Guardians in Maxim Magazine

[Sypris]

So I just got the December issue of Maxim magazine and Sarah Michelle Gellar is Maxim material all the way.

So I was going through the magazine and they included a Holiday Gift Guide of everything your cold heart desires. Basically they listed a bunch of holiday gift ideas and low and behold Bicycle Guardians made the list.

Quote from the magazine.

Black Magic

Disturb your poker buddies with a set of Bicycle Guardians playing cards, which feature creepy illustrations of lieu of the standard "cherub riding a bike" motif. Go fish...for souls! $5.

theory11.com

Whats everyones thoughts on T11 advertising in magazines outside the Magic community. Sex sells right?

Sypris

 

[Eddie]

It looks like Guardians are going to be the new Black Tigers.

 

[TKH]

I'd prefer they didn't. I dont want laymen on a site which sells the magic I might perform for them. Or give them any idea that some magic can be bought over the internet.

 

[shway]

I think it's cool that the website is getting put out there a bit but I don't like were it's getting put out. As THK was saying, it just attracts too many potential audience members to this site =/

 

[Krash]

I'm not too sure if I like the idea of having the cards and website that I use on a daily basis to be out in the open for the public. I remember before I even started doing magic that I had no idea that there were such things as black decks or anything like that.

Shane K.

 

[arcangeld]

I agree.. so much for the "underground epicenter for magic" aye?
seriously though, can someone from t11 justify the actions for this?

It can't be that you all need the cash....so..why?

 

[xXMajiqXx]

wow

theory11 is and UNDERGROUND magic epicenter. they shouldnt have been advertised, plus now eveyone that wants them will see the explantion for the jones change.

W/E too late.

 

[arcangeld]

Exposure.. nice

 

[KatieKenner]

We have to remember, its only a deck of cards.

I think its OK. If we were to perform with Guardians, as I'd like to think a lot of us do, if they are advertised in magazines, they won't be thought of as "trick cards." You have to remember, laymen are probably too lazy to actually look through the whole section outside of "playing cards and gear."

If they look at the "trick" part, 99% will say, "thats cool" and keep on keepin' on. I don't think we need to worry. Plus, if a person lives in or near any big city, chances are they can get "easier" tricks to perform at the local magic shop.

I feel no one really needs to worry. I know I'd be stoked if I got Guardians in my stocking this year.

Katie Egleston

P.S. This is a public website, meaning, any google search for "playing cards" will probably lead them here anyway..... Also, as stated by many before me... Once its available as a product, its really no longer "underground".

 

[lachomagician]

Yeah, the problem here is that situations like that are what removes respect from the art. What if some dude saw one of the tricks here, then they expose it somehow (buying it or something). Slowly, the art that we have cherished simply becomes a novelty. I know that magic is much more about the performance than the effect, but I honestly thought this would be underground work, stuff that we could do that was unique... but well, I guess T11 is doing its job of forcing us to come up with our own stuff...

 

[Evan Era]

I totally agree, not at all secretive or exclusive and if you ask me kind of a money-grubbing gesture to sell a bunch of decks, putting an ad that links people to a supposedly underground magic site in a widely circulated magazine? WTF theory11, WTF?

 

[chainzero]

Possible to scan the page? Just wanted to ask, is it an ad from theory11 or is it something Maxim decided to include in their own holiday gift guide recommendation list?

 

[UnholyGodn]

As House said on todays episode "If there is no wonder once the secret is revealed, there was never any wonder to begin with". Instead of worrying about your precious exposure, work on making the magic an experiance that is still amazing even when you know the secret. Don't tell me that you don't stop enjoying watching your favourite magicians even thought you know how they do a trick? Of course not, because those are the magicians that make things amazing without worrying about the secret. Everyone knows that what you aren't doing is real magic, so if they know the secret or not, they won't be entertained unless you can perform it entertainingly.

 

[MaxDeVill]

I dunno if it was an official advertisement or if it was just a Maxim plug for something unique, but all that aside....

Anyone can look up anything on the internet. If you do a search for playing cards you're not going to run across T11 until maybe 140,000 pages down. (I've tried. )

Once something becomes a product there really is no stopping anyone from purchasing that product and doing with it as they please (aside from copyright infringement). If that means giving away the secret to a magic trick, then that's what they want to do with their 29.95.

T11 is a company. Out to make MONEY... thats what companies do. If you all bought into the whole 'Underground Magic Epicenter' you bought right into their advertising. As I've posted no less than 50 times... T11 isn't a charity.

Sorry if I dash some of your hopes and crush your reality, but c'mon. Business is business is business... these guys gotta eat too.

Now, would I prefer it not to be in such a "Pop Culture Men's Magazine"? Hell yeah. All's I want to see is some jock jackass doing Witness at a sports bar drunk as hell and then coming right out and saying, "Alright, this is how I did it."

Maybe I fooled myself into thinking that T11 would be a trade site for a while longer. But as I said, they've gotta eat.

 

[clarrus]

I don't think it was a bad idea. I HIGHLY DOUBT a laymen would want to buy a $5 pack of cards anyways. The $5 price tag would scare the average person away. People who are serious, like Ellusionist fans would probably be the only people interested in it. I mean c'mon $5 for a stinking deck of cards?

Surely only people serious about cards or magic would entertain that idea. Besides some people have to be exposed to magic to love it and this could be there oppportunity.

As for the idiot heckler who will buy it to expose it. I doubt someone will shell out the $$ for that unless like some magician killed his parents a long time ago and he has a super vendetta against all magic.....

 

[phrozunsun]

We have to remember, its only a deck of cards.

Exactly.

Not to mention most people will come on, see $4.99/pack + shipping and then go to the dollar store and buy cheap bee knockoffs to play poker. I know i do, because by the end of the game, the edges are grimey, and we use at least one new pack a game.

In my experience, the more you try to hide something, the more someone will try to find it. Be hidden in plain sight.

 

[sky_lark]

It's a little weird to see them pop up in Maxim, when there are many other magazines more properly suited for this type of thing.. but OK.

 

[phrozunsun]

It's a little weird to see them pop up in Maxim, when there are many other magazines more properly suited for this type of thing.. but OK.

well, look at it this way.

our community is predominantly male. I'd have to guess alot of our group here at T11 are 16-25 (or the older/younger still think they are). Maxim caters to that crowd. It's all just demographics.

 

[Aaron Shields]

It's not an ad. It's part of the holiday gift guide, selected by Maxim.
A few design sites on the web have also picked up on the Guardians.
i think it's a testament to their coolness more than anything. They're suggested in the magazine for poker players; no mention of magic.

Also, laypeople don't buy magic tricks. I've told plenty of laypeople where they could go to find out how I did something. How many of them have bought the book or trick? Zero.

 

[Sypris]

I think the real question is... Katie why weren't you on the cover of Maxim this month? Sarah Michelle Gellar is all right but its no Katie. Watch out Kenner! i'm movin in!

Sypris