HX Magazine was a glossy, freely-distributed gay nightlife magazine in New York City, also billed as The Totally Biased Politically Incorrect Party Paper. The magazine began in 1991, using the name Homo Xtra. It was published by Two Queens, Inc. (renamed HX Media LLC in 2005), namely Matthew Bank and Marc Berkley.[1] Although the magazine was mainly read for its bar, club, restaurant and other listings, it had substantial editorial content, including a snarky gossip column, theater, film and restaurant reviews, horoscopes, and "news" about the local gay nightlife. The editorial style was crisp and witty, which, along with the magazine's tendency to feature muscular "gym queens" on its cover, had contributed to the magazine's identification with Chelsea, the neighborhood in which it was produced. Several former members of HX's staff, including Troy Dunham, Sean Kennedy, Trenton Straube, Mark Peikert, Martyn Dunn, Brandon Voss and Tray Butler are luminaries of New York's nightlife and/or respected journalists. The lead singer of the Scissor Sisters, Jason Sellards (AKA Jake Shears), is also a former writer.
HX's closest rival was Next Magazine.
In 2005, HX Media grew to include sister publication The New York Blade, which covered local, national and international gay-related news and events. The weekly publication was the only gay owned and operated newspaper in New York City.
In September of 2006, HX Media launched its newest publication HX Philadelphia, Philadelphia's own freely-distributed gay nightlife magazine. Its staff included editor Matthew Ray, and associate publisher Karl Michelfelder (better known as Philadelphia's gay nightclub disc jockey Carl Michaels). The Philadelphia version shuttered in 2007.
HX Magazine ceased publication in July 2009.