Welcome to issue 122 of Apex Magazine!

Now that the relaunch is behind us, it is time to look ahead. The rest of 2021 promises to be filled with thought-provoking, entertaining short fiction. Along with our May, July, September, and November regular issues, we have two special issues planned. The first is guest edited by Allison Mills and will exclusively feature Indigenous Fantasists writers, artists, and editor. Allison is Ililiw/Cree and settler Canadian and is someone who has the background and voice to do the issue right. The second is an International Fantasists issue guest edited by Francesco Verso. Francesco is a well-respected author and editor from Italy who is an advocate for works in translation. The plan is to run these issues in August and December. All subscribers will receive the two bonus issues with the regular six that are planned.

Issue 122 has six original short fiction stories. We welcome Sheree Renée Thomas back to our pages with the poetic “Barefoot and Midnight.” A young woman encounters a horrifying massacre during a Memphis midnight and seeks retribution. Annie Neugebauer’s “If These Ragged Feet Won’t Run” is a cinematic story exploring themes of motherhood, woman vs. beast, and determination. “The Amazing Exploding Women of the Early Twentieth Century” by A.C. Wise is a story examining the mythology of silver screen actresses in the emerging world of film. 

Sam J. Miller takes on a different form of media in “A Love That Burns Hot Enough to Last: Deleted Scenes from a Documentary.” A pop starlet meets a tragic demise, but not before the power of her voice helps bring love to two people. “Black Box of the Terraworms” by newcomer Barton Aikman is a relatively hard SF tale about virtually omniscient, near omnipotent terraforming technology used by humanity to transform worlds. Rounding out the original fiction is “Las Girlfriends Guide to Subversive Eating” by Sabrina Vourvoulias. The story is our first venture into the world of interactive fiction. We hope you enjoy the interactivity and the themes of food, community, and resistance woven throughout. We don’t plan to feature more interactive fiction in the future, but if this one is received well, you never know!

We’re pleased to have “She Searches for God in the Storm Within” by Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali and “The Eight-Thousanders” by Jason Sanford as our reprinted classics offering. Andrea Johnson interviews Sabrina Vourvoulias and Annie Neugebauer. Russell Dickerson interviews cover artist Thomas Tan. Finally, the issue is rounded out with essays by Wendy N. Wagner and ZZ Claybourne.

I hope you enjoy the issue and see you in June!