Why I think Gothic Beauty magazine is god awful....

horrorgirl · 12-15-2005, 11:03 AM

I was going to put this in literature but calling that magazine 'literature' would be taking things too far.

How badly can a magazine be put together? You have to look no further than Gothic Beauty. The layout looks really bad, like something you would see in a high school zine.The photos,for the most part are either badly composed or just not original at all. Finally the writing itself is so simplistic that it makes me think that they are aiming their mag at junior high school age kids. If this is one of the only 'goth' mags around any longer, no wonder so many kids don't 'get' the subculture at all. How would they?

I am not alone in thinking this. I read a rant about it by Donna Ricci, and she is so disgusted by the state of goth magazines that she is starting her own called Goth, which from what I have heard will be more focused on the goth subculture instead of including more mainstream bands,etc..., like Gothic Beauty.She has a lot of resources behind her so let's hope that she can do a better job.

I understand that maybe some of you like Gothic Beauty, and that's okay.It's just that I think it is a very lame attempt at trying to market the subculture. I think the best 'goth' type magazine that was ever put out was Carpe Noctem and I have saved every issue of that magazine. To this day I still pull them out and read them because the articles and interviews were so good. Gothic Beauty will not stand the test of time.

slipshodsally · 12-15-2005, 11:24 AM

I also think Gothic Beauty could use some improvement. It seems to be geared towards a really young reader. There is a new magazine that I know of that should be out in the next year that's more refined. I'm not sure if it will be a printed rag or a net zine tho. here's the link: Obscure Hollow Magazine
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y15...ykate/twin.jpg
I'm very curious about what Donna is planning too.

horrorgirl · 12-15-2005, 11:27 AM

Thanks for the link! It would be nice to read a magazine geared towards an older audience. I hope that it will be in printed form.

Bride_Of_Satan · 12-15-2005, 11:35 AM

I was discussing literature with my form tutor (who is a goth) the other night and I explained how I was basically given a warning from a member on here about typing "lol" instead of saying "This makes me laugh".

He explained the majority of Goths are the most intelligent people on this world. Whether you agree or not, I certainly do.

I also agree with some your views on Gothic beauty. I read it during work (I work in Borders) once and couldn't believe it. Every page seemed to have a women dressed up in black clothes or staring up at the camera. I believe Goth is about three things:

Unique Style
Love of your national language and English literature
The ability to stick up for yourself

(These are my opinions).
So why can't Gothic Beauty have pages involving Shakespeare and Dickens? Why can't we bring back love of actual Gothicness, as I call it?

Gothic Beauty is really just a "Goth" version of cosmoGIRL! or Elle Girl. And I feel sorry for that fact.

horrorgirl · 12-15-2005, 11:42 AM

You are right about it being a goth version of a regular teen magazine. I think the reason why that they don't have any articles on literature,etc...., is that they are just trying to focus on outward appearances, which is a huge mistake on their part. By just focusing on that one thing they are limiting themselves. That is why the magazine is boring. I think the guy who created it(who by the way got into the subculture right before he started the mag) thinks that the subculture is just based on how one looks. At least that is what I get from the content of the magazine.

horrorgirl · 12-15-2005, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xnguela

Yes'm, we are intelligent, and we will fry your ass for lazy netspeak! Unless it's satirical. We love satire.

I'm using "we" in the royal sense... I always wondered what it would be like to be a queen.

It would be very hard being a queen I would think. Having to wait for your naked male servants to serve you breakfast and such.*nods head*

horrorgirl · 12-15-2005, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xnguela

Well, I'm not good at waiting...!

I personally would like a naked Sean Bean to serve me. Wait...I'm getting too far off topic. Yeah....damn that Goth Beauty magazine!

horrorgirl · 12-15-2005, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xnguela

I've never read it... I subscribe to fashion-only magazines. All fashion all over, no extras on how to get the perfect body in 10 days or who your celebrity lovematch is. I love my mags.

I subscribe to Vogue, mostly because I have gotten a lot of ideas from it before.

Phayte · 12-15-2005, 12:27 PM

I bought a Gothic beauty magazine once. At first I thought, " Cool, this might have some interesting stuff in it." But, alas, I was wrong. I did use a picture in it for a new hair style though. That's about all it's good for. Well.. that and a cup holder.

Tall One In Black · 12-15-2005, 02:57 PM

It appears to me that Gothic Beauty is supposed to be a magazine about nothing more than gothic fashion. Now, one could conceivably create an interesting and worthwhile magazine just about gothic fashion; however, GB uses a very narrow definition of gothic fashion, thereby limiting its range. In reality, it's more of a platform for a few gothic clothing businesses to shill their wares. I think it could be broadened into an interesting read, but I doubt that's going to happen. The resources (good writing and interviewing) don't appear to be available.

rockandrose · 12-15-2005, 04:04 PM

Is "Gothic Beauty" published in the US?

Generally speaking, magazines tend to be quit artificial. There's usually no real substance in the overall content. Well, my opinion.

horrorgirl · 12-15-2005, 05:27 PM

Yep, it's from the U.S..

Nemesis · 12-16-2005, 11:29 AM

personally i have never read an issue of it.ive been on the website but thats about all

TeapotScar · 12-16-2005, 11:48 AM

Just goes to show you- Gothic.net is the best resource out there. Ever.

Or maybe it's just that I'm either too loyal (or too lazy... err...) to read anything else.

Nemesis · 12-16-2005, 11:57 AM

It didnt seem great, the front covers were a bit well i cant think of a word, the forums were ok though i got a few good website links from it! But i didnt bother joining

DonnaRicci · 12-30-2005, 12:34 PM

I was just directed to this thread by a friend and I just wanted to say first of all, thank you for the support. I do intend to make a great fashion magazine

While mine will admittedly be about Gothic Fashion, it's articles and content will promise not to "dumb you down". Even Sassy was for younger readers and provided some thought provocative content with issues that meant something to all of us, even those out of our teens.

That said, I hope to get a honest response from you all when it hits the stands.

www.gothmagazine.com and thank you again.
-Donna Ricci

xXambivalenceXx · 12-30-2005, 01:11 PM

I've got a few gothic beauty magazines, but I mainly just flip through to find good websites and the "DIY's" and such are okay.

horrorgirl · 12-30-2005, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonnaRicci

I was just directed to this thread by a friend and I just wanted to say first of all, thank you for the support. I do intend to make a great fashion magazine

While mine will admittedly be about Gothic Fashion, it's articles and content will promise not to "dumb you down". Even Sassy was for younger readers and provided some thought provocative content with issues that meant something to all of us, even those out of our teens.

That said, I hope to get a honest response from you all when it hits the stands.

www.gothmagazine.com and thank you again.
-Donna Ricci

I'm looking foward to seeing what you come up with. :-)

DonnaRicci · 12-31-2005, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by horrorgirl

I'm looking foward to seeing what you come up with. :-)

Make sure you email me your addy and I'll send you an advanced copy when it goes to print.

donna@wickedtalent.com

Sanctus Dei · 12-31-2005, 11:14 AM

I'm interested in the mag you intend to print Donna, your photographs show such grace and artistic professionalism that I could only imagine what you could create in magazine form.

angleangel_doom · 12-31-2005, 12:04 PM

We have no such mags around these parts....parts that I so desperately need to escape.
It makes me a sad panda. Boo.

mortalitas incomitatus · 12-31-2005, 08:15 PM

POINTLESS FUCKING THREAD HERE!!!!!

Go away and voice you opinions in the WHINGING thread and dont start yet another pointless, annoying, waste-of-space-noobie thread.

*served

Phayte · 12-31-2005, 08:52 PM

This is the whining forum.

mortalitas incomitatus · 12-31-2005, 08:54 PM

hahahahahahah, i ment to say the rant and rave thread.

horrorgirl · 12-31-2005, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mortalitas incomitatus

POINTLESS FUCKING THREAD HERE!!!!!

Go away and voice you opinions in the WHINGING thread and dont start yet another pointless, annoying, waste-of-space-noobie thread.

*served

Nobody else seemed to mind.You seem to be the only person who has a problem with this thread. Oh well. If you served me then where are my damned cookies!!!??

You posted two weeks too late.