Steampunk FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the World of Goggles Airships and Time Travel

by Mike Perschon

Overview

(FAQ). "What is steampunk?" Going beyond the standard default definitions of "Victorian science fiction," "yesterday's tomorrow today," or some other equally vague or limited description, Steampunk FAQ provides a historical exploration of its literary and cinematic origins. The journey begins with a look at steampunk's genesis in the novels and short stories of three Californians who hung out a lot with Philip K. Dick, before moving on to the inspirations and antecedents of steampunk. Contrary to what many articles and books say, steampunk's direct inspiration is arguably far more cinematic than literary, a likely reaction to the many film adaptations, pastiches, and knockoffs of the scientific romances of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells. While Verne, Wells, and a host of other Victorian and Edwardian writers have influenced steampunk fiction, cinematic elements from films such as Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and George Pal's Time Machine (1960) show up more often as immediate influences on the style we call steampunk. In offering a celebration of steampunk's style and cultural aesthetic, Steampunk FAQ also explores its connection to cyberpunk, the world of fashion, comics, and culture around the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781617136641
Publisher:	Backbeat
Publication date:	09/01/2018
Series:	FAQ Series
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	1,153,646
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Mike Perschon is best known in steampunk circles as "The Steampunk Scholar," because of the blog of the same name he started in 2008, which has been hailed as the best website for reviews of steampunk fiction by The Steampunk Tribune. Perschon has been interviewed extensively on steampunk for books such as James Carrot's Vintage Tomorrows, documentaries such as Unwoman's Beautiful Fish, and websites from personal blogs to the New York Times online. He has published a mix of academic and popular articles on steampunk. Perschon lives in Edmonton, Canada.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

1 What Is Steampunk? The Goggled Gaze 1

2 The California Trinity 13

3 Is Steampunk Alternate History? 32

4 Are Jules Verne and H. G. Wells Steampunk? 56

5 In the Grand Fantasy Tradition of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells 72

6 The Underground Resistance: Steampunk in the 1990s 94

7 A Decade of Steampunk Cinema: The Good, the Bad, and the Disney 110

8 Steampunk Anime 134

9 Writing the Second Wave: 2009 158

10 Putting the Punk in Steampunk 178

11 The Maker Invasion 197

12 Steampunk Fashion 214

13 Steampunk Music: The Elusive Sound of Steam 235

14 Unconventional Conventions: Steampunk Gatherings 253

15 Steampunk Gaming 268

16 Steampunk Comics 294

Afterword: What Is Steampunk Today? 317

Selected Bibliography 325

Index 327