Steampunk News

Posted By The Steampunk Librarian on June 4, 2013

International Steampunk Day is June 14th. Make your celebration plans now! There are all sorts of events this month.

Also, steampunk now has its own category on TVTropes. We’re officially part of the mainstream!

However, the original Victorians were probably smarter. Out of necessity, I would think.

Watchmaking is intricate, gear-filled, steampunk-friendly, and still thriving.

Retech uses old materials to make new things.

And for those of you into history and baseball, Shoeless Joe Jackson is now on Twitter.

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Tags: International Steampunk, Steampunk Day

Posted By Dieselpunks.org on June 4, 2013

While I was looking for some design inspiration at the Digital Comic Museum. I discovered a couple of old Captain Video RCA record jackets (see below). On the back were some punch-out paper toys. So I thought it would be cool if I made my own paper toys, not so much inspired by Captain Video but more by Dave Stevens’ Rocketeer.

Thanks, again Steve… you were, and still are one of the best.

I plan on making more of these in the near future, so let me know what you think. 

Thanks,
Scott

Downlaod the Rocket Ranger PDF

Album cover, done by Will Eisner’s American Visuals company.

The back cover with punch out toys.

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Tags: Captain Video, Dieselpunk Industries, Eisner American Visuals, RCA

Posted By The Chap on June 3, 2013

Quintessential chap and all-round-buffoon Bertie Wooster is to get a much-needed airing on the West End stage, in a brand new play based on the work of P.G. Wodehouse entitled Perfect Nonsenseby writing duo the Goodale Brothers. In a role tackled by such luminaries as Dennis Price and Stephen Fry, Matthew MacFayden of Spooks fame will play Jeeves, while Bertie Wooster will be played by Stephen Mangan, best known for his role in Green Wing.

The script has the blessing of the Wodehouse estate and the play is directed by Sean Foley, who recently triumphed in the West End with The Ladykillers. “We aim to create a wonderful, funny, evening in the theatre that will leave existing fans of Wodehouse, and a new generation of enthusiasts, positively gruntled,” quoth he.

Stephen Mangan said: “I am ridiculously excited at the prospect of playing the mentally negligible Bertie Wooster on stage and can hardly wait to stagger into the glorious sunshine of Wodehouse’s world. And with Jeeves, in the shape of Matthew Macfadyen by my side, what could possibly go wrong?”

One thing that could easily have gone wrong is the shoe colouring. Chap theatregoers are still reeling from the pairing of black shoes with a tweed suit in Quartermaine’s Terms earlier this year; but they will be pleased to learn that the editorial team of The Chap has carried out a full inspection, and can reveal that Mr. Mangan will be wearing the correctly-coloured footwear for the scenes in which he is clad in tweed.

The play opens in London on 12th November and can be seen in Richmond and Brighton from 10th October www.jeevesandwoosterplay.com

Category: The Chap | No Comments »
Tags: Bertie Wooster, Green Wing, Stephen Mangan, West End

Posted By Dieselpunks.org on June 2, 2013

Ever since this new “Great Gatsby” flick came out, I’ve been getting requests to add a few hip-hop numbers to Pilsner’s Picks. I hate to disappoint anyone, but even though I think that that director’s idea is absolutely brilliant (?!!), I’m sticking to my long-time format of nothing but authentic 1920′s and 30′s period music. I’m just really stubborn, and besides, I can’t post any hip hop because… I just won’t have that rubbish in my house!

So anyway, here’s the June Pilsner’s Picks.

http://pilsnerspicks.blogspot.com/

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Tags: Great Gatsby, Pilsner Picks

Posted By Punkettes on June 2, 2013

This one’s non-fiction. I read this not realizing that it was geared more towards people playing flight simulation games, but apparently flight simulation enthusiasts are pretty hard core about the games they play being as realistic as possible.

This was really everything I wanted it to be. I picked it up because I was writing about WWII level technology air combat, and was having difficulty finding anything in depth on combat tactics. This has everything, starting from the ground up.

The first chapters skim over aerodynamics, and go into taxiing, the anatomy of an aerodrome, etc. Then it goes on to taking off, staying level, dangers of simple standard flight, how to find out what your plane is capable of, etc.

Then it gets into specific tactics, from one on one combat, to tactics for large groups of aeroplanes, with 1v2, 2v1, 2v2, 2v more than 2, etc in between. It even touches a bit on psychological warfare in mentioning how one can frighten and discourage their opponent if they can take out a flight leader early on in the battle, or confuse an opponent by attacking despite being outnumbered if you can surprise them and pick off a few to even the odds while they try and locate your non-existent backup.

It was very thorough, from what I can tell. At the back of the book are several pages of silhouettes of various aeroplanes, organized by country – the sort I imagine would have been used to drill WWII pilots to recognize friend from foe in the sky.

And at the end, the author goes into some recommendations for anyone interested in getting into flight simulation games. Apparently the most life-like, realistic games are the Sturmovik series. It also extolled the importance of having the proper control inputs – a control stick with rudder pedals is apparently essential, and honestly, having played Sturmovik: Birds of Prey, he’s right, the PS3 controller doesn’t have the subtlety you need to handle an aeroplane effectively. It’s like playing WoW with a touchpad mouse.

Read more...

Category: The Punkettes | No Comments »
Tags: WWII

Posted By Dieselpunks.org on June 1, 2013

Calling all Listeners!  Calling all Listeners!  This is your Cap’n, calling in LIVE over the airwaves in the exciting new media of Wireless Broadcasting!

Yes, exciting times we live in where my voice can be heard, live, from a thousand parlors in a thousand homes!  Truly wondrous times we live in. 

With a simple wooden box no bigger than a  small cabinet anyone can listen to the sounds of a live performer, giving access to the sounds of the stage and the excitement and intimacy of a live performance to all, not just the privilaged few [image from electronicana.co.uk].  Did you ever think such things would be possible?

Yes, wireless technology is the Future Today.  Who knows what it will bring next?  Moving pictures?  Newspapers?  We at the now Wireless Cabaret can only guess, but this is sure to help bring a new age of intellectual discourse to the world and open up new avenues for information and discussions. 

Of course it’s also a good place for entertainment, and for today’s opening edition of the Wireless Cabaret we bring you the great Vaudeville-to-Broadway performer, ol’ Banjo Eyes himself, Eddie Cantor with a lovely duo-meddly of a couple of his most popular works.

Yes, folks at home, that was not a recording.  That was the man himself, singing LIVE!  No lies!  Isn’t that just the Cat’s Pajamas?

But the wireless is also a place for social responsibility and law, so today I’m going to take a few moments on a serious note and give all the listeners at home a dire warning about the scourge of illegal alcohol.  Not just because the federal government is mandating it but because following the law is important.  Illegal back-room bars attract all sorts of undesireable types, like loose women who wear short skirts and smoke, free-wheeling jazz musicians, and fun-loving folks who laugh and carry on in a wholly undiginified way.  Really, you do not want to face the temptation of raucous good times in a back room with loud music, fun-loving musicians, and scantilly-clad women, you really don’t. 

Read more...

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Tags: BAD, Eddy Cocktail, LIVE, Wireless Cabaret

Posted By Dieselpunks.org on May 31, 2013

In 1937, the Airomobile was a one-of-a-kind experimental model built by engineers from Franklin Auto and Lewis American Airways.*

It was intended to be a low-priced, mass produced car. The design was the result of Paul M. Lewis, who wanted a simple inexpensive ( target price of $300) and safe automobile in 1934. The three-wheel design met his needs for streamlining, and was also quite stable.

Via Avi_Abrams, on Flickr

Via aldenjewell, on Flickr

A year after developing the basic design, Lewis incorporated as Lewis-American Airways and offered stock in the company. He then selected Carl Doman and Ed Marks, former engineers with the Franklin Automobile company, who had formed the Doman-Marks Engine Company, to design and build the car.

Photo by wcraig, on Flickr

The Airomobile stimulated great interest but never made it into production. After many technical problems were sorted out with the the vehicle a prototype was eventually built in 1937.

The vehicle was powered by a horizontally opposed, 129-cu.in overhead valve, air cooled four cylinder unit (57hp) created by the Dorman Marks Engine Company . This unit was later to find great success in light aeroplanes.

Photo by wcraig, on Flickr

The body was created from steel and was very aerodynamic with it trailing to the rear and having two large fish like fins. The Airomobile did have a very low centre of gravity and was said to take corners faster than any 4-wheeler at the time.

Photo by brewbooks, on Flickr

Lewis set off on a cross-country promotional tour with the Airomobile, logging some 45,000 miles in only a few short months. Along the way, he managed to convince numerous interested parties in his vision of an affordable, safe automobile for all Americans. In the Jan./Feb. 1971 issue of Special Interest Automobiles magazine, Lewis is quoted as stating that “the Airomobile was carefully engineered to turn corners very fast. Even faster than possible with a 4-wheel car, rear-wheel driven. To accomplish this, we needed to build the Airomobile with a very low center of gravity. The engine was mounted forward of the front wheels and the passengers rode, therefore, on the long end of the teeter-totter. This made for a very easy ride.”

Read more...

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Tags: Dorman Marks Engine Company, Flickr Lewis, Lewis American Airways, Special Interest Automobiles

Posted By Steampunk Tribune on May 31, 2013

Category: Steampunk, Steampunk Tribune | No Comments »
Tags: Sherlock Holmes, Steampunk World, Wall Stree Journal, World Fair

Posted By Steampunk Magazine on May 30, 2013

BY KATHERINE MCINTYRE
Publisher: Hazardous Press
Reviewed by Lori Holuta

What’s a steampunk story without an airship? Well, it’s certainly not mandatory, of course, but an adventure that’s centered around an airship provides the perfect opportunity to showcase many readers’ favorite elements in the Steampunk genre.

An Airship Named Desire carries a weighty cargo. Besides the Desire’s intrepid Captain Morris and his loyal crew, she brings along many of the staples of the ‘great Steampunk adventure’: danger; romance; the curse of the inevitable betrayal; strange and exotic locales; swashbuckling men and strong, independent women; daring rescues; dark and stormy nights; corsets and goggles and anachronisms, oh my!

Our story centers around a mysterious locked box the crew’s been hired to obtain. The box is won in a daring mission, but that’s not the end of the story–in fact, the locked box draws the interest of all sorts of shady and dangerous characters. It’s the catalyst that propels the reader on a wild ride that won’t end till the last page is read. This is a rousingly good tale, thick with action, occasionally lightened by witty dialogue, and with enough smart scheming, twists and turns, and surprises along the way to keep the reader riveted.

We experience the entire adventure through the eyes of Bea, as the author has chosen to write the tale entirely in first-person. It’s a tricky point of view to manage, with distinct benefits and drawbacks. On the benefit side, we are able to form a close emotional connection with Bea, who is the main character in our adventure. Nearly all of the action is ‘funneled’ down to us through Bea’s perception. Her emotions and rationale for all her decisions and actions are made clear to us in great detail.

Read more...

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Tags: Airship Named Desire, Captain Morris, KATHERINE, MCINTYRE

Posted By Dieselpunks.org on May 29, 2013

The United Republic is renowned for its chrome finished airplanes and well trained soldiers. Funded through investments made by major corporations like the Ford Motor Company or business families like the Rockefellers, the arms industry in the United Republic is the wealthiest in the world. But as the stock markets fare well and the fat cat is eating his generous share of the pie, the ghettos of the Chicago, New York, Montreal, Vancouver, and other major cities in North America are filled with former test subjects of ambitious military research projects, such as the jet-packs for the Iron Troops.

Phoenix has lived in Detroit all of his live. At a mere twelve years of age he got his first job at the car factory down the block that someone named Henry Ford had opened. That was in 1903. They told him he would be contributing to the Republican Dream; the work was dirty and hard. But was there really any other choice to be made by a boy from Highland Park?

He was just Tom back then – he didn’t become Phoenix until much later. Phoenix shifts awkwardly. His back always hurts. In fact he couldn’t move it much at all. The nurses at the hospital started calling him Phoenix. Those nurses, with their impeccable white dresses and cold hands, he smiles. That was the only good this that had come out of the accident, to lay his eyes on those nurses again. The twilight of his life was approaching fast, but he Republican Dream got shattered when he was twenty-seven.

It was a warm summer’s day. Rank smelling garbage lined the streets and the smog around the factories had gotten so thick the sun was barely visible. His supervisor called him and his team to his office and pushed a number of flyers into their hands. The federal government needed him to contribute to the war effort. They needed test subjects at R&D. On the picture in the flyer his president reminded him that he should be proud to live in freedom. He crumpled the glossy piece of paper and threw it in the trash.

Read more...

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Tags: Highland Park, North America, Republican Dream, United Republic

Posted By The Steampunk Librarian on May 28, 2013

It’s officially summer now, which means the Steampunk Librarian Summer Book Giveaway will start soon! Here’s a sneak preview of what we’ll be giving away in June:

Vintage Tomorrows (we got some more copies from the good folks at O’Reilly!)

The Secret of Abdu El Yezdi (Burton and Swinburne are back for more!)

In Thunder Forged: Iron Kingdom Chronicles, Book One (espionage and battles in a steam-filled universe!)

We may have more soon. Stay tuned!

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Tags: Book One, Steampunk Librarian, Thunder Forged Iron Kingdom Chronicles, Vintage Tomorrows

Posted By Dieselpunks.org on May 28, 2013

Welcome to Two-Fisted Tuesdays, where we throw on our trench coats, don our fedoras, and walk down the mean streets of classic crime fiction.

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a crime drama that ran for over 12 years during the golden age of radio. The main character, Johnny Dollar, was a smart, tough, wisecracking insurance detective who tossed silver-dollar tips to waiters and bellhops. While always a friend of the police, Johnny wasn’t necessarily a stickler for the strictest interpretation of the law. He was willing to let some things slide to satisfy his own sense of justice, as long as his employers were also protected.

Download this week’s episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar:

• Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar in The Prize Hog Bodyguard.mp3

Special thanks to Scott from Dieselpunk Industries for tipping us to Johnny Dollar’s radio adventures.

Boston Blackie, enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend, was created by pulp author Jack Boyle. He appeared in Boyle’s 1920 novel Boston Blackie, which was a compilation of his short stories “Boston Blackie’s Mary” and “Fred the Count,” published in Red Book Magazine in Nov. 1917 and Jan. 1918, respectively. Originally conceived as a jewel thief and safecracker in Boyle’s stories, Blackie became a “reformed” criminal and private detective in later adaptions. Blackie made the jump to silent films treatments in the late teens and early twenties, eventually scoring big time in 1941 thanks to Columbia’s Boston Blackie series.

In this week’s picture, Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood, Blackie receives a call from a friend who asks him to retrieve some money from his apartment and deliver it to him in California. Performing this good deed, he is accused of theft, but is allowed to proceed to Hollywood to help the police find a lost diamond.

Watch Boston Blackie in Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood (1942)

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Tags: Boston Blackie, Jack Boyle, Johnny Dollar, Yours Truly