This is a Review of the Penguin Download for Kolossal Killer

This is a solid trick. The spectator names any card. Totally free choice. You then say "What a coincidence, that's my lucky card!" To prove it, you show them your wallet and pull out a card. About 33% of the time this card is exactly the one named by the spectator and you have a miracle. The rest of the time the card in the wallet doesn't exactly match the one named, but you still turn the trick into a near-miracle through a clever ending.

Pros:
The Penguin video download includes several live performances with real spectators.
Nick Locano's teaching is excellent. His explanations are thorough and clear.
This trick makes a great opener for walk-around. It lasts less than two minutes, can be performed surrounded, and has a difficulty level of about 5 (on a 1 to 10 scale).

Cons:
The inside of the wallet can't be shown to spectators.
The trick takes a fair amount of wallet space and isn't practical if your wallet is already crowded. If your wallet is stuffed, you may need to use a second one for this trick.

Marcus Eddie's ODD is a similar trick that delivers a similar impact. ODD requires a special deck, whereas Kolossal Killer requires a lot of wallet space. I would say the choice between the two tricks depends on which one the magician finds more practical.
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Maybe it's me, but I'm not a huge fan of this routine. The premise of this effect is that a spectator names a card and that you reveal the correct card in your wallet. This is not entirely true. It is not like the invisible deck, where you reveal the exact card the spectator chose every time. This is a clever routine with outs and requires that you carry a wallet containing several cards (less than 26). It does require some linguistic guidance of the spectator. A full-blown stage effect? Hardly. Mind reading? Questionable. It is workable and can potentially be a stunning effect, but so can carrying around the Jack of Hearts in your wallet and asking people to name their favorite card. Your chances are slightly better with Kolossal Killer.

First, a brief story...

I was visiting my favorite magic shop one Saturday and hanging out with my friend who works there; he was running through a gamut of fun and interesting effects, pushing the product as appropriate. I was apparently in a bit of an "off" mood that day, because he wasn't getting the reactions he had anticipated. Finally, in apparent frustration, he spread the cards before me face up; "Think of a card, any card you want," he states. So, I pick my card. He then attempts to tell me my card. He hit on the color and suit, but missed on the value. I was less than impressed, but he didn't seem surprised. "I should have known," he said. "I couldn't read YOUR mind, but it seems you read mine..." He then cleanly and slowly produces his wallet (not some fandangled gimimck wallet, but the one I've seen him pull out for cash, ID, whatever...). "I keep one card with me at all times, my lucky card. It tends to follow me. If I'm told to think of a card, I always think of this; if I randomly pick a card, more often than it should be, it's this card." Again, slowly and cleanly, he pulls my card from his wallet....

This kept me awake all week long: deconstructing, reconstructing, marveling, becoming more and more frustrated.

The next week, I asked him where in the world he'd found that. He told me it was called Kollasal Killer and that it was nearly impossible to find. He said he'd try to order it for me, but probably wouldn't have much luck. I waited patiently for over a month, asking him every time I saw him. No go. Finally, I was in the other magic shop in town and...bing...there it was. I bought it in an instant and read through it ten times in the next few days. By that time, I was using it regularly.

(As a side note, I confronted my magic buddy...he told me he kept this one to himself as much as possible. He figured if I was serious about wanting it that badly, I'd find it...keep in mind, he gave up a sale and a commission to keep this one to himself.)

That is how I stumbled across Kenton's Kollosal Killer; it's become my American Express of magic: I never leave home without it. I will warn you though...This is one of the few effects I perform that, in certain circumstances, will cause people to look at you a bit differently.

I'll list the main reasons I love this manuscript:

- completely failsafe; you simply can NOT miss.
- no props, just your wallet and the card they thought of.
- very little linguistic deception. You don't lead, guide or manipulate them into picking one, specific card. You can do it to one person and then, a few moments later, to someone else; they can pick completely different cards.
- it gives you freedom. Ever wanted to try mentalism? Give it a shot, if you miss the card they picked (like my buddy did) you've got this bad boy to save the day. It will look like you never missed in the first place!

Overall, I can't say enough good stuff about this product. Best $20 I ever spent; I would have gladly paid three times that amount.