When I see the names John Bannon and Big Blind Media in the same sentence, it really grabs my attention. We all know and understand that over the past many years that the John Bannon and Big Blind Media collaboration has resulted in the distribution of unsurpassed and top-tier card magic treasure. This latest project, the third in the “Bullet” series of DVD’s is another superb piece of work in all respects.
As per usual, the production value of the project is excellent. The quality of the video is great, the editing is great, the sound is great and watching the bunch of tricks is a pleasurable experience. Bannon as per usual performs his tricks excellently and explains them in a very straight forward and easy to follow manner. The instructional tracks are great because some of the BBM usuals sit in and contribute commentary as Bannon explains the methods to his sidekicks.
The DVD is divided into three sections, each with a handful of tricks. Below are some basic descriptions of just the tricks in the first section.
Proxy Shock at its core is a named card found. The card is named after seeing a spread and never touched. The magician shuffles the deck and then outjogs the card that they believe was mentally picked. And, unfortunately he is. A fail! But, no worry, the card is rotated in plain sight and it is transformed into the thought of card. What a great and easy trick. After the performance, Bannon explains the trick to James Wendt who helps with the fine details of the easy move that you need to execute to make this magic happen.
Rock the Voque is a trick in which Bannon has the spectator pick a thought of card by eliminating certain cards and ending with just one. In the end, the merely named card ends up in the deck between two cards (most likely Jokers) and the spectator is flabbergasted. In the explanation, Bannon talks through the various possibilities with Liam Montier. It should be no surprise that this trick uses equivoque as is tipped in the name of the trick.
Mundo is awesome! It’s translated title means “World” which is a reference to the widely regarded card trick: Out Of This World. OOTW has also been the basis for tons of variations of the same premise. Mundo can be an impromptu packet version of Out Of This World if you sort a few cards while looking for the Ace of Spades. The presentation is simple. You hand the spectator a packet of cards with the Ace of Spades in it, face up. They deal the cards into two piles, face down and then stop when they get to the Ace of Spades. They decide which pile to place the Ace of Spades on, face up, and then continue to deal the rest of the cards face down on top of each pile. In the end, the cards are shown to be matched by color and the Ace of Spades is located in the center of the black pile. It is easy and fun and I think I am going to do this every day for the rest of my life.
Cut and Run is a routine where the spectator shuffles the deck in stages and then miraculously the performer is able to deal four Aces right away. It is easy and as far as Ace productions go, this is a good one.
The ad copy for the DVD says:
“After the bestselling smash hit releases ‘Bullets After Dark’ and ‘Bullet Party’, John Bannon is finally ready to close out his ‘Bullet’ trilogy. The third and final entry is Fire When Ready, a veritable feast of card magic delights. Fueled by Bannon’s inimitable style of easy-to-achieve, yet staggeringly powerful card magic, this is a project you NEED!
Over two packed discs and an immense 180-minute running time, Fire When Ready will arm you with some of the strongest card magic imaginable. From Bannon’s go-to opener for more than a decade ‘Line Of Sight’ to the impossibly clean think of a card ‘Proxy Shock’. The ten featured routines are audaciously constructed and require only the most basic sleight of hand, yet, they are tricks that are destined to be in your arsenal for EVER!
Proxy Shock – They think of a card. The deck is shuffled. It looks like you miss… then BOOM! They realize they were just being set up for the sucker punch.
Rock The ‘Voque – A spectator reads your mind, bit by bit, nailing the card you thought of… and you can prove it!
Mundo – All the impact of ‘Out of This World’, but in a small packet, and with a twist that will fool EVERYONE!
Cut & Run – Produce the four Aces from a deck repeatedly shuffled and cut… by your SPECTATOR! This is a killer utility!
Hybrid Holdout – Your participant shuffles and cuts. Top stock: Controlled?!?
Stealth Aces – A classic Ace Assembly, that combines easy handling with a devious construction!
Big Fat Bluff Aces – John’s hidden gem. This assembly is a showpiece, and features several astonishing kickers, and will leave EVERYONE reeling – laymen and magicians alike!
Blues Alley Jokers – Truly shocking appearance of Jokers sandwiching a selected card.
Clean Out Of Sight – Vernon’s classic gets the Bannon treatment – a spectator shuffles and thinks of a card, without you touching a thing. Then, following the spectator’s intuition, you zero in on a card they’ve genuinely thought of, and never named. BOOM!
Question Zero – A borrowed, shuffled deck. A thought of card. Zero questions, maximum bang for minimal buck!
Line Of Sight – What does John open his card sets with? Line of sight. And you will see why! John teaches all the tips that make this shocking moment of mental card magic work, with the pack in the spectators’ hands.”
This compilation of card tricks (that require minor moves) is excellent and worthy of the 10 out of 10 score. My suggestion is that if it has the name Bannon on it, shoot first and ask questions later. What that means is, this is a great buy – what are you waiting for?