It's Not The End of Print

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Dennis has launched the UK's first online-only mass-market magazine, lad mag Monkey.com, while in the US the publishers of FHM have cancelled its print edition and reinvented it as an online-only title.

But lad mags are an easy fit in today's online world. Their design sensibility owes much to the bite-size multi-entry point world of the web, while their content increasingly resembles the online porn industry. But how do the big-selling women's titles fit into Renard's argument? Technologist Nick Hampshire is on hand to explain that online doesn't mean desk-bound, providing in-depth detail on the latest developments in e-paper and portable readers. His research is impressive and convincing. The long-heralded paper-thin electronic display finally seems more than a pipe dream.

So where does that leave the humble printed magazine and us magazine-lovers? This is where Renard adds his own twist: while the mainstream will rush to embrace digital delivery, his beloved independent magazines—what I described as "microzines" in my book MagCulture—will continue to use print.

This is an absolutely compelling idea. Most mainstream magazines are now commodities, disposable weekly entertainment to be read and chucked. Such magazines are ideally placed for online consumption. They won't use the helpless HTML of websites, but be updatable, digital documents subject to the design values of print magazines and presented electronically to be read then deleted.

Meanwhile the independent press, objects of absolute passion for both creators and readers alike, will continue to use print. These labours of love, rare items often produced in runs as low as 1,000, will remain dependent on a physical manifestation. As one contributor to the book, Jan Van Mol of Add!ct magazine puts it, the independent magazine is the "the canvas of the magazine artist". For such magazines the tangibility of print is a key part of their very existence. They are multi-sensual experiences, designed to be held, smelled, and touched.

The majority of The Last Magazine is given up to pictures of covers and spreads from these independent magazines. Renard presents a broad and international collection ranging from the relatively high profile (Carl*s Cars, Self Service and Mark) to the more obscure (Yummy, Daniel Bantam's Fan Club Magazine and Modern Toss). Vince Frost's design for the book is typically simple and strong, with black and white typography allowing the images to provide the colour, and the cover a striking graphic adaptation of magazines lined up on a shelf.

The magazines are loosely divided into themes such as Physicality, Content and Community. But great though it is to see these magazines together in one collection, this is where the book lets itself down.

Arguing the case for these magazines as the future of print demands more than just a nice showcase of images. The brief introductions to the themes aren't enough to provide real context. With proper captioning of the magazines, the book could have delivered stronger arguments for their presence and made a good book great.

Provided by Creative Review—The World's Leading Monthly Magazine for Visual Communication