Steampunk
Subcultures or fringe styles are nothing new. You had the beats in the ’50s, hippies in the ’60s and early ’70s, then came punk, and goth, and emo and a whole slew of other self categorization of social commonality. According to this New Times article today the newest on the list is steampunk a strange style that mixes an Edwardian/Victorian feel with a fascination in technology all decked out in brushed brass. Strange? Yes, a bit, but then again what isn’t strange these days? I read a book a few years ago that I assume would fall into the steampunk genre, it was called “Fitzpatrick’s War” by Theodore Judson. It was a pretty cool book. I think my favorite thing about steampunk might be zeppelins and dirigibles. Honestly, was it just the stupid Hindenburg accident (and the fact that they used super flammable paint and hydrogen gas — idiots) that ruined the whole zeppelin thing? Fuck that shit! I want to start The Glorious Society for the Re-Deployment of Airships, Zeppelins, and Dirigibles. Man it’ll be awesome, we can wear goggles!
Three influences come to mind:
Firstly, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Secondly, and perhaps in conjunction — the Golden Compass trilogy and the recent movie adaptation. Thirdly, that crazy Nazi robot villain from Hellboy.
thank you Bear for providing me with this very relevant piece of art
Added to the awesomeness Zeppelins is that they were named after one Count Ferdinand Adolf August Heinrich von Zeppelin, a German dude who came and surveyed the American Civil War with Union troops. What a name, what an invention.
I will gladly join you in this worthy endeavour. My ancestor Jean Pierre Blanchard was the first man to fly in a hot air balloon in the United States. He would have actually beat the Montgolfier brothers had he not insisted on keeping his wings/rudders on the nacelle, making it too heavy for liftoff. It’s in my blood, yo.