The Air-Gun Duration: January 1985 to May 1991, seventeen issues,
six years Here's a slim little number that was especially fun. Irreverent, arcane, with a touch of anarchy, yet as perfectly written and editted as one would hope from someone who made his living in the writing trade. Wally wrote about all the current Sherlockian bits like many another newsletter of the day, but he did it in a way that's still fascinating to read, even now. The Air-Gun featured articles some of the usual prolific writers of the day, but it was mostly the editor's baby and he did make it interesting. The ongoing series, "Sherlock's Secret War," spotlighted the very strange secret's behind the Canon, involving Holmes and the Illuminati, Holmes and things Lovecraftian, Holmes and all sorts of Things with a capital T. Wally also had a habit of pulling interesting quotes from his correspondence -- stuff that would get you tut-tutted on any internet listserver for bashing Brett or the BSI in these politically correct times. (Reading these old issues one gets reminded that our current Sherlockian gripes have been with us a lot longer than anyone thinks about.) People have liked to use the phrase "If blah-blah-blah, the terrorists win!" in recent years, and I have to head that direction to really capture my feelings about The Air-Gun. When The Air-Gun ceased publication, the boring, cob-up-their-butts side of Sherlockiana did gain a little ground, even if they didn't truly win. But hopefully that little part of Sherlock's Secret War is far from over . . . -- BAK |
