untitled
Volume 2.1 - June, 2007
The Solar Pons Gazette
The Solar Pons
Gazette
W W W . S O L A R P O N S . C O M
T h e D e r l e t h P a r o d y
T H I S I S S U E :
B y B o b B y r n e
The Derleth Parody
1
Mack Reynolds and August
the condescending Scot-
Greetings From
Derleth collaborated on The land Yard Inspector from
Tongue-in-cheek writing
2
Praed Street
Adventure of the Snitch in
The Sign of Four.
continues, with Walt Kelly’s
Another Big Picture
3
Time. This is not a pastiche;
‘Pogo’ cartoon creation
From the Notebooks
4
it is a parody of both the
Athelney works for the
being comparable to works
Holmes and Pons tales.
Terra Bureau of Investiga-
of art by Da Vinci and Rem-
Featured Case: The
10
Camberwell Beauty
tion, undoubtedly a poke at
brandt. Pons suggests they
A time traveler, Agent To-
America’s FBI.
nail Moriarty for tax eva-
Christopher Lee as
11
Fu Manchu
bias Athelney, appears at
sion, just as the govern-
the door of 7B Praed
The visitor tells them that
ment did to bring down Al
A Fairlie Odd Journey 12
Street. Can there be any
there are alternate uni-
Capone. Problem is,
Walden West Fest
doubt that ‘Tobias’ is a trib-
verses, including some
Moriarty pays his taxes!
16
2007
ute to Tobias Gregson,
where the two men are ficti-
From The Pontine
whom Sherlock Holmes
tious characters, created by Ahtelney adds that Moriarty
Dossier
18
described in A Study in
a popular writer! He adds
has a good lawyer:
The Real Story Be-
Scarlet, along with Inspec-
that the stories “became
Randolph Mason. Largely
hind The Merstham
21
tor Lestrade, as “the best of the all-time favorites of the
forgotten today, Mason was
Tunnel Mystery
a bad lot” among Scotland
literature of deduction.”
the creation of Melville
Intro to The Return of 22
Yard inspectors?
Davisson Post, circa 1896.
Sherlock Holmes
The villain at large in the
Mason was a completely
A Little Bit More
25
And surely ‘Athelney’ is in
future is the notorious Pro-
unscrupulous lawyer who
About Dr. Parker
honor of Athelney Jones,
fessor Moriarty.
(Cont on page 2)
The Infallible Boswell 26
Featured Case II: The
Defeated Doctor
28
Further Thoughts:
If you enjoyed page 3 of our second issue, which featured the
The Dog in the
29
Manger
beautiful painting by Les Edwards that was used for the jacket
of The Final Cases of Solar Pons, we have another treat for you.
Continue onward to see his wonderful creation for Solar Pons & the Devil’s Claw.
Copyright notice: Solar Pons is the sole property of the August Derleth Estate. The illustrations used in the masthead were created by Frank Utpatel.
P a g e 2
T h e S o l a r P o n s G a z e t t e
G r e e t i n g s f r o m P r a e d s t r e e t
Welcome to the second year of The
Our featured case is The Camberwell Beauty and I
Solar Pons Gazette! Our third issue
can promise that you will be seeing more of the Doc-
brings you yet another installment
tor of Limehouse in future issues, as I find his pres-
from the Notebooks of Dr. Parker.
ence to be one of the most interesting features of
the entire Pontine Canon.
August Derleth wrote the first Notebooks for The
Praed Street Papers, which is more commonly found
Edgar W. Smith’s introduction to The Return of Solar
in its reissued form, The Praed Street Dossier. The Pons is reproduced: he didn’t seem particularly fond
Notebooks are thoroughly enjoyable writings that
of Adrian Conan Doyle, did he?
most certainly belong in the Canon.
A first-time item that may become a regular feature
Derleth wrote two more Notebook entries for the first
is Further Thoughts, which provide us some addi-
two Pontine Dossier Annuals. The Notebooks are
tional insights from Dr. Parker on cases he chroni-
among my favorite Pons writings and continuing their
cled. We learn a bit more related to The Crouching
style was the very first decision I made for The Solar
Dog in this entry.
Pons Gazette. I began numbering the entries at two,
acknowledging Derleth’s originals as number one.
A note about the faux newspaper accounts related to
The Crouching Dog included with the first issue.
This issue also includes A Fairlie Odd Journey, an ex-
There were a few ‘Easter eggs’ in them. The re-
tremely informative monograph penned by noted
porter’s byline, Daniel Kearny, was a tribute to Joe
Sherlockian and England’s foremost Ponsian, Roger
Gore’s DKA stories. Irving Hall was selected as the
Johnson (President of the Solar Pons Society of Lon-
name of Ahab Jepson’s home in honor of Sir Henry
don). It starts on page 14.
Irving. The picture of Constable Cobbett was really
Frederic Abberline of Jack the Ripper fame. And the
The Gazette is extremely fortunate to reproduce Les
photo of Ahab Jepson himself was really the first
Edwards’ fine painting that was used for Solar Pons &
identified screen Holmes, Maurice Costello.
the Devil’s Claw, by Basil Copper. What great artwork!
Once again, I hope you will consider contributing a
Derleth Parody
their visitor’s words, Parker
(Cont from page 1)
will do so and become fa-
never lost a case, though
mous for it.
that fact is no indication
whatsoever of his client’s
The second published col-
innocence. Shades of Mason
laboration between Rey-
can be found in Lawrence
nolds and Derleth, The
Block’s Martin Ehrengraff
Adventure of the Ball of
and my own Irish lawyer,
Nostradamus, is a pure
Sean Flanagan.
science fiction pastiche
with
no signs of levity or
Continuing through to the
parody.
end, Pons suggests that
Athelney contact another
I am not judging which is
Mason, first name Perry, as a
better than the other. But I
foil.
don’t believe there can be
any argument that Snitch
At this point in time, Parker
in Time is a case of Derleth
had not yet chronicled any of
taking an opportunity
Pons’ cases. However, Pons
(initiated by Reynolds) to
points out that, according to
poke some fun at himself
P a g e 3
T h e S o l a r P o n s G a z e t t e
S o l a r P o n s : A n o t h e r B i g P i c t u r e B y B o b B y r n e
Issue 1.2 of The Solar Pons Gazette included a pic-
ture of the full painting used for The Final Cases of
Solar Pons book jacket. There was no shortage of
praise for the extremely talented artist, Les Ed-
wards, in describing it.
It should come as no surprise that he also created
the cover for Sarob Press’ other Pons effort from
Basil Copper, Solar Pons & the Devil’s Claw. Mr.
Edwards was kind enough to provide the Gazette
with a picture of that painting as well. A visit to his website, especially if you are a fan of fantasy fiction, will be quite rewarding:
Www.LesEdwards.com
As mentioned last issue, Edwards notes that Basil Copper insists that Solar Pons resembles Peter Cushing, which certainly comes through in the drawing. Hopefully he will be asked once again to illustrate a future work featuring Solar Pons.
Les Edwards, for Solar Pons & the Devil’s Claw by Basil Copper
P a g e 4
T h e S o l a r P o n s G a z e t t e
M o r e F r o m t h e N o t e b o o k s o f
d o c t o r l y n d o n p a r k e r - i v
23 March, 1921
flagging career?”
Mother Nature had laid siege to London, her icy
“Sir Edward Marshall!” I exclaimed. “The Camden
gales and driving snow forcing all but the most hardy
Town murder. Were you involved in the case?”
indoors. I returned from an abysmal afternoon of
making my rounds to find Pons comfortably en-
“I had only just started my practice a short time be-
sconced on the floor in front of a roaring fire, his
fore Miss Dimmock met her unhappy end. But as an
scrapbooks of crime spread all around him.
aspiring private enquiry agent, I followed the case
closely and was present most days at the trial. Sir
“Ah, Parker, welcome back to the warmth of our
Edward, who had suffered a series of unfortunate
hearth. It is certainly a particularly unpleasant day
reverses, was desperate to improve his fortunes. He
outside. Mrs. Bartlett has not yet recovered from her
brought a fire and passion to the defense of the du-
bout of pneumonia, I see.”
bious Mr. Robert Wood.”
“I’m sure that you deduced that from the way I car-
“Robert Wood was certainly less dubious than Miss
ried my medical bag or some such, Pons,” I said,
Dimmock, a known prostitute!” I replied, somewhat
shrugging out of my voluminous overcoat and hang-
warmed under the collar.
ing my thick scarf up to dry. But I am cold, hungry
and tired. I have no interest in parlor tricks.”
“Staunch moralist to the last, Parker.” Pons was
smiling slightly. “Do prostitutes not provide a valu-
Pons made some reply, which did not register. Fi-
able service? Would not many men who buy their
nally, some fifteen minutes later, I was seated near
wares, treating them poorly in the doing, act out
the fire, a hot toddy in my hand and dry clothes upon
against their wives or girlfriends if they had no other
my body. Feeling rather more companionable, I
outlet?”
asked what entry had so absorbed Pons.
“”Really, Pons, you go too far. You are intentionally
“Your temperament improves with your surround-
goading me now.”
ings, Parker.”
“Always acknowledge the possibility, right or wrong,
I snorted in response. “What strange crime from the
of a differing viewpoint, doctor. I have found that
past are you reading about now?”
premise to be of inestimable value. Scotland Yard
would do well to adhere to it even occasionally.”
“The affair of a Miss Emily Dimmock holds my atten-
tion this blustery evening.”
“Are you saying…” I was forestalled by Pons holding
up both hands as if in supplication.
“Dimmock.” I racked my brain. “I don’t recall that
name.”
“Enough Parker, enough. We shall agree that Miss
Dimmock was a young lady found with her throat
“Not yet fourteen years gone by and the victim is
slashed and Robert Wood was charged with her mur-
already forgotten.” He smiled wryly. “Would it help if I
der. Acceptable?”
added that The Great Defender’s representation of
the accused gave a much needed boost to his
Still somewhat unruffled, I could not deny the truth
P a g e 5
T h e S o l a r P o n s G a z e t t e
M o r e F r o m t h e N o t e b o o k s o f
d o c t o r l y n d o n p a r k e r - I V
( c o n t . )
of his statement. “Very well, Pons. Did the case pre-
ner with no accomplishments to my name. My opin-
sent any of those elements that intrigue you so?”
ions were neither solicited nor welcomed. The
‘Camden Town Murder’ is just one of many unsolved
“The investigation focused on postcards. The mur-
killings taking place in the seedier environs of Lon-
dered woman had a book of them, which was found
don.”
in the room, several cards apparently ripped out
carelessly and missing. The police believed that the
9 April, 1921
killer took them, along with a few other items, such
as a gold watch and a silver lighter. There was found
I have written up a draft of what I intend to call The
another postcard that implied Miss Dimmock was to
Adventure of the Circular Room. Never have Pons
meet someone named ‘Alice’ at a local tavern at
and I investigated such a sinister matter.
8:15 on the evening she was murdered.”
20 April, 1921
“The police believed that a woman killed her? I find
that difficult to imagine.”
“Did you see this letter in the Herald, Pons?” I asked,
handing him the item of discussion. He briefly
Pons looked thoughtfully at his pipe on the table at
glanced at it and then tossed it aside without a word.
his side but did not reach for it. “Do not underesti-
“You don’t think much of the suggestion, then?”
mate the capability of a woman, Parker. And as a
medical man, you know that it takes no great
Solar Pons looked at me with the trace of a smile. “I
strength to slit a throat.”
believe that you are intentionally baiting me, Parker.
So be it. No, I do not believe that ‘optograms’ will aid
“But the official investigation was not limited to fe-
in finding the killer of Andrew Treacher.”
male suspects. Regardless, a client of Miss Dim-
mock’s, Robert Wood, was arrested, tried and found
I could not recall Pons ever commenting on optical
not guilty. The police never came any closer to solv-
photography. “Why is that?”
ing the matter.”
“Those who argue that optical photography is a sci-
I knew Pons too well to leave the unsaid question
ence are misguided fools. A murderer’s portrait can-
hanging between us. “You had a suspect?”
not be obtained from the victim’s retina. It is sheer
folly.”
“I believe that the emphasis on the postcards was
misplaced. Miss Dimmoch lived with a man named
“But Pons, there is a considerable body of work in
Bert Shaw. The authorities were convinced of his
support of the theory.”
alibi. To this day, I remain unconvinced. Further in-
vestigation of his travels on the day in question may
“What is a theory but an assertion not backed by
well have yielded important evidence.”
proof? The Society For Forensic Medicine published
research conducted by Dr. Vernois, a French scien-
“Surely you informed the police, Pons.”
tist, completely debunking optical photography. No
one has yet disproved his conclusions.”
Pons laughed at this. “You think of me with my cur-
rent stature, Parker. Then I was an unknown begin-
It was clear that Pons gave no credence to the idea,
P a g e 6
T h e S o l a r P o n s G a z e t t e