Staffers at Next - New York's so-called "hippest gay guide" - have been hard at work revamping the weekly fag-rag's image. Two months after Gregory Angelo's ouster as EIC, new editorial team Justin Ocean and Benjamin Solomon are unveiling creative director Topher Ellsworth's new designs, fresh with new logo and all. To mark the occasion, they've sent out one of their patented press releases. Yippee!

Read all about it, after the jump.

Out with the tired, in with the new—that’s what Mom always said when it came to spring cleaning, and we’ve about torn down the house to do it! Unless you’re a tourist, are completely drunk or somehow missed our sexy foldout cover, you’ll have noticed all is new in the House of Next Magazine. After 13 years of serving it up to gay New York, we’ve decided to actually start serving you all, too. We asked, and unlike your ex-boyfriend, we actually listened! Flip through and you’ll see new content, a refreshed outlook and a killer new style that incorporates your comments and criticisms from our recent survey.

If only we were so democratic, huh, readers?

We've been taking a look at some of the mag's new pages and, yes, we agree that Ellsworth - who, it's worth noting, turned to Next's loving embrace after leaving competitor, HX - has done a good job, but it's really not that different. The biggest change we see, in fact, comes in the logo and a new listings layout - rather than running on the side, they run below the main feature. But, we must say, the Scene and Heard section flows better than it used - it would probably flow better if there were more gossip about our oh-so-fabulous lives, but that's neither here nor there.

Speaking of content: the boys have added some new columns, like "Getting Personal", which takes you inside the dark and most likely cavernous minds of New York's biggest gay scenesters. But, wait, there's more: they've also unveiled an interactive feature - Late Night Confidential. It's really just to make their jobs easier: you see something scandalous, text them the deets and if it's juicy enough, they print it. Hopefully not verbatim - drunks aren't so good with that whole reading/writing thing. Take it from ones who know.

Because New York's lavender set are such lushes, the Next boys have also included a map of the city's gay bars - by far the most exciting addition, if you ask us. We did, however, scoff at their explanation, "you’ll never be more than
a drunk stumble from a bar again". Whatever, we'll take a taxi and meet you there.

The boys aren't devoting all their time on the print version - editor Ocean also informs us that they've been hard at work revamping their website. Trust us when we say it looks much better. But, if you're a suspicious mind, why not head on over and check it out? And be sure to look for the new Next at New York's finest purveyors of fine spirits and not-so-fine sluttery.

It kind of makes you wonder what HX has up their sleeves. From what we hear, not much: they've been dealing with a mountainous debt. But, more on that one later...