Fab (magazine)

fab was a Canadian magazine which targeted the gay community. The magazine published biweekly issues in Toronto, Ontario from 1994 to 2013. It published alternate weeks to the city's other biweekly gay publication, Xtra!. The publication’s official spelling uses a lower-case F: fab.

History
fab started publishing in June, 1994. In 1996, fab also launched a national edition, known as FAB National to distinguish itself from the local Toronto publication. The national magazine struggled to build an audience, and was sold in 1998; its new owners ceased publication of the magazine within a few months.

In 2006, under managing editor Steven Bereznai, FabStyle — a special issue devoted to fashion and design — was launched as a quarterly publication. However, only two issues were only produced.

In February 2008, Pink Triangle Press, publishers of Xtra!, Xtra! West and Capital Xtra!, purchased the assets of fab. The magazine began publishing under the PTP banner in March 2008.

About
Described as a "gay scene magazine", fab covers popular Toronto gay culture, including music and clubbing. Feature articles are usually news-related and deal with literature, AIDS, real estate, music, and other current-affairs topics. Photo spreads are common, and fab covers typically feature sexy and provocative male models. Covers may also occasionally feature a public figure, when a major feature interview with that person appears in the magazine — David Miller appeared on the cover in a leather jacket, Jack Layton and Olivia Chow appeared together flanked by a Mountie in dress leathers, and Julian Fantino posed in his police uniform with a row of otherwise anonymous models dressed as The Village People. Celebrity covers have also included musicians Joel Gibb, Neko Case and Hawksley Workman, actors Kate Moennig, Scott Thompson and Adamo Ruggiero, and local activists George Hislop and Brent Hawkes.

The magazine had several editors prior to 1998, when John Kennedy took over. Over the next four years, he increased readership and advertising revenues. After 100 issues, Kennedy was replaced by Mitchel Raphael in 2002; Raphael left the magazine in January of 2006 and was replaced by Steven Bereznai. In April 2007, Bereznai stepped down and was replaced by Paul Gallant.

With the purchase of fab by Pink Triangle Press in February 2008, Gallant was replaced by 23 year old writer, filmmaker and former Film columnist Matt Thomas and Drew Rowsome. The magazine's final editor, Phil Villeneuve, took the reins in 2012.

Columnists
fab ' s columnists included Rolyn Chambers, Daniel Paquette, Paul Bellini, Chris Jai Centeno and Matt Cassano. Past columnists included Todd Klinck, Jesse Stong, Nina Arsenault, Mark Mercereau, Richard Burnett and Brad Fraser.

Distribution
The magazine was distributed as a free publication in Toronto, Hamilton, Ontario, London, Ontario and Ottawa, and was available in some other Canadian cities for a cover price of $4.50 per issue.