ABSTRACT
Sherlock Holmes fandom is one of the largest and oldest in the world. This essay traces its origin to late Victorian transmedia practices that engaged fans to create a storyworld that was both inclusive of and surpassed Arthur Conan Doyle’s original publications. Using correspondents’ columns, letters to the editor, contests, pastiches, advertising, cross-promotion, and more, Victorian periodicals invited readers to participate in creating the ongoing saga (and backstory) of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson when Conan Doyle was no longer interested in extending the series. By providing multiple entry points and forms of engagement, periodicals and newspapers both benefitted from the free labor of their readership and established a loyal audience. These proto-fans were able to showcase their fandom expertise, establish boundaries around the characters, help build and expand upon the storyworld, and create a global community of readers with a shared vision of the character, his impact, and his legacy. Referencing Conan Doyle’s autobiography as well as entries in Victorian periodicals like Tit-Bits, the Strand, the Bookman, and various newspapers and advertisements, this essay argues that such engagement practices helped create an immersive transmedia experience that contributed to Holmes’ continued success and popularity today.
