''Noggin'' was an American magazine that published art, fiction, cartoons, and social and political commentary. It started in

Iowa City Iowa City, offically the City of Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is the home of the University of Iowa and county seat of Johnson County, at the center of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the time ...

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

in 1990,Noggin, The University of Iowa Librarie
University of Iowa, System Number: 001781620
/ref> and published semimonthly for three years.

History

The magazine was founded by Tom Hunter; both were covered in articles in the ''

Cedar Rapids Gazette ''The Gazette'' is a daily print newspaper and online news source published in the American city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The first paper was published as an evening journal, branded the ''Evening Gazette'', on Wednesday, January 10, 1883. The new ...

'', and the ''

Iowa City Press-Citizen The ''Iowa City Press-Citizen'' is a daily newspaper published in Iowa City, Iowa, United States that serves most of Johnson County and portions of surrounding counties. Its primary competitors are ''The Gazette'' of Cedar Rapids, which has a new ...

''. Launched in October 1990, the publication had a "press run" of approximately 10,000 per issue. The magazine did not accept advertisements, and a lifetime subscription cost US$10. All writers and contributors to the magazine were unpaid volunteers, and the majority of them chose to publish their work under pseudonyms. Expenses per issue were $1,000. Prior to founding the magazine, Hunter had been a writer of fiction for ten years, and had received a

Bachelor's Degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in the field of journalism. Every issue of the publication contained the request for contributions, "If you like to draw, write fiction, poetry or essays, Noggin wants to publish your work." In an interview with ''Cedar Rapids Gazette'', the founder of the publication explained its broad attitude towards acceptance of contributions: "The editorial principle we've stuck to, to our detriment sometimes, we do not edit people's stuff, especially on the grounds of content. It's a real big umbrella. When you say I will take anything, you have more people that come forward." The magazine provoked controversy when it published works by artist Scott Warren about Edward Gein, and also over an article "Lunacy in the Gulf" in January 1991 which was critical of the

Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...

Reception

In 1992, the ''

'' called ''Noggin'', "one of Iowa City's most controversial publications". The publication was classed among "small news magazines" distributed in the region. The ''

'' characterized the magazine noting, "''Noggin'' is a liberal newspaper of fiction, poetry, essays and art."

References

Gannett Company Gannett Co., Inc. () is an American mass media holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.N1 and N2
(1990)
N3 to N7
(1991)
N8
(1992) * ''Noggin'' Ed Gein comic pages
123

FOLIO PS571.I8 N6
''Noggin'' in the University of Iowa Library holdings 1990 establishments in Iowa 1993 disestablishments in Iowa Bimonthly magazines published in the United States Defunct literary magazines published in the United States Free magazines Magazines established in 1990 Magazines disestablished in 1993 Magazines published in Iowa

History

Reception

References

Further reading