So Ya Like Steampunk, Do Ya?

[Joey Deadcat]

Maybe it's cause of my love retro culture that I find dieselpunk a fascinating sci-fi sub-genre. I ever get my ass in gear I'd like to incorporate a lot of it in my DeadcatVerse(once I sort it out).

In any case, found a site dedicated to that side of things.

http://www.dieselpunks.org/

[Troy Spiral (13)]

I get a bit gunshy about these types of things for worrying about the knee-jerk reaction of them that get upset if you use the wrong pet-phrase for such things. But anyhow...

Steampunk being a bit of an amalgamation of fantasy/science fiction with a heavy does of alternative history surrounding the continued adoption of steam power and Victorian-age ideas/inventions. H.G. Wells / Jules Vern(Invisible Man, 20,000 Leagues/ The Time Machine) progressed further.

It has a complex history but just to throw it out there, most of us nerds found Steampunk on the map via the acclaim surrounding the book The Difference Engine co-authored by two near mythic status Sci-Fi "Cyberpunk authors" Bruce Serling and William Gibson (Gibson being the author of Neruomancer and creditied with coining the term "Cyberspace". Steam Punk at the time (and still) being considered a sub-sub genere of science fiction. That is first there is Sci Fi (or speculative fiction if you must) then there is Cyberpunk then Steam Punk. These days though Steampunk is widespread to the point of this distinction no longer being there and steampunk taking (it seems) precidence over Cyberpunk.

In the early days I don't remember the actual term "steam punk" being used all that much, it was more about alterantive history with sci fi and fantasy elements mixed in. I can re-trace the details with hindsight, but of course that vision is always 20/20. Of course the "elements" of Steampunk have been around probably since the industrial revolution itself.

I remember at the sci fi cons there was a lot of buzz around The Difference Engine. It still remains 'the book to read' in the genre despite it having mixed reviews and being cast out by some of the faithful.

I didn't really hear much about steampunk outside the Cyberpunk/Modern Sci Fi reader fanbase until the first rumblings of The League Of Extrodinary Gentelman by Allen Moore (Graphic Novel) movie started to go around.

As always the "real" history of such things is more subtle and varied but writing a novel length post on the subject isn't in the cards at the moment.

I like it, but the slight bias away from dystopia initially (years ago) turned me away from it. I've since rekindled an interest.

Unfortuantely for many it is more a fashion statement than anything. :(

[Troy Spiral (13)]

Ok, that was some seriously bad sentence/paragraph structure.

[Joey Deadcat]

Not familiar with much dieselpunk-type fiction as I am with its use in comics and film. Not sure if it's as big as steampunk as far as fashion movement/cosplay goes. However, I'm seeing a bit more of it in runway pics and custom designs.

[Joey Deadcat]

[Troy Spiral (13)]

I apologize for going off on a no-sleep induced side tangent there Joey. I didn't mean to derail your actual topic. Not feeling that great along with very little sleep kinda skewed my thinking.

I'm not totally sure I heard the term "dieselpunk" to describe the mid/pre atomic-age alternate future settings before. I like the "What if WW2 was still being fought or what if the cold war was still going on/ (non-thus diesel(?))nuclear powered and/or more 40/50s era-continues/Dystopia" type settings. I'm just not totally sure I was aware there was a specific term for it.

It seems (I feel the same about Steampunk) to be a bit too "pretty" or harmonious lets say, to have the word "punk" in its title. But the backstory of how the terms became big explains that. Not that there aren't many varying levels of grit to the universes some being much more hard-boiled lets say, and thus feeling more "punk" and less "glamor" to me.

For casual readers the distinction between Steampunk and "Diesel punk" (only using the quotations to indicate I'm just now getting used to the term) might seem slight but they are very different at least in the source material if not always the fashion. A century is a long time these days. Mid 1800s vs. Mid 1900s in this case.

[Soulrev]

Apparently I've been out of the loop on this one. I was wondering what the hell Steampunk was. Thanks for the outline, Troy.

[Msterbeau]

Diesel suits me a bit better then steam... but I likes em both.

[LulaLaRose]

Maybe it's cause of my love retro culture that I find dieselpunk a fascinating sci-fi sub-genre. I ever get my ass in gear I'd like to incorporate a lot of it in my DeadcatVerse(once I sort it out).

In any case, found a site dedicated to that side of things.

http://www.dieselpunks.org/

Neat site! Thanks for sharing!

[Saint Germain]

Dieselpunk Rocks!

Who needs brass if you can have chrome

Edited August 13, 2009 by Saint Germain

[Joey Deadcat]

I apologize for going off on a no-sleep induced side tangent there Joey. I didn't mean to derail your actual topic. Not feeling that great along with very little sleep kinda skewed my thinking.

I'm not totally sure I heard the term "dieselpunk" to describe the mid/pre atomic-age alternate future settings before. I like the "What if WW2 was still being fought or what if the cold war was still going on/ (non-thus diesel(?))nuclear powered and/or more 40/50s era-continues/Dystopia" type settings. I'm just not totally sure I was aware there was a specific term for it.

It seems (I feel the same about Steampunk) to be a bit too "pretty" or harmonious lets say, to have the word "punk" in its title. But the backstory of how the terms became big explains that. Not that there aren't many varying levels of grit to the universes some being much more hard-boiled lets say, and thus feeling more "punk" and less "glamor" to me.

For casual readers the distinction between Steampunk and "Diesel punk" (only using the quotations to indicate I'm just now getting used to the term) might seem slight but they are very different at least in the source material if not always the fashion. A century is a long time these days. Mid 1800s vs. Mid 1900s in this case.

Nah, I know what you're getting at.

If I gotta be honest I'd say Fantastic Victoriana and pulp-style would be much more apt terms. The "punk" suffix is surperfluous and (in my view, anyway) there to just make the genre sound "cooler". Even now you also have the terms clockpunk and candlepunk.

When it comes down to it it's all fantastic and speculative fiction, yes?

[Joey Deadcat]

Dieselpunk Rocks!

Who needs brass if you can have chrome

Great imagery there!

[Fidget(+)]

I like both :D

I agree with Lula thanks for sharing the link

[Guest Megalicious]

YAY for Steampunk!!!

I found a really neat old clock in CA, and took it apart. I am sending the parts to a friend who makes wonderful steampunk stuff!!!! ( I heart you!)

[Simon Bar Sinister]

I'm into rotary-engine punk, myself.

[Saint Germain]

The next thing will be Renewable Punk.

Prepare for Hybrid Guns and biodegradable outfits

[Nightgaunt]

Let's see...we've got Cyberpunk, Dieselpunk, Clockpunk, Candlepunk, Bronzepunk, Plaguepunk, and Stonepunk...and those are just the variations I've seen to date. All of them rife with poissibilities...

[Head Wreck]

you forgot absinthe punk.

[Joey Deadcat]

I'd say I like the terms pulp-style,retro-futurism,Raygun Gothic,and Atomic Age.

[Head Wreck]

theres also what has become known as "pulp sci fi", 1940's-1950's styled sci fi, maybe even set at that time or look.

[StormKnight (1)]

Me, I would much rather game in the world of the high Science Fiction/Blade Runner future than pure pulp genre. Though pulp science/powers are kind of cool. Case in point; The Nile Empire from Torg.

Edited August 19, 2009 by StormKnight

[candyman]

I'm into rotary-engine punk, myself.

Hey you punks keep throwing apex seals out at me! Cut it out!

[StormKnight (1)]

I'm into rotary-engine punk, myself.

Same here. Just haven't had the funds to get the car restored to Bathurst R specs for a bit. Hopefully within a year or so.

Hey you punks keep throwing apex seals out at me! Cut it out!

Never had a problem with the apex seals being spat out. Now as to someone overheating the engine to warping, that is another issue...

[candyman]

Never had a problem with the apex seals being spat out. Now as to someone overheating the engine to warping, that is another issue...

Race week with the mazda crew always means the I can make a chest plate out of their apex seals...something about horrible abuse of an engine on the track...

Well hey there is an idea...make an outfit from all the crap you find in the junk pile after race week...you would have an original look and the smell of burned tires hugging your body...

[Head Wreck]

rotary engines...

drinkies

and the Ro80 was epic fail