This is great! What you receive is NOT ONLY the ideal "magic movie" (to reference Tommy Wonder) handling of Paul Curry's Out of this World, but you also receive a deck which, with a little thought, could become a great tool in your card magic arsenal.

New World is the dream handling of OOTW. Imagine having the spectator deal through the cards, then turning over each pile you reveal -- without ANY funny moves or switches-that they have perfectly separated the red cards from the blacks.

That's what you get.

Now, some people might ask if the sacrifice of carrying a gimmicked deck is worth the payoff. Some may fear that the spectator will ask to see the cards.

I have seen Weber do this trick many times. No one EVER has suspected or reached for the deck. The deck is constructed so that it can be used both before and after, but let's face it, if you have something which can follow your presentation of this trick, then you ain't doing this trick right.

My routine for New World was a three phase OOTW with the New World as the finale. It began with a variation of Gardner's Call to the Colors, followed by Daryl's Out of this Hemisphere, then New World. The instructions teach Kennedy's Red and Black. I would also suggest looking into "The Deck is Feminine" from the Ron Bauer series. Perform any of these phase and by the time you get to New World, no one suspects the cards.

But let's consider the requirements of performing the traditional OOTW versus carrying a gimmick. OOTW uses a full deck stack. So you either have to switch for the stack, set the stack during performance, or perform tricks which do not alter the stack.

With New World, there is no difference in requirements of use EXCEPT that you have greater leeway in preliminary tricks with New World than you do with the Curry. Also, the reset for New World is no more difficult than the traditional and may even be easier to do.

So, if we as magicians decide we should only offer the best material for our audiences, then the choice to do New World, in "official" performing environments over the traditional handlings is a conclusion easily drawn. (Of course, being able to set OOTW with a borrowed deck for the "right moment" should always be in our arsenal.)

Of course there is a price to be paid, but the price is no greater than that paid for performing the Curry handling of OOTW. New World is a stronger piece -- or can be if presented thoughtfully.

Fogel said, and I paraphrase, "If you want to do a trick that requires an 8 foot square sheet of glass, you carry an 8 foot square sheet of glass."

Our audiences deserve our best. Loosing a little pocket space is a small price to pay in exchange for giving them the best available. Sadly, more magicians are interested in their own convenience and their own misguided priorities ("I don't use trick cards) rather than thinking about their audience's needs.

Finally, another issue often raised is whether or not there is anything in the original Curry handling which needs to be improved or "which is "better" the regular OOTW or the DIll/Weber version". Personally, I don't think, as stated, it is a valid question.

My job as a magician/entertainer is to provide truly wonderful moments for my audience, EVERY MEMBER OF MY AUDIENCE. To that end, I should be willing to use whatever tool is the best available and most fitting at that moment.

For some moments the standard OOTW is not only perfect, but all that you need.

But, here's the real deal. If you truly get out in the real world and work, you encounter some VERY smart people. In the past week I have had two lay people describe a trick that they "know." Both of them described OOTW and its working with accuracy -- two lay people in one week.

Now, these people are my audience. It is my job to give them a magical experience. Personally, I feel good knowing I can say, "That's a great piece, let me show you how I do it..."

Further, sometimes as you are working, you encounter really sharp people. OOTW would still be a fine choice, but imagine giving them the "magic ad" spiel with New World. There exist lay people who can appreciate the "white line" nature of the effect, and all the other nuances when they are called to their attention. Many magicians have tried to argue that Tamariz and his "theory of
false solutions" is often wasted on lay people, but his success belies a different reality.

Does every audience need the advanced, method eliminating presentation? Of course not. But for the right crowd, you will provide a memory they will never forget.

So, which is better? The question is incomplete. It would depend on your audience and environment. But I will say without equivocation, a competent performer can present New World in a manner which will allow lay audiences to appreciate it for what it is. For those moments, and those people, I feel lucky to have that tool in my arsenal.

If you decide not to invest that type of effort for the benefit of your
spectators, that choice is up to you.

Finally, let's talk about what you get. The deck is amazing. It has many features built into it -- almost too many. Someone once advised, if you release a trick only include one handling. Too many and magicians will spin their wheels not knowing where to start.

New World gives you that basic handling and tells you of the other resources available. Most magicians will be happy never to think about these options, but those that do will have an amazing tool others have overlooked.

Finally, I will offer one minor quibble. I felt the layout of the instructions was sometimes difficult to follow, particularly with pictures being placed after a page turn.

And if that's the most negative thing I can come up with, I think you can surmise just how great I think this product must be.