Image via Complex Original
The history of skateboarding is written in its magazines. Before the Internet and before skate videos, the broader world of skateboarding came into our homes through binded paper. Pages were ripped out and stuck on our walls. This is how we learned how to skate, how to dress, and who to look up to. When these skate magazines started, their covers where designed to represent the times while often showing skateboarding at its most progressive. Iconic skaters and photographers come together to create a lasting impression that represents what each magazine is all about. See how some of skateboarding's best publications from around the world made their first impressions with this look at The First Covers of Iconic Skateboarding Magazines.
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SBC Skateboard Magazine
Skater/Trick: Paul Otvos: Ollie
Photographer:: Scott Pommier
SBC Media, publisher of many Canadian action sports magazines, launched SBC Skateboard in the Summer of 1999. Originally a quarterly magazine, Canada's "National Skateboard Magazine" is now published every month.
Concrete (and Powder)
Date: 1990
Skater/Trick: Sean Johnson (snow) & Rob "Sluggo" Boyce: Inverts
Photographer:: James Thiessen and Nurmi
Canada's Concrete Magazine started up in 1990 as Concrete and Powder with dual inverts on the cover illustrating that the magazine was about skateboarding (concrete) and snowboarding (powder). Today, Concrete is 100% skateboarding and each new issue is posted online for free.
Focus Magazine
Date: May/June 2005
Skater/Trick: Darren Harper: Switch Heelflip
Photographer:: Mazur
Justin Heister and Mike Mazur started their East Coast-centric magazine Focus out of a frigid Philly apartment and birthed their first issue into the world in May of 2005. The cover is pure East Coast with Darren Harper doing a switch heel over the big white wall at Washington D.C.'s Pulaski.
Monster
Date: 1982
Skater/Trick: Claus Grabke: Backside Air
Photographer:: Frank Ritzenhoff
After effectively bringing skateboarding to Germany, Titus Dittman along with cover boy, Claus Grabke startedMonster Skateboard Magazine in 1982. At the time it was little more than a 'zine, but it's grown into Germany's national skate magazine and is now published by Factory Media.
Skateboarder
Date: Winter 1964
Skater/Trick: Dave Hilton: Hippie Jump
Photographer:: Bev Morgan
Launched in the Winter of 1964, Skateboarder started out as The Quarterly Skateboarder. "The Quarterly" was dropped in August of 1965 when it switched to bi-monthly and the mag eventually folded in December of 1965. In the 1970s Skateboarder was brought back and became the sport's most popular magazine, only to die once again. It was resurrected and shuttered several more times. Finally, in August of 2013, Skateboarder ceased regular publication again after going all digital.
Slap
Date: April 1992
Skater/Trick: Mike Carroll: backside 50-50
Photographer:: Lance Dawes
Lance Dawes founded Slap under High Speed Productions, the home of Thrasher Magazine and published the first issue in April of 1992. The last print issue of Slap was in December of '08, but Slap has continued to be a force in skate media with its website and forum, which has become skateboarding's best rumor mill and Internet hang out.
Thrasher
Date: January 1981
Photographer:: Illustration by Kevin Thatcher
Often referred to as "The Bible," Thrasher has been skateboarding's leading magazine since the beginning. The punk rock, skate and destroy ethos portrayed in Thrasher has helped shape skateboarding into what it is today.
Transworld Skateboarding
Date: May/June 1983
Skater/Trick: Steve Caballero: Backside Air
Photographer:: Frank Hawk
Owner of Tracker Trucks, Larry Balma created Transworld Skateboarding as a more mainstream alternate to Thrasher's sometimes harsh and anti-establishment ways. While Thrasher touted "Skate and Destroy" Transworld pushed the idea of "Skate and Create" in their first issue.
The Skateboard Mag
Date: April 2004
Skater/Trick: Danny Way: Mega-Ramp Nosebluntslide
Photographer:: Mike Blabac
Six key figures at Transworld Skateboarding, Grant Brittain, Atiba Jefferson, Dave Swift, Ako Jefferson, Kevin Wilkins, and Mike Mihaly, left that magazine to start The Skateboard Mag. Since 2004, The Skateboard Mag has continued to be the independent voice of skateboarding with the best photography, design and writing in skateboarding.
Big Brother
Date: 1992
Skater/Trick: Shiloh Greathouse: Ollie
Photographer:: Spike Jonze
After a dispute with another magazine about advertising, World Industries owner, Steve Rocco started Big Brother. While Thrasher was about "Skate and Destroy," Big Brother simply did not give a fuck. With articles about how to kill yourself, bong reviews, and nudity, Big Brother pushed the boundaries. Even in format, the magazine tried new things like sending the magazine to subscribers in a cereal box or changing the size or binding of the actual magazine. After being purchased by Larry Flynt Publications in 1997, the smut was toned down, but the irreverence was still there. Production ceased in 2004.
Sugar
Date: November/December 1997
Skater/Trick: Danny Way: Method Air
Photographer:: Thomas Campbell
France's No. 1 skate magazine, Sugar, started back in 1997 with the only shots of the original Mega Ramp outside of the U.S. majors Thrasher and Transowrld. Inside was an interview with Jérémie Daclin, who was just starting his board company Cliché. He posed nude with his girlfriend for the intro. Today, Sugar is going strong and just published issue #150.
Sidewalk
Date: September/October 1995
Skater/Trick: Tom Penny: Kickflip Melon
Photographer:: Wig Worland
In 1995, Sidewalk Surfer (now Sidewalk) replaced R.A.D. as Britain's only skate magazine. At over 200 issues, Sidewalk is the longest running British skate magazine. It has provided the first coverage to many U.K. skaters who went on to international acclaim like John Rattray, Benny Fairfax, Chewy Cannon, and many others.
Slam
Date: November/December 1988
Skater/Trick: Marc Saito: Stalefish
Photographer:: Jim Knight
At almost 200 issues to date, Slam has been Australia's leading skate magazine since it's inception in 1988. Aside from showcasing Australia's many talented skaters who went on to the United States to go pro, photographers like Mike O'Meally and Dave Chami also cut their teeth at Slam before moving on to shoot for Transworld in the U.S.