Corey Martin is a regular contributor to iTricks Raves.
Most of us remember when we first saw Sinful. For me, it was on an episode of Criss Angel’s “Mindfreak”. A signed coin visually penetrates a sealed soda can. 
Magic at one of it’s purest moments. Since that episode it has been hailed as one of the greatest impromptu effects of all time. With all of the classic movies getting a “facelift” these days it is nice to see that some of the great magic effects are getting similar treatment. If you liked the “original” version of Sinful, then you are going to love the new style, tips and handling of the new version. Inside this book not only shows you how to perform an incredible piece of magic, but it also lets you in on just how intense of a process goes into creating something so special. Welcome to Sinful: A Graphic Novel.
The book itself is split into three parts: Performance, Explanation and Extras. Each section has it’s own unique style to it that makes everything about the book and the effect a joy to read. The Performance section of the book reads just like many of the graphic novels we see today. It takes you out for a night with Wayne Houchin as he performs Sinful for a late night bar crowd. The artistic style of artist Josh Funk is incredible and even the way the dialog is written almost makes you feel like you are there watching the events unfold. All of the visuals make it a very engaging piece of art. The Explination section is my personal favorite part of the book. It has the look and feel of a personal journal which makes the reader feel as if he or she is looking directly into Houchin’s personal notebook. Here is where we find part of what makes this version of Sinful different. There are several stories throughout the book on how the creative process for this effect has changed over the years, and when you look at the new handling you see the differences right away. While many may think that these small changes are not needed, once you start implementing them during a performance, you will see just how useful they are. Then there is the Extras section which has even more ideas and tips on how to improve the effect as a whole. It gives you presentation ideas as well as neat little things like film negative and special artistic appearance by Dana Hocking. As a special bonus you also recive a DVD with performance footage as well as an awesome interview with Houchin and Paul Harris.
This is a fantastic reinvention of an incredible piece of magic, if you perform Sinful and would like some new ideas, this is the book for you. If you are new to the Sinful concept, you will no doubt enjoy this book and all that it has to offer.
Until next time,
Corey Martin
twitter.com/coreymmartin