Our Story - Burning Issue Super Deluxe Magazine

The Magazine's full title - Burning Issue Volume 1 Special Edition Super Deluxe - hints at its evolution from humble beginnings to an iconic publication. It all started in July 2016 with the release of Burning Issue Volume 1. Originally conceived as a simple newsletter for money burners, its very premise raised eyebrows. When the idea was floated on social media, someone quipped, “Are there really enough money burners for a newsletter?” At that time, Revd Jonathan had connected with fewer than ten money burners worldwide.

But perception matters, and in the public mind, a publication often signifies the size and strength of a community. With that in mind, the vision quickly shifted from a basic newsletter to a full-colour magazine.

The first edition, Burning Issue Volume 1, was a modest 32 pages, though it came with three bold propaganda posters for money burning. Only 76 copies were produced. Just a few months later, Burning Issue Volume 1 Special Edition was published to coincide with the Poetry Can F*ck with Your Finances event at The Cockpit. This expanded edition boasted 46 pages.

Revd Jonathan had caught the publishing bug. Partnering with Artistic Director Jonathan Greet, he took the idea to the next level—a high-end glossy magazine dedicated entirely to the art and philosophy of money burning.

The project became a labour of love, taking over a year to complete. Contributions poured in from academics, magicians, writers, and money collage artists. Highlights included an altar-wear fashion shoot, a special Crossbones £23 note in tribute to sex worker Laura Lee and urban shaman John Crow, and an interview between John Higgs and Youth, illustrated by the late Pete Loveday.

By April 2018, the Burning Issue SUPER DELUXE was ready to hit the press. At 164 pages, it was a true monster of a magazine. Every detail was designed to reflect its bold spirit—printed using lithography for a luxurious feel, and featuring a pull-out money collage of a mermaid by Mark Wagner, a nod to Melusine, who also served as the magazine’s irreverent Agony Aunt.

The Burner’s Revolutionary Council (BRC) was also deeply involved in the production and distribution of all iterations of Burning Issue (except the Supplement). Representatives of this secretive and zealous organization see themselves as protectors of the Spirit of Burn. This led to disagreements with the production team about the magazine’s distribution. The BRC argued that Burning Issue should be given away for free, believing that selling it asked people to spend money that could be better righteously burned. The production team, who were funding the project from their own pockets, took a more pragmatic view.

Tensions between CoB and the BRC escalated. Eventually, the BRC unilaterally decided to relieve Revd Jonathan of his role as editor, with the intention of appointing someone new for Volume 2. Yet to this day, no Volume 2 has been produced or even planned. All iterations of Burning Issue have remained creative developments of Volume 1, leaving Revd Jonathan in place as editor despite the BRC’s attempts to oust him. Jonathan has suggested that this constant reworking of Volume 1 is itself a commentary on capitalism’s knack for endlessly reselling the same product in different guises.

A supplement followed in 2021, coinciding with the Festival of Money. It featured a unique artwork by the late Jamie Reid, cementing Burning Issue’s legacy as a beacon of creative rebellion and a testament to the community it serves.

The magazine has been aptly described as an artefact of the counterculture. Yet, even as it pushed boundaries, a copy found its way into the British Museum’s archives.