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The Effect

Phenomena Deck by Angelo Stagnaro

This is not an effect, but a deck of symbol cards, very like the Symbology Deck ( http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic4120.php ).

Cost

£16.99

Available from www.alakazam.co.uk and possibly some other places too.

Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

1-4, depending on what you do with them!

Review

This consists of a deck of 52 cards of symbols. There are 13 different types of card, in four different colours. This is very, very like Sean Taylor’s Symbology Deck, but was apparently conceived independently.

The obvious question is which is better. Sadly (or not), I think they are of similar worth. I suggest that anyone who is interested checks out my review of Symbology, here:

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic4120.php

Personally, I think that the symbols Angelo has chosen are better, overall, than the ones Sean used. Many are the same, but the Phenomena Deck gets points from me for avoiding the ‘ship’ design (which looks little like a ship). Angelo has also wisely included the three wavy lines symbol found in ESP testing decks, my other major gripe about the designs used in Symbology.

The card backs are not like playing cards, but feature the five Zener symbols on a grey background, with a weird series of dots, that reminded me of constellations of stars.

I’m a bit ambivalent about the backs. On the one hand, they don’t look especially like playing cards. On the other, the amount of confusing detail on them makes them seem a bit suspicious to me. I am not sure how a lay person would view them.

You are probably thinking that this is a cunning subterfuge to hide the marks. That’s it, you see; there are no marks. You could add some fairly easily, I suppose, but no suggestions are given about this with the book. If you’re used to marking systems, you probably won’t have a problem, although you won’t be able to use the Lesley or Wild systems.

The box has the same back design, on one side but in blue instead of grey. Sadly, it proudly proclaims itself to be “Angelo Stagnaro’s Phenomena Deck” in multi-coloured lettering. Silly.

Contrary to what I thought when I reviewed Symbology, the Eight Kings works fine with this sort of deck and Angelo has included a chart for this and Si Stebbins converted to the Phenomena Deck. The accompanying booklet also sets out a few (and I mean a few) effects possible. It does give them in different languages, however!

There is no key card for a stack (although, as I said, the booklet has this information) and there are no gaffed cards.

As with Symbology, I’d like to see a companion deck with the symbols in black, plus enough copies of the five standard symbols that they could be used for other ESP effects.

Overall

8/10

This deck deals with some of my major gripes about the Symbology Deck (the odd choice of symbols and the playing card back design). However, it replaces these concerns with a back design that somehow looks (to these tired old magician eyes) like a trick deck, by being too ‘busy’, a lack of actual markings (which reduces the number of possible effects), an awful box that proudly proclaims its name and a lack of extra cards. The accompanying booklet is OK, but the effects (with one exception) are not that amazing.

It is also slightly cheaper than Sean’s take on such a deck.

Interesting review well done you learn something new every day.

I don't generally post here but can I just correct a misapprehension. The release of the Phenomena Deck as an apparently independently created item is nothing short of farcical.

Angelo Stagnaro contacted me when the Symbology deck was released and explained that he had been thinking about releasing something similar and did I mind if he went ahead. Since I had spent several years road testing and many thousands of dollars producing the deck I was amazed that he would even consider it. I used several principles from other magicians - all with permission and in 2 cases, payment. I had gone about it the right way and he was going to dilute the market. He has stolen my concepts and ideas, and I can prove that.

I was very pleasant to him and we exchanged emails for some time. He was to release a hard backed book with some routines in and wanted to be able to release the deck. As an act of good faith I offered to supply him the decks at a very good price which he declined. Since I heard nothing I assumed the matter was closed.

Once the Phenomena deck was released more than 12 months later I was furious and approached Angelo. His first reply to me was that he did not like my tone! I have lost money as direct result of this deck being on the market. I have a top flight international copyright and patent lawyer who has examined the case carefully and was fully prepared to go for it. In the end I decided it was not worth the money or hassle.

I have thought of independently releasing some things from Angelos books - trouble is, they are terrible! I have settled for being known as the first and best and going on to create some new items. If the gods of magic are on my side he'll wind up with a garage full of decks he can't shift.

I sold 30 Symbology decks at my lecture last Wednesday night and it continues to be my most popular item.

Sean Taylor

Thank you for that post, i had heard this story and decided not to stock these decks as a result. I do agree that the books are weak and once again decided against it.