Should I buy this? I have been told its a great effect and scares the **** out of someone..

how are the props? Easy to perform? Dirty? Clean?

Help?

Yes! Buy it! It's very easy to perform.
Gerard

It's an excellent trick, but be very careful who you perform it for. The unexpected appearance of a "spider' on the back of someone's hand could be too shocking for some individuals.

I agree with runawayjag & would add that the person whom you are doing it to does not have anything in their other hand or objects too close to them..
When they see the spider their hand(s) may be flying all over.
Charlie

ALWAYS - and I mean ALWAYS make sure your spec isn't arachnophobic. It's more common than you think.

I have modified the handling so as to not take the chance; and still get one heckuva reaction. PM me if you're interested.

For those who are afraid of using the 'Web' any of the above reasons I can suggest an item put out around the same time by A-1 Multimedia & created by Steve Pennington called 'Caterpillar Love'.
Same basic handling but instead of a spider there is a beautiful Caterpillar.I do not know if it is still available.I have both.
Charlie

Caterpillar love uses a butterfly instead of spider, not a caterpillar! I have both too and would recommend getting both if you can find them...that way you can chose the appropriate one depending on the spectator.

Craig

I heard a routine without playing cards exists, using a Palm Reading gag. Anyone know who it belongs to?

Good Idea.. I am not sure who it belongs to but I think I might use it that way and do away with the cards.. I like that.

Maybe you could something to explain how almost every palm you have read it kinda looks like a spider web. You could then say "I don't see that in your palm, it looks like if we were talking about spiders and spider webs, the web is not complete yet, and show them some lines on their hand to have them agree with you.

After a bit, have them turn their hand over to examine the top knuckles or something.. I don't know..

Good idea tho, I will have to work on that.

I noticed on Ammar's web site that he had an embarassing moment with this trick and hasn't performed in since.

http://www.ammarmagic.com/canyourecany.html

Regards,

I already mentioned this on another thread on this topic...I repeat it here, for those who are tempted to scare someone...

I had to have bridgework done, and stitches in my lip from the reaction I got from a lady, when doing The Web.

They set her up for it, it was a kind of raucous crowd, anyway, but I got hurt...she felt bad, and was sorry...she even said it was a GREAT trick (!), but it ended up costing me $600 in bills... I wasn't quick enough to get out of her way...I mean she FREAKED...swung her hand so hard, she hit me dead-on in the mouth...cracking one tooth and knocking another completely loose...part of my front teeth pierced my upper lip. I have a full beard, so it's not that noticeable.

My whole lower face was numb, so I didn't feel the blood, and THAT freaked everyone out even MORE...they still talk about that...that had a better effect than The Web did ...it's the kind of knee-jerk reaction that can happen unexpectedly...they WANTED me to do something to freak her out, so...what better trick (owww)?

The entertainment that night was literally at my expense! That same woman wants me to pull that on her sister...I said, "Only if I can wear a Catcher's Mask"!

To think of the magic I could have bought with the money that cost me! Lesson learned!

Doug

Doug, ouch!

I have to teach this effect to my mother-in-law.

Wait, she hit you and you had to pay the bills? Her insurance should have covered it.

Craig

I peform this for very young children, the elderly and love doing it for people with emotional problems. That's how strong it is.

Are we going to get into this silly debate again? It's a great effect. Use common sense ( they don't teach that at IBM meetings ) and you'll love it.

Dougini - I'm sorry ...but that is by far one of the funniest things I've heard all week

That must have been one helluva scene

I love The Web but I agree with what has been said by several folks: be mindful of when and with whom to do it. But like Dougini has shared, this is not foolproof. There is also a trick with a cocoon (the name escapes me right now) that you place in someone's hand and discuss the growth process of a butterfly (similar to Caterpillar Love). When they open their hand the cocoon has split open. You point to their shoulder to find a butterfly resting there. A milder version, I guess.

Jimmy

Having had this drilled into me by my ex-wife, a grade school teacher, I must point out that a butterfly "hatches" from a chrysalis (with one rare exception), while moths come from cocoons. (And yes, for those of you with small children, this means that Eric Carle had it wrong.)