The Sherlockian Magazine That Will Not Die
By Don Hobbs

Like many Sherlockians around the world, I received a flyer in the mail announcing yet another reincarnation of the magazine Sherlock. This publication has had so many lives it is surely the feline in nature. I am surprised that Carole Nelson-Douglas is not involved with it. Her Midnight Louie series and Irene Adler series proves her love for cats and Holmes. They should have brought her onboard at least in the role of consultant.

Back in May of 1991, The Sherlock Holmes Gazette made its debut. This was a nice sepia-toned publication that was published at an irregular interval. Early collectors were hard pressed for a while to find the elusive issue number 5. On a trip to England, I was able to bring back several number fives. In those pre-eBay days, it was still easy to get rid of them. As soon as the word was out, several Sherlockian collectors who wished to complete their runs of The Sherlock Holmes Gazette contacted me.

The magazine "slicked-up" into a glossy, true magazine format. Maybe it was due to the lack of contributors but they begin filling their pages each month with Canonical stories but they were published quarterly after their conversion to the slick magazine style. The Sherlock Holmes Gazette lasted until issue number 20. The September 1997 was the last one issued with that name.

When issue #21 came out in November of 1997, the name had been changed to Sherlock Holmes: The Detective Magazine. The magazine's main theme was still Sherlockian but the emphasis was less than its original. It was still the nice magazine format and enjoyable to read. The editors seemed to waver in the wind and never really decided when or when not to put out a new issue. Eventually they started publishing a new issue every other month. This lasted through issue number 46, which came out in January of 2002.

At this time the name was changed once again. Now the magazine was simply titled Sherlock. The new magazine moved away from the Sherlockian world keeping just enough of it to appease the diehards of our cult. Somewhere between issues 46 and 63, the Sherlockian fires were nearly extinguished. It became more difficult with each issue to hold my interest. Sherlock had become Sherlock in name only.  When editor David Stuart Davies left the magazine, the wind left the sails completely it seemed.

I guess there was a bit of life left after all according to the flyer in this week's mail. David Stuart Davies is back as editor and their emphasis will turn back to their roots - Sherlock Holmes. I have not decided if I will become a subscriber again. I might just wait until a few of the new issues have made it to the local newsstands before I commit it to a subscription. Only time will tell.  I do wish them the best of luck. Let us see what the new Sherlock #67 will have in store before we pass too hastily of a judgment.

Happy Collecting!!