CLIK Magazine Ends Production

There is very unfortunate news to report. After ten years of publication as the nation's leading magazine for the black gay, lesbian and trans community, CLIK is calling it quits. Saying the magazine has "reached the end of the road", publisher and editor Dwight Powell posted a bittersweet farewell on the magazine's website.

Publishing this magazine has been a dream come true; to honor, recognize, uplift and highlight the Black Gay Experience in America. This magazine came out around a time when black gay men were ashamed, in hiding, and greatly underrepresented. After ten years, all of that has changed. Changed in part to the diligence, tenacity, and drive of our magazine, as we aspired to be the best, command respect, and garner appreciation from the audience we serves and beyond. Today our community is vibrant, out, and proud.

As with everything, all good things must eventually come to an end. Yes, Clik Magazine has reached the end of the road that it’s been traveling since May of 1998. I am elated to say that our job here is done. We’ve inspired, motivated, informed, educated, and entertained, which from day one, have been my objectives. To that end, I’ve succeeded. This is especially evident with the dawn of gay bloggers and e-zines that are taking our experience to another stratosphere, and mush faster. To fast for print magazines to keep-up with, as technology has elevated publishing to everyone simply with the touch of a mouse.

Powell promises the magazine will "return in digital format over the summer." In the meantime, there are no other national black LGBT magazines. Venus, which was targeted toward black lesbians, ended production last year (?) after publisher Charlene Cothran found religion and went "ex-gay."

Clik actually began as "Clikque" in Houston in 1998 as a local, digest-sized nightlife guide. Powell rebranded the publication in the fall 2005 with a larger size and national mission. That issue coincided with the debut of Noah's Arc, and, since then, Clik has been at the forefront of the emerging renaissance in black gay literature, culture, and media visibility. We worked on a number of features for the magazine, including a year in review, features on Karamo, Wilson Cruz, and, a cover profile of Jensen Atwood.

The tenth anniversary and final issue is a tour de force, including eight individual covers and a 16 page photo editorial by famed photographer Duane Cramer. The covers and editorial are part of the new multimedia "Power of Us" public awareness campaign by the National Black Justice Coalition, including Rod 2.0 faves Darryl Stephens and Stanley Bennett Clay, as well as Cramer, Powell, GMHC's Dr. Marjorie Hill, Unity Fellowship's Rev. Dyan McCrary, and, NBJC's H. Alexander Robinson. Several months ago, we were honored to be approached by the NBJC, CLIK and Duane Cramer to take part in this program, but could not make the shoot. That was unfortunate. We could have been part of this brilliant footnote to history.

Going Out With a Bang [CLIK]

More CLIK

Some Background ....
Jensen Atwood: The CLIK Interview [R20]
"Clik" Model Maurice Murrell on Self-Esteem and Being "Flawless" [R20]
January Clik [R20]
For Your Consideration [R20]
Clik Preview [R20]
More Clik [R20]
Exclusive: The Terry McMillan Interview[R20]
January Clikque [R20]
December Clikque [R20]
Fall Clikque [R20]

Comments

[Andrew C]

I'm very sorry to see the magazine end its print production. The covers and photography were beautiful. There are so many talented people in our community. Hopefully the new cyber version will be hot!

[Mr. Murphy Calling]

Dwight, thank you for ten wonderful years! The best of success in your endeavors.

[Obama Mama]

Someone made a very good point earlier. Okay, maybe Clik wasn't "The New Yorker" but it was ours. Sometimes our community, black folks, black gay men, we are our own worse critics. The magazine can't be everything to everybody but it was good. This is a sad day.

Thank you Dwight, for your service, for a wonderful magazine and producing a strong sense of community. Thank you Lee Hayes for wonderful books. Thank you Duane Cramer for excellent photography. Thank you Rod for bringing us the news and great writing.

[Rod Mc]

Dwight Powell should be commended and applauded for his service to the communuity. CLIK is/was iconic in the black gay community and black gay culture.

Unfortunately, he is also correct in stating that it "takes someone with tough skin" to be out and in a leadership position in our community. There is a hyper-criticism that is pervasive across the black community, and, black gay community. Just speaking for myself, it was much easier to write and produce news at ABC News or NBC, and, deal with feedback from the public at large.

[Grant and Go]

This news is not good. Clik is a revered institution in our community and its presence will be missed. Here is looking to the new online version, which hopefully will be soon.

[Mona]

Clik is a great magazine. I, for one, will be sorry to see it go.

[Jordan H]

This magazine was my first introduction to the black SGL community. The models were beautiful, the stories were timely and the fashion was wonderful. Congratulations, Dwight, for a job well done.

[Love Before Honor]

I am going to miss Clik. I live down South in a smaller town. The models and fashion were so beautiful, maybe you guys in New York City and Los Angeles see men like this all the time, we never see them down here.

[Isaac]

Will Clik's new online content be free or at a premium?

[Ken]

i enjoyed the magazine and will miss it. hopefully we will have another one to enjoy in the future because we have a void that needs to be filled fellas.

[ATL Kid]

Wow. I took the weekend off from blogs and look at what I missed. This is very sad news indeed.

Dwight, you did a fantatsic job with CLIK. I remember it well in the late 90s at Houston Splash and then n the early 2000s at MLK Day and Labor Day in ATL. The magazine grew and became iconic. It will be missed and hopefully its new, digital format will be exciting and profitable!

[BL]

When does the new online version launch? I would subscribe to it.

[derrick foss]

Wasn't very impressed with Clik, it was difficult to find, subscriptions were slow and the writing was poor. IMHO.

[cedric]

Hey Dwight I understand that you guys are moving up but that still does not answer the questions about paid subscriptions. What will happen to those who paid for subscription to CLIK? I for one will miss it and I love it when it do come and read the whole thing that day! I enjoyed all the articles whether they were errors are not! Yes we have issues...always! Never satisfied and so ungrateful! Thanks man for keeping us positive and in the loop for 10 years!