Editorial

It’s easy to be pessimistic about the future of print media. Around the world, local newspapers and bookshops are being forced shut. Jobs in publishing are threatened by a certain bald-headed billionaire more concerned with colonising outer space than paying his staff. Stories of Australian media companies slashing editorial and journalist roles flood my newsfeed.

But here we are, celebrating the tenth issue of PULP magazine. What was previously an online publication un(fortunately) dwindling in readership, has evolved into the beautiful, wide publication you now hold in your hands.

The early Pulp magazines of the twentieth century were notoriously associated with sensational, “low-brow culture”, but Pulp introduced the magazine to the masses. At a time when bookstores were found only in larger cities and Penguin paperbacks were not yet considered the mainstream, Pulp magazines were distributed on newsstands, tobacco stores, drug stores — not to mention at bus and train stations. Writers and artists consistently pushed the boundaries of acceptability in publishing — no doubt attracting undue enemies and legal trouble.

Whilst this Eora-based publication has yet to publish any raunchy crime fiction, nor have we considered using Shakespeare’s head as the new colophon, we hope that you too will join us in this centuries-long tradition of stylistic and literary experimentation. For the rest of our term, we have eclectic dreams of matte and gloss and petite-themed issues. We have visions of multimedia art, of long-form articles, of closer collaborations between photographers and writers. Like the Pulp magazines of yesterday, we are excited to publish more striking visuals and prose; this time, representing the imaginations of Sydney’s creative community and beyond.

ISSUE 10 takes us on numerous journeys through space and time. We introduce the monthly photo review, capturing your surreal experiences in Sydney and abroad. We are transported back in time to the indie sleaze era of the early 2000s, to the everyday scenes of an Indian temple, and to a sex shop on Oxford Street. As you read about the work of Vito Acconci, know we are so grateful for the private time you choose to spend with our magazine.

Finally, thank you to the previous editorial team for setting the groundwork for PULP. 10 is a huge milestone largely attributed to your dedication and passion for the publication. And to all those who’ve expressed such warm support for our ninth issue, to new friends, contributors, and strangers — thank you.