What is post apocalyptic Steampunk?
“Well, I
assume it is just like any other post apocalyptic anything, except with steam
power”. Well, that’s where you’d be wrong. The Post-Apocalyptic genre and
aesthetic have really caught on in the turn of the century society. Nuclear War
hasn’t been so popular since the fifties. Zombies, Vampires, sickness, disease;
we absolutely love the thought about… well… dyeing. We at least like everyone
else dying, and us surviving on… somehow.
Well,
Steampunk post apoc is… well… a little different. How so? Well, we need to
start by looking at what Steampunk is… and what makes… anything “steampunk”.
Steampunk
is a sub-genre taking after the writings of early science fiction. Jules Verne
and H.G. Wells were the titans of early Science fiction, and they wrote a large
quantity of stories that have set the stage for much of the new century’s
Steampunk world. They wrote of
everything. Space travel, Submarines, time travel, airships, great machines,
and underground empires. Adventure and mystery inspired many to wonder what the
future could hold, even a future as close as tomorrow. It were these stories
that set forth not only Science Fiction for all of eternity, but the
imaginations and ideas of old and young for decades. Inventors, dreamers, and
good-wishers were borne from the question ‘what-if’.
Looking
back, we see that these men wrote of great things. The horrors of science and
technologies. The unknown our oceans, our lands, and our universe had to offer.
However, in every one of these stories is… a hope. The same question:
“What-If”. A hope that the future would yield grand machines and scientific
breakthroughs that could be used for good. A thirst of knowledge that could
bring about prosperity.
Steampunk
takes this question, but always in a positive light. Look at the culture, the
characters, the stories. Steampunk is trying to find the positive in the world.
Even our super-villains are lovable. Steampunk is always finding that positive.
Now, let us
discuss Post Apocalyptic Steampunk. In Post Apoc Steampunk, the stories and
themes concentrate not on the disaster or survival, but on the rebuilding of
society. Machines and steam power work on rebuilding societies, breaking away
with what really happened and building a better future. Countries, governments,
big corporations, all down the tube and remade a new tomorrow. A re-working and
repurposing of technology left behind. A world where the creative and the
good-willed are not held down by the rich or the laws of the rich or the
government or kings or queens. A positive tomorrow.
Steampunk
honors the creative, and the genre claims the best in all arts: crafting,
fashion, writers, cosplayers, painters, cartoonists, actors, etc etc. It makes
sense that a steampunk world that has survived an apocalypse they would honor
the creative. So instead of concentrating on the disaster, or the death, or the
hopelessness of apocalypse, Steampunk Post-Apocalyptic concentrates on the
rebuilding of ourselves, and our societies.
So, there
you have it. Hope that settles it.
No comments:
Post a Comment