Bear Magazine

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Bear Magazine (published San Francisco circa 1984-2002) was the original erotic periodical specifically geared toward gay men who are, or are admirers of blue-collar, working-class men, usually with body or facial hair. The magazine and its readers were the beginnings of today's gay bear community. The magazine was started by Richard Bulger and Chris Nelson (photographer) in 1984 as a photo-copied flyer, published from their apartment. The magazine morphed into an internationally distributed high-gloss magazine, which featured erotic photographs of masculine, mature men, erotic stories, and a classified personals section, which before the emergence of Internet was one of the only means of long-distance networking for like-minded men.

The publishing company which Richard and Chris established was first named COA: Creative Options Associates. In 1991, COA became Brush Creek Media (named for the town where their vacation cabin was located), Brush Creek, California. The company's various media, clothing & lifestyle products were originally displayed at "The Bear Mag office-store" above a 1908 former fire-house at the corner of 16th & Albion Streets, before the entire operation moved to its better-known location, "The Bear Store", at 367 9th Str. from 1994 to 2002.

Bear-Dog Hoffman purchased Bear Magazine in 1996. Hoffman expanded Brush Creek Media into several special-interest gay magazines and video series.

"Bear Magazine" ceased publication abruptly in 2002, leaving a trail of disappointed customers and creditors. The BEAR® trademark was judicially assigned and registered to Bear Omnimedia LLC, a creditor of Brush Creek Media Inc. in 2006. Similarly the court assigned the BEAR® and Brush Creek Media Inc. copyrights to Bear Omnimedia LLC in 2007. Bear Omnimedia LLC is carrying on the BEAR® tradition established by the original publishers by offering new erotic DVDs, a re-launch of BEAR® Magazine, and republication of certain classic video titles originally released by Brush Creek Media Inc.