A Review of The Gatehouse Gazette, Issue 1
August 9th, 2008
Have you ever wondered what all that “steampunk” stuff was all about on the net? Did you ever consider that it existed way before the internet began to slooooowly maneuver it into the mainstream–whether it wanted to or not? Well, you could always download the Gatehouse Gazette–the first issue just got released in July with the second one just around the corner, released by the The Gatehouse website!
The Gatehouse Gazette is a free PDF download, released under the Creative Commons license (By-NonCom-NonDer) that collects interviews, articles, essays, reviews, poems and comicstrips of the steampunk (and dieselpunk) genre.
Not sure what “dieselpunk” really means? Neither did I, and the first article in the ebook is a discourse between the guy who created the Wikipedia entry on the term and the site editor of the Gatehouse Gazette. I’m the kinda guy who jumps onto Wikipedia as soon as I question something–so this was an immediately gratifying introduction to this 23 page freebie.
Ottens and Piecraft try to deconstruct the definition of “dieselpunk” in order to get to one distinct concept behind the sub-genre. By using references like The Jetsons, Astro Boy, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, 1984 and Mad Max, it seems “deiselpunk” has some time still to roll around the minds of literary thinkers before any absolutely concrete definition comes of it.
The Gatehouse Gazette even covers fashion tips and bits for all those looking to sport some Victorian-inspired garb during the summer. Later on in the Gazette, Hilde Heyvaert, discusses how modern designers are starting to push Victorian, Belle Epoch and Roaring Twenties inspired fashion on the runway. The important note here isn’t the big stores carrying these trends at inflated prices–it’s the smaller, much more affordable, shops like Target, Urban Outfitters, H&M and the like offering their own versions. So if you’re looking to do a waredrobe change, there’s not better time than now–or maybe when this whole mainstream trend dies out in two years in which case thrift shops everywhere will be a steampunker’s dream come true.
Next we get an interview with Toby Frost, the author of “Space Captain Smith” an interstellar steampunk adventure novel. Right off the bat Toby gives us a perfect little bit of inspiraton to go by as writers: In short, if you believe in what you’re writing, you’ll find time to write. He was doing a page an evening in order to fit writing this novel into his busy schedule.
After reading the interview I was actually curious about the novel and will likely go hunt it down as soon as I can. Toby mentioned influences like George Orwell, Black Adder, War of the Worlds and Difference Engine. He even mentions Alan Moore’s “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume II”–not as an inspiration per se–but mentioning it gives him points! All of these references have a happy little place in my history.
The fact that the sequel will involve a plot to deprive the British Space Empire of tea due to cultist and alien intervention, thus reducing the moral fibre of the Empire, I think it’s worth saying that this silliness is at least worth a speed read, no? The chuckle factor seems very Blackadder-esque and even Monty Python-ish; so if you’re into that kind of humor, this might be your cup of tea. Yes, pun intended.
The next entry is a preview of an upcoming steampunk novel by Robert Rogers entitled “Arcadian Snips and the Steamwork Consortium”. It is a short piece that starts off with a lab worker, called Basil Copper, exploding himself with an investigation about to start by Miss Primrose.
Two highlights for me come in the description of the steampunk cityscape. The first is of a massive mechanical spider moving across the cobblestone streets, while street urchins scrambled over loose coal that falls out of the contraption’s furnace. The second was of floating restaurants supported by hot air inflated sheepskin ballons which described nastier customers throwing their scraps, or even relieve themselves, on the people below. This novel also seems promising for steampunk lovers. The look and feel of the setting is definitely captured in two pages for me but my only complaint is that it should have been more pages!
A review of the latest Indiana Jones film eased my feelings that the fourth installment was going to hurt the series more than revive it. The fact that it still remains closely tied to dieselpunk roots was good to hear. Jack Rose, the author, is an obvious fan and follower of the Indy world via comics, books and television mini-series that expand on Indy’s tales. I’ve never been a diehard fan, but the aspect I loved the most about the series was it’s dedication to pulp adventure story telling. I missed this in theaters but will likely rent it or buy it on DVD and give it a shot!
An essay by J.C. Tucker entitled “Expectations of a Young Man” breaks down the difference between modern society’s view of how young man conduct themselves. In modern culture this is normally tied to his ability to get women, party hard and be in the spotlight. In Victorian times it was about being kind, avoiding conflict and focused on helping others. With the steampunk subgenre, the notion is that the possibility of gentlemanly conduct may one day be reintroduced in our culture.
There are a few pieces I never highlighted here, but they all add value to the first Gatehouse Gazette ebook released. I look forward to the second installment which I’m sure will continue to enlighten me to new steampunky things!
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