Dark Matter Magazine to Close
Dark Matter Magazine has announced that Issue 018 (11-12/23) will be the final issue of its three-year run. Founder and publisher Rob Carroll says in a note:
These past three years have been a dream come true for me. The joy of creating and editing my own science fiction magazine was an honor and a privilege, and one that I’ll never forget. Helping in a small way to create something that people truly enjoy is the best feeling in the world.
So why close now? Well, there are two simple reasons. One is bandwidth. Starting in 2024, Dark Matter will focus exclusively on our growing trade imprints and audio division. The Dark Matter staff is the most talented and dedicated group of people I’ve ever worked with, but we’re still small in number. In order to continue producing the quality readers have come to expect, I needed to streamline our business model and refresh our focus. The last thing I want is to overextend staff or fail to meet promises made to the readers and contributors that trust us with their time, money, and hard work.
The second reason: it’s time to give others a chance. Like I said, creating something that people enjoy is the best feeling in the world, and I want others to know that feeling. For three years, I’ve been able to bring my editorial vision to life through Dark Matter Magazine, and honestly, that’s plenty. I talked with staff about having someone else take over Editor-in-Chief duties, but we decided that it’s best to let the magazine end and move on to new avenues for short fiction that we’re ready and willing to provide.
The changes outlined in the note will not affect the final issues of the magazine, and it is planned to remain online and free for the foreseeable future. For more information, including the full note, see the official announcement.
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