Mythlore


Mythlore is a biannual peer-reviewed academic journal published by the Mythopoeic Society. Although it publishes articles that explore the genres of myth and fantasy in general, special attention is given to the three most prominent members of the Inklings: J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Charles Williams. The current editor-in-chief is Janet Brennan Croft.

History

Mythlore appeared January 1969 under the editorship of Glen H. GoodKnight, founder of the Mythopoeic Society. Early issues were fanzines, albeit with a "sercon" bent. Mythlore became a peer-reviewed journal beginning with issue #85, under the editorship of Theodore Sherman. Since 2006, it has been edited by Janet Brennan Croft.
The full text of Mythlore from 2002 onward is available in Expanded Academic ASAP. Mythlore is also indexed in the Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature, the Modern Language Association International Bibliography, and other sources. An agreement with JSTOR was announced in 2019. A detailed index to issues 1-100 was published in January 2008 by The Mythopoeic Press. It has been superseded by an electronic index updated twice a year and available for free download from the journal's website. The journal became online open-access in 2017, and dropped its one year embargo in 2019; most back issues are now available online through an arrangement with Southwestern Oklahoma State University Library.
Tolkien Journal was an early "sercon" which was absorbed into Mythlore. It was started by New York Tolkien Society founder Richard Plotz in 1965. Dick Plotz stepped down after issue #8 and Ed Meškys took over the society and the journal. In issue #15, Meškys announced the permanent merger of the Tolkien Society of America with the Mythopoeic Society and of Tolkien Journal with Mythlore. When Glen GoodKnight became editor with Mythlore #12, the new subtitle “A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams Studies” replaced Tolkien Journal on the table of contents page.