JBU had featured stories from a number of notable authors, including Alan Dean Foster, Gregory Benford, Esther Friesner, and Cory Doctorow.

[2] Regular columnists included Eric Flint, Mike Resnick, Barry N. Malzberg, and Stephen Euin Cobb.

Editor Eric Flint announced in August 2009 that the magazine would close after its April 2010 issue due to insufficient subscriber income.

Magazine reviewer Debbie Moorhouse, in Greatest Uncommon Denominator, says: JBU is a massive read.

Subsequent to the announcement of the closing, subscriptions were modified to provide one year of access to all back issues.