Arkham Tales: A New Business Model?

"Arkham Tales," one of the newest online e-zines of Lovecraftian horror, appears to be thriving after the free release of its first couple issues. Last month the editors released their second issue, which showed further growth of a magazine stuffed with art, horror fiction, and interesting articles. Thus far, the effort has seemingly been one entirely funded by advertising. This allows the editors to pay their writers and offer their publication to the niche market of horror fiction readers for free. In the business history of Lovecraftian horror magazines, "Arkham Tales" is charting new territory.

Moreover, one has to wonder if this emerging business model is the way forward for weird and Lovecraftian fiction. Online releases of polished versions printable enough to become real life magazines have dual benefits: it cuts out the messy cost and hassle of printing, allowing e-zines to actually make their appearance deadlines. This last facet is a problem that has previously eluded many amateur horror publications, even bringing some to their knees.

The deeper question of whether print magazines, like newspapers, are slowly edging toward total obsolescence remains unresolved. However, one thing is clear: publications with small niche markets--and the weird readership is admittedly limited, despite modest growth the past decade--may opt to take the road tread by "Arkham Tales." It's important to note that "Dark Wisdom" and "H.P. Lovecraft's Magazine of Horror," two magazines previously at the top of the pyramid in publishing weird horror, both shuttered their print operations last year. Only "Weird Tales" remains as a beacon of printed weirdism, probably as a result of longstanding name recognition, alongside intense overhaul efforts in marketing and format the past couple years. The print market for horror of all types has always been a minefield. A few professional magazines have stood alongside a slew of little known and/or short lived amateur outlets. Now, with worsening economic conditions, many publishers new and old are looking to retreat from devastating personal risk and dependence on maintaining and growing huge subscriber bases for profit.

Enter the model exemplified by "Arkham Tales." Older readers and those who simply like the feel of a glossy cover beneath their hands will want to bemoan the decline of print markets for weird tales. Yet, a closer examination suggests the future could be bright. E-zines offer the ability to give weird consumers doses of the strange for free or almost nothing, as "Arkham Tales" is doing. A successful e-zine able to attract large numbers of readers and improve quality over time will also have the door cracked to create a printed version, if the winds of fortune ever drift back over the global economy. Love it or hate it, the e-zine option for publishing horror is here to stay: the technology allows it, costs demand it, and cash strapped lovers of darkness want it. And that's a good thing.

-Grim Blogger