More Steampunk Apologetics

Apparently the blogosphere has decided in the last two weeks that it's tired of steampunk.

Okay.  I can respect that, especially in the "throw a gear on it and it's trendy" atmosphere of late.  But people think they need to justify it.  Some say it's overdone, some say everything steampunk needs to do something or it's not, and others say it's elitist and over-focused on pith-helmeted Brits and their teacups.

That last -- yes.  Yes it is.  And I have two links on the subject.

Link the First.  Once something becomes stereotyped it is time to parody it.  I've taken to watching this guy daily.  It makes my life happier.  Ladies, gentlemen, people of uncertain and indetectable gender: Professor Elemental.

Link the Second.  Once something becomes stereotyped it is time to freshen it up.  Ladies, gentlemen, children in undistinguished frocks: Multiculturalism for Steampunk.

Link the Third.  Yes, I know I said two.  Anyway, there's a great post on Tea with the Squash God about it.  As usual, Ursula Vernon says it better than me.

Link the Fourth.  Yes, I know I said three.  Have an Etsy Treasury of multicultural steampunk with not a pith helmet in sight: I'll Show You the World Beyond the Park.

On a similar note, I made the front page again (it really is the obsessive treasury-making that's doing it) and this piece got wonderfully, squee-inducingly ridiculous amounts of attention:

Sold!

I like how it's rusty/industrial but still feminine with the stylized florals.  I'm currently working on a similar one for a custom order.  It's got an old hinge plate in.  I'll post photos when done, but this will probably be a couple weeks since my grandparents are visiting which, due to seniority-based room-shuffling, puts my brother sleeping in the craft room which serves as my studio.  Whoops!

So yeah.  Steampunk: I still think it's cool, and still has a lot of growth potential as a genre once it crests the novelty wave.

Ahahahaha!  I just saw this.  Link the Fifth.  The Beautiful Necessity has a post about Steampunk Pre-Raphaelites.  Unlike the author, I think the Steampunk PRB would be awesome in that awesomely unmatching-pairs awesome way.