More Jacko, Less Whacko

Jacko's comeback in this month’s Ebony doesn't make him “look like a creepy goofball,” marvels the Washington Post’s Robin Givhan. And it’s not just a rebirth for Jackson, Givhan says, but for the venerable mag itself. Flamboyantly dolled up in classic Jacko garb, the star looks modern and timeless, the very vibe the decades-old zine is after.

Jackson’s fall was spectacular—he virtually disappeared after his child molestation trial two years ago—but Ebony has faced a slow, stately decline, losing its cool factor over time. But new creative chief Harriette Cole has polished the mag to a modern gleam this year and added timely write-ups. She said, "We want people whose lives and work cross generations"—just like the king of pop himself. (More Michael Jackson stories.)