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Fusion

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Fusion is a Topological Card Magic effect in which two signed cards magically merge to form one card which became popular when Doc Eason marketed it as Anniversary Waltz in 1994.

There are basically three versions: the two cards become fused either back-to-face (ordinary looking card), face-to-face (double backer) or back-to-back (double facer).

Wesley James claims to have developed this plot in 1965 and was performing the effect in the 1970s. James' effect is first mentioned in Peter Samelson's book, Theatrical Close-up (1984) but did not publish the actual effect called Forgery until his Stop Fooling Us! lecture notes (1989).

Publications

  • Joint Signature by J.G. Thompson, Jr. in The Pallbearers Review (October, 1970) - two signatures appearing on the same card, although presented as a transposition rather then as a fusion of two cards. (back to face)
  • Fuzed Cards, marketed trick by Ben Braude (1971) (set of pips and color superimposed on one card)
  • Signa-Fusion by Meir Yedid in Incredible Close-Up Magic (1982) - one person signs the back of one card, a second person sign the face of another card, then the two cards fused together as one between their palms. (back to face)
  • Atomic Fusion marketed by Tom Ogden and Marshall Ellenstein (1982) - Special cards with pictures of an atom on them are used. One spectator signs one card and a second card is signed by another spectator. The magician performs "fision" and the signatures end up on the very same card.
  • Soudure (Soldering) by Christian Chelman in the French Mad Magic ( magazine from Jean Merlin and James Hodges) no. 45 (May 1983). Later republished in Chelmania. (back to back)
  • Hotfoot by Jay Sankey in Sankey Pankey (1986) - a double facer handling of the fusion plot is used as a kicker to a dual Ambitious Card routine. (back to back)
  • Forgery by Wesley James in Stop Fooling Us! Lecture Notes (1989) - a back to face card version of the fusion routine which he says he developed in 1965 and was performing in the 1970s. (back to face)
  • Cold Fusion by Christopher Carter in The Linking Ring (September, 1990) - two signed face cards become fused together. (back to back)
  • Joker "Con-Fusion", developed by Steve Michael Schieszer in 1990 (shown to Bill Deihl, the new owner of Sun Magic). Specialty cards printed by Haine's House of Cards.
  • Anniversary Waltz by Doc Eason's - Popularized the fusion plot using Christopher Carter's Cold Fusion handling and his own (1994). (back to back)
  • Bold Fusion by Darwin Ortiz in Cardshark (1995) - Two cards fuse together creating a double facer. (back to back)
  • The Cincinnati Two-Face Blues by Paul Harris in The Art of Astonishment - Book 2 (1996) - impromptu fusion effect using the advertisement cards found in most packs of playing cards. (back to back)
  • Sign Fuze by Brian Melchiorre - A fully impromptu fusion effect using a thought of card. The signed cards are held by each spectator. The signature is pulled off of one card and ‘fuzed’ onto the other leaving one card with both signatures. Released in 1998 with multiple revisions published throughout 2000-2004 on Card Magic: For The Serious Magician - DVD (2000), Top Secret Vol. 1 DVD (2002), The Magician's Arsenal (2004) and streamlined version (2013).
  • A Marriage of Cards Al Schneider in Genii 2005 October - his take on Anniversary Waltz where the spectator gets to freely choose both cards. (back to back)


Note: Marc DeSouza and Irv Furman may have published a back-to-back card fusion routine in the M.U.M. around 1985/86.

References