North Attleboro native Jason Burns has made a foray into the magazine world as editor-in-chief of Severe, a publication he describes as a `` geek book for boys.''

The magazine saw its first print issue published last month following the launch of its Web site, www.severemag.com, in August.

Severe combines pop ular culture and comics with a touch of nostalgia. It's available at specialty stores such as Newbury Comics and New England Comics.

`` We're not trying to be one thing,'' said Burns, a former Sun Chronicle music writer who now works for Viper Comics. `` We'll cover any thing, even if it's of interest to some people but not all peo ple.''

Geared towards men, Severe tackles everything from the latest comics and interviews with people in the comics industry such as Jose Quesada, the editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. It also covers music, movies and television. Burns characterizes it as a blend between the `` lad mag'' Maxim and the comics maga zine Wizard. He says its strong point is in its nostalgic features.

`` It gives it that past-intothe-present feel,'' he said. `` It feels good to reconnect to what was part of your child hood.''

The magazine includes a feature called `` Severe Nostal gia'' where readers can catch up with pop culture icons from past generations such as Robert Englund, who played the terrifying Freddy Krueger during the 1980s. Burns hopes the feature will expose younger people to the pop cul ture that they weren't around to witness.

While the magazine is a bimonthly publication, Burns wants to turn it into a month ly one by the end of the year. By the third issue, due out in March, he hopes to have it sold at larger stores and add another 20 pages.

Burns added, however, that he doesn't want the magazine to get too big. `` We want to remain the small indie fave even if we are carried in WalMart and Barnes & Noble,'' he said.

Burns said the magazine has been well received thus far, making all the hard work and struggle worth it.

`` We wouldn't appreciate (the success) as much without the speed bumps and headaches.

There were plenty of times we wanted to all go our separate ways, but it's been incredible,'' he said.

Burns said he also has plenty of other projects to keep him busy. He said he is working on a documentary-style television show with Marc Summers, host of the Food Network's show, `` Unwrapped'' (and former host of the Nickelodeon TV show `` Double Dare'' ); was recently hired to write a screenplay for a movie that is expected to start filming late this year; is writing the comic book adaptation of a film starring Tim Allen, due out in early summer; and is anticipating the release of his graphic novel, `` The Expendable One,'' in April while working a handful of other graphic novels.