Some folks seem to assume that hotel conventions are the alpha and omega of steampunk, as if the community doesn’t exist elsewhere. But while conventions are important, there are many other ways to participate.
Friday, July 10, is Nikola Tesla Day, recognizing the famed inventor’s 170th birthday. Tesla was a visionary whose inventions helped usher in the Electrical Age. But he’s also a steampunk icon, appearing as a character in books, comics, movies, TV shows, and video games.
Here’s a look at events celebrating Tesla and his legacy.
Many steampunk creators, including The Steampunk Explorer, rely on Patreon as a major source of income. So, when co-founder and CEO Jack Conte went online to discuss “the biggest product launch in the history of the company,” followed by “I’m not exaggerating,” I figured it was time to pay attention.
Sunday, June 14, is International Steampunk Day, a day “to dress up like steampunk characters, watch steampunk movies, play steampunk video games, read steampunk books, and just bask in the glory that is the steampunk genre.”
The do-it-yourself (DIY) ethos has long been a defining element of steampunk, whether it’s DIY costumes, DIY contraptions, or DIY (self-published) books. But in light of a recent commentary about steampunk conventions, maybe we should add DIY events to the list.
It might be time for steampunk fans to think about life after Facebook. But what could replace it? The answer may lie in a new “open social” approach that frees users from the walled gardens of proprietary platforms.
