Heavy Metal (magazine)

Heavy Metal is an American science fiction and fantasy comics magazine. In the mid-1970s, while publisher Leonard Mogel was in Paris to jump-start the French edition of National Lampoon, he discovered the French science-fantasy magazine Métal Hurlant which had debuted December 1974. The French title translates literally as "screaming metal."

Related Topics:
American - Science fiction - Fantasy - Comics - Magazine - 1970s - Leonard Mogel - Paris - French - National Lampoon - Métal Hurlant - 1974

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When Mogel licensed the American version, he chose to rename it, and Heavy Metal began in the United States on April, 1977 as a glossy, slick full-color monthly. Initially, it displayed translations of graphic stories originally published in Métal Hurlant, including work by Enki Bilal, Jean Giraud (a.k.a. Moebius), Phillippe Druillet and Phillippe Caza. The magazine later ran Stefano Tamburini and Tanino Liberatore's ultra-violent RanXerox.

Related Topics:
April - 1977 - Métal Hurlant - Enki Bilal - Jean Giraud - Phillippe Druillet - Stefano Tamburini - Tanino Liberatore - RanXerox

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Since the color pages had already been shot in France, the budget to reproduce them in the US version was greatly reduced. Founding editors of the American edition were Sean Kelly and Valerie Marchant. Art director and designer John Workman brought to the magazine a background of experience at DC Comics and other publishers.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After two years, Mogel felt the lack of text material was a drawback, and in 1979, he replaced Kelly and Marchant with Ted White, highly regarded in the science fiction field for revitalizing Amazing Stories and Fantastic between 1968 and 1978. White and Workman immediately set about revamping the look Heavy Metal, incorporating more stories and strips by American artists. White's main solution to the problem of adding substantive text material was a line-up of columns by four authorities in various aspects of popular culture. Lou Stathis wrote about rock music and Jay Kinney dug into underground comics, while Steve Brown reviewed new science fiction novels and Bhob Stewart explored visual media from fantasy films to animation and light shows.

Related Topics:
1979 - Ted White - Amazing Stories - Fantastic - 1968 - 1978 - Popular culture - Rock music - Underground comics - Novels - Fantasy - Film - Animation - Light shows

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1980, Julie Simmons-Lynch took over as editor, and her new slant on text material was the showcasing of non-fiction by well-known authors such as Robert Silverberg and Harlan Ellison. Later, a review section labeled "Dossier", featuring short pieces by a variety of writers, was edited by Stathis and Brad Balfour. There were also interviews with such media figures as Roger Corman, Federico Fellini, John Sayles and John Waters. In 1986, Heavy Metal dropped back to a quarterly schedule, and then went bi-monthly in 1989. Simmons-Lynch remained the editor until 1991 when Kevin Eastman acquired the magazine and became both publisher and editor.

Related Topics:
1980 - Author - Robert Silverberg - Harlan Ellison - Interview - Roger Corman - Federico Fellini - John Sayles - John Waters - 1986 - 1989 - 1991 - Kevin Eastman

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1981, an animated feature film was adapted from several of the magazine's serials. Heavy Metal featured animated segments from several different animation houses with each doing a single story segment. Another house animated the frame story which tied all the disparate stories togther. Like the magazine, the movie featured a great deal of nudity and graphic violence, stopped somewhat short of the borderline pornographic content of the magazine. For example, in it's Den segment, it didn't display the blatant male genitalia of its print counterpart. The film featured such Hollywood talents as John Candy, Eugene Levy, Harold Ramis and Ivan Reitman. The film did reasonably well in its theatrical release, and has gained something of a cult status.

Related Topics:
1981 - Heavy Metal - Frame story - Nudity - Violence - Pornographic - Den - Genitalia - Hollywood - John Candy - Eugene Levy - Harold Ramis - Ivan Reitman - Cult status

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Another animated feature film alternatively called Heavy Metal 2000 and Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.² was released in 2000. This direct-to-video release was not based on stories from the magazine, but instead was based on pornographic model and B-movie actress, Julie Strain, the wife of the then current owner of the magazine, Kevin Eastman. Its performance is unknown, though it also spawned a video game, '.

Related Topics:
Heavy Metal 2000 - 2000 - Pornographic - Actress - Julie Strain - Video game

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Heavy Metals high quality artwork is notable. Work by international fine artists such as H.R. Giger has been featured on their covers. Terrance Lindalls illustrated version of Milton's epic Paradise Lost appeared in the magazine in the late 1970s and is generally considered to be the greatest rendition of the poem done in the 20th century. Many stories were presented as long-running serials, such as those by Richard Corben and Matt Howarth.

Related Topics:
Fine artist - H.R. Giger - Terrance Lindall - Milton's - Epic - Paradise Lost - 1970s - Poem - 20th century - Serial - Richard Corben - Matt Howarth

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some critics feel Heavy Metals style and content is too violent and pornographic and argue for protectively banning its sale to minors. Despite such objections, the sale of Heavy Metal is not restricted to adults in the US. The magazine is currently owned and published by Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Publication of the French magazine ceased in 1987. It resumed in July 2002 under the French name Métal Hurlant, edited by Les Humanoïdes Associés.

Related Topics:
Violent - Minor - Kevin Eastman - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - 1987 - 2002 - Métal Hurlant - Les Humanoïdes Associés

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~