Since the initial pilot ish of FSM, the rag has been a part of my modeling life. At first it was because I really needed it, as I was a beginner. (Everyone is a beginner at some point, which is something many folks seem to forget, including myself sometimes...) Up until last year I never failed to grab any ish of FSM, but it became more of a tradition than anything. I no longer grab FSM without fail. Matter of fact, I haven't bought an ish in over a year. Why? It
is quite a visually appealing magazine and, for the most part, it's laid out well but the content has become rather boring for me.
There have been a few interesting advanced-modeling pieces here and there, but FSM is still primarily a rag for the casual, average-Joe model builder as well as the intermediate builder. I passed those phases in the hobby long ago but only fairly recently did I realize that there was little for me to learn from the rag. Anyone who is good at what they do never stops learning, but often times you find little to learn unless you 'go elswhere'. And there are plenty of modeling rags out there. So I went elsewhere.
I remember when Scale Modeler was the big thing. The same type of discussions as those which take place about FSM today also took place in the past about Scale Modeler. That rag has disappeared because, quite plainly, it became a rather poor product and the FSM of the time helped force the issue because it was 'that much better' than Scale Modeler. The FSM of today is not a poor product, it is rather good. But to some, like myself, it just doesn't fit the bill any longer. It's not a bad thing, it's just a natural thing.
So I don't think that the number of folks who are expressing dissatisfaction with FSM is a sign of anything ominous. Again, 'tis nothing new, really. People have been complaining about this stuff for ages, but now and again this happens en masse and that's the start of a 'buzz'. It's simply FSM's turn... again.
This 'cloud' has rained on FSM's parade before and it will probably continue to do so. Not because it's a bad rag; it's not. But rather because some folks (
some, not all) are past it, and instead of looking for something different to satisfy their wants and needs, they naturally look for something that is wrong with the current 'fix'. After all, the magazine has been great all these years... why is it so lackluster now?
They ask themselves:
Has it changed? In some ways, yes.
Does the magazine need a change? Maybe.
Will it change? Probably.
But the issue here, for some, is not the magazine; it is the individual. And the folks who ask the above questions may not have asked what, in many cases, is the most pertinent question:
Have I changed? Each individual has to decide for themselves what their motivations, needs and 'carrots' are in this hobby. FSM is no longer a 'carrot' for me; indeed, it is no longer even desirable for me. But that's just
me.
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