Datamancer's latest creation has swept the internet, and also revived several "what is steampunk?" arguments. I do like the term "electro-anachronism," however. The more I read these sorts of semantics debates, the more I'm reminded of the old days on usenet with alt.gothic - is XYZ goth? Can ABC be goth? What IS goth? Am I not goth if I like EFG? (What's really fun is that I find myself running into alt.gothic regulars in today's steampunk communities. There must be some connection. Someone should do a study.)

 

A robot from eighty years ago used inflatable rubber tubes for movement; it's been updated with a pneumatic system and still works!

 

Meanwhile, some gorgeous jellyfish and mantra ray robots are fwipping about the planet.  Oooh, ahhh.

 

As a direct result of Freakangels, I'm now keeping up with Warren Ellis's website, and even checking out his Twitter updates. (I do have a Twitter account, but like my Facebook profile, it's pretty minimal...)

 

You still have time to drive Jeff and Ann VanderMeer bonkers by making them draw blimps, by the way.

 

And finally, here are some random steampunky goods found around the web. I think the Otokibako has some great potential for decoration and alterations.  The Raku Ray Guns are technically extraterrestial in origin, but they look as if they could fit in quite well in Victorian battles. Black Phoenix has a "steamworks research facility" lab these days which manufactures steampunky scents, and even though I rolled my eyes at first, I have to admit I'm curious about "Smokestack," which apparently smells like "creosote, coal, and industrial waste." Really? Do tell!

The wave of steampunk popularity continues, which simultaneously delights and frightens me. It's even in Newsweek! There are new online communities springing up, like a buy and sell group and a Flickr pool of steampunk gear.

 

Voyages Extraordinaires, one of the oldest distinguished statesmen of steampunky goodness, is now in weblog format, hooray! Also, the genius behind the necropathic spectrograph and Lovecraftian antiquities has a weblog as well at Many Dead Things.

 

Many of us have seen the amazing props and weapons from Weta. Now they have a rival -- check out Kropserkel's fantastical guns! (The whole site is worth some hours of immersion.)