Steampunk Digest - November 17, 2023

Our weekly roundup of news and other happenings in the steampunk world

Staff Report

Friday, November 17, 2023

The latest episode of The World of Steampunk is now available for your viewing pleasure. As promised, it features extensive coverage of Maker Faire Bay Area, which was held over two weekends in October on Mare Island in Vallejo, California.

This may be our most ambitious video project to date, serving almost as a mini-documentary about Maker Faires past and present. The report features on-camera comments from six makers, including Kathy O’Hare of Obtainium Works and Kyana Van Houten of Flaming Lotus Girls. And you’ll see archival footage from past events, beginning with the 2011 Maker Faire, where we had our first encounter with steampunk culture.

By all measures, the newly revived Bay Area Maker Faire was a big success, and Make Community, the company that produces the event, has already announced dates for next year: Oct. 11-13 and Oct. 18-20, 2024.

The episode also brings you news about upcoming events and movies, plus a look at the new Girl Genius video game.

Netflix released the first full trailer for Part 1 of Rebel Moon, the highly anticipated science fiction film from Zack Snyder. The story involves a mysterious woman on a planet with stagnating technology due to the impact of an interstellar dictatorship. The director has described the setting as dieselpunk-inspired.

Part 1, entitled A Child of Fire, is slated for release on Dec. 22, followed by the sequel, The Scargiver, on April 19, 2024. The streamer released a teaser trailer in August.

There’s sad news for fans of the Netflix fantasy series Shadow and Bone, as Deadline reported that the streamer will not go ahead with a third season. Although the series had a loyal following, it was costly to produce and Season 2 lacked the impact of Season 1, the publication reported. Other factors included scheduling disruptions caused by the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes.

The series was adapted from the “Grishaverse” novels by Leigh Bardugo, who coined the term “Tsarpunk” to describe the series.

Events

The Watch City Steampunk Festival in Waltham, Massachusetts has opened applications for performers, vendors, sponsors, and community groups that want to participate next year. The organizers are also trying to recruit volunteers for the day of the event, Saturday, May 11, 2024.

Held in the city’s downtown area, the festival is one of the largest steampunk gatherings in the U.S. See the website for more info and to apply.

Traders and musical entertainment are on the bill at the Stockton on Tees Steampunk Festival, set for Nov. 17 and 18 at the Stockton Arts Centre in North East England.

The Wattingers will headline The Clockwork Cabaret on Friday night with Rock Vixen and Ben Culkin also taking the stage. Saturday night’s Cogs and Corsets Cabaret will feature Captain of the Lost Waves, Victor Sierra, Elvira 0.0, Lady Violet Hugh, and Parissa Zarifi. Madam Misfit, Greg Chapman, and Pansy Cheung will perform at both shows.

The festival will also feature a fashion show along with screenings of Hugo and Mortal Engines. Learn more on the Stockton Arts Centre website.

Lee Presson as Edgar Allan Poe at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair.

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair kicks off this weekend at the Cow Palace near San Francisco. It runs over five weekends from Nov. 18 to Dec. 17, with vendors, music, dance, historical re-enactors, and other festivities in an immersive environment inspired by Victorian-era London.

Visitors can expect encounters with Dickens characters including Ebenezer Scrooge, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and Nicholas Nickelby, as well as the author himself (or a reasonable facsimile). Lee Presson will perform readings as Edgar Allan Poe, and we’re told that H.G. Wells will make an appearance. Richard Murillo will be there with his replica of the Time Machine.

Professor Phineas J. Flockmocker, the mad genius inventor of the Steam Man, won’t have his workshop this year, but we’re told that he will be walking the halls.

The opening comes as Red Barn Productions, producer of the event, has resolved its dispute with the London Solidarity Network, a coalition of former cast members who said they’ve been subjected to racism, sexual harassment, and other mistreatment at past fairs. On Nov. 3, the parties released a joint statement announcing the end of the group’s boycott.

Learn more about the event on the Great Dickens Fair website.

The Windham Textile & History Museum in Willimantic, Connecticut will host a Steampunk Faire on Nov. 18 with vendors, entertainment, and lectures. The event is free with museum admission. See the website and Facebook page for details.

The third Saturday of the month means it’s time for another edition of Boston’s Monthly Steampunk Gathering. This one is set for Saturday, Nov. 18, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Blackmoor Bar & Kitchen in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Attendance is free but participants are encouraged to sample the establishment’s food and drinks.

See the Facebook event page for details about this month’s get-together and check out the Boston Area Steampunk Gatherings Facebook group to learn about future events.

The Hip Expressions Belly Dance Studio in St. Petersburg, Florida will present Tribal Burn: Steampunk Revival, a steampunk-themed dance and fire celebration that aims to raise funds for the Sacred Lands museum, which will serve as the venue.

Tickets cost $39 in advance for general seating and $89 for VIP seating, which includes dinner. Doors open at 7 p.m. for general admission. The museum is located at 1700 Park Street North #4348, St. Petersburg, FL 33710. See the Facebook page and ticket site for more info.

Differently Abled Entertainment will host the second annual Steampunk DAE, described as a steampunk gathering for people who are “daring, different, and distinguished.” The program includes a tinker contest, fashion show, best dressed contest, and kids’ activities.

It takes place on Sunday, Nov. 19, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Harkers Museum and Movie Set in Tucson, Arizona. Learn more on the Facebook page.

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

Here’s a look at ongoing Kickstarter campaigns:

Chains of a Broken God An illustrated full-color print edition of the second novel in David A. Trotter’s steampunk fantasy series The Last Son of the Feromage Saga. The campaign reached its US$1000 funding goal in 30 minutes. It runs through Nov. 27.

Journey to Elysium – A new comic book series set in Bonsart Bokel’s Association of Ishtar universe. The campaign reached its €1500 (US$1582) funding goal and is now into stretch goals. It runs through Nov. 27.

Timelancers – A board game in which players travel through time, attempting to revise history and control the future. The campaign reached its US$15,000 funding goal on its first day. It runs through Nov. 21.