Starting on October 31st and running for three days, there’s less than three weeks to go until Whitby Goth Weekend, where thousands of people will descend on the small coastal town. From Goths, Emos, Bikers and Metallers to Punks and steampunks; Whitby Goth Weekend is a hive of activity, people dressing up, showing off their costuming skills or simply meeting up with friends. Up until the start of the event, I’ll be posting various articles on what to expect, but please also read previous articles on how to conduct one’s self when photographing people. In this article, I’ve posted what articles I can about WGW. You can read them by clicking the links below.

October 31 is Goth weekend in Whitby. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Back in July this year, steampunk model Amy Wilder attended the San Diego Comic Convention wearing a gold bikini, coupled with a gun, holster, short jacket and obligatory goggles. Since then she’s had a lot of flak about whether the outfit was steampunk or not.

The main issue stemmed around the fact that a bikini wasn’t befitting of the time that she was trying to recreate. After all, it wasn’t invented until the 1940’s. It’s put me into a quandary as to who’s side I fall on. You see in principle I agree with the nay-sayers that a bikini wasn’t in use during the time period that we take our inspiration from. My biggest gripe is the material used. If the bikini had been made from lace or cotton, it maybe wouldn’t have as much of a negative impact.

One of the leading issues I have with the people who have been negative about it is that when Miss Wilder posted a picture on her Facebook page, she pointed out that she wanted to prove that she could “steampunk even the most ridiculous of things“. So was it intended as a tongue in cheek approach to the sub-culture? Possibly. If it was, then the pessimists look rather silly now.

To me, questioning someone’s outfit questions their interest in steampunk. Miss Wilder was essentially accused of not being a steampunk. Look through her Facebook page and she talks about steampunk all the time. She has albums dedicated to steampunk, alt and cosplay and her Model Mayhem account is littered with steampunk images. If you want more proof that she is a steampunk, she constantly gets fitted out by Brute Force Studios. Anyone that Brute Force give a nod to are good sports in my Journal.

Lady Clankington, Kato and Amy Wilder

In the comments section of her recent post, she posted a triptych featuring Lady Clankington, Kato and herself. She labelled them “Steampunk Royalty”, “Steampunk Supermodel” and “offensive, not steampunk” and I can see her argument. All three are ladies that use their bodies to promote themselves but also enjoy steampunk. However, as a photographer, I can see striking contrasts (no pun intended). You see, in the pictures Lady Clankington wears lace undergarments, Kato is in vintage styled lingerie accessorised with pearls and a cameo while Miss Wilder is in a shiny gold bikini. Lady Clankington and Kato are in subtle (albeit saucy) poses, while Miss Wilder looks over her shoulder in a poorly executed 1990’s glamour pose that serves nothing but the lurid minds of people not appreciating her for her cosplay efforts.

Now let’s take a look at the wider issues. Steampunk is all encompassing. We’re a jolly lot that welcome anyone into the culture and we’re proud to say that – unlike Victorian re-enactment – we can express ourselves as we wish. I’ve known people wear swimming goggles on their hats. So for anyone calling themselves a steampunk to approach someone else and berate them because they don’t fit in with a preconceived ideal is just not cricket. But then, my mind wanders to the rest of the outfit. There’s no denying that Miss Wilder is a steampunk. Saying that, the outfit she wore at SDCC – in my opinion – would be better designated as cyberpunk. To me, the bikini with the blaster rifle and her friends clad in latex suggests more a dystopian technological future where the world was suddenly thrust into a global war and everyone had to grab a gun and fight regardless of what they’re wearing.

My biggest concern about the whole thing is who these people thought they were that they can approach someone and say they aren’t steampunk. Just because she isn’t wearing what they think she should be wearing. Is that the ideal of steampunk? As steampunk becomes more fashionable and more people are introduced to it, we will see more of this, I dare say. Younger steampunks will start to evolve the culture and make it different to how it is now. Older steampunks may not like that and dig their heels in. There’s always a possibility that it will make steampunk unpleasant. Should steampunk change? Over on steamychums, another writer discussing this very story suggests that steampunk is an art form and as art it should be left to naturally evolve. Yet back in January, I posted an article about the rise in popularity of steampunk. It’s a buzz word. We’re in danger of steampunk being evolved by people who aren’t really steampunks because they’re “putting their own twist on it”. If they’re not steampunks I don’t want their twist on it and from that point of view I can see where the remarks came from.

But Amy Wilder IS a steampunk and should be met with the same courtesy that we extend to everyone inside AND outside our culture.

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Cogs in Time author list

The adventure continues and the cogs keep on turning as you set sail aboard magnificent airships, venture into exotic times and places, revisit some of your favorite characters, and fall in love with new heroes and rogues.

Cogs in Time 2 front cover

In dusty towns, remote areas, thriving cities, and secret worlds, a strange technological revolution reigns. Inventors, dreamers, and revolutionist rule in worlds of steam driven machines, cog powered humanoids, clockwork miracles, and paranormal magic. Dressed in corsets, top hats, and cog lined finery, the heroes and heroines exist somewhere between futuristic technology and ancient knowledge.

Twenty talented authors, artists and poets have come together to bring you volume 2 of this Steampunk Anthology series. The product of this collaboration is an incredible journey through a blend of sci-fi, fantasy, action, adventure, history, paranormal, and romance that embraces the roots of Steampunk while pushing the genre to new, bolder limits.

Meet the authors:

Wayne Carey- “A life-long fan of science fiction, Wayne Carey grew up reading H.G. Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Isaac Asimov, and all the grand masters of the genre, guiding him toward a career in science with degrees in biology and education and providing the desire to write from an early age. A love of classic and noire films, such as Casablanca and the Maltese Falcon, also influences his writing. He and his wife Brenda live in the wilds of Central Pennsylvania with their three children, who provide a great deal of inspiration for his work.”

Michael Cross- Michael Cross has been a writer and amateur explorer for most of his life. He began submitting his original writing in 2013 with two short stories, Tell Her She was Loved and The Promise, both accepted by Xchyler Publishing and are due to be released early 2014 in anthologies. Most recently he is a blogger and works to share his love of the past and all things steampunk (whenever he is not working as a shrink). You may learn more about him at The Hidden Library of Michael-Cross or on Twitter @TheCrossLibrary.

Nicole L Daffurn- Nicole’s love for the written word has seen her write many short stories and poems and then eventually moving on to tackle the bigger task of novel writing late in 2011. She has also completed her course in editing and is currently studying Journalism and looks forward to exploring the world of news media.

Deborah Dalton-Deborah Dalton has a total of three short stories published, including “Sandy Marlin: Frontier Brewer” in the first Cogs in Time anthology

SJ Davis- SJ Davis is the daughter of an ex-patriate British mother and a Southern Baptist ex-CIA father. As a child, she spoke in silly accents and recounted outlandish tales of fantasy over afternoon tea and to this day it remains her favorite activity. Born in Long Island, NY, she was raised in the suburbs of Washington DC and went to school for a very long time (University of Virginia and George Mason University), married an all-around wonderful man, had two kids (smart, funny, full of opinions), moved from Virginia to New Jersey to Philadelphia to Chicago to Detroit, and began her writing career. She is a believer in passionate romance and love at first sight, an avid tea drinker, a stiletto aficionado, Doc Marten worshipper, punk rock listener, and lover of flip flops and cardigans. She has a terrible sense of direction, loves Twizzlers, and is a Johnny Depp fangirl.

Aubrey Diamant –  Aubrey Diamant is one half of the writing team Diamant, known for the “Night Boys” series. Living by night a crazy hotel night auditor when left to his own devices have led to some funny stories. Gender non conformist, LGBTQ activist, artist,NightLife Boy, wig aficionado, wearer of nail varnish, costume maker, former comic book writer and devout Pethead. He is a pretty boy at large; sometimes he does manage to write a book or two.

K.C. Finn- Born in South Wales to Raymond and Jennifer Finn, Kimberley Charlotte Elisabeth Finn (known to readers as K.C., otherwise it’d be too much of a mouthful) was one of those corny little kids who always wanted to be a writer. She was also incredibly stubborn, and so she finally achieved that dream in 2013 with the release of the four-part Caecilius Rex saga, the time travel adventure The Secret Star and her new 2014 young adult series SYNSK, with Clean Teen Publishing.

Eada Janes- Born and raised in the wonderful St. Louis, Mo area. Eada Janes is a hometown girl at heart. You can find her walking by the banks of the mighty Mississippi river, dancing the night away at the local clubs, or snuggled up in front of her fire with a good book and a cup of warm cocoa. After graduating with a degree in fine arts and working in the corporate world of retail for many years, she has decided to return to her creative roots and brave a brand new start as an independent author. You can find her work in Cogs in Time, Cogs in Time 2, and Les Vaproistes

Jeannette Joyal-Jeannette Joyal lives in North Carolina with her husband for the last 14 years. A proud mother of four daughters, one son and has also been blessed with six beautiful granddaughters who are the light of her life. She works for Hot Ink Press as Head of Strategic Marketing. She has recently tried her hand at writing and has completed a couple of poems. Both have now been published with Crushing Hearts. This has given her the encouragement to write some short stories.

Samantha Ketteman- Samantha Ketteman has resided in southern Illinois for 7 years, (though still claims to be an Alabama girl), with her husband and three crazy demon children. She started reading novels at a very young age and decided to write for herself. She is a caffeine addict, insomniac, and generally scatterbrained most of the time. When she’s not writing, she’s getting lost in her imagination. Novels are an escape from the harsh reality of a cantankerous teenage boy and two drama queen girls.

Faith Marlow-In the fifth grade, Faith Marlow discovered a fondness and talent for writing and has considered herself a storyteller ever since. In addition to writing, she is an avid reader, movie connoisseur, and a veritable repository for all manner of useless yet entertaining knowledge. Faith is proud member of the Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing family.

Sherwin Matthews- Sherwin has been living in fantasy worlds within the confines of his head for most of his life. How it is that he has been able to exist this way is of greater mystery than he can conceive, leaving him thankful that he is at least politely indulged by those around him, whom most likely find some amusement in his extravagances. One day he fears that he’ll have to give up and join the real world.

Emma Michaels- Emma Michaels is a cover artist, blogger, and author of the ‘Society of Feathers’ series. Her love of blogging started when she created a book blog in 2009 which gave her the courage to finally submit her own novels to publishers. Emma Michaels’ publications now include Owlet and Eyrie (Tribute Books), Holiday Magick Anthology (Spencer Hill Press), and Cirque d’Obscure Anthology and Cogs in Time Anthology (Crushing Hearts Black Butterfly).

Jeff Motsinger- Jeff Motsinger is a loving husband to Demetria Motsinger with two children ( Nikolai and Dani Jo).Born and raised in lovely Southern Illinois, he spends his extra time playing rpgs online. Jeff has a passion for drawing, but loves to write fantasy style stories.

Lexi Ostrow -Lexi has been a writer ever since the second grade in some form or another. Getting her degree in creative writing and her master’s in journalism she couldn’t wait to get a chance to put her fantasies down on paper. Her debut novel, Torn Between Two Worlds is something that was simmering in her mind since middle school and she’s so grateful to put it out into the literary world. From paranormal romance to thriller there isn’t a genre she doesn’t love to spend her time reading or writing.

Beth W. Patterson- Beth Patterson was a full-time musician for over two decades before sidestepping into the world of writing (a process she describes as “fleeing the circus to join the zoo”).  Patterson has played in over a dozen countries across the Americas, Europe, Japan, and Australia. She appears on over a hundred and twenty albums (including seven solo albums of her own) in addition to a smattering of soundtracks, videos, commercials, and voice-overs. Various artists have recorded over a hundred of her compositions and co-writes. She studied ethnomusicology at University College Cork, Ireland and holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy from Loyola University New Orleans.

Monica Reents- Monica Reents was born and raised in Kansas. She lives with her husband, four children, and one spoiled dog. Her background is in the health field and in criminal justice. She loves to hunt for antique treasures with her husband, has an addiction to coffee, and buys books faster than she can read them. She has had a love of reading since she was a young child and began writing poetry in her early teens. Monica never goes anywhere without a notebook and pen, saying that you never know when a story will find you. Writing had been a hobby for over twenty years, before deciding to take it seriously. She is currently working on her first fiction novel while continuing to write poetry.

Cindy J. Smith- All my her life, Cindy has written poetry. She is an older person, not quite as old as dirt and not good at playing the part of “starving artist”.  So, she has had many different jobs in her life, a Jane of all Trades. Currently she drives a truck Over-the-road with her husband. She has a beautiful daughter who is now an angel and a wonderful granddaughter.  She recently reissued her poetry books: Voices In My Head and They Won’t Shut Up.  She also has poems in several anthologies and books by fellow authors.

Andrea L. Staum- Andrea L. Staum is author of the Dragonchild Lore series and The Attic’s Secret Novella. She is also a contributor to a wide variety of anthologies in numerous genres. She is a trained motorcycle mechanic, an amateur house renovator, and a record keeper for the characters in her mind. She resides in South Central Wisconsin with her husband and three cats.

Catherine Stovall- Catherine is a fearless creature who surrounds herself with the joys of life both in and out of her fictional worlds. She lives in Southeast Missouri with her husband, three children, and pets. When not writing, she spends her time riding motorcycles, wearing elaborate hats, and genuinely enjoying the oddities in life.

Cory Turner- Cory M, S Turner, was born and raised in Missouri. He’s a writer at heart, day dreaming his days away as he works his days away. Cogs in Time 2 is his debut into the world of publishing.

Professor Ψ by Amarillis Cargnin

If I was to ask what band or artist was the most steampunk, we’d be here all day. I also saw an article recently that told us Electro Swing was the music choice for steampunk. I’m not entirely sure where that came from, so I thought I’d put it to you.

Therefore, I’m curious to find out what type of music you think captures the spirit of steampunk.

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The Migrant Skyscraper from Yanko Design.
Designers: Damian Przybyła by Rafał Przybyła

The World on a Wheel: Moving Buildings in Steampunk
One of the great joys of steampunk lies in making everything a bit more mechanical. Whether it’s a steam powered prosthetic arm, a gun with extra pistons down the sides, or just jewellery made of gears and levers, everything’s better with a little layer of nineteenth century technology.

When it comes to mechanising, it doesn’t get much bigger than buildings. But the buildings of the Victorian era were already starting to be filled with mechanisms. So how can we take this further and make steampunk buildings really distinctive?

By making them move.

Words by Andrew Knighton

A flying fortress
Given the popularity of airships, it’s no surprise that we see flying buildings in steampunk. The film Steamboy contains a classic example of this, as the film’s steam castle takes to the skies for the climactic act, in which this vast flying fortress threatens to crash, bringing ruin down upon London.

Gail Carriger’s Finishing School books similarly feature a flying institution, this time the finishing school of the series’ title. Mademoiselle Geraldine’s is the ultimate place of learning for young ladies preparing for a life in high society and a career in espionage. Where better to learn the arts of tea and subterfuge than out of sight of the rest of the world, up above the clouds? And this creates great opportunities for excitement, with characters hanging from the side of the flying building or caught in the crossfire as it’s ambushed by balloon-riding highwaymen.

Put some wheels on it
While flight might be a more romantic way to travel, the reality of the Victorian era relied on wheeled vehicles. Fortunately that has also inspired some great escapes from reality, with artists in particular adding wheels to buildings to give them that steampunk edge. Google ‘steampunk moving house’ and you’ll see what I mean.
Perhaps the most impressive example is Neverwas Haul, a house on wheels built for the Burning Man festival in 2006. It’s an incredible contraption made largely of recycled materials, made all the more remarkable because the creators didn’t just draw or write about it – they made their moving building a reality.

Whole cities
Most of these examples are just a single moving building in a setting where the rest are still. How much cooler would it be to have a whole moving city?
Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines series may be set in the future, but its technological aesthetic is still a very steampunk one, full of smokestacks and airships, boiler rooms and billows of steam. Most gloriously steampunk of all is the core concept of the books – that the cities of the world all now moving, roaming the globe on vast soot-spewing engines. It’s a city-eat-city world of municipal Darwinism, combining steam power with the brutal evolutionary ideas that also first sprang up in the
Victorian era.

In my own story ‘Urban Drift’, available in the Riding the Mainspring collection, I’ve also included a city where everything moves, though this time it’s buildings moving around each other within the city, all parts of some great machine. Where better to set a chase scene than in streets that take part in the chase?

Why stay still?
In steampunk we can modify anything, move anything. With so much potential, why would you ever want to live in a house that just sits still?

About the Author:
Andrew is a freelance writer based in Stockport, England, where the grey skies provide a good motive to stay inside at the word processor. His collection of steampunk stories, Riding the Mainspring, is available through Amazon and Smashwords and he is planning a science fiction collection for later this year. He blogs about science fiction, fantasy and writing at andrewknighton.com and can be found on Twitter as @gibbondemon.

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In this world of post apocalyptic films, dystopian stories, war, dredgery and misery; steampunk is a little shining light at the end of the week where we can put aside our differences, zip up the stuffy, ignorant commuter character we use through the week and be polite and splendid to one another for a few hours.

In a world of mindless sheep where everyone dresses the same to line the pockets of large fashion houses, we can make our own clothes or recycle old/vintage clothing to make it a unique costume which turns heads.

But what would you do if steampunk ended tomorrow? There’s no explanation why or how, but just imagine it ended tomorrow. What would you do? How would you fill your life?

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Copyright photofairground

I’ve been contacted by the splendid Professor Elemental (adventurer, tea drinker and bad ass emcee) to spread the word about his latest venture. His newest record is called Don’t Feed the Trolls and is a campaign to end trolling by simply ignoring them. After all, the reason they do it is to start arguments. Then they’ll either argue it out or slip out of the loop and watch everyone squabble among themselves.

The target to make a video for the track has been reached already. The rest of the funds will be spread out to various charities. Have a read of the press release below and have a think about donating.

Professor Elemental is on a mission. After several years of youtube hits and worldwide tours, the steam powered emcee has taken aim at the darker side of the internet, with his new single ‘Don’t feed the trolls’.

Not satisfied with getting the word out via the music alone, the acclaimed inventor of the ‘chap hop’ genre wants to make a video, raise money for charity and spread awareness all at the same time. Three days after his Indiegogo campaign went live to help him make a video, it reached its target and the fundraising shows no sign of slowing down! The Professor has pledged that every penny from here on in will be given away to local charities, all of which do vital work for young people across the country.  The campaign’s message is simple, don’t feed the trolls and don’t become one. With a bit of help from his friends, the Professor might just succeed in making the internet nicer for everybody. 

ABOUT PROFESSOR ELEMENTAL  Professor Elemental has created a unique neo-Victorian blend of hip hop and comedy, and is the man behind the youtube hits, ‘Cup Of Brown Joy’ and ‘Fighting Trousers’. His multi award winning  music charts subjects such as steam-powered flight, lovely horses, strange inventions and a nice cup of tea! ‘chap hop’s leading exponent’ –  The Wall Street journal   ‘A youtube Hit’ – Daily Telegraph 

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN  The campaign aims to raise £3500 to make a music video, directed by the brilliant Caroline Iandoli. Any further funds will be given to one of three locally based charities; Ditch the label (anti-bullying), Audioactive (music workshops) and Impact Initiatives (an umbrella organisation which houses Brighton’s young peoples centre).
The initial target has now been reached, so any help getting more fund will mean more money going directly to each charity. 
Ditch The Label: http://www.ditchthelabel.org
Audioactive: www.audioactive.org.uk The Young People’s Centre: http://impact-initiatives.org.uk/young-peoples-centre/
USEFUL LINKS 
The campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/don-t-feed-the-trolls-the-musicvideo/x/7957358
The song: https://soundcloud.com/professor-elemental/dont-feed-the-trolls-1
Website: www.professorelemental.com   Twitter: @prof_elemental
Management: emily@syncsquirrel.com   E-mail: professor-elemental@outlook.com
Tel: 07832 387937

Dead Man’s Hand cover image

Introduction
Dead Man’s Hand is an anthology collecting 23 short stories written by as many contemporary sci-fi authors. These tales are self-contained but they all belong to a specific literary subgenre: the “weird west”. The book is available on Amazon for £7.99 (paperback), £.9.92 (CD audiobook) or £8.92 (digital download audiobook).

Words by Marco Brunello

Overview
Weird west combines a traditional American western setting with supernatural, fantasy, sci-fi and horror elements. Mixing the several suggestions given by these different genres is something that existed since the far west era itself – with oral legends about Indian cemeteries, ghosts of the Civil War battlefields etc. – passing through 20th century’s pulp fiction and comics and finally coming to nowadays with bestsellers like The Dark Tower series or Hollywood flicks like Cowboys & Aliens.
This book places itself in this tradition, acknowledging since the very beginning the American far west as its central, starting point: the title of the book itself recalls the famous spread of Poker cards (apparently) held, at the moment of his assassination, by the famous gunslinger Wild Bill Hickok, which the book is also dedicated to; moreover every story is introduced with the precise location and year in which the events are set. Fantasy, sci-fi, horror etc. are present in different measure depending on each single tale, and every author gives his own interpretation of this subgenre favouring more or less some of these elements. Protagonists and antagonists of these tales are vampires, superhero-lookalike vigilantes, telepathic gunfighters, time travellers, aliens, clockwork soldiers etc.

Conclusion
Although not necessarily an exclusively steampunk product, Dead Man’s Hand has very good reasons to be read: big importance is consistently given to the accuracy of the North American 19th century historical setting, and the varied nature (and length) of the short stories provides a very entertaining reading experience. The editor of this anthology, John Joseph Adams, welcomes the reader with a very competent introduction in which he demonstrates his knowledge of this matter. So it is no surprise that he came up with the ideal collection of modern weird western tales, written by valid authors like Joe R. Lansdale or Charles Yu, which can be enjoyed by the novice of this subgenre and the experienced sci-fi reader in search for some variety as well.

Story 5
Pace 4
Value 5
Overall 5

Marco Brunello is an artist and publishes his own range of art and comics. You can visit his website here: Marco Brunello website

He’s also on Facebook, so go and give him a saucy like here: Marco Brunello Facebook page

Screen shot from League of S.T.E.A.M

The chaps over at The League of S.T.E.A.M. have released their new bonkers episode which sees them in the middle of Hallowe’en. With favourable nods to some classic comedy horror films, the episode also features a soundtrack from Voltaire.

The Adventures of the League of S.T.E.A.M. web series premieres its latest hit with “Dead Man’s Party” – a hilarious new short featuring a Dia de los Muertos fiesta of the undead, and the Steampunk paranormal investigators who are on a mission to stop it!

The video is filled with slapstick comedy, over-the-top special effects, and homages to pop-culture classics – look for nods to Army of Darkness, The Princess Bride, Pirates of the Caribbean, and many more.  There are also great performances by guest stars David Vega and Karina Noelle, and a memorable musical track by Voltaire.

This is the third episode of The Adventures of the League of STEAM: Season 3 – a Kickstarter-funded adventure/comedy web series, and the longest-running Steampunk web series online.  You can check out the first two episodes here and here!

An email has just been sent out to interested parties that the Victorian Steampunk Society have secured plans with the City of Lincoln to ensure the survival of Weekend at the Asylum for at least the next five years.

In the email, they expressed that organising successive events has proved more difficult, so they see this as a positive turning point for Lincoln and steampunks.

There has to be compromises though, and with Asylum the date has had to be changed to August Bank Holiday weekend.

Therefore the date for 2015 has been set. Friday 28th August sees the start of the event with it wrapping up on Monday 31st August. From next year, the festival sees a whole extra day of activities.

Keep Steampunk Journal bookmarked and I’ll update you as soon as I hear anything more.

Image of Steampunk Freddy outfit featured on Daily Mail online. Copyright Daily Mail

I’d like to introduce my character that I dressed as at Whitby this October/November. His name is Sir Frederick Charles Krueger. I’ve been developing him for a few months and I’ve kept it pretty much under wraps aside from a few friends and family. I decided that the best time to debut the character was at Whitby Goth Weekend. If you saw me and took a photo, please post it here or on the Steampunk Freddy Facebook page.

Sir Frederick Charles Krueger is by no means an original idea. I’m not even going to try and hide that fact. I’ve taken ideas from multiple sources, so in this article I’d like to give nods to certain people in order to avoid any unnecessary upset.

Through the following articles, I will, unveil more about Krueger. I will discuss the costume, my ideas and where I found inspiration. Here, I start with the glove:

Steampunk Freddy. Copyright photofairground

The glove
Arguably the most symbolic weapon in cinema history along with the Lightsabre from Star Wars. Everybody knows what a Freddy glove looks like (even if they mention a knife on the thumb – which it doesn’t have). The idea for a steampunk Freddy Krueger is by no means new. Search “Steampunk Freddy” and there are lots of people, artwork and statues under the description.

An engineer glove was originally planned.

The idea for the glove came from a horror photographer called Clinton Lofthouse. He’s very good at his work and even had a glove made. Sadly, to this date I don’t recall seeing him publishing any pictures of a Steampunk Freddy shoot.

Clinton Lofthouse

I loved the idea of the blades being Victorian cut throat razors; I felt they fit much better with the era. I managed to source actual Victorian cut throats and gave them to Dan Revitt. He’s the gentleman who made my cutlery goggles out of Sheffield made knives and forks.

Operation Steelpunk!

Blades laid out in preparation

Side view of blades laid on the finalised glove.

When considering the actual glove that the blades would be attached to, I took into consideration the background of the character. Small details such as this need to have a rich back story for you to refer to and the character’s background will be covered in the next article. I decided to go for a smart black leather glove over a worn out industrial glove seen in the modern day equivalent.

After a few months of work, the glove was completed. The razors have been blunted so that it’s safe for me to walk around without fear of cutting anyone. The welding and riveting are deliciously rough shod. Some of the metal is starting to rust, so I think I will lacquer it to trap the rust and keep the effect. I painted the glove bronze for Whitby, but I’ve changed my mind. It looks too bright. The character has an upper class upbringing, but I want to have an air of grime about him. Having the glove look as though it was made at home in a workshop is ideal.

Take steampunk. Move towards it’s polar opposite. This item would be there.

While procrastinating from my job that actually allows me to eat, I had a search through eBay with just one keyword: steampunk.

My aim was to find the most dubious articles I could that had been given a steampunk description. It’s no secret that sellers are using this new found keyword to widen their market in the hope that we’re stupid. It’s so nice to be second guessed by people who don’t really know the ins and outs of steampunk. If they do, they should know better than to label some of this stuff as steampunk:

Rhinestones and pebbles weren’t popular in the Victorian times. They’re not popular now.

Rockabilly, Goth, Nautical and steampunk all in one useful description.

Please point to steampunk.

If it’s not on a chain, I don’t want to know.

Don’t say aaah. Don’t encourage them.

The most steampunk item in the article and it still makes me want to scream.

The description states this is 1950s steampunk. That.

Primark: Your number one resource for steampunk clothing.

This is more 1980’s than 1880’s. Yet still looks more out of date.

This is a jacket AND a shirt, according to the description.

I’m unsure why steampunks get lumped in with zombie crowd.

I don’t know if I’m more offended by the steampunk or the goth tag? What have the goths ever done wrong to deserve this?

…

The Airline pilot is a popular costume in steampunk.

These will look right at home on any Top Hat.

Cherry pie is more popular in steampunk than rockabilly. Apparently.

What says steampunk more than an undecorated Playmobil Amish cart?

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The first horror film I ever watched was A Nightmare on Elm Street 2. I was around 12 years old and I found Freddy fascinating. I quickly became obsessed with him, buying the rest of the films as they were released, looking for news items and articles or interviews. I had a huge poster of Freddy on my wall. I think this fascination was what made me tolerant to horror films in general. It’s a great concept; a child killer (a controversial subject even now) is murdered by a lynch mob consisting of the parents of the kids he killed. They burn him alive. Instead of dying, he makes a deal with a demon and comes back to kill again. Krueger invades people’s dreams and hunts them through malicious games of cat and mouse.

When I first decided to make a steampunk version of Freddy Krueger, I knew I’d have to have a larger back story to him. Throughout the modern day films we find out about his mother and the story of his birth. We discover his fears and hates as well as the true extent of his power.

I’ve twisted the basic story devised by Wes Craven and fitted it more into a British alter ego that would be living in Victorian London.

“Sir Frederick Charles Krueger is a noted child psychiatrist and philanthropist. He spends much of his spare time working and campaigning to free children from a life of hard work. He has a private office and apartment on Elm Street in London, situated just around the corner from the Great Ormond Street Hospital where he does most of his work.

Sir Frederick had been visiting an iron works in the North of England to see how well the children working there were being treated and to try and persuade the owner to introduce an educational program. As he toured the works, he strayed toward a blast furnace and super heated iron splashed on his clothing, setting him on fire.

His eyes are extremely photo sensitive

The resulting burns covered his entire body. His lungs have 85% burn damage from the heat, so he wears a respirator. His eyes have been badly burned and are therefore super sensitive to light. Ironically, he has to wear welding goggles in order to be able to see properly.

His Lungs were so damaged he has to breathing apperatus

As Sir Frederick recovered, he kept in touch with the outside world via newspapers. His heart sank as he read about children committing crimes, killing, begging and stealing. He couldn’t understand why – after everything he’d done and all he’d sacrificed – they wouldn’t try to help themselves. Slowly as the months turned into years and spent his recovery time as a recluse, he went crazy in his own thoughts. He blamed the children for his appearance. Not just the ones at the iron works, but all children. They had to be punished and he was the one that could mete out this justice.

Once capable of walking and moving without too much pain, he went down to his workshop. He collected four cut throat razors and proceeded to weld them to metal tubing that was hammered to shape around each finger. These in turn were attached to a second piece of metal that was then riveted to a plate which slotted over the back of a glove.

As Krueger stalks London, the children hide in fear. When he struggled to find the urchins, he turned his attention to ladies of the street. He found himself in Whitechapel and a couple of his victims were blamed on the Ripper – a person that Krueger admired.

Now he can go anywhere. He invades your dreams and hunts you down.”

“He wears a smart brown Top Hat,

His face is horribly burned.

He has a mask over his mouth and goggles on his eyes,

He has a red and green sweater under a waistcoat and black morning coat.

He has razors on his right hand”

There are no rules to steampunk, and it’s arguably mentioned daily somewhere on a steampunk forum or Facebook page. So why do some people feel compelled to tell everyone what steampunk is and isn’t?

Search “rules of steampunk” and it seems that everyone wants to be the ones to define what steampunk is or isn’t. Buzzfeed probably have the most looked at article as it’s authored by none other than G.D. Falksen. It covers the six rules of steampunk that he says should be adhered to. Reading through the rules, they’re a veritable minefield of conundrums and paradox. You see, each section is titled as “Rule 1″ etc, then the following explanation really doesn’t try to inflict any tight rules. Indeed, the final rule is to be yourself and have fun. It’s entirely possible that the Buzzfeed staff edited the article in order to give it some structure to readers who aren’t steampunks. However, the article does say that it’s not endorsed or vetted by Buzzfeed staff.

iliveindallas.com has an article written by a steampunk who is also a freelance writer. I won’t cover the writing style as I don’t think it’s relevant, but let’s take a look at what he’s trying to say. He goes to the lengths of at least stating that the rules he’s laying down are “unofficial”. That’s a pretty good idea, because to say that the first rule is to create a character is quite damaging. Not everyone wants a character and if they read this article, they may feel compelled to create one in order to fit in. Nothing could be further from the truth and if you’re new to the culture and think you have to have a character, you most certainly do not.

Many of the articles I researched cover what clothes you should wear. G.D. Falksen says if you think it’s too Victorian you’re doing it right while Joseph C. Wylie says if you don’t know what to wear, then always go Victorian era. That’s a bit of an obvious statement given that steampunk is Victorian science-fiction. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to do that. Just like goggles aren’t a mandatory accessory for your hat, you can wear what you want. The beauty of steampunk is that no-one should judge you.
So why do people still judge others on social media, then? Amy Wilder got vilified for daring to wear a bikini during a tongue in cheek appearance at a comicon.Personally, I think a lot of it boils down to the “like harvesting” Facebook pages that simply put a picture up and ask if it’s steampunk. To ask that starts a discussion that can turn into an argument where everyone gives their opinion on what is and isn’t steampunk. But it’s not for anyone to say.

I think the best – and most neutral – article I’ve read on clothing in steampunk is this one: Steampunk Apparel clothing rules. In the article, the author does say that ideally certain clothing should be kept out of the way, but should you find yourself in a position that you can’t help but wear some trainers, then wear them.

This tunnel vision that everyone has on what they believe should be perceived as steampunk doesn’t just stop at clothes. The same objective views are given to literature, cinema, photography, art, music and tinkering. For example, have a think about what musicians you would think make steampunk music. As a steampunk should I listen to them? As I write this I’m listening to ten year old Funky House. Does it, by the fact that a steampunk listens to it, make it steampunk music? If we say no and then give parameters that steampunk music should stick to (sing about topics relevant to a steampunk world, use real instruments) then we’re creating rules.

I’ve been a recognised steampunk for just under two years and in that time I’ve met a lot of people, started the Journal and become admin of two steampunk Facebook pages (which incidentally don’t have any spam now). The more exposed I become to people and their conduct online, the more I see the rot in people. I’ve seen people proclaim themselves as the best in certain areas without any proof, I’ve seen people actively take themselves out of a group because they’ve been made to feel bad. I’ve seen people argue tooth and nail about what they think constitutes as a steampunk look.

Of course there are contradictions. The word steampunk is made up of two key words to describe the type of person in the culture. “Steam” refers to the time period where the inspiration is drawn from and “punk” means to go against the grain; to not conform. We cover this last bit by dressing in clothes that aren’t typical of today. But surely even punks have to follow some rules? You see, it’s a little contradictory to say there are no rules while sitting there in a top hat and goggles. Surely, somewhere, you’ve made a conscious decision to go along with the conformity of the Victorian aesthetic? Everyone has to follow some rules. After all, an Anarchist will still go outside of the pub to smoke. We follow the rules that make us feel better and safe and that’s OK.

What we shouldn’t do is try to tell other people what we think is steampunk and what isn’t. We have no bearing over anyone on what is right and wrong.

I once set a poll to see whether steampunk should have some rules given that it was a rising trend and there was a danger of people jumping on the band wagon and making high priced items in the name of steampunk. Luckily it hasn’t happened.

Given what is changing within the genre, maybe it’s time to lay down some rough guidelines to help people along. Maybe that will end the ridiculous threads of what is and isn’t steampunk, help people new to steampunk get more involved in the culture and also control the evolution of the genre. With no rules it could go anywhere, which in itself is exciting, but could become unrecognisable as younger talent enters the arena.

This is an interesting time for steampunk. It’s never been more popular and I look forward to seeing how it goes.

What would your guidelines for steampunk be if you were to add any? Let me know in the comments section below.

Steampunker game image still

Steampunker wins Indie Prize and launches Indiegogo campaign Steampunker by a Polish studio Telehorse has won Indie Prize “Best Game Art Award” at Casual Connect in Belgrade.
40 games from over 20 countries were
selected for the showcase.

Yulia Vakhrusheva, Director of Indie Prize said: “Steampunker is more than a point-and-click adventure. Its suspenseful atmosphere keeps you hooked until the end – it felt like reading an exciting sci-fi book and being part of its story!”

The developer is currently seeking funds to make the award-winning game available on new platforms. The Steampunker campaign was launched 11/4/14 on Indiegogo:
www.indiegogo.com/projects/steampunker-an-adventure-point-and-click-game

Steampunker is a beautiful 2-D adventure point-and-click game characterised by unique steampunk-style graphics. At the moment it’s available in the App Store for iPad only. The campaign aims to raise $2000 in crowdfunding to complete the Android and iPhone versions of the game. The stretch goals include translating the game into several languages.
The player takes on the role of a gentleman hero called Vincent, who, facing the invasion of evil robots, needs to save his futuristic Victorian world.
The future of the Earth hangs on his creativity, imagination and ability to
solve innumerable puzzles and brain teasers, which set in motion various
machines and mechanisms.

In September the game was showcased at Tokyo Game Show. Famitsu Apps
nominated Steampunker for the TGS 2014 Indie Prize. Touch Arcade also
noticed Steampunker in Tokyo. Shaun Musgrave listed the game as one of six
most interesting indie games at TGS 2014.

According to a BBC news story yesterday, the asylum in Lincoln has been bought by Stokes – a 112 year old coffee company based in Lincoln – with the intention of turning it into a coffee roasting house and visitor attraction.

The building has been the central theme for the Weekend at the Asylum steampunk event held once yearly in the historic city. However, it’s been sat vacant with Lincoln City Council actively trying to sell it for the past three years. VSS (Victorian Steampunk Society – who organise Weekend at the Asylum) have been asked by eager and interested steampunks if they were interested in buying the property.

Stokes have been based in Lincoln for over a century and have enjoyed success with their High Bridge Cafe that they’ve been in since 1937. The strategy for the Asylum building is to make a roasting factory where visitors can tour and view the process as it happens. There will be some that will have a thought of Willy Wonka in their heads, but it will be more likely akin to Cadbury World.

I contacted Stokes to ask if they have any plans to co-operate with the famous event but they’ve yet to answer. Thadeus Tinker, member of the Victorian Steampunk Society who organises Weekend at the Asylum, confirmed that they’re talking to Stokes about collaborations but it’s too early to confirm anything yet. He said “The VSS are delighted that Stokes will be taking over The Lawn. They are a first class family business with an excellent pedigree in Lincoln. Furthermore they have supported the VSS and the Asylum steampunk festival since its inception. We are looking forward to seeing their full plans for the complex and wish them the very best of fortune with the project. We also hope to work with them on steampunk projects in the future.“

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Copyright James Morgan, used with permission

As many of you will be aware, I recently began my new character based on the 1980’s horror icon Freddy Krueger. I recently got in touch with a local photography group who had attended Whitby Goth Weekend and asked if they would like to arrange a shoot of Steampunk Freddy.

Always a group to explore photographic curiosities, they jumped at the chance. The group is called I Just Wanna Tek Gud Photos and they’re comprised of around 400 members. They have an active Facebook page and a dedicated website.

We spent the evening looking for suitable places to take pictures of a horror character and settled first on a small archway that led to a gated off courtyard. After that I changed clothes before finding the second location which was a long alleyway full of graffiti. We also went to the end of the alleyway and found a half demolished building.

It was a good, albeit cold, night and the chaps at IJWTG photo club were friendly and relaxed. They played around with techniques and because this was a mutually beneficial shoot, I was happy for them to do what they wanted to do, while I was left to create poses and throw ideas out for a shot.

If you live in the South Yorkshire area, you can get in touch with James – the club organiser – via the links in this article.

Below are some of the pictures I’ve been sent. They employ a technique called rear curtain sync which is what you set your flash to. The camera then uses a long exposure for dark areas but fires the flash when the shutter curtain closes instead of when it opens, like it would normally. The effect you get is some movement blur and a frozen subject with flash.

Copyright James Morgan, used with permission

Copyright James Morgan, used with permission

Copyright James Morgan, used with permission

Copyright James Morgan, used with permission

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The Adventures of the League of S.T.E.A.M. web series continues with “Here Comes the Bride” – in this fun short, a duo of eccentric inventors decide to construct the perfect woman for their lovelorn colleague… but of course, hilarity quickly ensues!

This is the fourth episode of The Adventures of the League of STEAM: Season 3 – a Kickstarter-funded adventure/comedy web series, and the longest-running Steampunk web series online.  You can check out the rest of the series here!

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The following press release is promoting a new kickstarter campaign for a steampunk video game that’s actually set 10,000 years in the future! There’s little about the actual plot in the release, but it focuses on how the 21st century is not only history, but has become myth. It certainly sounds like an interesting concept and I’ll be curious to see if anyone reading Steampunk Journal has any thoughts on the game if or when you try it.

KOUVOLA, FINLAND – Dark Amber Softworks announces Avenging Angel Indiegogo campaign and porting the game to Unity 5.

Dark Amber Softworks launches an Indiegogo campaing for their first game Avenging Angel. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/avenging-angel/x/8976011

Avenging Angel is a single-player PC-game. It is both an open world, story-driven adventure FPS. The story takes place on Planet Earth in a Steampunk setting, roughly 10000 years from our current day and age, where 21st Century has not only passed from history to legend, but also from legend into myth.

The release version of the game will be utilizing the full power of Unity 5 game engine. “The 64-bit editor and the real-time in-game global illumination, among other new features, enables us to make the game we set out to make”, says Henri Brandt.

What others have said about Avenging Angel:

 “Dark Amber Softworks has created a beautiful world, full of mystery and wonder.”  – Calum Fraser, Alpha Beta Gamer

“…But I don´t mind having a lot of Steampunk games around, as long as the games are really good and well made. And that seems to be the case with Dark Amber Softworks Steampunk action/adventure game “Avenging Angel” – Robin E, The Gaming Ground

“A great addition to your FPS collection” – Alexandru Niculaita, Softpedia

“Here is a game that really comes from the heart” – Moni, Zockwork Orange

About Dark Amber Softworks:

Dark Amber Softworks is an independent game studio located in Kouvola, Finland, and established in 2013 with an aim to create original and exciting games.

The pre-alpha demo v1.2 is available for download at:  

http://www.avengingangelgame.com/demo/

LINKS:

http://www.avengingangelgame.com

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=298970911

http://www.indiedb.com/games/avenging-angel

https://www.facebook.com/avengingangelgame

https://twitter.com/avengingangel02

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/avenging-angel/x/8976011

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Mechanical and musical geniuses Steam Powered Giraffe have confirmed that they are providing the soundtrack for a new computer game by game developers Image & Form.

The game is a space adventure featuring mechanical characters and is due in spring 2015. Not only will you be able to listen to the music by SPG, you can pick up sheet music during game play which enables you to play a collection of tracks as you add to it. SPG even make an appearance in the game as a band that the protagonists encounter while recruiting in bars and clubs. “A SteamWorld game about steam-powered robots featuring real-world steam-powered robots. It’s perfect!” Said CEO Brjann Sigurgeirsson.

Brjann met with SPG in June 2014 at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) and managed to get them to agree to the deal. He admits to being a fan of their music, which left him a little star struck. “We’re very much alike, childish and pretty resourceful. They wear a bit more makeup at times, is all.”

The Spine agrees: “Luckily, make-up aside, our mechanical cog-filled hearts were in synch. When asked if we would like to collaborate with Image and Form on their next SteamWorld game we immediately said yes! We loved SteamWorld Dig, and a steam-powered robot band making music for a steam-powered robot game? Count us in!”

He continued “It’s a unique and enjoyable experience for the band. There is definitely a ton of passion going into the game, from them, from us, it’s a labour of love and we personally can’t wait to share our contributions to the game with the world.”

Steam Powered Giraffe perform new music in the game

Watch the music video for “Prepare for Boarding”, the first song from SteamWorld Heist, featuring Steam Powered Giraffe in all of their steam-powered glory:

http://youtu.be/JlOsgnNH24s (sorry, links are currently not working on Steampunk Journal, please copy and paste in a new tab – Editor)

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