The Mystic Menagerie Issue 2

e-zine: The Mystic Menagerie Issue 2
Price: special introductory price of £2 (from issue 3 it will be £3.50.)
29 Pages
Available from www.lebanoncircle.co.uk

The communication orb seemed to throb gently in front of the Magician, its diffuse blue glow straying into the flickering half light of the candles guttering on the table. A table strewn with the paraphernalia of arcane and occult practices. A shape began to slowly emerge within the crystal orb. The Magician leant forward, as across the ether the latest issue of Mystic Menagerie was forming, sent on its way by a force known only as the Internet.

Blimey, just went all ‘old school’ bizarre there. But I couldn’t help it. My name is Nik Taylor and I am a Bizarrist. There I said it. While I spend most of my time trying to work out what it means to perform Bizarre Magick, I don’t think I’m alone in seeing a resurgence in this genre of performance magic(k). Indeed some would argue that it never went away ...

These days we are seeing a number of new initiatives to revive the darks arts; Doomsday 2010 at Whitby demonstrated the range and scope of creative energy in the world of the bizarre and now we have the ‘occasional e-zine‘ The Mystic Menagerie. I suspect many of you would have downloaded the first issue simply because it was free. If you didn’t you should. I hope most downloaders were pleasantly surprised with the content.

Well, now issue 2 is released and for sale exclusively from www.lebanoncircle.co.uk and it does not disappoint. Dan Baines’ Corpse Candle is worth the amazing cover price alone; A great idea for creating ‘spook lights’. This item is covered in great detail and fills eighteen pages! It has step by step details with accompanying photographs showing exactly how to make and operate the lights. I’m certainly going to experiment with these for a project I have in mind next year.

This issue also features strong effects by Graham Yates and Paul Prater. Key to these effects is framing and the performance of the story is the thing. In this sense I would argue that these items fall into a form of traditional bizarre magick where established effects are taken out of their comfort zone and given a new lease of life as part of a grander narrative. Anyone familiar with Invocation and New Invocation will know that this can be done very well or very badly. I’m happy to say these two effects fall into the former category.

Freddie Valentine edits the e-zine and contributes a number of short articles concerning the performance of the bizarre, often raising many of the eternal questions about our art. I particularly liked his collected review of Black Hart products. I really welcome this kind of thing, as I remember my first visit to the Black Hart catalogue and thinking, ‘hmm, where do I start?’. This article would have answered those questions.

Bertoneski sticks it all together and contributes a great little postscript entitled ‘The Bit at the Back’ it’s like a Stumbleupon or a Digg for bizarrists and has loads of stuff you’ll want to follow up.

The Mystic Menagerie Issue 2 is well worth a download. I can see this one going from strength to strength and I hope it gains support and a strong readership. Great stuff.

my first published effect

Thanks Nik! Your words are really appreciated. It is the support from people like your good self that inspires me to continue with this project.

Thanks for your contribution to this issue, Graham. The Mad Hatter Returns is a great idea and I hope you come up with some more great things for future issues.

Thanks again.

Issue 2 is now available from:
http://www.lebanoncircle.co.uk/MMissue2.html

I would like to say a giant thanks to everyone who has supported, encouraged and contributed towards this project, it really means a lot.

Nik welcome, good to see you here. Looking forward to Doomsday next year

Have I seen the mad hatter returns before on a forum? Just seemed to ring a bell, pardon the pun.

Great stuff Freddie, glad you took the idea and ran with it

can't wait to write sone more stuff for future issues

Get yer pen (and arse) into gear Tristy boy and write some more stuff...

Yer slacking son!

reverend tristan wrote:

Have I seen the mad hatter returns before on a forum? Just seemed to ring a bell, pardon the pun.

Yes it is in my room here, and i think i posted it on the bizarre forum too

Just about to get a copy - great stuff Freddie - anything the moon can do to help let me know.
Hey, what about a convention?


...and remember, we are all still looking for the next Derran Brown of Bizarrism - a few contenders in these hallowed halls!


something truly great will come of all of this.

Freddie Valentine wrote:

Get yer pen (and arse) into gear Tristy boy and write some more stuff...

Yer slacking son!

well ya know why I've been in neautral for so long but that's behind me now

I know Tris, I am awaiting some more stuff from you mate. The things of yours in the first issue were excellent ideas and well-received.


Graham - Mad Hatter is great and just the sort of thing MM likes! I would be interested in anything else you have or come up with.


Thanks Chris. As ever, your support is much valued and appreciated. Future possible ideas for MM include specials such as ones on Tarot, Seances, Palm Reading etc and if the contributors agree, a printed collectors edition book after the first year or two.