Q: What is the goal of I.C.O.M.?
A: I.C.O.M. is a place to learn about the art of magic. Primarily, that is what it was created to be.

Q: What is the difference between the art of magic and just magic?
A: Art is something that's personally creative. It surpasses just learning tricks, secrets or techniques. I.C.O.M offers the entire scope and spectrum of magical information but it is unique in allowing the person with "artistic" interest to reach their goal quicker and easier with the least financial investment necessary.

Q: What age do you have to be to join I.C.O.M.?
A: Any age can benefit greatly. I.C.O.M. has forums designed with all ages in mind and the true scope cannot be appreciated unless you actually join for a year and see for yourself. Everyone in the family will be fascinated and captivated in a variety of ways.

Q: Does I.C.O.M. have anything to do with "black magic"?
A: Absolutely not. I.C.O.M. has nothing to do with the occult. It is magical entertainment. Sleight-of-hand, misdirection, and illusion.
 
Q: Where do I start if I'm new?
A: Treat I.C.O.M as you would treat a college campus. Stroll, browse, acquaint and inspect. There is a tremendous amount of information for beginners in the Orientation Room, library, monthly beginner's forum and the archives. Also, don't hesitate to ask a question. It's part of your membership and a valuable tool for us to get to know you.
 
Q: Is I.C.O.M. just a rehash of books and information I can get elsewhere?
A: The most unbelievable thing about I.C.O.M. is that EVERYTHING is either completely original, exclusive or updated for current use. That includes our library textbooks about theory and performance. Make sure to check them out as soon as you join.
 
Q: What's the big deal about a magic school anyway?
A: There always have been places to learn magic. Libraries, book stores, secret clubs, exclusive magazines,  personal instruction and a relatively small number of magic shops have been the normal venue,  but any serious study of the art of magic has been very limited and time consuming. It has always been difficult to get started or locate "the next step". There is no telling how many "fired-up", magical artists-to-be have been frustrated and quenched because of the difficulty to fuel that initial interest. I.C.O.M. is the first magic school of it's type ever. We are not geographically limited.  We interact with any member or student via e-mail (trademarked "virtual lessons") and the opportunity is limitless. ANY question can be asked and interest is both sparked and nurtured.
 
Q:What is the difference between I.C.O.M and all the other so called FREE magic web-sites on the Internet?
A: Please do not be misled by all the other claims of magic web-sites. The simple fact of the matter is that I.C.O.M since 1997 was the first magic web-site to offer comprehensive ORIGINAL material to the magic fraternity on a very large scale. We were the first to be critically acclaimed by national news programs, And the first to offer all the of the features that others have since copied.

Furthermore, Only I.C.O.M can offer hundreds and hundreds of pages of ORIGINAL, that's right, ORIGINAL material to members the moment they get thier passwords. Other web-sites are all fluff with NO SUBSTANCE! So if you are tired of all the myriad of magic web-sites out there that all contain the same stale material, you owe it to yourself to check us out.

Q: What types of magic can I learn?
A: The I.C.O.M. staff encompasses the entire spectrum of the magical arts and our pool of  "expert instructors" is world-wide. Your level of instruction is virtually limitless.
 
Q: What is the single, most outstanding element of I.C.O.M.?
A: That is difficult to answer. The fact that we can interact with anyone in the world in such a quick, complete and professional manner is impressive. At the risk of sounding a bit proud, we are amazed ourselves how effective I.C.O.M. is. Already our initial hopes and dreams have been achieved and surpassed.  I.C.O.M. is definitely the place to learn magic.
 
 Q: I can buy a nice magic book or subscribe to a trendy magic magazine which has tricks in it too for $30.00. What makes I.C.O.M a better investment than those two options? 
 A: There are a whole host of reasons why I.C.O.M may be an overall better value than either a magic book or a monthly trade magazine. Here are a few.

• Both books "and" magazines lack one critical feature that you will enjoy in I.C.O.M, and that is the ability to ASK QUESTIONS AND GET ANSWERS!

• The moment you sign on as a member, you will have instant access to hundreds of pages of original magic material! More than any single hardcover book you can buy.

• A higher caliber of material than most books or magazines due to the fact that in I.C.O.M there is no "filler" material. Everything is hand picked to be of the highest quality. This site is designed by professionals for professionals as well as the general magic fraternity.

• Exclusive magic that our members alone enjoy. As opposed to a magazine that is mass mailed to many thousands of people.

• Can you listen to, or see the people who write the material in a magic book or magazine? Of course not! But in I.C.O.M you can! Not to mention truly entertaining web-pages and stunning music to add mood to your studies. That's a lot different than plain black and white text, don't you think?

Q: How does I.C.O.M rate when compared to a magic video tape! They are the most popular medium for learning magic today, aren't they?
A: They may indeed be popular, but again we must reiterate that you cannot talk to the television and ask questions. Coupled with the fact that they generally contain very few tricks and are most expensive, I.C.O.M clearly comes out as the more logical choice for those who wish to get the most for their hard-earned money.

Q: Am I going to need a lot of expensive props and materials if I join I.C.O.M?
A: Absolutely not! In I.C.O.M We strive to teach magic that uses either ordinary objects, or standard props that most magicians already own. It may be said that we take a sort of a "purist" approach to magic. To learn magic in I.C.O.M you will not be required to purchase anything from us other than the standard membership fee. Any products we offer in our catalog, etc. are completely optional and not necessary to learn magic in the school and become a dynamite magician.

Q: I love buying magic tricks, but I have a problem with the concept of paying for the password to a web-site. How can I.C.O.M possibly be better than a bright new magic trick in a colorful package?
A: There is no comparison. For the price of a single magic trick, you can have several hundred exclusive routines, articles, and features found nowhere else in the world. Think about it. What are the odds that the single magic trick you buy will only end up collecting dust on your shelf anyway? With I.C.O.M is a new magical adventure with a wealth of dynamite magic to try and perform.

Q: How do magicians feel about your efforts?
A: We are excited about how the entire magic community has accepted I.C.O.M..

Q: Any plans for the future?
A: Only that we stay on the cutting edge. I.C.O.M. will always strive to be the first as technology increases. We owe that to our students and we will do everything we can to provide the finest and best magical instruction and information possible..

Thanks so much for your response to Wes, he enjoyed hearing from you very much. I love your site, it is all you said it is.
Bob Lowe
USA

"As most of the 'Magic activity' here in Norway is in Oslo, there are no other magicians here to talk to or to get any advice from, so its nice to have I.C.O.M ready at hand."
Bjørn Inge Johnsen
Norway

"Overall I cant think of any thing I dont like about it. The web pages are attractive, easy to navigate. The material offerred is varied and applicable to all skill levels. I like the fact that there are many things that are not available anywhere else, or maybe only in old books that are not easily obtained. I like the articles that are written to stimulate thinking and creativity. I like the concept of "virtual lessons". The new pricing schedule is reasonable and a real value considering access to archives is also available."
Gary Peacock
USA

"I like the school a lot! It's the principles that are taught that have my interest i.e. The One Way Wonder Deck is great. The really good part is the interactive part of the Consevatory"
Remon van Scheijen
Holland

"I'm very excited as to the contents of the school, especially the Kidshow Konservatory. Being here in Hong Kong, we dont have much access to fresh kidshow material!"
Bernard Mariano
Hong Kong

"I'm doing almost 400 shows a year thanks to you guys. I.C.O.M is the best!"
Chris Taylor
USA

"You pros have given me more than I can ever repay in a lifetime."
James Lin
Taiwan

"I've got my monies worth for this bundle of magic! Thanks. Love magic and your site!"
Ric Chen
Suriname