After the Oz trial, Felix Dennis was on a mission: to make money so he’d have the resources to defend himself if necessary. And he would make that money doing what he knew best: publishing. Oz magazine shut down in 1973, and Dennis set up a new company, H. Bunch Associates, with Dick Pountain.

Their first foray was into the world of Bruce Lee and Kung Fu. They published a poster magazine, which was wildly successful. This led to a variety of merchandising products and a book. All these items did well, and the money rolled in. Bruce Lee saved them.

Dennis started seeking other magazine opportunities. He co-authored a book about Muhammad Ali, which did well. He tried a variety of poster magazines, including Starsky & Hutch. Dennis’s new mindset had taken him from idealistic hippie publisher to opportunistic, mainstream publisher.

He also searched for opportunities in the United States, and set up a new company, Paradise Publications, with Peter Godfrey and Bob Bartner. This partnership would change Dennis’s life.

Around 1980, Felix acquired majority ownership in Personal Computer World magazine because the owner had followed the Oz trial and greatly respected Felix. In 1982, Felix sold the magazine to a large publisher for £3 million. It was his first taste of real money.

In 1984, Felix launched MacUser and began managing his company from New York City. MacUser was in partnership with Godfrey and Bartner. Felix handled creative work, and they handled distribution and printing in the States.

Circulation soared, and in 1986, Ziff Davis bought MacUser magazine for $21 million. Felix and his partners had life-changing money. But Dennis wasn’t done yet; in fact, he was just getting warmed up.

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