Geek & Sundry's "The Guild" attacks the issue of "what is steampunk?" by saying "if you don't know, you should probably move on."
Steampunk is a term that's been batted around more and more frequently, and as is the case with many pop-culture references, you don't want to use the word incorrectly. The purist's point of view is this: Steampunk refers to a genre or style that takes Victorian-era aesthetics, adds late-19th-century technology (think steam engines) and then turns the volume up on both those elements. It sounds simple, but you'd be surprised how up-in-arms you can make some hard-core fans by saying something is steampunk when it's really just posing as such to get on the bandwagon.
Rather than delve into a lengthy discussion about the ins and outs of steampunk, let's play a game I just made up called "Is It Steampunk?" Here are some examples you can draw from to get an idea of what steampunk is. Here's the rating system, from 1 gear ("that ain't steampunk") to 5 gears ("nothing is more steampunk than that").
"Firefly": 1 gearThe production design of this short-lived but long-loved sci-fi show from Joss Whedon is sometimes said to be an example of steampunk. It is not. The production design of the show has a vague 19th century aesthetic, and the technology is more George Lucas than Jules Verne. Call this one a sci-fi Western and you'd be closer to the target.
This box: 2 gears
We're getting warmer. This box has a lot of gears and brass, but it's just a compass with a bunch of crap around it. I'd say this is a steampunk-inspired bit of knickknackery. And that's fine. There are all kinds of costumes, jewelry and other items that employ a steampunk design aesthetic. Expect to see lots of this - brass gears, goggles and corsets - in fashion, as it's
predicted to be a trend that grows massively in the next two years. As these designs move from artisan-created to mass-produced, the definition of steampunk is going to have to lose some of its purity.
"Wild Wild West": 3 gearsObviously, Western style wins out in this Will Smith film, but the aesthetic would still make for solid steampunk cosplay. What really makes this story steampunk is the tech. A steam-powered tank, giant mechanical spider and a crude flying machine? Yeah, that's pretty steampunk.
This jetpack: 4 gears
In addition to being awesome, this sweet jetpack by Canadian artist Ian Finch-Field is a great example of steampunk. Its design is spot-on, and it looks like it could fly you from Paris to London in 10 minutes. Super steampunk.
Steampunk Ghostbusters: 5 gears
Yeah. That's just amazing.
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