The American Bystander

See other projects related to this listing.

About

In October 2015, a bunch of genial weirdos unveiled The American Bystander, the first new national humor magazine in 30 years. We wanted to create a place for print humor in the 21st Century; in a dumbness-forward era, we wanted to present if not an antidote, at least an alternative. What the world needs now is therapy on a species-wide scale—but until then, there's The American Bystander.
Each jam-packed issue collects a diverse group of 65 top writers and cartoonists in a great looking, full-color, softcover format. The New York Times called us “an essential read for comedy nerds.”

The editors may not respond to all submissions. After waiting a reasonable amount of time, assume your submission will not be accepted.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States

Established in 2015

Publication Medium & Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication: Unknown publication frequency

AI Policy

Unknown AI policy

41 members set this magazine as a Favorite.

Collapse section Nonfiction Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Essay: No specific word count limits known.
Narrative Nonfiction: No specific word count limits known.

Styles:

Experimental, Humorous, Literary, Mainstream, Personal.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Memoir.

Payment:

Unknown payment Unknown payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Visual Art Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Artwork:
Graphic Narrative: No page limits known.

Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media, including...
Illustration.
Cartoon/Comic strip.
Photography.

Art Styles:

Humorous.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Unknown payment Unknown payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Image.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Recent cover image or website screenshot for The American Bystander

Go to publication's website

Report:
Submission/Response
Correction/Update
New Cover Art

Social:
Facebook Facebook
X (Twitter) @bystandertweets

Support this Publisher:
Subscribe

For the Editor(s):
Request Interview
Duosuma Submission Manager
Link to Duotrope

The American Bystander Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

We have not received any submission reports for this listing in the past 12 months.

Your Submissions

This section is available to subscribers only. Join today!

251 (Two Fifty One) BELIEVED DEFUNCT

Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 22 May 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.