The Men's Magazine Market

NEW entries to the men's magazine market have had a tough time in recent years. M magazine, Men's Life, and others have folded. But undaunted, and aiming at a slightly younger audience, Aaron Shapiro and Jonathan Hsu are going to give it a college try. The founders of Inside Edge have their sights trained on the 18-to-24 age group.

"We like to see ourselves as vertically integrated with Details and GQ," says Aaron Shapiro, Inside Edge's publisher. Then he offers a translation from the language of the young Harvard economics major that he is: "Before guys read Details and GQ, they read Inside Edge."

Messrs. Shapiro and Hsu will be competing with several well-established titles and a number of hard-driving newcomers, including:

Gentleman's Quarterly: For the men who are (or who want to be) fashion plates.

Esquire: Better writing; an older, more well-heeled reader.

Details: One of the few men's-magazine success stories. Wild, raw writing style is pulling in mid-20s guys.

Ebony Men: Aims at African-American men, trading on the Ebony name.

Men's Journal: Son of Rolling Stone. Appeals to the active man: individual sports, outdoor activities, adventurous vacations.

Men's Health: Fitness and health advice: "Head-to-toe Grooming Guide," "Get Rid of That Gut," and the like.

Dirt: A magazine for teenage boys first distributed with Marvel Comics. Expected to be published four times this year.