapping happened with their deck!!

Also, watch the little boy's bummed out face when his older sister steps in front of him to pick a card. He ends up happy, but the look on his face is priceless.

Sisters...

~Josh

Inches away from clicking the 'Purchase' button on this one....

Mine should be here any day. VERY excited about this!

Looking forward to your review.

This just got a severe 'kicking' on the WPR.
I have to admit I didn't like the look of this when the demo was first released - each to their own.

Interesting, so far this has good reviews. I don't put much faith in WPR. They have given bad reviews before which contradicted positive reviews here at the Café.

RNK

Think the problem is it looks quite obvious what you are doing to make the wings move.

One of the Wizard team also said Chad Longs 'Flash" looked like a toy and he wouldn't use it. David Williamson uses it and said 'Chad Long has made the color changing knives relevant again".

They didn't demo it in a routine, just held the card up and panned it. Their choice/opinion. They gave rave reviews to products magicians hated and sold or threw in the drawer. They've also trashed products that magicians love ( Robert Smith's Psypher, etc. ).

I've been using Wings the past few days and what you don't do is hold up the card up and have them stare at the animation. It's like floating a bill: You wouldn't leave it suspended just hanging in the air. After the surprise/amazement, they start to try and figure it out.

The wings flapping looks so surreal, they are amazed by it. It's a lead in to Twilight Angels. The wings start to flap, meaning it's going to take off. It lands right next to the other angel. That card is signed by them ( do it for couples or women ) and they get to keep it.

If you have it, try it out in a routine on two strangers in the mall/park.

Juts my opinion.

I think WPR was right on.

I saw it up close at IMX and thought it looked great and look forward to using it.

Interesting how an effect can get such different responses.

I performed this again today. She signed her name and her boyfriends ( he wasn't there ). The wings flapped and she gave one of those open mouth, sucking in air-surprise sounds. Finished with Twilight Angels and she said "oh my God, can I keep this?"

If you bought this, no matter if YOU think the gaff is obvious, just go and perform it for someone. Don't take the card and hold it out and say "look at this". Do the routine. Don't sell it before trying it. I've done that and ended up re-buying it after seeing someone perform it lol.

+1