 Rather than the gentle and collectivist hippie ethic in other underground publications of the time, Lyman’s writing in "Avatar" espoused a philosophy that contained, to some readers of the time, strong currents of megalomania and nihilism and to others a powerful alternative voice to the prevailing ethos.After working very intensely on each issue, in the Spring of 1968 the Family gained complete editorial control of "Avatar" for the final issue of the paper.Later they founded their own magazine, "American Avatar" which continued the editorial directions of the newspaper.