Steampunk Digest - July 26, 2024 | The Steampunk Explorer

Weekly news roundup

Jul 26, 2024

Ncuti Gatwa in Doctor Who. Photo courtesy of Disney/BBC

Comic-Con International is back this weekend in San Diego, and with the Hollywood actors strike in the rear-view mirror, attendees will get a chance to hear from the cast and producers of fan-favorite shows like Doctor Who, The Walking Dead, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and more.

One panel on Friday will feature Doctor Who stars Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson along with showrunner Russell T Davies. On Saturday, attendees will get a first look at Hellboy: The Crooked Man, a forthcoming reboot of the Hellboy film franchise.

Steampunk highlights include a pair of panels with steampunk artist and cosplayer Bob Mogg, plus a session about a comic book adaptation of Somos Aire, a steampunk fairy tale play by Mabelle Reynoso.

On Friday morning, comic book artist Bryan Talbot will be inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame, recognizing lifetime achievement in comic arts. Talbot’s works include Grandville, a steampunk detective series featuring anthropomorphic animal characters. Talbot is currently at work on a prequel entitled The Casebook of Stamford Hawksmoor.

Attendees will also have a chance to meet steampunk creators in the Exhibit Hall: Girl Genius/Studio Foglio (Booth 1737); Benitez Productions/Lady Mechanika (Booth 1717); Boston Metaphysical Society (Small Press section, booth L-03); and Drake & McTrowell (Small Press, booth O-02).

We’ve posted a story with more details about the convention, or you can visit the website for the complete schedule and a list of exhibitors.

Read the full story: Comic-Con 2024 Preview: ‘Doctor Who,’ ‘Hellboy,’ Talbot Honors, and More

As Comic Con takes place in downtown San Diego, the musical robots of Steam Powered Giraffe will perform live on Saturday, July 27, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Escondido Center Theater in Escondido, California. That’s a 35-minute drive from the convention, if you happen to be attending and would like a musical interlude.

As we reported, the band is preparing to release a new album, Music from SteamWorld Heist II, reflecting their work on the forthcoming sequel to the SteamWorld Heist video game.

Ticket prices begin at $36. See the theater’s website to for more info and to purchase tickets.

The Obtainium Cup Contraptor’s Rally returns on Sunday, July 28, to Mare Island in Vallejo, California, after a one-year hiatus. Contestants in art cars and bicycles will navigate an obstacle course consisting of zombies, flying monkeys, the Mad Hatter Tea Party, Robot Rumble, and two new challenges.

In the Arabian Nights Challenge, contestants will enter the “Cave of Wonders,” where they can interact with a magic lamp and genie, have their fortunes told, and learn basic bellydance techniques. In the Beaver Fever Challenge, “hard-working beavers will be constructing dams throughout the event, trying to prevent you from flowing.”

The event will also feature craft booths and live music. Many attendees will be in costume. Gates open at 11 a.m. while the rally itself begins at 2 p.m.

It’s presented by Obtainium Works, the Vallejo-based art car studio, and takes place at the Mare Island Art Studios, 110 Pintado St, Vallejo, CA 94589. That’s also the temporary home of Obtainium Works’ Neverwas Haul, the three-story Victorian house on wheels.

Learn more on the Obtainium Works website, and see our coverage from the 2022 event.

It will be Christmas in July as Steamposh presents Steam & Steampunk at Edaville’s Summer Christmas Carnival Nights. The gathering is set for July 27 at the Edaville Family Theme Park in Carver, Massachusetts. The program includes vendors, artists, and music, along with theme park attractions such as train rides and a Dickens Village. See the Facebook page for more info.

The summer edition of Whitby Steampunk Weekend takes place July 26-28 in North Yorkshire, U.K., featuring a steampunk market along with talks and workshops. Daytime activities are free, but the event will also feature ticketed evening entertainment.

On Friday night, the organizers will present an “Evening with Ed Tudor-Pole,” featuring the actor and punk rock musician. Saturday night’s Hollywood Ball will offer performances by Kal’s Kats Swing Band, Ace Spectrum Videotheque Sound, and Vision DJ.

Learn more on the website and Facebook page. And see our gallery from last year’s event.

See our website for comprehensive event listings, including steampunk events and regional fandom events in Canada, the U.K., Australia/New Zealand, and the New England, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, South Central, Mountain, and Pacific regions of the U.S.

Crowdfunding

Rokr, a Hong Kong-based developer of 3D construction puzzles, launched a Kickstarter campaign for The Last City, a steampunk-themed marble run.

“This parallel world is set in the universe of industrial steampunk and neon lights,” Rokr writes. “High-rise buildings are built on a backdrop of pipelines, factories, and sharp bends, bearing witness to the frantic chase embarked by multiple speeding marbles.”

The kit, consisting of 130 pieces, requires about two hours to assemble, the developer says. It’s the first in a series of marble runs that users will be able to connect with one another.

Pledges for the kit begin at HK$499 (US$64). Rokr estimates delivery in August.

The campaign launched July 11 and is well past its HK$15,000 (US$1921) goal. As of Wednesday, it had raised more than US$90,000. It runs through Aug. 10. See the Kickstarter page for more info.

Nathan Lueth of St. Paul, Minnesota, is celebrating the 15th anniversary of his steampunk fantasy graphic novel series Impure Blood with a limited-edition book box. The box features a new illustration depicting characters from the four-volume series. Each box will be numbered.

Pledges for the box itself begin at US$25. Reward tiers also include digital and printed editions of the graphic novels. Lueth estimates delivery in September.

The campaign launched July 19 and seeks US$2,000 by Aug. 16. As of Wednesday it had reached more than 75 percent of that goal. See the Kickstarter page for more info.

Cubicle 7 Games of Balbriggan, Ireland launched a Kickstarter campaign for Victoriana, a 5e-compatible RPG set in an alt-history 1887. Players are challenged to “navigate the tempestuous aetheric smog of industrial London as technology, magic, and social class clash.”

Pledges begin at €25 (US$28) for a digital version of the sourcebook and €50 (US$55) for a hardcover edition. The developer estimates December delivery for the PDF followed by the print version in June 2025.

The campaign launched July 17 and reached its €20,000 (US$21,685) funding goal within the first three hours. It runs through Aug. 7. See the Kickstarter page for more info.

Ongoing campaigns:

Everwake - Volume 4 – The latest volume in Bianca Loren’s steampunk graphic novel series. The campaign reached its CA$20,000 (US$14,617) funding goal earlier this week. It runs through Aug. 8.

Shadow Guild – 10th anniversary editions of two steampunk fantasy romance novels by Christine D’Abo. The campaign quickly reached its CA$500 (US$365) funding goal. It runs through Aug. 2.

Ghosts, Demons and Ancient Lore – A new studio album from Abney Park, and the band’s first to be funded on Kickstarter. The campaign is well past its US$5,000 funding goal. It runs through July 29.

Ars Mechanica: The Molten Prophecy – The final chapter in a long-running RPG from Gearwheel Grimoires. The sourcebook includes AI-generated illustrations. The campaign has passed its €100 (US$107) funding goal. It runs through Aug. 1.

The Veil: Bloodlines – A dark-fantasy deck-building game with steampunk elements. The campaign reached its US$5,000 funding goal soon after launch. It runs through Aug. 23.