Bizarre (magazine)

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Bizarre is a self-described "alternative" and "non-mainstream" magazine.^[1] It is a sister publication to Fortean Times. It has no connection to the fetish publication also known as "Bizarre" published between 1946-1959.

The magazine has a wide variety of features and articles which include unusual news events from around the world, drug usage and news, different types of fetishistic and deviant behavior, interviews with famous counterculture figures and showcases of cult directors, musicians and authors. Bizarre has also covered legislation regarding sex offences and civil liberties (Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, the fallout from Operation Spanner, legislation banning "extreme pornography" and The Terrorism Act 2000, for example ) , along with issues issues like censorship and human rights abuses, both domestically and abroad. They have featured women alongside corpses.

However, from the start the publication had much in common with more mainstream lad's mags, typically featuring a semi-nude female model on the front cover, gratuitous nude photography (overwhelmingly of women) in special sealed 'x rated' sections inside, and frequent reviews of gadgets, websites and cars. Though the gadgets in question are more likely to be items like flickknives, strap on dildos, whips, drug paraphenalia and fetish clothing, among other things. They also regularly cover outsider art, the avant-garde and the Cinema of Transgression in their art and music reviews.

Bizarre was launched as a bimonthly title by John Brown Publishing in February 1997 and was edited by Fiona Jerome. It was an immediate success and changed to monthly issuance a year after its launch. Circulation peaked at over 120,000 in 2000 but has since declined.^{[citation needed]} In 2000 the title was sold to "I Feel Good" (IFG), a company founded by former Loaded editor James Brown (no relation to soul music icon James Brown), for approximately £5million. When IFG collapsed, Bizarre was acquired by Dennis Publishing. Its current editor is David McComb.