The Web! The new one they even built an app for it. No cards required.

Just recently came up with a new idea for using the Web (Busking), will post when I get over the flu, and try it out.

You could start the story with four jacks that made a pact with the devil to become the four kings and transform each of the individually or all at the same time, and then jump on this routine.

"Which Witch is Witch" by Gregory Ferdinand.

I perform my Tarot packet tricks found in The Magic Nook's Crafty Shop of Little Horrors (back room) with tongue in cheek humor, but there's no reason you can't give the tricks a more creepy and serious presentation if you want to scare the daylights out of someone susceptible.

Slasher by R Shane could be performed dark or light hearted..
The effect appears in his book Pentalogy & the cards are available to buy separately with slightly adapted presentation..

Love the Web app! Best ever.

I believe it's called "My Pet Boris"

I like "gypsy curse" packet trick

It fits scary/ dark themed story

The execution require some skill


Cheers
Andre

Zombie Town

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nzJhcoJtyOM

Sam I think your asking the wrong question, any packet trick can be scary/dark themed you just need to think about what presentation to add, here are some common packet tricks with a suggested theme below off the top of my head.

Card Stab- Vlad the Impaler was a historical tyrant that ruled mainly from 1456 to 1462 and as the name suggests, his practice of impaling his enemies is part of his historical reputation.

Red Or Black - Which By Nick Trost- Jack the Ripper the serial killer who terrorized London in 1888 was never caught. He predominantly attacked female victims lets see if you fit the emo. [Get some blank faced cards in the quantity required for the trick and put male and female gender symbols on them then set it up per the trick requirements]

The Clock Card Trick- The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic clock face, representing a countdown to possible global catastrophe. Do the trick with a packet of tarot cards and place the death card at the required set-up point so it appears at the spectators selected time.

Just think about the packet tricks you know and see what you can come up with.

Magically

Aus

Friday the 13th performed as a packet trick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIGavofGqDA

Hey that's not bad. Horror movies are a great Resourse for great patter.

I'll put in another plug for "The Web" by Jim Pace. But it's probably good to introduce the effect by asking your spectators if anyone has any phobias, which will help you set a tone of suspense, and also helps ensure that you don't pick a subject who has a genuine fear of spiders.

"My Pet Boris" modernizes the effect by taking the same concept, using a smartphone app instead of cards, and can be done with cockroaches and butterflies as well as spiders. It is not by Jim Pace, but by Ian Pidgeon (birdman69 here on The Café). More info here:
- Official site
- Penguin Magic demo video and reviews
- Magic Café discussion thread #1
- Magic Café discussion thread #2

Here's a great clip of Lance Burton performing The Web:

You could get a tragic royalty bicycle deck of cards and have each court card in a normal deck slowly get possessed.

Magic Spider - My Pet Boris
www.mypetboris.com

Look two posts up - I'd already posted the link there ... about four years ago.

So you did. Thanks

The Devil Always Knows, by Christopher Dearman is a good one.

It isn't necessarily scary, but Zombie Monte gets good reactions.