So Sactown magazine, the new lifestyle magazine, hits newsstands this week. Based on Sam McManis’ review in today’s Bee, I can’t wait to see it. (RonTopofIt says he got a free copy in the mail, lucky!)

“Opening Shots,” an eight-page spread of dazzling photos. Magazines from Newsweek to Sports Illustrated do this, and it’s nice to see a local publication make a commitment to photojournalism, not just product shots.

Sounds great. I can’t tell whether or not I agree with McManis that the cover is too busy; that might just be too nitpicky for my taste. Seems about average for a glossy magazine like that. McManis also takes a jab at Sactown for using “premier” as in “premier issue” on the cover. That’s where this gets a little funny.

Sactown argues (correctly, I would like to adjudicate) that it used premier correctly or at least not incorrectly. (Maybe grammar nerds could get their own planet where they can discuss this stuff.) From there Sactown’s unnamed blogger goes point for point with McManis (wonder if/hope they’ll keep that blog going once they’re in print?) challenging several other of McManis’s qualms. McManis comments on the mag’s Q&A with C-Webb, and Sactown digs up the numbers on the Bee’s coverage of C-Webb, for example.

Like Sactown’s writer, I’m a big fan of McManis and his coverage of local media (I’m not just saying that because I have a hunch that he’s a fan). Sactown, though, probably could have done without this public rebuttal. They say they think this city needs more opinion makers, but can’t resist this sometimes unfunny rebuttal when the opinions are about their thing. (Believe me, though, I know well the temptation to refute every stupid thing any idiot says about you on their dumb stupid blog.)

But in the end, you gotta love Sactown’s attitude: “we hope everyone will give us a chance. We’re a small crew, doing our best because we’re in love with this city.” Damn straight.