A bunch of news from Bear Omnimedia (website), the guys who bring you the new BEAR magazine (website - articles - profile) and ButchBear (website - articles - profile).

To start things off there is a New York BEAR Magazine Release Party (poster) on September 19th at the Eagle NYC. They will also be celebrating the release of several popular classic Bear movies on DVD, such as 'Palm Springs Vacation', 'Leather Bears at Play' and 'Big Bear Trucking Co.'. Jack Radcliffe will make an appearance that evening too. Following that, BEAR mag party will be going on tour (with the continued appearances of Jack Radcliffe) to the following areas: September 20th - a signing at Rainbows and Triangles Bookstore (Albany Bears event); September 21st - Philadelphia Woof event; September 22nd - Woof event in NYC. It's also a model search for the magazine as well. Their promoter, Max Scott, is organizing the event.

And don't miss this: Steven Wolfe (Editor) and Teddy will be on Sirius Satellite Radio on their OutQ program with Larry Flick on September 19th. They will be interviewed on the rebirth of BEAR Magazine and its future.

My buddy Teddy of ButchBear and BEAR Mag told me to check out this artist named Steven Miller (website) because ~ well ~ since Teddy knows I like Bears in bondage, he said that there's a cool little set called 'Bound' (set - photo) that Steven made. It's very interesting indeed as well as all his other sets.

There's very little about who Steve is (just a resume, no bio, no photos) which has the observer wanting to know more about whom this artist is. He does, however, have little write-ups about his sets, and here's a snippet about what he has to say about his 'Bound' set: "Bound, rope symbolizes the mental, physical and spiritual ties that bind. Materially, the subjects are bound to self, others, and inseparably the unknown. The tied ropes are constricting or loose, a representation of the various connections and disconnections between friends, lovers and strangers. Ropes around the subjects' heads act as a metaphor for how we're wrapped up inside our perceptions and simultaneously, by emphasizing yet obscuring the face, the viewer is encouraged to consider other aspects of the body". Very, very interesting.

Head on over to his site. I'm not sure why he has 555 in his domain name ~ smiller555.com ~ but it makes me think of this song by Slipknot (if you're 555 then I'm 666)... and Bears? They are Jackpot honey Heaven 777.

Following their 6th Prime Cuts edition (article), BEEF magazine (website - profile) has published their 38th issue for August and September (cover).

In it you will find your usual slew of good looking Bears, a variety of adult fiction as well as a few comics. You can pick up a copy at your local adult store and you can also subscribe online via their site.

The brand new BEAR magazine is out...! (website - articles - profile). And check out who is on the front cover... why it's Jack Radcliffe who came out of retirement for this occasion (Jack is also on the back cover of this mag). This rag is packed with 64 pages and most of them have full covered images of some really Bearish men. There is a lot less talk and a lot more man, altho there are a few good articles sprinkled about, just enough to sharpen your reading skills.

But... wait... on the cover... it says... episode #65... what the...? Ok, it's a long story... best you check out the interview for all the inside scoop about this, however, it is summed up on their profile as well: "Remember when issue No. 64 came out in 2001? Shortly thereafter it's then publisher got into financial trouble and sank like the Titanic, taking BEAR with it. We all thought it was the end of that, but good things usually don't stay hidden forever. As a creditor of the former publisher, it took us going to court and ultimately granted compensation by being given the former publisher's copyrights to be able to become the new publisher, and bring No. 65 to life 7 years later. DAMN!

Since coming to us, BEAR has undergone the most dramatic metamorphosis of its history with a new look and a new direction to reflect the many levels of an emerging contemporary, mature, masculine community. The result is a crisp, modern look with fresh editorial content featuring hot erotic photography and provocative fiction, blended with humor and informative articles. And having Jack Radcliffe (aka Frank Martini) on the cover definitely was that extra touch to link the past and present together. He still is THE bear god of BEAR Magazine, fur sure".

The following was sent in by BEEF Mag: "100% BEEF Magazine, the successor to the masculine-identified publishing legacy established by the now-defunct legendary 'BEAR' Magazine has released its Sixth Anniversary Collector's Edition: 'Prime Cuts 6: The Sixth Anniversary Collector's Edition' (cover). This annual edition of BEEF marks the completion of BEEF’s 6th year of publishing. Prime Cuts 6 is the sixth in a series of annual collector’s editions which began with the publication of BEEF: Prime Cuts #1 in 2003. BEEF Magazine was launched in May, 2002 by a group of friends after their swift departure from the hugely popular, but poorly managed and now-defunct BEAR Magazine. Excited to continue the publishing legacy established by BEAR Magazine, but also eager to broaden the definitions and masculine sexual identities which BEAR Magazine helped to popularize, co-publishers Scott McGillivray and Larry Woolwine forged a publishing alliance titled after the homoerotic term 'beefcake'. From its first issue, BEEF broke new erotic ground by injecting art, humor and satire into the masculine erotic mix, and by choosing to feature models and materials that, many argued at the time, staunchly challenged some of the rigid parameters which had come to define their publishing predecessor's pages.

'After we left, BEAR Magazine disappeared. But we wanted to continue the work, so we developed BEEF Magazine. We've carved out a unique niche for ourselves,' editor/designer and co-publisher Scott McGillivray notes, adding, 'Our goal is to deliver a mix in each bi-monthly edition of BEEF which is unique, diverse, and which maintains our masculine-identified editorial vision. BEEF celebrates the beauty and sexuality of masculine men of varying ages, races, sizes and shapes'". (continued...)

Back on May 12th, PlanetBears held an interview with Bear Omnimedia, the guys who are going to be launching BEAR magazine (article - interview). Well good news - the magazine is now at the print shop and will be available at the end of July or at the beginning of August. More good news - you can get the first copy free delivered to your home. Just sign up at their site bear-magazine.com and you'll get the 1st issue free, you only pay the postage.

Once a year, Beef (website - articles - profile) magazine comes out with its 'best of...' in their Prime Cuts mag. This is their 6th edition.

From Beef: "100% Beef Prime Cuts VI (cover) is hot off the press and celebrates some of the best in our 6th year of publishing Beef. Featuring more of your favorite hunks from the past year plus a look at some of the amazing artwork and overall masculine, erotic editorial spark for which our mag has become famous. This edition of Prime Cuts will stand proudly next to our 5 previous Anniversary Collector's Editions, Prime Cuts 1 through 5! To order Prime Cuts VI or any our earlier 100% BEEF Prime Cuts, please call us at (800) 672-3287 or order online".

There's a new magazine coming out... but it's name is one we all know and love. It's called BEAR magazine and PlanetBears was lucky enough to conduct an interview with the guys who are behind this hot new rag.

Check out the interview here.

Now way back in August 2007, PlanetBears mentioned about the resurgence of 'BEAR Magazine' (article here). At the time of that posting, there was very little known about the mag aside that it was being published by the same guys who give you 'Muscle + Fur = Butch Bear'.

Now for those of you who don't know ~ BEAR Magazine has been considered an important chapter within the history of Bear culture as it was the 1st magazine to truly celebrate the Bearish man. Its roots stem from 1984 as it was initially a flyer created by Richard Bulger in San Francisco who, over time, turned the mag into an internationally known symbol that became one of the staples to recognizing Bear culture, the community and what a Bear man looks like as well as what a Bear man represents. Richard then sold the company 'Brush Creek Media' to Bear-Dog Hoffman who, to make a long story short, ran the business into the ground. Brush Creek went out of business and the last issue of BEAR Mag was sent around the summer of 2001 (more about BEAR Magazine here on Wikipedia).

Ok, so what happened... near the end of BEAR Mag's reign, a lot of people were taken for a ride; models and photographers were not paid; advertisers who bought prepaid spots in their magazine lost their money, and of course; all those who had a subscription... nobody was refunded. Kicker to all this? The Brush Creek website still exists to this day and is still selling stuff. Now I am not going to link it here simply because I don't want someone who is not reading this article and is simply clicking the pretty links to go to that webpage and then decides to buy something since they will be spending their money on things that do not exist.

Once BEAR mag went belly up, there was a lot of online talk about it, especially in the now defunct 'Bear's Mailing List'. However, like all things, the 'BEAR mag buzz' simply buzzed out and nobody cared about the issue any more.

Now fast forward to 2007 and there's a few leaks about BEAR coming back. Since then, the buzz has started all over again - both off and online - however it's mostly been gossip since nobody really knows anything about the new BEAR.

Well I was fortunate enough to get a hold of the guys who are manufacturing the new BEAR mag and they were more than cool to conduct an interview with me. Read the interview here ~ it'll definitely clarify any misconceptions you might have had and it will also enlighten you to this new BEAR mag era which is just upon us.

So... does this new mag interest you? Guess what... they are giving the 1st issue to you free. How? Head on over to bear-magazine.com (you simply pay the postage).

Is the world ready for a new BEAR Mag? I'm more than positive it is. Will it live it up to its name? Time will only tell however the Butch Bear material has always been A level material so I'm also positive that the new BEAR mag experience will simply be better.

His name is Scott McGillivray and many of you might know him as the editor of Beef Magazine (website). He was also editor of Bear Magazine way back. He now has his very own website called RustySpot Design. From his site: "I've been doing graphic design and desktop publishing work for over a decade now, and I still get a huge kick out of visualizing peoples' ideas. I frequently develop logos and identity graphics, print ads, magazine design, catalog and program design as well as product packaging, posters, signs, clothing and apparel graphics". Check out some of his logos and print ads he has done, so make sure to contact him if you have anything Bearish you'd like to see professionally handled when it comes to logo-ing.