I just came across a box of magic items in my garage that I haven't looked at in around 10 years. One item inside was a brand new Card Toon deck, which I don't ever remember buying. It's missing the instructions, and I was wondering if anyone might have them. If you wouldn't mind scanning or faxing them, please PM me.

Thanks, and happy new year!!!

Hi avimagic

There is a video instruction for the ToonDeck on YouTube.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvXs2SXWbDY

Happy new eyar to you too.

There is a cardtoon DVD called "Toony Angel & Cardtoon" Starring Dan Harlan, he is very instructional and tells you everything you need to know. I thought it was a very good DVD, worth buyng. There are other magicians that demonstrate their routine.

I also received a new deck of Dan Harlan's CardToon-II, I did not like the fact that they are not Bicycle deck of cards. A real bummer, but they work.

Have fun
Keith

Does it matter? They have a cartoon on the back of them. A reason to carry bikes (quality and feel aside) is for consistency and a deck that people recognize. A deck with a cartoon on the back already destroys the consistency, and the deck isn't a normal deck because IT HAS A CARTOON ON THE BACK. Perhaps you care because you like the feel of bikes compared to the one Cardtoon uses. Then maybe that's a valid disappointment. I just don't want people to ignore the deck because it isn't bicycle, I used to work in a magic shop and there were people who decided not to buy it because it wasn't bicycle. So if that bothers you, then remember......THERE'S A CARTOON ON THE BACK!!

Peace


JC

Just wanted to let you know you can get these in Bicycle! Here is a link: http://www.magicproshop.com/magic-cartoo......627.html

Steve

The bicycle stock is the Magic Makers. It's sort of a rip off, even though they credit Dan Harlan. Like I said above, it doesn't really matter if it's bicycle since there's a Cartoon on the back of the cards. THey do handle nicer but I prefer the original. Atleast then you can say something to the effect of: I drew on these cards myself. It's got a better story to it. Magic Makers hasn't really approved anything.

JC

The nice thing about the non-bikes is they could believe you made the little stick figure themselves.

I have a question about the cardtoon.

I bought the version by Magic Makers that is technically called Magic Cartoon Deck. I bought it at a magic shop & did not know of the controversy about this particular brand or I might have bought the other version.

Included in this version are three jokers. One is called Little Joker, one is Joker, and one is Big Joker. I have not seen these Jokers in any other deck, even in gaff decks I own.

My question is this: What is the reason for having the 3 different size Jokers? How could these 3 Jokers be worked into the routine?

Does Dan Harlan explain this on his Cardtoon DVD?

I've got Cardtoon 2 in original bikes that I bought off Keith Bennett in the mid 1990's - so Cardtoon's were definitely made with original bike decks at some time or another.

I also had the Dan Harlan Cardtoon instructions (albeit on video tape not DVD). If it's the same instruction albeit on newer digital media, then I didn't rate it to be honest. I still ended up performing the original version - and I'd have a little bet that so did most other people.

However, I don't remember Dan covering anything on the video with different sized Jokers. Moreover, the original bike Cardtoon decks only came with the standard Joker & Guarantee Joker.

If I still had the video to hand I'd check it out for you - but it was one of many things that I've loaned to 'fellow' magicians over the years that I've never been given back!

The very first Cardtoon decks were Hoyle. I was at a Dan Harlan lecture at the time he was just starting to market the cards. He said that Bicycle would not print the cards for him with his artwork on the back. That is why he went with Hoyle. Perhaps there was a change at some point as one poster reported. I don't know. With the current strictness of USPCC protecting their Rider Back design, the Ace of Spades and the joker, I would be surprised if they reprint new decks for Magic Makers with the modified backs. That may be why new Dan Harlan Cardtoon decks are not Bicycle again.

DelMagic,

I remember that at the time when this trick was brought onto the market, a number of gaffed decks were being printed in Hoyle Shellback (Diminishing Returns, etc.). However, the Cardtoon2 deck I have is (as mentioned above) definitely an original pack of bikes. The instructions were produced on photocopied purple paper.....and I'm pretty sure they had Dan's contact details - so would possibly have been produced by him? I know that shortly after, a number of gaffed decks (as well as a number of individual gaffed cards) were appearing in Bike Riders and that these were apparently produced by the USPCC.

If Keith Bennett is at the Magic Circle Dealers Day this week then I'll ask him. I've never known any man in the UK that knows more about U.S. playing cards/trick decks than Keith - he used to order so many that they'd arrive on pallets and take up the entire downstairs of his house!

The original Card-Toon was printed on Hoyle for simple economic reasons: At that time, the minimum order for custom decks from Bicycle was 25,000 decks at about $5/deck! So, I called Hoyle on a whim and asked what their minimum order for custom decks would be. I expected a similar answer. I still remember vividly what happened... I was connected to Gwen (she was in charge of custom orders) who was quite friendly (not at all like the terse, disinterested person I spoke with at USPCC) and she told me their minimum for custom printing was 2000 decks at $1.85 each. I had to have her repeat it to make sure I heard her correctly! Needless to say, I placed my order immediately.

When sales of Card-Toon took off (surpassing my wildest expectations) I was ordering an average of 10,000 decks a month from Gwen for about a year. Interestingly enough, because of the success of Card-Toon, USPCC lowered their minimum custom order to 5000 decks and lowered the price per deck. Card-Toon actually opened the door that made it practical to print all of those Bicycle gimmicks. When Hampton Ridge Magic proposed the Card-Toon 2 sequel, they wanted to print on Bike stock to establish a business relationship with USPCC. I was perfectly happy with Hoyle, but business is business. In fact, I returned to Hoyle for Fart-Toon since USPCC wanted nothing to do with it. The only stipulation Hoyle had was that it couldn't be on their back design, so I designed my own to mimic theirs.

If you own one of the original 2000 Fart-Toon decks (collectors item), take a close look at the back design and you'll see my work... it's a picnic table laid out with all kinds of food and two bowls of alphabet soup. Look really close in the soup and you'll see me in there with my name spelled out around me! Currently I think all versions of Card-Toon (even the knock-offs) are printed at Carta Mundi which is why there are three jokers. There is no particular reason for the three jokers.
--Dan Harlan

Thank you Dan, that is very informative and helpful.

Here are pictures of the joker cards I am referring to:









Before I got this deck, I had never seen the 'Big Joker' or 'Little Joker' before, not even in any gaffed decks. Of course, the backs of these cards have the cartoon character on one half and the top of the stage curtain on the top half so they can be used as the top 3 cards of the deck.

Thread res. So, carta mundi, prints using USPCC and Bicycle logos and artwork?