History of Steampunk and other retro futuristic genres derived from science fiction cyberpunk. Includes new emerging trends and futures.
Presented at Teslacon 2014.
2. • The history and
interpretation of
Steampunk varies.
• There are as many
definitions as there
are Steampunkers.
• This is my
interpretation.
• YMMV.
4. First, there was Science
Fiction/Fantasy
• And, from there in the early 80s, evolved
Cyberpunk.
• Dystopian SF; a genre noir. Highly focused
on cybernetic futures, high tech and failing
societies.
4
5. The Cyberpunk genre expanded
Writers created cyberpunk-type worlds but without
cybernetics; some were set in Victorian England and
copied conventions of Victorian Literature.
5
6. And suddenly a new genre is born…
Dear Locus,
Personally, I think Victorian fantasies
are going to be the next big thing, as
long as we can come up with a fitting
collective term for Powers, Blaylock
and myself. Something based on the
appropriate technology of the era;
like 'steam-punks', perhaps.
—K.W. Jeter
6
Published April, 1987
9. Crafts & DIY
• DIY and Maker
• Aside from cosplay, most other
subcultures do not have such a
strong emphasis on DIY
• Not do they have such a strong
emphasis on sharing
10. Music
• Abney Park
• Charles von Vitic
• The Clockwork Dolls
• The Clockwork Quartet
• The Cog is Dead
• Corset
• Darcy James Argue's
Secret Society
• Doctor Steel
• The Extraordinary
Contraptions
• H U M A N W I N E
• Insomniac Folklore
• Jon Magnificent
• Jill Tracy
• Les Claypool
• The Men That Will Not
Be Blamed for Nothing
• Poplock Holmes
• Professor Elemental
• Psyche Corporation
• Rasputina
• Steam Powered Giraffe
• Sunday Driver
• Thomas Truax
• Unextraordinary
Gentlemen
• Unwoman
• Vernian Process
• Veronique Chevalier
• Voltaire
11. Performance Art
• Rocky Horror
• Steampunk
• Airship Isabella
• Carnival Epsilon
• League of STEAM
• Penny Dreadful Productions
13. And promptly spilt into multiple
Sub-genres itself
• High Vic
• Low Vic
• Airship
• Dieselpunk
• Far East
• Clockpunk/Watchpunk
• Wild West (cattlepunk)…
15. 15
Steampunk Genre Family Tree
Postcyberpunk
• New authors, grew up with
cyberpunk, take it to the
next generation. Typically
not dystopian.
• Neal Stephenson's The
Diamond Age
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand
Alone Complex
Cyberprep
• Writing with a utopian
vision instead of a
dystopian vision.
16. 16
Steampunk Genre Family Tree
RetroFuturistic
• Depictions of current or
future times based on what
previous times had
projected.
• Steampunk
• Neo-Victorianism
• Teslapunk
• Dieselpunk
• Decopunk
• Atompunk
17. 17
Steampunk Genre Family Tree
Futuristic
• Variations of Steampunk
set in future environments
rather than retro-future
environments
• Ribofunk by Paul Di Filippo
• The Windup Girl by Paolo
Bacigalupi
• Nanopunk, Nathan McGrath
• Biopunk
• Nanopunk
18. 18
Steampunk Genre Family Tree
Other
• Not really classifiable
• Stonepunk
• Clockpunk
• Splatterpunk
• Elfpunk
• Mythpunk
• WizardPunk
• NerfPunk
• RococoPunk
23. Core Differentiators
From Adam
Heine’s Blog.
Data from
Wikipedia,
retrieved July
7, 2012.
• Canon
• There is no canon for Steampunk
• “There are no rules”
• Across media
• Not just a book, or a movie, or a game
• Cross-pollination
• Everyone borrows off of everyone else
• And that’s OK
24. Future Trends?
From Adam
Heine’s Blog.
Data from
Wikipedia,
retrieved July
7, 2012.
• IBM
• Steampunk a “New Retail
Trend in the Making.”
• “During 2013-2015, IBM predicts
that steampunk will shift from low
production, high cost “craft”
manufacturing to mass production.”
• IBM Social Sentiment Index
25. Summary
From Adam
Heine’s Blog.
Data from
Wikipedia,
retrieved July
7, 2012.
• Since its start in 1987
• Expanded in people, media,
popularity
• Split into many subgeneres
• Gone from a splinter into a subculture
and now going mainstream
• “No Rules”
• Allows it to grow, morph, expand