What’s in a Name?

In Greek mythology, it is said that Zeus, king of the gods, loved a mortal woman. When Hera, his wife, discovered Zeus' infidelity she flew into a jealous rage. To shield his lover, Io, from Hera’s fury, Zeus used his power to turn Io into a cow. But knowing Zeus’ plan, Hera sent a tiny gadfly to tickle and torment the cow… and some would believe that, to this day, Io is still being chased around by a nipping, pricking gadfly.

In 1998, Gadfly magazine was created to provoke readers to recognize the relevance of art and culture. From the initial issue "Over 100 Films That’ll Change Your Life" (January 1998), Gadfly has nipped and pricked its readers with eclectic investigations of culturally significant events and the individuals behind them. Up until its last print issue, "The Crucifixion of Lenny Bruce" (March/April 2001), Gadfly has continued to stand on its own as a unique voice in the cultural wilderness. Perhaps The Washington Post stated it best:

"Gadfly’s approach is ’refreshing’—it’s a cultural magazine that fits into no identifiable ideology. It’s odd, eccentric and eclectic." The Utne Reader, the nation’s leading digest of alternative ideas, selected Gadfly as the 1999 winner in the Cultural Coverage category of its Eleventh Annual Alternative Press Awards. "From James Dean to the I Ching and every hip roadside stop in between," announced Utne, "Gadfly’s stupendous eclecticism makes this glossy bimonthly second only to the Library of Congress as a warehouse of American pop culture—and number one when it comes to fun reading."

Now Gadfly Online picks up where the magazine left off—transcending hype and spin to interpret and challenge the legends, beliefs and assumptions of a dynamic and a diverse culture by examining its literature, music, film, politics and live arts.

With Gadfly Online, you’ll not only enjoy fresh daily content, you’ll also have access to provocative, full-length articles; music, book, film and art reviews; cultural tidbits; on-site updates on cultural happenings; access to archives from past issues; weekly commentaries from some of your favorite gadflies; and on-the-spot communication with your favorite Gadfly writers and staff.

Whether in print or on the web, it's still a great time to be a cultural gadfly—and to be reading Gadfly. We hope you enjoy the new Gadfly Online.