May 2017 Linking Ring is Kent Cummins issue

Category: Blog   Posted by: C. DENNIS SCHICK

 PREVIEW: May 2017 issue of The Linking Ring

 

There he is on the cover of the May 2017 issue of The Linking Ring -- Kent Cummins, one of the hardest working and busiest I.B.M. members ever. And to emphasize his busy-ness as well as his contributions to the I.B.M. and to the world of magic, inside are: (1) a twelve-page cover story (with twenty-nine illustrations, (2) an article about the Fantastic Magic Camp he started in Austin, Texas, (3) his regular column, MARKETING MAGIC, (“Magic with a message!”); (4) a Hocus Pocus One-Man Parade (see below); and (5) an announcement that Cummins will be lecturing at the I.B.M.-S.A.M. Combined Convention in July. And with all that, Cummins set a record! A single issue of The Linking Ring has never had so many elements (six) or illustrations (fifty-nine) or pages (thirty-nine and one half) by one person!

 

Other feature stories in this issue include, “In Search of The Great Heaney,” a twelve-page memoir by Dan Stapleton; and “NOT Fooling Penn and Teller,” by David Garrard.

 

RING EVENTS this month come from Ring 21 (Hollywood, California); Ring 60 (Austin, Texas); 

Ring 175 (Tampa, Florida); and Ring 185 (Honolulu, Hawaii).

 

COLUMNS make up a major part of every issue of The Linking Ring. Each issue begins with columns by editor Sammy Smith and the current International President, Oscar Munoz. A new column in the May issue is MAGIC WORDS MATTER, by Dr. Lynn Miner, a series about magic scripts and editing. Other columns are, Skip Way’s POLISHING THE RINGS (“Dollars and Sense”); THE THERAPY OF MAGIC, by Scott Hood (“Silence is Golden”); CUTTING UP JACKPOTS, by Bev Bergeron (“Gags for Being a Master of Ceremonies”); THE CARD CORNER by Mike Powers (“Elmer,” by Ed Oschmann); NUMISMAGIC, by Ifan-Emmanuel Franzis (“What We See?”);  SIMPLE DIVERSIONS, by Andrew Woo (“Fujiwuji”); AUTO-MAGIC, by Michael Breggar (“Now You See (More)”); and RING RESOURCES, another new column of ideas for Rings from Dr. Lynn Miner.

 

As previously mentioned, the One-Man Parade this month is by our cover subject, Kent Cummins. It features twenty-three effects divided by genre (Coin magic, Close-up, Card, Kid Show, Stage, and Illusions), showing Kent’s extensive experience and versatility. Of course the drawings by resident artist Tony Dunn always greatly help the descriptions. Wow! What a nice collection of effects over eighteen pages.

 

HOCUS IN FOCUS this month gives reviews and descriptions of ten new magic books, DVDs, and tricks. The BROKEN WAND in May reports the obituaries of fourteen magicians. And there are seventy-six RING REPORTS which should not be ignored. Within them is a wealth of information and ideas to adapt for your own Ring. There is no excuse for having a dormant Ring which never seems to DO anything. Between these reports and the two columns which deal with Ring ideas, your Ring has more ideas available than they could ever use. But you have to read about them.  

 

Of course there are other informative items in each issue, from the Youth Trivia Contest and the Sick and Convalescent list, to recent Applications and Reinstatements, and Pictures from the Past.  

     

Finally, we always appreciate our ADVERTISERS, and ask you to do the same. Visit their Websites. Call their telephone numbers. Write to their E-mail addresses. Thank them for their support, and buy from them when you can. They pay for much of the cost of producing every issue. Here they are, in alphabetical order:

 

Academy of Magical Arts

A House of Fire

Ron Allesi

Association Health Programs

Tom Burgoon

Kent Cummins

Custom Magic Kits

Daytona Magic

Dima’s Creations

Genii

David Ginn

Goswick’s

Hampson Mowrer Kreitz Agency

I.B.M. Ring 25 Annual Convention

I.B.M./S.A.M. Combined Convention

La Rock’s Fun & Magic Outlet

The Linking Ring

Magic Cafe

Magic Methods (ddy Wase)

Magic Stars Studio

MagicTalent.com

Maxello Magic

Murphy’s Magic

Reel Magicians

D. Robbins

Show-Biz Services

Bob Solari

Trickshop.com

 

All of that packed nicely in one hundred and sixty-four pages! What a way for editor Sammy Smith to begin his ELEVENTH YEAR as editor. Yes, the May 2007 issue of The Linking Ring was his first to edit alone, having worked with editor Phil Wilmarth for some time. A deep bow to Sammy and his staff for producing the best magazine in magic, month after month.

 

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