The Bear (In Print) Is Coming Back. Yes, Really!
A few years ago, The Bear Magazine stirred back to life. A new website, new covers, new content, and a genuine sense that something important was being restored. For a while, it delivered. Strong articles, compelling photography, a reconnection with a community that had never stopped caring about what the magazine represented.
And then it went quiet again.
That is not the whole story, though. The people behind it did not walk away. They ran headlong into the reality of what queer media actually looks like from the inside: no structural backing, no reliable advertisers, no clear path to revenue. Making something meaningful with no financial foundation is brutal work, and the team had to step back and honestly assess what was and was not possible.
One thing that is definitively off the table right now is reproducing the old editions. The archive is a precious thing, but without complete model release documentation and full legal compliance records, those classic issues cannot be reprinted or redistributed in any form. That work is ongoing, and protecting the integrity of those who appeared in those pages comes first.
But here is what is very much on the table.
A new quarterly printed magazine is in the works, built around new photography, new faces, and a genuine celebration of the bear body as it exists today. The team is collaborating with contemporary photographers from across the community to create something that feels both current and nostalgic, that honors the aesthetic legacy of the original while planting a flag for where bears are now. It will be available by subscription through www.thebearmag.com and carried in gay bookstores across the United States and around the world.
We hope to showcase new photos from Mack Sturgis, and other amazing bear photographers, see some examples of Mack Sturgis work here beow.
Alongside the print magazine, the website is expanding. A new paywalled section, built for adult content compliance, will become a home for Bear XXX creators. With Meta and other platforms making life increasingly difficult for adult content creators, this space offers something real: a stable platform to promote their work, connect with their audience, and exist somewhere outside the reach of the next algorithm change or policy sweep.
This is a community effort to bring something back that belongs to the community. The Indiegogo campaign is coming soon, join our mailing list here to be the first to find out when its live, and if you want to support us now consider buying some merch at our store here.
We cant wait to bring this iconic Mag back to life!
