cyberpunk, etc

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

As some of you may know the term Cyberpunk describes a genre involving computer technology, it can apply to films, stories, or artwork, usually involving a sci-fi theme.

There are other genre's branched off of this idea, probably the most famous being Steampunk. Steampunk is based on technology from the Victorian era, IE: the late 19th and very early 20th century. Most of the stuff that Jules Verne wrote could be considered Steampunk, the movie "the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" was Steampunk, I wrote an Astroboy story around a Steampunk theme ("Frankensteam", it's up on fanfiction.net).

Some people might think that "Buck Rogers, Mad Max, and Max Headroom" were Steampunk, but they are actually "Dieselpunk". Dieselpunk is a darker theme than Steampunk, it's based on the technology period from just before WWI to just after WWII. Batman is also Dieselpunk.

There is also "Stonepunk", which is obviously based on 'Stoneage' tech. Think the Flintstones.

"Clockpunk" is based on the Renaissance period, think Da Vinci or Galileo here.

Then there is a genre based on the period just after WWII up until the mid 1960's. This genre is based on the idea of an atomic energy powered future. Note that I'm not talking about tech that was actually developed, but rather the idea of such tech, that was being dreamed about in this time period. In actuality, atomic energy tech proved to be more expensive, dangerous and complex than was hoped for. The name of this genre is, wait for it, .... "Atompunk"! The Jetsons would be a good example of this, and so would be Astroboy, especially the way Tezuka envisioned it in the manga and early anime.

So how do you like that, we are involved in Atompunk fiction!

[jeffbert]

I recall a TV show about the 21st Century, also books depicting huge domed moon bases, etc. It would have been cool, but, I doubt I would trade what we have now for it.