[1] First launched in October 2000 using the slogan "Adventures in Fantasy Literature," Black Gate primarily features original short fiction up to novella length.

Much of the fiction is by lesser known or new authors, but noted contributors have included Michael Moorcock, Mike Resnick, Charles de Lint and Cory Doctorow.

As a semi-regular feature, Black Gate reprinted rare adventure stories from earlier decades or work from more recent years that the editors feel has been neglected.

On its debut, Black Gate received strong reviews in Locus and elsewhere, many citing the sheer size of the issues (usually greater than 200 pages) and the high production values.

While John O'Neill made a public commitment to readers and advertisers to get production back on track, the magazine never achieved a reliable quarterly release.