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News: My Latest Steampunk Creations...

Wow, nearly 2013! This is the time I look back over my body of work in 2012 and assess where I am creatively. With large gaps in the year due to moving into a new studio and two extended hospital stays certainly took a toll on my productivity mid year. I'm really proud of the pieces I submitted to "The Antipodean Steampunk Show", an exhibition that will be touring for three years in regional Australia.

End of the Century: The Fin De Siecle's Role in Steampunk

With the new year right around the corner, it's time to talk about the end of the 19th century, a time which plays an enormous role in Steampunk. If you've done any reading of British books written from about 1890 to 1899, you may have come across the phrase 'fin de siecle' and wondered what it meant. You also may have come across this term in reading about the late Victorian era. No worries, I'll tell you all about it! Image by Giovanni Dicandia

News: Treat Yourself (Or Someone Else) to Steampunk Sex for the Holidays

A Steampunk's Guide to Sex was the subject of a recent successful Kickstarter campaign, and I now hold the finished book in my hands. As such, I can say (mostly) unreservedly that you should buy this book. Allow me to tell you why, before I get into the nitty-gritty about the book itself. Sex is something of an odd topic in America because it's perfectly legal, and yet taboo. Unlike things that are illegal and not taboo, like drug use, murder, theft, etc. What this means is that children can ...

Steampunk R&D Podcast 05: Roundtable Discussion with the Emperor

The Emperor of the Red Fork Empire, aka Justin Stanley, joins us again on Steampunk R&D. This time the subject matter is a little more meandering than last time when I interviewed him about his background as an artist, maker, and performer. If you want, you can check out that podcast first before listening to the latest one below. In this podcast, we talk about current events in the Steampunk world, such as TeslaCon 3 & 4, defining Steampunk, Lantern City, the TSA, and more. We may or may not...

News: Fun Wondering the Bookstore

So I was wondering around Barnes and Noble (which happens to be a very bad habit of mine) see what is new and just checking out the books. Granted I was also straightening shelves and tables as well, I used to work there and old habits die hard.

News: Treat Yourself (Or Someone Else) to Some Steampunk Music This Holiday Season!

Steampunk music is an oft-debated genre, full of bands playing all sorts of different sounds. While this can make it difficult to generalize about the genre as a whole, it means that the average person is bound to like at least some Steampunk bands. That's why it's a great idea to support some independent Steampunk bands this holiday season by buying their music for yourself, or sharing it with someone else.

News: Why Defining Steampunk Is Worthwhile

I've tried my hand in the past at defining Steampunk, but as anyone else who has made a similar attempt will tell you, there's a significant backlash from the community against working to create a real definition of what Steampunk is. That may sound ridiculous to some, but it's a very serious matter to others. With the recent announcement that TeslaCon 4 will be called the Congress of Steam, I think it's appropriate to talk about why all of this stuff is worth it. In this article, I'm going t...

News: The 26 Best Online Stores for Steampunk Christmas Shopping

The holiday season is creeping up fast, and if you're shopping for a Steampunk, it could be almost impossible to find anything for them unless you know exactly where to look. Luckily for you, some of us have done all of the work you'll need. Whether you're Steampunk shopping for Christmas, Hanukkah, Chrismukkah (yes, that's real), Kwanzaa, or Festivus, you're sure to find something for that special lady or gentleman in your life by taking a stroll down this list!

The Black Dandy: People of Color in Steampunk

I just returned from a trip overseas and I came across this great article over at The Chronicles of Harriet about the role of black men in the evolution of Dandyism. Dandyism rose to prominence at the end of the 19th century, so there's a clear connection to Steampunk. I hope that many black men embrace the fashion and find their way into steampunk!

Steampunk R&D Podcast 04: Matt Silva on How Artists Can Succeed in the Film Industry

In this episode of Steampunk Research and Development, our guest is Matt Silva, the co-founder and art director of Penny Dreadful Productions. While his current love is producing, Silva is also responsible for bringing to life some amazing creations in PDP's Remnant line, which we talk about on the show. Silva, who supports himself entirely from his work as an artist and a producer, talks about how he got to where he is today and offers advice for anyone interested in following in his steel-p...

Steampunk R&D Podcast 03: Justin Stanley on Art and Critique

Justin Stanley, better known to many as the Emperor of the Red Fork Empire, is both an artist and a personality within the Steampunk community. His contributions range far and wide, and in this episode of Steampunk Research and Development, he talks a lot about his artistic vision, how to be an artist, and how best to give and receive artistic criticism.

News: Why LEGO's New Monster Fighters Screams Steampunk DIY

For those who don't know, LEGO recently came out with a new line called Monster Fighters. This set is about fighting monsters, sure, but it's about fighting classic monsters in a Steampunk universe. Just look at this promotional picture from the LEGO site: That LEGO dude (properly called a minifig) is wearing a vest, pocket watch, bowler hat, and a mean smirk. Not to mention that he has a robotic leg. You won't find the word "steampunk" anywhere in this marketing campaign, but I call Steampun...

Steampunk R&D Podcast 02: Joey Marsocci on Professional Steampunking

This week on the Steampunk Research and Development Podcast, our guest is Joey Marsocci, better known to the world as Dr. Grymm. He's a full-time, professional Steampunk maker, and is the owner and operator of Dr. Grymm Laboratories. He's written several books and has worked as a designer at companies such as Hasbro and Disney. In fact, he worked with Disney to design the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attractions for both Paris and Tokyo Disney parks.

News: The Top 10 Steampunk Music Videos

"Jef with one F" from the Houston Press compiled a list of the 10 best steampunk songs, but it's really a collection of the best steampunk music videos. There are some amazing videos in the collection, such as this one, "Brass Goggles" by Steam-Powered Giraffe. It's not the best-looking, but it's a great performance.

News: Was Edison Sexy? Hollywood Thinks So

The show doesn't have a name yet, but a TV show following a "sexy" Thomas Edison is developed by NBC. Edison is best known for being the inventor of the light bulb, but is the subject of much controversy in the Steampunk world due to his less-than-savory business practices and poor treatment of contemporary Nikola Tesla. Would you watch a TV show about a hip, sexy Edison? I would, but I wouldn't like it.