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The Modern Materialist

Love It Or Leave It: Shadow Magic

Posted by Alex Zalben



There’s no way I can properly write about this toy without talking about the terrible event in history it reminds me of, so I’m not even going to bother, and just give you the specs:

Made up of a light emitter, a slice of reusable photo sensitive paper, and a light pen, the Shadow Magic let’s you capture your shadow on paper, then draw lines and other little bits of cartooning around it, with the light pen. That’s all I have to say!

[$25, Perpetual Kid]

[Via Nerd Approved]


Comments

Moira said:

I had this toy as a kid, because it was released under some other name by nickelodeon in the 90s, but just recently (like last week) sought it out again, only to find it here this week. Weird when things like that converge.

May 6, 2008 7:00 PM

prickles said:

Terrible event: Hiroshima?

I have my own terrible association with this.  One of my male cousins received this at a family Christmas gathering.  Two hours later, I walked in to find him, my other male cousins, and MY BROTHER taking turns creating Shadow Magic images of their penises.  I was traumatized.

May 7, 2008 8:34 PM

Alex Zalben said:

Actually, the terrible event in history I was talking about was when myself, my brothers, and one of our cousins were creating Shadow Magic of our penises when OUR COUSIN WALKED IN ON US!!!

Though I can see the other thing you were talking about.

May 7, 2008 11:41 PM

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  • about the blogger

    Wendy Atterberry is a recent transplant to New York City via Chicago. You can often find her at some karaoke dive bar singing her repertoire, which includes "Midnight Train to Georgia," "Daniel," and most recently, "Sweet Dreams." Don't expect her to always hit the right notes. She lives in Manhattan with her boyfriend and two cats, and has a blog like everyone else.

    Alex Zalben is a writer living in New York City. He's written for McSweeney's, Modern Humorist and PulpSecret.com. As one-fifth of the sketch comedy group Elephant Larry, he has been written up in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and pretty much every other major publication. Their blog was named one of PC Magazine's Top Blogs for 2007, and they recently won an ECNY Award for their viral short, "Minesweeper: The Movie." Alex did not know love until he bought his first Mac.

    Steph Auteri is a freelance just-about-everything, with a special fondness for home goods she can't afford. She has been published in Publishers Weekly, New York Press and Nerve. She runs the blog selfhelpme.net, and her work can be found at stephiswrite.com.

    Editorial Director, Nerve Media:
    Michael Martin

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