Showing posts with label The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Show all posts

Friday, November 7, 2025

Nautilus

If you are a fan of British comedy if I were to randomly yell at you "Yes, I can hear you Clem Fandango!" you would hopefully laugh and then become my new best friend. The name Clem Fandango brings joy into the world. And the echoes of Matt Berry as Steven Toast screaming. Shazad Latif is Clem Fandango. Because, while he has been wonderful in so many shows, big shout-out to Penny Dreadful, I will forever refer to him as Clem Fandango. And yes, it has to be his full name. First and last, not just Clem not just Fandango. The whole Clem Fandango. Anyway, for this I will try to refer to Shazad Latif by his real name and even if I didn't I could totally cut and paste his name over my typing Clem Fandango before I posted this and you would never know the difference. What all this is in aid of is that because of my love for Shazad Latif I have been waiting for Nautilus for what seems like forever. This was a show in limbo. They finished filming over two years ago when it was going to be on Disney+. Dinsney+ shelved it because apparently that's what you do to make a buck these days, look to The Spiderwick Chronicles. A tax write-off is more valuable than quality entertainment. Then Amazon bought it and I was excited, because that meant to was totally, finally going to be released, and then nope. They weren't going to be distributing it. Finally it was announced that AMC+ had acquired it and that it would totally be coming out soon. Like the beginning of 2025 at the latest. January came and went, winter turned to spring and finally, FINALLY Sunday, June 29th, 2025 could be marked on my calendar as the day I could finally see this show I've waited for for so long. And, I don't know what I was expecting, perhaps something along the lines of The Librarians, a cheesy but fun show that had a stacked list of guest stars but was overall just a nice way to spend an evening. In other words, due to other recent H.G. Wells adaptations, yes, I'm looking at you Around the World in 80 Days with your white savior complex, and PTSD from seeing The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in theaters, TWICE, over twenty years ago, I mentally set the bar very low. Which means I wasn't just impressed, I was blown away. I don't know if such a thrilling and modern adventure series with such high production values and incredible acting has ever been made like this. I didn't just enjoy the show, the weekly cliffhangers that reminded me of the best in serial storytelling made me wait with baited breath for each new installment. What's more, this is for an audience with modern sensibilities, IE, there is no white savior complex here. The cast made up of characters who were literally slaves and are almost exclusively minorities, save themselves and then set about to destroy their oppressors. And who were historically the worst oppressors? The East India Company! Down with that sort of thing! Bonus points if you know which British comedy that comes from. Nautilus is just such a wonderful show about survival versus domination and exploration versus destruction. It also examines what riches mean to those who were oppressed; freedom, safety, and, in the end, it can mean vengeance. There are so many levels on which this show works, but what I was left with most was wonder. There was a childlike wonder this show brought about in me. Dare I say that this show gave me hope? I dare say it did. It also brought me joy. Or, as others might say, Clem Fandango!

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Steampunk Summer Winners Announced!

I know you have been patiently waiting... your breath held till you almost passed out, and than a nice person can along a gave you some interesting breathing apparatus, very chic and Steampunk, but that's another story for another day. I'm sure all you want to know is, who won what, so here goes!

The first name drawn was kara-karina (The Janus Affair), the second name drawn was Carrie (Steampunk Bible), the third name drawn was Denise Z (The Leagure of Extraordinary Gentlemen) and whichwaydidshego (Phoenix Rising) was forth. I will update the post later, once I hear from them, with what each of them chose.

Also, check out my newest giveaway, it's totally awesome... not that I'm biased or anything...

Here are the prizes they chose from as a reminder:
*The Steampunk Bible by Jeff Vandermeer
*The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen  by Alan Moore, illustrated by Kevin O'Neill
*The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Book 1: Phoenix Rising Signed and Inscribed to you, by the authors, Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris!
*The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Book 2: The Janus Affair Signed and Inscribed to you, by the authors, Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris!

Friday, August 24, 2012

~Questions and Answers with Cherie Priest~

Cherie Priest is the author of a dozen novels, including the steampunk pulp adventures Ganymede, Dreadnought, Clementine, and Boneshaker. Boneshaker was nominated for both the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award; it was a PNBA Award winner, and winner of the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. But what really matters is that she's a cat person, is totally into Steampunk (including video games!), and was the guest of honor at the first Teslacon!

Question: What is the definitive Steampunk book for you?

Answer: I haven't read it yet. Steampunk comes in too many flavors for me to pick one and hold it up, saying, "THIS AND NONE OTHER." That having been said, when I talk about steampunk being a spectrum, and not a binary, I tend to put The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen* comics at #10. It's hard to get too much more steampunk than that, but that's not the only way to go about it.

*Which you could win a copy of in the Steampunk Summer Giveaway!

Question: What drew you to this genre?

Answer: I slid into it sideways, as an old goth with a fondness for Tim Burton.

Question: How do you take your tea?

Answer: Iced, sweet, and usually flavored.

Question: Must have sartorial accessory?

Answer: A well fitting waistcoat and a fluffy skirt. I love corsets, but I have back problems - and I don't wear them nearly so often anymore.

Question: Sartorial leaning: Street Urchin, Tinker, Explorer or Aesthete?

Answer: Depends on my mood. I've done all of those, and others too.

Question: Top hat or bowler hat?

Answer: I have a good wool version of each, actually.

Question: Subgenre you most identify with: Boilerpunk, Clockpunk, Dieselpunk, Gaslight Romance, Mannerspunk, Raygun Gothic or Stitchpunk?

Answer: How about SteamGoth? I like SteamGoth.

Question: If there was one thing that could truly exist from the world of Steampunk what would it be?

Answer: Zombies.
Question: If there was one element in the Steampunk genre you could remove forever what would it be?

Answer: I can think of a number of overused tropes, but I'm as guilty of them as anyone. I'll not cast stones.

Question: Favorite movie or television series with Steampunk elements?

Answer: Oh, I don't know. A few off the top of my head: Dark City, Labyrinth, Sleepy Hollow ... lovely movies, all. TV shows - Firefly, obviously, and Jack of All Trades*, which was wonderful. And video games, God - Bioshock, Silent Hill (some of them, anyway). Batman: Arkham City and Arkham Asylum, both. It's hard to pick just one of anything. I'm sure that the moment I hit "send" on this email, I'll think of fifty different things I'll wish I'd included.

*Awesome, everyone should watch and we'll then have a group sing-a-long with the opening credits!



Question: Preferred mode of transport: celestial, aether, terra firma or aquatic?

Answer: Terra firma. I'm sick to death of flying, and I get a little seasick.

Question: Favorite Queen to have had a diamond jubilee, Victoria or Elizabeth?

Answer: Victoria, all the way.

Question: Victorian or Wild West?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Would you like an automaton butler or ladies maid, considering that it might be the first step in the robotic apocalypse?

Answer: Nah. I'm too much of a control freak.

Question: If The Doctor showed up at your door, where would you go?

Answer: To Waffle House.

*Author Photo Credit: Libby Bulloff

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

~Questions and Answers with Gail Carriger~

Gail Carriger has the dubious honor of being the first author to be subjected to my "Steampunk Twenty Questions" (which turned out to be fifteen, because I wanted to make sure they where quality, funny and easy to answer, authors have busy lives, Gail more than most right now.) Gail holds the honor of being the first author to not only interest me in Steampunk, but to draw me fully into the world and search out more authors. Witty, tea-driven and corset wearing, Gail is not just a great satirical writer in her Parasol Protectorate books, she is an amazing world-builder, plot weaver and storyteller, not to mention fun to have tea with. Please join me as Gail answers fifteen mainly silly, but all Steampunky, questions.

Question: What is the definitive Steampunk book for you?

Answer: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comic book series written by Alan Moore, illustrated by Kevin O'Neill.

*Which, in honor of Gail, a copy of this comic has been added to my Steampunk Summer Giveaway, so be sure to enter!

Question: What drew you to this genre?

Answer: I came to Steampunk first as an aesthetic movement. I’m a longtime fan of vintage clothing and Goth style; Steampunk drew me in as a cheerful melding of the two. I also love seeing recycled technology used as jewelry, and other examples of how creative the maker community has become over the past few years.

Question: How do you take your tea?

Answer: Milky but strong with no sweetener. And I have a whole blog post on how to make the perfect cuppa.

*Gail dutifully doctoring her tea at Teslacon. That's George Mann next to her, Steampunk sqwee.

Question: Must have sartorial accessory?

Answer: Cup and saucer holster.

Question: Sartorial leaning: Street Urchin, Tinker, Explorer or Aesthete?

Answer: Carriger Pigeon as defined by the Steampunk Scholar for an article in Exhibition Hall on steampunk tribes:

"Like Gail Carriger, these steampunks make their own steampunk clothing, or at the very least do their own mods to it. They are up to date on the latest fashions, and despite the TruePunk value on being counter-consumerism, find themselves in apoplectic fits before a sale at Dark Garden corsets. Speaking of corsets, Carriger Pigeons can tell you when you aren't wearing yours properly, because many of you aren't (A BT Carriger Pigeon will do this with grace. A Jeterist of TruePunk Carriger Pigeon will simply mock you from afar.)"

~ Steampunk Scholar

Of course what I want as a result of this article is little pigeons that fly around and critique people's fashion choices. And, I really need a pigeon on a hat.

*Pigeon in a Top Hat by Alice Tams

Question: Top hat or bowler hat?

Answer: Teeny tiny topper.

Question: Subgenre you most identify with: Boilerpunk, Clockpunk, Dieselpunk, Gaslight Romance, Mannerspunk, Raygun Gothic or Stitchpunk?

Answer: Teapunk!

Question: If there was one thing that could truly exist from the world of Steampunk what would it be?

Answer: A kettle that is mounted on a moving transport and utilizes the wind to boil water. Tea anywhere on the go. Closely followed by Alexia's parasol dejour ~ kind of like a swiss army knife in parasol form.

Question: If there was one element in the Steampunk genre you could remove forever what would it be?

Answer: Petty commentary and "true steampunk" snobbery.

Question: Favorite movie or television series with Steampunk elements?

Answer: The Extraordinary Adventured of Adele Blanc Sec.


Question: Preferred mode of transport: celestial, aether, terra firma or aquatic?

Answer: Aquatic. I adore the ocean.

Question: Favorite Queen to have had a diamond jubilee, Victoria or Elizabeth?

Answer: Victoria.

Question: Victorian or Wild West?

Answer: Victorian.

Question: Would you like an automaton butler or ladies maid, considering that it might be the first step in the robotic apocalypse?

Answer: Ladies maid. But I do have a Roomba so I might be already on that downward spiral. His name is Beebo and I am very very nice to him.

Question: If The Doctor showed up at your door, where would you go?

Answer: Ancient Etruria.*

*Was a region of Central Italy, located in an area that covered part of what now are Tuscany, Latium, Emilia-Romagna, and Umbria. Where the Etruscans are from.

Friday, October 9, 2009

A Victorian Future

Ever wish that you lived in Victorian times, but with a little bit more Wellsian sci-fi? Perhaps just that little extra something to make it more like an episode of Dr. Who but with that splash of Charles Dickens. Well enter Steampunk! That fantasy and speculative fiction genre that posits, what if steam had really become widely used, what if people had parasols and wore goggles on their top hats, what if cybermen helped a wicked lady who ran an orphanage...no, wait, that last one was an episode of Dr. Who...but it does perfectly epitomize the genre. Victorian manners melded with steel. An amped up future but in the 1880s. From the aforementioned Dr. Who episode, The Next Doctor, to books such as Gail Carriger's Soulless, to The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Steampunk is getting quite a following, and quite the fashions too. Like a costume drama and Marilyn Manson had a car crash and what came out you can now buy and wear on such sites as Clockwork Couture.

Personally I have Steampunk on the brain...must be because I'm currently reading Soulless and thinking how cool dirigibles in common use would be...or maybe because it's Steampunk month over at Tor...or perhaps it's because my home town has their own Steampunk group, Steam Century, and they're having a Darke Carnival...for one reason and another, Steampunk is very big at the moment. So, if you're interested in this interesting blend of possibilities, pick up a book, put on some clothes, or head over to the Darke Carnival at the Inferno in Madison, Wisconsin this Saturday, October 10th!

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