Since the advent of the
cyberpunk genre, a number of derivatives of cyberpunk have become recognized in their own right as distinct
subgenres in
speculative fiction
Speculative fiction is a term that has been used with a variety of (sometimes contradictory) meanings. The broadest interpretation is as a category of fiction encompassing genres with elements that do not exist in reality, recorded history, na ...
, especially in
science fiction.
Rather than necessarily sharing the digitally and mechanically focused setting of cyberpunk, these derivatives can display other futuristic, or even
retrofuturistic
Retrofuturism (adjective ''retrofuturistic'' or ''retrofuture'') is a movement in the creative arts showing the influence of depictions of the future produced in an earlier era. If futurism is sometimes called a "science" bent on anticipatin ...
, qualities that are drawn from or analogous to cyberpunk: a
world built on one particular technology that is extrapolated to a highly sophisticated level (this may even be a fantastical or anachronistic technology, akin to retrofuturism), a gritty
transreal urban style, or a particular approach to social themes.
Steampunk
Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the Victorian era or ...
, one of the most well-known of these subgenres, has been defined as a "kind of technological
fantasy;"
others in this category sometimes also incorporate aspects of
science fantasy
Science fantasy is a hybrid genre within speculative fiction that simultaneously draws upon or combines tropes and elements from both science fiction and fantasy. In a conventional science fiction story, the world is presented as being scientif ...
and
historical fantasy
Historical fantasy is a category of fantasy and genre of historical fiction that incorporates fantastic elements (such as magic) into a more "realistic" narrative. There is much crossover with other subgenres of fantasy; those classed as Arthur ...
. Scholars have written of the stylistic place of these subgenres in
postmodern literature, as well as their ambiguous interaction with the historical perspective of
postcolonialism
Postcolonialism is the critical academic study of the cultural, political and economic legacy of colonialism and imperialism, focusing on the impact of human control and exploitation of colonized people and their lands. More specifically, it is a ...
.
Background
American author
Bruce Bethke coined the term ''cyberpunk'' in his
1980 short story of the same name, proposing it as a label for a new generation of '
punk' teenagers inspired by the perceptions inherent to the
Information Age. The term was quickly appropriated as a label to be applied to the works of
William Gibson,
Bruce Sterling
Michael Bruce Sterling (born April 14, 1954) is an American science fiction author known for his novels and short fiction and editorship of the ''Mirrorshades'' anthology. In particular, he is linked to the cyberpunk subgenre.
Sterling's first ...
,
John Shirley,
Rudy Rucker,
Michael Swanwick,
Pat Cadigan,
Lewis Shiner
Lewis Shiner (born December 30, 1950 in Eugene, Oregon) is an American writer.
Shiner began his career as a science fiction writer, and then identified with cyberpunk. He later wrote more mainstream novels, albeit often with magical realism and f ...
,
Richard Kadrey
Richard Kadrey (born August 27, 1957) is a San Francisco-based novelist, freelance writer, and photographer.
Kadrey was born in New York City, New York.
Fiction
Kadrey has written fifteen novels, including ''The New York Times'' Best Seller ...
, and others.
Science fiction author
Lawrence Person
''Nova Express'' was a Hugo-nominated science fiction fanzine edited by Lawrence Person. ''Nova Express'' is named after William S. Burroughs' ''Nova Express'' and the fictional magazine ''Nova Express'' in Alan Moore's ''Watchmen
''Watchmen' ...
, in defining
postcyberpunk, summarized the characteristics of cyberpunk thusly:
Classic cyberpunk characters were marginalized, alienated loners who lived on the edge of society in generally dystopic futures where daily life was impacted by rapid technological change, an ubiquitous datasphere of computerized information, and invasive modification of the human body.
The cyberpunk style describes the
nihilistic
Nihilism (; ) is a philosophy, or family of views within philosophy, that rejects generally accepted or fundamental aspects of human existence, such as objective truth, knowledge, morality, values, or meaning of life, meaning. The term was pop ...
and
underground
Underground most commonly refers to:
* Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth
Underground may also refer to:
Places
* The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston
* The Underground (S ...
side of the digital society that developed from the last two decades of the 20th century. The cyberpunk world is
dystopia
A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopiaCacotopia (from κακός ''kakos'' "bad") was the term used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1818 Plan of Parliamentary Reform (Works, vol. 3, p. 493). ...
n, that is, it is the
antithesis
Antithesis (Greek for "setting opposite", from "against" and "placing") is used in writing or speech either as a proposition that contrasts with or reverses some previously mentioned proposition, or when two opposites are introduced together f ...
of utopian visions, very frequent in science fiction produced in the mid-twentieth century, typified by the world of
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
, although incorporating some of these
utopias. It is sometimes generically defined as "cyberpunk-fantasy" or "cyberfantasy" a work of a
fantasy genre that concerns the internet or
cyberspace
Cyberspace is a concept describing a widespread interconnected digital technology. "The expression dates back from the first decade of the diffusion of the internet. It refers to the online world as a world 'apart', as distinct from everyday rea ...
. Among the best known exponents are commonly indicated
William Gibson, for his highly innovative and distinctive stories and novels from a stylistic and thematic point of view, and
Bruce Sterling
Michael Bruce Sterling (born April 14, 1954) is an American science fiction author known for his novels and short fiction and editorship of the ''Mirrorshades'' anthology. In particular, he is linked to the cyberpunk subgenre.
Sterling's first ...
, for theoretical elaboration. Sterling later defined cyberpunk as “a new type of integration. The overlapping of worlds that were formally separated: the realm of
high tech and modern
underground culture.
The relevance of cyberpunk as a genre to punk subculture is debatable and further hampered by the lack of a defined 'cyberpunk' subculture. Where the small '
cyber
Cyber may refer to:
Computing and the Internet
* ''Cyber-'', from cybernetics, a transdisciplinary approach for exploring regulatory and purposive systems
Crime and security
* Cyber crime, crime that involves computers and networks
** Conventi ...
' movement shares themes with cyberpunk fiction, as well as drawing inspiration from punk and
goth
A Goth is a member of the Goths, a group of East Germanic tribes. Two major political entities of the Goths were:
*Visigoths, prominent in Spanish history
*Ostrogoths, prominent in Italian history
Goth or Goths may also refer to:
* Goth (surname) ...
alike,
cyberculture is considerably more popular though much less defined, encompassing
virtual communities and
cyberspace
Cyberspace is a concept describing a widespread interconnected digital technology. "The expression dates back from the first decade of the diffusion of the internet. It refers to the online world as a world 'apart', as distinct from everyday rea ...
in general and typically embracing optimistic anticipations about the future. Cyberpunk is nonetheless regarded as a successful genre, as it ensnared many new readers and provided the sort of movement that postmodern literary critics found alluring. Furthermore, author
David Brin argues, cyberpunk made science fiction more attractive and profitable for
mainstream media
In journalism, mainstream media (MSM) is a term and abbreviation used to refer collectively to the various large mass news media that influence many people and both reflect and shape prevailing currents of thought.Chomsky, Noam, ''"What makes mai ...
and the
visual arts in general.
Futuristic derivatives
Biopunk
Biopunk builds on
synthetic biology and
biotechnology (such as
bionanotechnology
Nanobiotechnology, bionanotechnology, and nanobiology are terms that refer to the intersection of nanotechnology and biology. Given that the subject is one that has only emerged very recently, bionanotechnology and nanobiotechnology serve as blan ...
and
biorobotics), typically focusing on the potential dangers to
genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including t ...
and
enhancement.
As such, this genre generally depicts near-future
unintended consequences of the
biotechnology revolution following the discovery of
recombinant DNA.
Emerging during the 1990s, biopunk fiction usually describes the struggles of individuals or groups, often the product of
human experimentation, against a backdrop of
totalitarian governments or
megacorporations that misuse
biotechnologies as means of
social control or
profiteering.
As in
postcyberpunk, individuals are most commonly
modified
Modified may refer to:
* ''Modified'' (album), the second full-length album by Save Ferris
* Modified racing, or "Modifieds", an American automobile racing genre
See also
* Modification (disambiguation)
* Modifier (disambiguation)
Modifier may ...
and
enhanced by
genetic manipulation of their
chromosomes rather than with
prosthetic cyberware or dry nanotechnologies (albeit, like in nanopunk, bio-, nanotechnologies, and cyberware often coexist), and sometimes with other biotechnologies, such as
nanobiotechnology
Nanobiotechnology, bionanotechnology, and nanobiology are terms that refer to the intersection of nanotechnology and biology. Given that the subject is one that has only emerged very recently, bionanotechnology and nanobiotechnology serve as blan ...
,
wetware, special bioengineered
organ
Organ may refer to:
Biology
* Organ (biology), a part of an organism
Musical instruments
* Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone
** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument
** Hammond ...
s, and neural and
tissue graft
Grafting refers to a surgical procedure to move tissue from one site to another on the body, or from another creature, without bringing its own blood supply with it. Instead, a new blood supply grows in after it is placed. A similar technique ...
s.
Film examples include
''Naked Lunch'' (1991), ''
Gattaca'' (1997), ''
Children of Men
''Children of Men'' is a 2006 dystopian action thriller film co-written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón. The screenplay, based on P. D. James' 1992 novel '' The Children of Men'', was credited to five writers, with Clive Owen making uncredi ...
'' (2006), and ''
Vesper'' (2022).
Nanopunk
Nanopunk focuses on worlds in which the theoretical possibilities of
nanotechnology
Nanotechnology, also shortened to nanotech, is the use of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale for industrial purposes. The earliest, widespread description of nanotechnology referred to the particular technological goal o ...
are a reality,
including the use of
Drexlerian 'dry'
nano-assembler
A molecular assembler, as defined by K. Eric Drexler, is a "proposed device able to guide chemical reactions by positioning reactive molecules with atomic precision". A molecular assembler is a kind of molecular machine. Some biological molecul ...
s
and
nanites
A molecular machine, nanite, or nanomachine is a molecular component that produces quasi-mechanical movements (output) in response to specific stimuli (input). In cellular biology, macromolecular machines frequently perform tasks essential for l ...
.
It is an emerging subgenre that is still less common in comparison to other derivatives of
cyberpunk.
The genre is similar to biopunk, which focuses on the use of
biotechnology, such as
bionanotechnology
Nanobiotechnology, bionanotechnology, and nanobiology are terms that refer to the intersection of nanotechnology and biology. Given that the subject is one that has only emerged very recently, bionanotechnology and nanobiotechnology serve as blan ...
and
biorobotics, rather than on nanotechnology. (Albeit, like in biopunk, bio-, nanotechnologies, and
cyberware often coexist in contrast to classical cyberpunk settings tending to heavily focus on mechanical cyberware to the point of genetic engineering and nanotechnologies being outright banned in some cyberpunk settings.)
One of the earliest works of nanopunk, ''Tech Heaven'' (1995) by
Linda Nagata
Linda Nagata (born November 7, 1960, in San Diego, California) is a Hawaii-based American author of speculative fiction, science fiction, and fantasy novels, novellas, and short stories. Her novella ''Goddesses'' was the first online publicati ...
, looked into the healing potential of nanotechnology.
Currently, the genre is more concerned with the artistic and physiological impact of nanotechnology, than of aspects of the technology itself.
For instance,
''Prey'' (2002) by
Michael Crichton
John Michael Crichton (; October 23, 1942 – November 4, 2008) was an American author and filmmaker. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and over a dozen have been adapted into films. His literary works heavily feature tech ...
explores a potential doomsday scenario caused by nanotechnology.
Still, one of the most prominent examples of nanopunk is the ''
Crysis'' video game series; less famous examples include the television series ''
Generator Rex'' (2010) and film ''
Transcendence
Transcendence, transcendent, or transcendental may refer to:
Mathematics
* Transcendental number, a number that is not the root of any polynomial with rational coefficients
* Algebraic element or transcendental element, an element of a field exten ...
'' (2014).
Postcyberpunk
Postcyberpunk includes newer
cyberpunk works that experiment with different approaches to the genre. Oftentimes, such works will keep to central futuristic elements of cyberpunk—such as
human augmentation, ubiquitous
infosphere
Infosphere (''information'' + -''sphere''), analogous to a biosphere, is a metaphysical realm of information, data, knowledge, and communication, populated by informational entities called ''inforgs'' (or, ''informational organisms'').
Though on ...
s, and other advanced technology—but will forgo the assumption of a
dystopia
A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopiaCacotopia (from κακός ''kakos'' "bad") was the term used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1818 Plan of Parliamentary Reform (Works, vol. 3, p. 493). ...
. However, like all categories discerned within science fiction, the boundaries of postcyberpunk are likely to be fluid or ill-defined.
It can be argued that the rise of cyberpunk fiction took place at a time when the '
cyber
Cyber may refer to:
Computing and the Internet
* ''Cyber-'', from cybernetics, a transdisciplinary approach for exploring regulatory and purposive systems
Crime and security
* Cyber crime, crime that involves computers and networks
** Conventi ...
' was still considered new, foreign, and more-or-less strange to the average person. In this sense, postcyberpunk essentially emerged in acknowledgement of the idea that humanity has since adapted to the concept of cyberspace and no longer sees some elements of cyberpunk as from a distant world.
As new writers and artists began to experiment with cyberpunk ideas, new varieties of fiction emerged, sometimes addressing the criticisms leveled at classic cyberpunk fiction. In 1998,
Lawrence Person
''Nova Express'' was a Hugo-nominated science fiction fanzine edited by Lawrence Person. ''Nova Express'' is named after William S. Burroughs' ''Nova Express'' and the fictional magazine ''Nova Express'' in Alan Moore's ''Watchmen
''Watchmen' ...
published an essay to the Internet forum ''
Slashdot'' in which he discusses the emergence of the postcyberpunk genre:
Person advocates using the term ''postcyberpunk'' for the strain of science fiction that he describes above. In this view, typical postcyberpunk fiction explores themes related to a "world of accelerating
technological innovation
Technological innovation is an extended concept of innovation. While innovation is a rather well-defined concept, it has a broad meaning to many people, and especially numerous understanding in the academic and business world.
Innovation refers t ...
and ever-increasing complexity in ways relevant to our everyday lives," while continuing the focus on social aspects within a
post-third industrial-era society, such as of ubiquitous dataspheres and
cybernetic augmentation of the human body. Unlike cyberpunk, its works may portray a
utopia or to blend elements of both extremes into a relatively more mature societal vision.
Denoting the
postmodern
Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by skepticism toward the " grand narratives" of moderni ...
framework of the genre, Rafael Miranda Huereca (2006) states:
The ''
Daemon'' novel series by
Daniel Suarez could be considered postcyberpunk in this sense.
In addition to themes of its ancestral genre, according to Huereca (2011), postcyberpunk might also combine elements of
nanopunk
Nanopunk refers to an emerging subgenre of science fiction that is still very much in its infancy in comparison to its ancestor-genre, cyberpunk, and some of its other derivatives.
The genre is especially similar to biopunk, but describes a world ...
and
biopunk
Biopunk (a portmanteau of "biotechnology" or "biology" and "punk") is a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on biotechnology. It is derived from cyberpunk, but focuses on the implications of biotechnology rather than mechanical cyberware and ...
. Some postcyberpunk settings can have diverse types of augmentations instead of focusing on one kind, while others, similar to classic cyberpunk, can revolve around a single type of technology like prosthetics, such as in ''
Ghost in the Shell'' (''GitS'').
Often named examples of postcyberpunk novels are
Neal Stephenson
Neal Town Stephenson (born October 31, 1959) is an American writer known for his works of speculative fiction. His novels have been categorized as science fiction, historical fiction, cyberpunk, postcyberpunk, and baroque.
Stephenson's work exp ...
's ''
The Diamond Age
''The Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Neal Stephenson. It is to some extent a Bildungsroman or coming-of-age story, focused on a young girl named Nell, set in a future world in ...
'' and
Bruce Sterling
Michael Bruce Sterling (born April 14, 1954) is an American science fiction author known for his novels and short fiction and editorship of the ''Mirrorshades'' anthology. In particular, he is linked to the cyberpunk subgenre.
Sterling's first ...
's ''
Holy Fire''. In television, Person has called ''
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex'' "the most interesting, sustained postcyberpunk media work in existence." In 2007, San Francisco writers
James Patrick Kelly and
John Kessel published ''
Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology''.
Cyber noir
Cyber noir is a
noir genre story placed in a
cyberpunk setting.
Retrofuturistic derivatives
As a wider variety of writers began to work with cyberpunk concepts, new subgenres of science fiction emerged, playing off the cyberpunk label, and focusing on technology and its social effects in different ways. Many derivatives of cyberpunk are
retro-futuristic
Retrofuturism (adjective ''retrofuturistic'' or ''retrofuture'') is a movement in the creative arts showing the influence of depictions of the future produced in an earlier era. If futurism is sometimes called a "science" bent on anticipatin ...
: they reimagine the past either through futuristic visions of historical eras (especially from the
first
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
and
second industrial revolution technological-eras), or through depictions of more recent extrapolations or exaggerations of the actual technology from those eras.
Steampunk
Steampunk is a retro-futuristic genre that is influenced by the
Steam Age, ranging from the late
Regency era (1795–1837; when the
Industrial Revolution began) through the
Victorian era (1837–1901) and the
Belle Époque
The Belle Époque or La Belle Époque (; French for "Beautiful Epoch") is a period of French and European history, usually considered to begin around 1871–1880 and to end with the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era ...
(1871–1914).
The word ''steampunk'' was invented in 1987 as a jocular reference to some of the novels of
Tim Powers,
James P. Blaylock
James Paul Blaylock (born September 20, 1950) is an American fantasy author. He is noted for a distinctive, humorous style, as well as being one of the pioneers of the steampunk genre of science fiction. Blaylock has cited Jules Verne, H. G. W ...
, and
K. W. Jeter
Kevin Wayne Jeter (born March 26, 1950) is an American science fiction and horror author known for his literary writing style, dark themes, and paranoid, unsympathetic characters. He has written novels set in the '' Star Trek'' and '' Star Wa ...
. When Gibson and Sterling entered the subgenre with their 1990
collaborative novel ''
The Difference Engine
''The Difference Engine'' (1990) is an alternative history novel by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. It is widely regarded as a book that helped establish the genre conventions of steampunk.
It posits a Victorian era Britain in which great t ...
'', the term was being used earnestly as well.
Alan Moore and
Kevin O'Neill's 1999 ''
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen''
historical fantasy
Historical fantasy is a category of fantasy and genre of historical fiction that incorporates fantastic elements (such as magic) into a more "realistic" narrative. There is much crossover with other subgenres of fantasy; those classed as Arthur ...
comic book series (and the subsequent
2003 film adaptation) popularized the steampunk genre and helped propel it into mainstream fiction.
The most immediate form of steampunk subculture is the community of fans surrounding the genre. Others move beyond this, attempting to adopt a "steampunk" aesthetic through fashion, home decor and even music. This movement may also be (perhaps more accurately) described as "
Neo-Victorian
Neo-Victorianism is an aesthetic movement that features an overt nostalgia for the Victorian period, generally in the context of the broader hipster subculture of the 1990s-2010s. It is also likened to other "neos" (e.g. neoconservatism, neoli ...
ism", which is the amalgamation of Victorian aesthetic principles with modern sensibilities and technologies. This characteristic is particularly evident in
steampunk fashion which tends to synthesize punk,
goth
A Goth is a member of the Goths, a group of East Germanic tribes. Two major political entities of the Goths were:
*Visigoths, prominent in Spanish history
*Ostrogoths, prominent in Italian history
Goth or Goths may also refer to:
* Goth (surname) ...
and
rivet styles as filtered through the Victorian era. As an object style, however, steampunk adopts more distinct characteristics with various craftspersons
modding modern-day devices into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style. The goal of such redesigns is to employ appropriate materials (such as polished brass, iron, and wood) with design elements and craftsmanship consistent with the Victorian era.
Other examples include ''
Wild Wild West'' (1999) ''
Hugo
Hugo or HUGO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Hugo'' (film), a 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese
* Hugo Award, a science fiction and fantasy award named after Hugo Gernsback
* Hugo (franchise), a children's media franchise based on a ...
'' (2011), ''
Treasure Planet'' (2002).
Clockpunk
Clockpunk, a subgenre of steampunk, reimagines the
Renaissance period (14th–17th century) to include retro-futuristic technology, often portraying
Renaissance-era science and
technology based on
clockwork,
gears, and
Da Vincian machinery designs.
Such designs are in the vein of ''
Mainspring'' by
Jay Lake, and ''
Whitechapel Gods
''Whitechapel Gods'' is a 2008 Canadian Clockpunk/retro-futuristic novel written by S. M. Peters. It was first published on February 5, 2008 through Roc Books.
Background
''Whitechapel Gods'' is the debut novel of Canadian school teacher Shawn Pe ...
'' by S. M. Peters.
The term was coined by the ''
GURPS'' role-playing system.
Examples of clockpunk include ''
The Blazing World'' by
Margaret Cavendish; Astro-Knights Island in the nonlinear game ''
Poptropica
''Poptropica'' is an online role-playing game, developed in 2007 by Pearson Education's Family Education Network, and targeted towards children aged 6 to 15. ''Poptropica'' was primarily the creation of Jeff Kinney, the author of the ''Diary of ...
''; the Clockwork Mansion level of ''
Dishonored 2''; the
2011 film version of ''The Three Musketeers''; the TV series ''
Da Vinci's Demons
''Da Vinci's Demons'' is a historical fantasy drama series that presents a fictional account of Leonardo da Vinci's early life. The series was conceived by David S. Goyer and stars Tom Riley in the title role. It was developed and produced in ...
''; as well as the video games ''
Thief: The Dark Project'', ''
Syberia'', and ''
Assassins Creed 2
''Assassin's Creed II'' is a 2009 action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montréal and published by Ubisoft. It is the second major installment in the ''Assassin's Creed'' series, and the sequel to 2007's ''Assassin's Creed''. The ...
''.
Ian Tregillis
Ian Tregillis is an American author. He is the author of the alternate history trilogy ''The Milkweed Triptych'' and a contributor to George R. R. Martin's Wild Cards series. He is an alumnus of the Clarion Workshop, and holds a Ph.D in physics. ...
' book ''The Mechanical'' is self-proclaimed clockpunk literature.
For some, clockpunk is steampunk without steam.
''
Alita: Battle Angel'' (2019), based on the manga ''
Battle Angel Alita'', is mostly cyberpunk but sometimes its machines contain elements of clockpunk.
Dieselpunk
Dieselpunk is a genre and art style based on the aesthetics popular in the
interwar period
In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the World War I, First World War to the beginning of the World War II, Second World War. The in ...
through the end of
World War II into the 1950s, when
diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
displaced the
steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a cylinder. This pushing force can be trans ...
. The style combines the artistic and genre influences of the period (including
pulp magazines,
serial films,
film noir
Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...
,
art deco, and wartime
pin-ups) with
retro-futuristic
Retrofuturism (adjective ''retrofuturistic'' or ''retrofuture'') is a movement in the creative arts showing the influence of depictions of the future produced in an earlier era. If futurism is sometimes called a "science" bent on anticipatin ...
technology
and
postmodern
Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by skepticism toward the " grand narratives" of moderni ...
sensibilities.
First coined in 2001 as a marketing term by game designer Lewis Pollak to describe his role-playing game ''
Children of the Sun'',
dieselpunk has since grown to describe a distinct style of visual art, music, motion pictures, fiction, and engineering.
Examples include the movies ''
Iron Sky
''Iron Sky'' is a 2012 comic-science-fiction action film directed by Timo Vuorensola and written by Johanna Sinisalo and Michael Kalesniko. '' (2012), ''
Captain America: The First Avenger'' (2011), ''
The Rocketeer'' (1991), ''
K-20: Legend of the Mask'' (2008)'',
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
''Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow'', often shortened to ''Sky Captain'', is a 2004 science fiction action- adventure film written and directed by Kerry Conran in his directorial debut, and produced by Jon Avnet, Sadie Frost, Jude Law an ...
'' (2004), and ''
Dark City'' (1998); video games such as the
''Crimson Skies'' series, ''
Greed Corp
''Greed Corp'' is a turn-based strategy video game developed by W!Games.
Gameplay
''Greed Corp'' is a turn-based game involving strategic battles on a map featuring a land collapsing mechanic. Players choose one of four factions (Freemen, Pirate ...
'', ''
Gatling Gears
''Gatling Gears'' is a shooter video game developed by Vanguard Games and published by Electronic Arts. In the game, players control dieselpunk mechs from an isometric perspective to destroy waves of enemies. ''Gatling Gears'' was released on Xbox ...
'', ''
BioShock'' and
its sequel, ''
Skullgirls
''Skullgirls'' is a 2D fighting game developed by Reverge Labs and published by Autumn Games. In ''Skullgirls'', players fight each other with teams of one, two, or three characters, attempting to knock out their opponents or have the most cumul ...
'',
the
''Wolfenstein'' series, ''
Iron Harvest
The iron harvest () is the annual collection of unexploded ordnance, barbed wire, shrapnel, bullets and congruent trench supports collected by Belgian and French farmers after ploughing their fields. The harvest generally consists of material fr ...
'', and ''
Final Fantasy VII
is a 1997 role-playing video game developed by Square for the PlayStation console. It is the seventh main installment in the ''Final Fantasy'' series. Published in Japan by Square, it was released in other regions by Sony Computer Entertai ...
'';
and television shows like ''
The Legend of Korra''.
Decopunk
Decopunk, also known as coalpunk, is a recent subset of dieselpunk, centered around the
art deco and
Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne is an international style of Art Deco architecture and design that emerged in the 1930s. Inspired by aerodynamic design, it emphasized curving forms, long horizontal lines, and sometimes nautical elements. In industrial design ...
art styles. Other influences include the 1927 film ''
Metropolis'' as well as the environment of American cities like
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
,
Chicago, and
Boston around the period between the 1920s and 1950s.
Steampunk author
Sara M. Harvey made the distinction that decopunk is "shinier than dieselpunk;" more specifically, dieselpunk is "a gritty version of steampunk set in the 1920s–1950s" (i.e., the war eras), whereas decopunk "is the sleek, shiny very art deco version; same time period, but everything is
chrome
Chrome may refer to:
Materials
* Chrome plating, a process of surfacing with chromium
* Chrome alum, a chemical used in mordanting and photographic film
Computing
* Google Chrome, a web browser developed by Google
** ChromeOS, a Google Chrome- ...
!"
Possibly the most notable examples of this genre are games like the first two titles in the
''BioShock'' series and ''
Skullgirls
''Skullgirls'' is a 2D fighting game developed by Reverge Labs and published by Autumn Games. In ''Skullgirls'', players fight each other with teams of one, two, or three characters, attempting to knock out their opponents or have the most cumul ...
''; films like ''
Dick Tracy
''Dick Tracy'' is an American comic strip featuring Dick Tracy (originally Plainclothes Tracy), a tough and intelligent police detective created by Chester Gould. It made its debut on Sunday, October 4, 1931, in the ''Detroit Mirror'', and it ...
'' (1990), ''
The Rocketeer'' (1991), ''
The Shadow'' (1994), and ''
Dark City'' (1998); comic books like ''
The Goon
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
''; and the cartoon ''
Batman: The Animated Series'', which included
neo-noir elements along with modern elements such as the use of
VHS cassettes.
Atompunk
Atompunk (also known as atomicpunk) relates to the pre-
digital
Digital usually refers to something using discrete digits, often binary digits.
Technology and computing Hardware
*Digital electronics, electronic circuits which operate using digital signals
**Digital camera, which captures and stores digital i ...
period of 1945–1969, including
mid-century modernism; the
Atomic,
Jet
Jet, Jets, or The Jet(s) may refer to:
Aerospace
* Jet aircraft, an aircraft propelled by jet engines
** Jet airliner
** Jet engine
** Jet fuel
* Jet Airways, an Indian airline
* Wind Jet (ICAO: JET), an Italian airline
* Journey to Enceladus a ...
, and
Space Ages;
communism,
Neo-Soviet styling, and early
Cold War espionage, along with
anti-communist
Anti-communism is Political movement, political and Ideology, ideological opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in the Russian Empire, and it reached global dimensions during the Cold War, w ...
and
Red Scare
A Red Scare is the promotion of a widespread fear of a potential rise of communism, anarchism or other leftist ideologies by a society or state. The term is most often used to refer to two periods in the history of the United States which ar ...
paranoia in the United States;
underground cinema
An underground film is a film that is out of the mainstream either in its style, genre or financing.
Notable examples include:
John Waters' ''Pink Flamingos'',
David Lynch's ''Eraserhead'',
Andy Warhol's '' Blue Movie'',
Rosa von Praunheim's ' ...
;
Googie architecture;
Sputnik
Sputnik 1 (; see § Etymology) was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space program. It sent a radio signal back to Earth for t ...
and the
Space Race;
comic books and
superhero fiction
Superhero fiction is a genre of speculative fiction examining the adventure fiction, adventures, personalities and ethics of costumed crime fighters known as superheroes, who often possess Superpower (ability), superhuman powers and battle simil ...
; and the rise of the American
military–industrial complex.
Its aesthetic tends toward
Populuxe Populuxe was a consumer culture and aesthetic in the United States popular in the 1950s and 1960s. The term ''populuxe'' is a portmanteau of ''popular'' and ''luxury''.
The style evoked a sense of luxury with the design of consumer goods such as r ...
and
Raygun Gothic, which describe a retro-futuristic vision of the world.
Most science fiction of the period carried an aesthetic that influenced or inspired later atompunk works. Some of these precursors to atompunk include
1950s science fiction films
Year 195 ( CXCV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Scrapula and Clemens (or, less frequently, year 948 ''Ab urbe cond ...
(including, but not limited to,
B movies), the
Sean Connery
Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...
-era of the
''James Bond'' franchise, ''
Dr. Strangelove
''Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'', known simply and more commonly as ''Dr. Strangelove'', is a 1964 black comedy film that satirizes the Cold War fears of a nuclear conflict between the Soviet Union and t ...
'', ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'',
''The Twilight Zone'',
''The Outer Limits'', ''
The Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
** Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes o ...
'', early ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' episodes, ''
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', ''
The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet is a superhero created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell. Since his 1930s radio debut, the character has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of media ...
'', ''
The Jetsons'', ''
Jonny Quest'', ''
Thunderbirds'', ''
Speed Racer'', and some
Silver Age comic books.
Notable examples of atompunk in popular media that have been released since the period include television series like ''
Dexter's Laboratory
''Dexter's Laboratory'' is an American animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. It follows Dexter, a short, enthusiastic boy-genius with a hid ...
'', ''
The Powerpuff Girls'', ''
Venture Bros'', ''
Archer'', and the web series ''
The Mercury Men
''The Mercury Men'' is a 2011 series of web shorts produced for the Syfy network by writer/director Christopher Preksta. It is shot in a retro, 1950s style, in black and white (stock photos of Apollo are in color). Though it is set in the mid-1 ...
''; comic books like ''
Ignition City
''Ignition City'' is a five-issue science fiction comic book limited series, written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Gianluca Pagliarani. It was published in 2009 by American company Avatar Press.
Publication history
Ellis initially conceiv ...
'' and ''
Atomic Age''; films like ''
Logan's Run
''Logan's Run'' is a science fiction novel by American writers William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Published in 1967, the novel depicts a dystopic Malthusianism future society in which both population and the consumption of resource ...
'' (1976) ''
The Incredibles'' (2004), ''
The Iron Giant
''The Iron Giant'' is a 1999 American animated science fiction film produced by Warner Bros. Feature Animation and directed by Brad Bird in his directorial debut. It is based on the 1968 novel '' The Iron Man'' by Ted Hughes (which was publish ...
'' (1999), ''
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
''Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'' is a 2008 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and the fourth installment in the ''Indiana Jones'' series. Released and taking place 19 years after the previous ...
'' (2008),
''The'' ''Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' (2015),
''
X-Men: First Class'' (2011),
and ''
Men in Black 3'' (2012);
video games like ''
Destroy All Humans!
''Destroy All Humans!'' is an open world action-adventure video game franchise that is designed as a parody of Cold War-era alien invasion films. ''Destroy All Humans!'' and ''Destroy All Humans! 2'' are available for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, ...
'' (2005), the
''Fallout'' series and ''
Atomic Heart'' (2023); and books like
Adam Christopher
Adam Christopher McGechan (born 2 February 1978 in Auckland, New Zealand), who writes under the name Adam Christopher, is a New York Times Bestselling novelist. Born in New Zealand, he moved to North West England in 2006, where he lives with his ...
's novel ''The Age Atomic''.
Steelpunk
Steelpunk focuses on the technologies that had their heyday in the late 20th century. It has been described as being characterized by
hardware over
software, the
real world over the
virtual world, and mega-technology over
nanotechnology
Nanotechnology, also shortened to nanotech, is the use of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale for industrial purposes. The earliest, widespread description of nanotechnology referred to the particular technological goal o ...
; rather than grown, printed, or programmed,
artifacts in steelpunk are ''built'' (typically with
rivets).
Examples include films like ''
Snowpiercer'' (2013), as well as those in the
''Mad Max'',
''Terminator'', and
''Robocop'' film franchises; stories centered on comic book characters
Barb Wire
Barb Wire may refer to:
* Barb wire, a fencing material
* Barb Wire (character), a comic book superhero published by Dark Horse Comics
* ''Barb Wire'' (1996 film), starring Pamela Anderson, based on the comic book
* ''Barb Wire'' (pinball), pinb ...
,
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
, and
Stainless Steel Rat
James Bolivar diGriz, alias "Slippery Jim" and "The Stainless Steel Rat", is a fictional character and a series of comic science fiction novels written by Harry Harrison.
Description
James Bolivar diGriz goes by many aliases, including "Slippe ...
; and
Heinlein juveniles novels.
Cassette futurism/Formicapunk
Cassette futurism is a subgenre of cyberpunk that reimagines early 1980s aesthetics as popularized by the
IBM Personal Computer and imitators, regardless of the real time setting of the media. Notable elements of cassette futurism includes loud, bright, contrasting colors and geometric shapes, a tendency towards stark plainness, a lack of powerful computers and cell phones, and the prominent usage of 1980s or 1980s-inspired technologies such as:
magnetic tape data storage,
cathode-ray tube
A cathode-ray tube (CRT) is a vacuum tube containing one or more electron guns, which emit electron beams that are manipulated to display images on a phosphorescent screen. The images may represent electrical waveforms (oscilloscope), pictur ...
displays, computer systems reminiscent of microcomputers like the
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...
, freestanding
music centre
A music centre (or center), also known as a music complex, is a type of integrated audio system for home use, used to play from a variety of media. The term is usually used for lower end or sub- high fidelity equipment. In American English, th ...
s, small, monochromatic
LCDs as opposed to full-color screens,
floppy disk
A floppy disk or floppy diskette (casually referred to as a floppy, or a diskette) is an obsolescent type of disk storage composed of a thin and flexible disk of a magnetic storage medium in a square or nearly square plastic enclosure lined w ...
s, and analog technologies. The internet, or some analogue to it, may exist in a cassette futurism work, but be used less frequently in data exchange than physical media.
Notable cassette futurism works include the designs of
Syd Mead
Sydney Jay Mead (July 18, 1933 – December 30, 2019) was an American industrial designer and neo-futurist concept artist, widely known for his designs for science-fiction films such as ''Blade Runner'', '' Aliens'' and ''Tron''. Mead has bee ...
and
Ron Cobb, the 2018
Netflix miniseries ''
Maniac
Maniac (from Greek μανιακός, ''maniakos'') is a pejorative for an individual who experiences the mood known as mania. In common usage, it is also an insult for someone involved in reckless behavior.
Maniac may also refer to:
Film
* ' ...
'', works featuring
Max Headroom
Max Headroom is a fictional artificial intelligence (AI) character portrayed by actor Matt Frewer. Advertised as "the first computer-generated TV presenter", Max was known for his biting commentary on a variety of topical issues, arrogant wit, ...
, ''
Blake's 7'', the 1995 film ''
Strange Days'', and some elements of the
TVA in the
Disney+ series ''
Loki
Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
''.
Rococopunk
Rococopunk is a whimsical aesthetic derivative of cyberpunk that thrusts punk attitude into the
Rococo period, also known as the late
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
period, of the 18th century.
Although it is a fairly recent derivative,
it is a style that is visually similar to the
New Romantic
The New Romantic movement was an underground subculture movement that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The movement emerged from the nightclub scene in London and Birmingham at venues such as Billy's and The Blitz. The New ...
movement of the 1980s (particularly to such groups as
Adam and the Ants).
As one steampunk scholar put it, "Imagine a world where the Rococo period never ended, and it had a lovechild with
Sid Vicious." Rococopunk has most recently been seen through the artist
Prince Poppycock
John Andrew Quale is an American singer, songwriter, and performer best known by the stage name and persona of Prince Poppycock. Quale, who specializes in musical theater and opera, describes Prince Poppycock on his website as a "roguish operati ...
as featured on ''
The X Factor''.
Fashion designer
Vivienne Westwood
Dame Vivienne Isabel Westwood (née Swire; born 8 April 1941) is an English fashion designer and businesswoman, largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream.
Westwood came to public notice when she m ...
, often known as "the Queen of Punk Fashion," also mixes Rococo with punk stylings.
Stonepunk
Stonepunk refers to works set roughly during the
Stone Age
The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
in which the characters utilize
Neolithic Revolution
The Neolithic Revolution, or the (First) Agricultural Revolution, was the wide-scale transition of many human cultures during the Neolithic period from a lifestyle of hunting and gathering to one of agriculture and settlement, making an incre ...
–era technology constructed from materials more-or-less consistent with the time period, but possessing
anachronistic complexity and function.
''
The Flintstones'' franchise, including its various spinoffs, falls under this category. Other examples include the episode "
The Nightmare of Milky Joe
''The Mighty Boosh''s second series was originally broadcast between 26 July 2005 and 30 August 2005. The series features five main cast members: Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding, Rich Fulcher, Michael Fielding and Dave Brown. The second series ce ...
" in ''
The Mighty Boosh'', ''
Gilligan's Island
''Gilligan's Island'' is an American sitcom created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The show's ensemble cast features Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells. It aired for thr ...
'', ''
The Croods'' franchise, and ''
Castaway
A castaway is a person who is cast adrift or ashore. While the situation usually happens after a shipwreck, some people voluntarily stay behind on a deserted island, either to evade captors or the world in general. A person may also be left a ...
'' (2000). Literary examples include
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, he ...
' ''
Back to the Stone Age'' and ''
The Land that Time Forgot'', and
Jean M. Auel
Jean Marie Auel (; ; born February 18, 1936) is an American writer who wrote the ''Earth's Children'' books, a series of novels set in prehistoric Europe that explores human activities during this time, and touches on the interactions of Cro-Magn ...
's "
Earth's Children" series, beginning with ''
The Clan of the Cave Bear''.
Riichiro Inagaki
is a Japanese mangaka, manga writer from Tokyo. He started his career in 2001 publishing works for Shogakukan's magazine ''Big Comic Spirits''. After three one-shot (comics), one-shots, he moved to Shueisha's ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'', in which he ...
's manga series ''
Dr. Stone'' can also be considered stonepunk.
Other proposed science fiction derivatives
There have been a handful of divergent terms based on the general concepts of
steampunk
Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the Victorian era or ...
. These are typically considered unofficial and are often invented by readers, or by authors referring to their own works, often humorously.
A large number of terms have been used by the ''
GURPS'' roleplaying game ''Steampunk'' to describe anachronistic technologies and settings, including stonepunk (Stone-Age tech), bronzepunk (
Bronze-Age tech), sandalpunk/ironpunk (
Iron-Age tech), candlepunk (
Medieval tech), clockpunk (
Renaissance tech), and atompunk/transistorpunk (
Atomic-Age tech). These terms have seen very little use outside ''GURPS''.
[Stoddard, William H., ''GURPS Steampunk'' (2000)]
Raypunk
Raypunk (or more commonly "
Raygun gothic") is a distinctive (sub)genre that deals with scenarios, technologies, beings or environments, very different from everything that is known or what is possible here on Earth or by science. It covers space
surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...
, parallel worlds, alien art, technological
psychedelia, non-standard 'science',
alternative
Alternative or alternate may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki''
* ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film
* ''The Alternative ...
or distorted/twisted reality, and so on.
It is a predecessor to
atompunk with similar "cosmic" themes, but mostly without explicit
nuclear power or definitive technology. It is also distinct in that it has more archaic/schematic/artistic style; and its atmosphere is more dark, obscure, cheesy, weird, mysterious, dreamy, hazy, or etheric (origins before 1880–1950), parallel to
steampunk
Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the Victorian era or ...
,
dieselpunk
Dieselpunk is a retrofuturistic subgenre of science fiction similar to steampunk or cyberpunk that combines the aesthetics of the diesel-based technology of the interwar period through to the 1950s with retro-futuristic technology and postmodern ...
, and
teslapunk.
While not originally designed as such, the original ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' series has an aesthetic very reminiscent of raypunk. The comic book series ''
The Manhattan Projects
''The Manhattan Projects'' is a comic book series co-created by writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Nick Pitarra published by Image Comics. It is a story about an alternate history of the end of World War II in which the Manhattan Project was a f ...
'', the animated film ''Fantastic Planet'' (''
La Planète Sauvage
''Fantastic Planet'' (french: La Planète sauvage; cs, Divoká planeta, lit. "The Wild Planet") is a 1973 experimental adult animated science fiction film, directed by René Laloux and written by Laloux and Roland Topor, the latter of whom al ...
'') and the pre-WWII
Buck Rogers and
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established ''Buck Rogers'' adve ...
comics and serials would be examples of raypunk.
Nowpunk
Nowpunk is a term invented by
Bruce Sterling
Michael Bruce Sterling (born April 14, 1954) is an American science fiction author known for his novels and short fiction and editorship of the ''Mirrorshades'' anthology. In particular, he is linked to the cyberpunk subgenre.
Sterling's first ...
, which he applied to contemporary fiction that is set in the time period (particularly in the
post-Cold War 1990s to the present, or a future where that particular time period is influential) in which the fiction is being published, i.e. all
contemporary fiction. Sterling used the term to describe his book ''
The Zenith Angle'', which follows the story of a hacker whose life is changed by the
September 11 attacks in 2001, This genre can often be identified for its strong use of '80s and '90s fashion and music,
Gen-X
Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western demographic cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years and the late 1970s to early 1980s a ...
and
Millennial pop culture references,
video games, early
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
,
Japanese anime, and the internet. Some of the leading Nowpunk works include, ''
Tank Girl
''Tank Girl'' is a British comic book character created by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett, and first appeared in print in 1988 in the British comics magazine ''Deadline''. After a period of intense popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s, ...
'', ''
Watch Dogs'', ''
FLCL'', ''
Scott Pilgrim'', ''
Megas XLR'', ''
Mr. Robot
''Mr. Robot'' is an American drama thriller television series created by Sam Esmail for USA Network. It stars Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson, a cybersecurity engineer and hacker with social anxiety disorder, clinical depression and dissociative ...
'', ''
Regular Show
''Regular Show'' (known as ''Regular Show in Space'' during its eighth season) is an American animated sitcom created by J. G. Quintel for Cartoon Network. It ran from September 6, 2010, to January 16, 2017, over the course of eight seasons a ...
'', ''
Steven Universe'', ''
Rick and Morty'', and ''
We Bare Bears''.
Cyberprep
Cyberprep is a term with a similar meaning to postcyberpunk. A cyberprep world assumes that all the
technological advancements of cyberpunk speculation have taken place, but life is
utopian rather than gritty and dangerous.
[Blankenship, Loyd. (1995) ''GURPS Cyberpunk: High-Tech Low-Life Rolepaying Sourcebook''. Steve Jackson Games. ] Since society is largely leisure-driven, advanced
body enhancements are used for sports, pleasure, and self-improvement.
The word is an amalgam of the prefix ''cyber-'', referring to
cybernetics
Cybernetics is a wide-ranging field concerned with circular causality, such as feedback, in regulatory and purposive systems. Cybernetics is named after an example of circular causal feedback, that of steering a ship, where the helmsperson m ...
, and ''
preppy
Preppy (also spelled preppie) or prep (all abbreviations of the word ''preparatory'') is a subculture in the United States associated with the alumni of old private Northeastern college preparatory schools. The terms are used to denote a perso ...
'', reflecting its divergence from the punk elements of cyberpunk.
An example of this genre would be
Scott Westerfeld's
''Uglies'' series.
Solarpunk
Solarpunk is a movement, a subgenre, and an alternative to cyberpunk fiction that encourages optimistic envisioning of the future in light of present environmental concerns, such as
climate change and
pollution,
as well as concerns of
social inequality. Solarpunk fiction—which includes novels, short stories, and poetry—imagines futures that address environmental concerns with varying degrees of optimism. One example is ''News from Gardenia'' by actor-writer
Robert Llewellyn.
Lunarpunk
Lunarpunk is a subgenre of solarpunk with a darker aesthetic. It portrays the nightlife, spirituality, and more introspective side of solarpunk utopias.
As seen in the film ''
Avatar'' (2009) by
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...
, the genre focuses on living in unison with nature;
spiritualization is very present and nature is seen as a deity of sorts. In this way, it can be defined as "Witchy Solarpunk." Aesthetically, lunarpunk usually is presented with pinks, purples, blues, black, and silver with an almost omnipresence of
bioluminescent
Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by living organisms. It is a form of chemiluminescence. Bioluminescence occurs widely in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some Fungus, fungi, microorganisms including ...
plants and especially mushrooms.
Other proposed fantastic fiction derivatives
Elfpunk
Elfpunk is a subgenre of
urban fantasy in which traditional
mythological creatures
A legendary creature (also mythical or mythological creature) is a type of fictional entity, typically a hybrid, that has not been proven and that is described in folklore (including myths and legends), but may be featured in historical accoun ...
, such as
faeries and
elves, are transplanted from rural folklore into modern urban settings.
The genre has been found in books since the 1980s, including works such as ''War of the Oaks'' by
Emma Bull, ''Gossamer Axe'' by
Gael Baudino
Gael Baudino (born 1955) is a contemporary American fantasy author who also writes under the pseudonyms of Gael Kathryns, Gael A. Kathryns, K.M. Tonso, and G.A. Kathryns. She attended college at the University of Southern California. Sometime bef ...
, the
''Artemis Fowl'' series by
Eoin Colfer, the
''Harry Potter'' series by
J.K. Rowling, and ''
The Iron Dragon's Daughter'' by
Michael Swanwick. It also existed in other mediums at that time, for example the
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
role playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal a ...
''
Shadowrun''. Set in the near future, it would be considered traditional cyberpunk, if not for the appearance of
orks
Ork or ORK may refer to:
* Ork (folklore), a mountain demon of Tyrol folklore
* ''Ork'' (video game), a 1991 game for the Amiga and Atari ST systems
* Ork (''Warhammer 40,000''), a fictional species in the ''Warhammer 40,000'' universe
* ''Ork!'' ...
,
dwarves,
elves,
trolls
A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human bei ...
and
dragons, and the return of Magic.
During the awards ceremony for the 2007
National Book Awards
The National Book Awards are a set of annual U.S. literary awards. At the final National Book Awards Ceremony every November, the National Book Foundation presents the National Book Awards and two lifetime achievement awards to authors.
The Nat ...
, judge
Elizabeth Partridge
Elizabeth Partridge (born September 1, 1951) is an American writer, the author of more than a dozen books from young-adult nonfiction to picture books to photography books. Her books include ''Marching for Freedom'' (2009, Viking), as well the bi ...
expounded on the distinction between elfpunk and urban fantasy, citing fellow judge
Scott Westerfeld's thoughts on the works of
Holly Black who is considered "classic elfpunk:" creatures depicted in elfpunk are those that have already existed in literature—urban fantasy, on the other hand, "can have some totally made-up creatures."
The 2020
Pixar animated film ''
Onward'' is an example of elfpunk fiction, set in a "suburban fantasy world" that combines modern and mythic elements. The
Netflix film
''Bright'' is another example of elfpunk in cinema.
Mythpunk
The technological change that separates mythpunk from our reality is a difference in a philosophy or a social science from our own.
Catherynne M. Valente
Catherynne M. Valente (born May 5, 1979) is an American fiction writer, poet, and literary critic. For her speculative fiction novels she has won the annual James Tiptree, Andre Norton, and Mythopoeic Fantasy awards. Her short fiction has a ...
uses the term mythpunk to describe a subgenre of
mythic fiction
Mythic fiction is literature that is rooted in, inspired by, or that in some way draws from the tropes, themes, and symbolism of myth, legend, folklore, and fairy tales. The term is widely credited to Charles de Lint and Terri Windling. Mythic fic ...
that starts in
folklore and
myth
Myth is a folklore genre consisting of Narrative, narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or Origin myth, origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not Objectivity (philosophy), ...
and adds elements of
postmodernist literary techniques.
Valente coined the term in a 2006 blog post as a joke for describing her own and other works of challenging folklore-based fantasy.
As the ''-
punk'' suffix implies, mythpunk is
subversive. In particular, it uses aspects of folklore to subvert or question dominant
societal norms
Social norms are shared standards of acceptance, acceptable behavior by groups. Social norms can both be informal understandings that govern the behavior of members of a society, as well as be codified into wikt:rule, rules and laws. Social normat ...
, often bringing in a
feminist
Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...
and/or multicultural approach. It confronts, instead of conforms to, societal norms.
Valente describes mythpunk as breaking "mythologies that defined a universe where women,
queer
''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...
folk,
people of color, people who deviate from the norm were invisible or never existed" and then "piecing it back together to make something strange and different and wild."
Typically, mythpunk narratives focus on transforming folkloric source material rather than retelling it, often through postmodern
literary techniques
A narrative technique (known for literary fictional narratives as a literary technique, literary device, or fictional device) is any of several specific methods the creator of a narrative uses to convey what they want
—in other words, a stra ...
such as
non-linear storytelling,
worldbuilding,
confessional poetry, as well as modern
linguistic and
literary devices
A narrative technique (known for literary fictional narratives as a literary technique, literary device, or fictional device) is any of several specific methods the creator of a narrative uses to convey what they want
—in other words, a stra ...
. The use of folklore is especially important because folklore is "often a battleground between subversive and conservative forces", according to speculative fiction writer
Amal El-Mohtar
Amal El-Mohtar (born 13 December 1984) is a Canadian poet and writer of speculative fiction. She has published short fiction, poetry, essays and reviews, and has edited the fantastic poetry quarterly magazine ''Goblin Fruit'' since 2006.
El-Moht ...
, and a medium for constructing new societal norms. Through postmodern literary techniques, mythpunk authors change the structures and traditions of folklore, "negotiating—and validating—different norms."
Most works of mythpunk have been published by
small press
A small press is a publisher with annual sales below a certain level or below a certain number of titles published. The terms "indie publisher" and "independent press" and others are sometimes used interchangeably.
Independent press is general ...
es, such as ''
Strange Horizons'', because "anything playing out on the edge is going to have truck with the small presses at some point, because small presses take big risks."
Writers whose works would fall under the mythpunk label include
Ekaterina Sedia
Ekaterina Sedia (born July 9, 1970) is a Russian fantasy writer. She immigrated to the United States and attended college in New Jersey to obtain her Ph.D. Her most famous work is ''The Alchemy of Stone'', a steampunk novel that examines sexism a ...
,
Theodora Goss
Theodora Goss (born September 30, 1968) is a Hungarian-American fiction writer and poet. Her writing has been nominated for major awards, including the Nebula, Locus, Mythopoeic, World Fantasy, and Seiun Awards. Her short fiction and poetry ...
,
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gr ...
,
Sonya Taaffe, Rick Riordan and
Adam Christopher
Adam Christopher McGechan (born 2 February 1978 in Auckland, New Zealand), who writes under the name Adam Christopher, is a New York Times Bestselling novelist. Born in New Zealand, he moved to North West England in 2006, where he lives with his ...
. Valente's novel ''
Deathless'' is an example of mythpunk, drawing from classic
Russian folklore
Folklore of Russia is folklore of Russians and other ethnic groups of Russia.
Russian folklore takes its roots in the pagan beliefs of ancient Slavs and now is represented in the Russian fairy tales._Epic_Russian_ олше́бн_...s._Epic_Russi ...
to tell the tale of
Koschei the Deathless from a female perspective.
Some worlds imagined in children's and young adult programming, such as ''
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power'' and ''
The Owl House'', seemingly portray worlds without
misogyny or
homophobia
Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitude (psychology), attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, h ...
, with the latter featuring a
bisexual
Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...
female protagonist,
Luz Noceda, who escapes from the real world into the inclusive elfpunk world of the Boiling Isles.
References
External links
"Make Way for Plaguepunk, Bronzepunk, and Stonepunk" Annallee Newitz, ''Wired'', March 15, 2007.
{{science fiction
Derivatives
The derivative of a function is the rate of change of the function's output relative to its input value.
Derivative may also refer to:
In mathematics and economics
* Brzozowski derivative in the theory of formal languages
* Formal derivative, an ...
Science fiction genres
Dystopian fiction