What a great idea. The Englishman Steven Watson came up with it in 2008, in the belief that, “people want something better to read.” The principle of Stack Magazines is simple: every month, subscribers receive the latest issue of a different independent publication.
For example, a French subscriber could choose between a single issue (12€), a package of three issues (35€) or a full twelve issues (130€). Given the average price of these journals, this is a great deal. But the appeal isn’t simply financial. Stack Magazines offers readers a monthly surprise in a world where it’s hard to steer away from the product with the biggest marketing budget. “Defeat Amazon,” says Watson.
For publications, their authors and editors, joining Stack means being put in touch with a larger reading public than micro-journals can reach. Watson’s selection includes publications featured in Zineland, including The Plant, The Gourmand, along with a cycling magazine (Rouleur), Francis Ford Coppola’s literary review (Zoetrope), and other publications dedicated to street art, travel, graphic arts and fashion criticism. It covers an unlimited range of subjects, paying as much attention to content as to form. Merely browsing the list of previously featured magazines, one finds pearls like Victory Journal, a review about the history of sports. The layout is beautiful.
If only we had heard of Stack before the holidays!
