Steampunk
Synonyms: | |
See also: | science fiction, alternate history, cyberpunk, diesel punk, Historical AU |
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Steampunk was originally a term for a sub-genre of speculative fiction that imitated 19th Century "scientific romances" like the work of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. Later, the term was applied to a general aesthetic involving styles that would be "futuristic" from the perspective of the 19th Century.
Steampunk is so popular that it has its own fan conventions. It is a popular style for cosplay, costuming and crafting; anything can and will be steampunk-ified. There are individual media fandoms for which the canon is steampunk, e.g. The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne. Outside of steampunk fandom, it is used in fanworks like fanfic and fanart, often in AUs for non-steampunk canons.
History of the term
The term steampunk was coined in the 1980s, though many important early steampunk works were written in the 1960s and 70s, and these works showed the influence of 19th Century authors like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. The literary/media genre later expanded to include works set in worlds with advanced steam-powered technology, not just those recognizeably set in the 19th Century.[1]
Aesthetic
The core of the steampunk aesthetic is futuristic/sci-fi styles from a 19th Century, usually Victorian or Edwardian, perspective: clocks, gears, springs, steam power, analog computers, typewriters, airships, etc. This has also been described as "retro-futurism".
The influence of the fashion, architecture, technology, and interior design of Victorian London have a huge impact on the steampunk aesthetic. However, some people have expanded the style to include the same kind of retro-futurism from a non-Western perspective.
Japanese media are particularly known for steampunk themes and styles, particularly in the Final Fantasy games and in many anime and manga series. How universally these are considered steampunk and how available they are in English varies widely. Some Japanese steampunk seems to draw from the same Victorian roots as Western steampunk. Other Japanese steampunk draws heavily from Meiji, Taisho, or early Showa Japan.
Steampunk fashion often involves corsets, bustles, top hats, pocket watches, goggles, vests, and aspects of 19th Century military uniforms. It has ties to various forms of Neo-Victorianism, Elegant Gothic Lolita and Elegant Gothic Aristocrat styles in Japan, and many Goth styles elsewhere.
Steampunk objects frequently feature polished brass, inlaid hardwoods, decorative gears, and clock parts.
Steampunk Canons
Steampunk is a common genre and/or aesthetic in certain types of role playing games and in anime and manga. It is often hard to find in live action media (especially ongoing tv series) due to the high costs of the costumes, props, and set design, but many examples do exist. Many of the most common steampunk canons don't have fanfiction-producing fandoms associated with them, and a fair amount of non-English steampunk has yet to be translated into English. The examples below are all steampunk or have elements of steampunk, but opinions on whether they count as "fandoms" may differ.
Live Action:
- The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
- The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.
- The Wild Wild West (both the original tv show and the more recent movie)
- The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (movie)
- Warehouse 13
- Tin Man
- Perfect Creature
Anime & Manga:
- Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
- Clover by CLAMP
- Many films by Hayao Miyazaki including Laputa and Howl's Moving Castle
- Tsukumo Nemuru Shizume
Other Comics:
- Girl Genius by Phil & Kaja Foglio
- The original comic of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Games (tabletop, console, computer):
- Many of the Final Fantasy games, particularly in the character and airship designs
- GURPS
- Thief
- Dishonored
Crafts and Costuming
totally bigger as a crafts/costuming thing than an English-speaking fanfic thing--this section should be a lot more significant
- those awesome keyboards
Publications
- Steampunk Magazine
Criticism of steampunk in fandom
There is some criticism of steampunk (of fan- as well as pro-works) in fandom because it sometimes wallows in the Victorian era, even valorizing it and certain of its narratives (like of the scientist explorer) without examing the colonialism, imperialism and racism underpinning it:"In celebrating the figure of the adventurer and explorer, steampunk buys into certain assumptions. One: that there are places to explore and discover - the idea that a land can only be discovered by your culture, and has been previously unexplored even if people have been living there for centuries. Two: that, as naraht points out, "deep down, or perhaps not so deep down, there's a sense in steampunk that having an empire must after all have been rather fun". [...] And perhaps this is the crux of My Thoughts on Steampunk: it's a superficial understanding of the Victorian age without wanting to understand the anxieties of the age."[2]
(this needs expansion/explanation by someone who knows more about steampunk and its issues)"Steampunk is paradoxical in that it claims to be all post-modern yet is all about the uncomplicated triumph of objective, uber-cool science. In fact this is a very modern notion, for which "modern" read "bright and shiny and wonderful right around 1880 or so." No wonder geeks are nostalgic. For a while there scientists really did believe that they were going to rule the world. Indeed, "scientific" theories of race did a great deal to prop up the imperialist project."[3]
Example fanworks
Harry Potter
Fanart:
Merlin
Fanfic:
- The Metal Dragon series by Miakun
- Flight by danse-amore
- Steam by new_kate. A canon timeline reincarnation futurefic.
Fanart:
- Steampunk Merlin and Arthur and Steampunk Morgana and Gwen by bunnyluz
- Arthur Steampunk by CallistaMythol
- Woo Merlin by fera-festiva
- Mechanic!Gwen, Steam!Morgana, some tree and background talk and Steampunk!AU - Merlin & Morgana, nowhere to be found by Yue KX
- steampunk!Merlin and steampunk!Arthur + the dare by aeroport_art
- Drawbles! steampunk!Uther by phoq
- Steampunk Morgana by dealan311
- Steampunk Handjobs by pandora_gold. After a Con, Merlin and Arthur dressed as Steampunk, and make out back in a hotel room. NSFW!
SGA
Fanart:
- It's a Strange World by steammmpunk (done for Painted Spires)
- Steampunk AU by Leyna55
Fanfic:
- Blue Colorado Skies by Xparrot
- Little By Little To the Truth; or a Narrative of the Atlantis Expedition by Telesilla
- Atlantis: Quest for the Lost City (Chapter 5) by Rheanna (inspired by Leyna55's Steampunk AU fanart, see above)
Star Trek
Fan Film:
Star Wars
Fanart:
Supernatural
Fanart:
Fanfic:
- Steam by bellatemple (for a Big Bang, so it comes with art by mithborien )
Hetalia
Fanfic:
External Links
- Wikipedia article on Steampunk
- Steampunk redux by Naraht
- steampunk: my issues, let me show you them by forthwritten
- steampunk @ dreamwidth
- Beyond Victoriana - "Beyond Victoriana is a blog about multicultural steampunk and retro-futurism--that is, steampunk outside of a Western-dominant, Eurocentric framework."
- Works tagged with "Steampunk" at AO3
- Just Glue Some Gears On It - music video by Pikedevant about the correct definition of the word "steampunk" (on Youtube)
References
- ^ For more on the literary genre and steampunk outside of fandom, see the wikipedia article on steampunk. (Accessed September 28, 2010.)
- ^ forthwritten. steampunk: my issues, let me show you them (accessed 30 Mar 2010)
- ^ Naraht. Steampunk redux(accessed 30 Mar 2010)