GATEHOUSE GAZETTE ISSUE 13 JULY 2010 ISSN 1879 -5676 GATEHOUSE GAZETTE #13 JULY 2010 CONTENTS The Gatehouse Gazette is an online magazine in publication since July 2008, dedicated to the speculative fiction genres of steampunk and dieselpunk. OP-EDS Steampunk is Great 6 By MARCUS RAUCHFUß In Defense of the Lighter Side of Steampunk 7 By AMANDA STOCK FEATURES The Life and Times of Nellie Bly 8-9 By CAROL McCLEARY A Tempestuous Affair 10 By NICK OTTENS The Joy of Creativity 17-18 By JACQUELINE CHRISTI REVIEWS The Rocketeer 11 By HILDE HEYVAERT Android Karenina 12-13 By MARCUS RAUCHFUß COLUMNS The Steampunk Wardrobe 13 By HILDE HEYVAERT Contents illustration by María S. Varela . ©2010 Gatehouse Gazette . All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Gatehouse Gazette . Published every two months by The Gatehouse . Contact the editor at [email protected]. 2 GATEHOUSE.OTTENS.CO.UK GATEHOUSE GAZETTE #13 JULY 2010 EDITORIAL THE GREAT STEAMPUNK DEBATE By Nick Ottens SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, AFTER THE ELEVENTH ISSUE administrations ultimately decided on a temporary ban of this magazine, dedicated to “Victorientalism” sparked for those members who wouldn’t change their ways. It fierce debate among the steampunk community about was probably too late. Many users had already been the genre’s complicated relationship with colonialism driven away from the forum, having little appetite for a and race, the owners and editors of some of the discussion in which their opinions were being shouted community’s most prominent of blogs and publications down by a few disillusioned steampunks with little gathered to explore the possibility of organizing a patience for dissent. “Great Steampunk Debate” where, for a limited time, Fortunately, plenty of participants noted that they steampunk enthusiasts could come together and discuss had enjoyed the opportunity to discuss some of the the political side of the movement. political questions that steampunk inevitably forces The debate would entail the whole of the upon us. The Great Steampunk Debate did manage to spectrum of steampunk and ideology with discussions bring people from different places together for a broad ranging from the roles of class and gender in the genre discussion on matters that are hardly ever explicitly to topics about the influence of anarchism and the addressed. significance of steampunk’s maker culture. Sadly, it also brought a few people together who Many months of preparation preceded the debate reinforced each others’ self-victimization and proved with the administrators deciding on topics, forum rules able to disturb an entire online event. Clearly there are and anticipating how to cope with events that might steampunk enthusiasts who are disappointed with what frustrate the proceedings. We agreed that to be as open steampunk has become. There are steampunk and welcoming as possible, therefore no topics or users enthusiasts who feel that that their hobby has been were banned beforehand; “official” questions were “hijacked” while others still believe that a prominent posed in order to inspire discussion but members few intend to impose their views on the whole of the would be free to start threads of their own. The debate movement. was widely advertized at the websites involved and Above all attracted many curious steampunks. there is no Steampunk is certainly Within short time, two separate developments denying that Not a unified front of began to trouble the debate, one of which had not been steampunk is foreseen by the administrators. We did expect that certainly not a similarly minded people. some of the discussions would be intense, including the unified front of topic about steampunk and race and one on the similarly minded importance of maker culture. Both ended up requiring people. Different heavy moderation; the former was even removed from polls conducted public viewing after one member contacted our hosting at the Great service to complain about alleged racism in the thread. Steampunk Debate showed that steampunks hail from We did not anticipate that a very vocal minority of many different places, belong to many different cultures users would be able to monopolize the debate and and religions, and maintain very different political discourage others from participating fully. The affiliations, ranging from anarchist to conservative, with administrators discussed the issue at length with most the majority identifying as moderate. It is important to of us reluctant to ban these members outright. While remember that for many, steampunk is either a hobby they were obviously obstructive and some even or a lifestyle; not a political or social philosophy. continually accused the moderators of censorship Therefore, I’m quite convinced that it’s impossible to whenever it was requested that a topic not be derailed gather the whole of the movement for one expression or further, we could not agree whether they were actually idea—or even a shared vision of just what steampunk is. in violation of the rules which had been drafted in If anything, the Great Steampunk Debate has advance. proven once again that steampunks are very different in After urging them repeatedly to be more many ways. We should remember that steampunk constructive and reminding them that the purpose of enthusiasts are as diverse as steampunk itself can be. the Great Steampunk Debate was to explore steampunk There is no simple answer to the question, “What is ideology, not to impose anyone’s views on others, the steampunk?” • 3 GATEHOUSE.OTTENS.CO.UK GATEHOUSE GAZETTE #13 JULY 2010 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR BUSY TIMES HAVE COME AND iconic story, like The Wizard of Oz , I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS MY gone and now I can finally get to also with steampunk elements. The disappointment with Marcus responding to the twelfth issue of current movie is now out on DVD, Rauchfuß’ article on German the Gatehouse Gazette . The new and we do intend to get it. The militarism in the May 2010 issue. I layout is a little plainer than the Hatter is a typical Johnny Depp cannot accept that a discussion or original, but it is also cleaner, and character; no one else could have even an introduction to German may reduce the size of the played him, in my opinion. As the nineteenth and twentieth century download file. As with any gift, the movie progresses, it was militarism could be passed for packaging is nice, but what’s really interesting to see Tim Burton turn publication without mentioning important is the contents. Looking Alice into Joan of Arc. Even Prussia. Prussia, which from the very good so far… Tweedledee and Tweedledum were late seventeenth century onward I have wanted to participate a treat. It was good to see some of was so militarized that Voltaire in the Great Steampunk Debate, and the Hatter’s back story, and once said, “Where some states have I’ve signed up for it, too, but there intriguing to see that when the an army, the Prussian Army has a just hasn’t been time for it. I could Hatter was happy, he used a state!” Prussia, which twentieth spend all day on various steampunk cultured English accent, but as century military historian W.H. websites and forums and bulletin madness approached, his accent Koch called “the New Sparta.” boards and Facebook pages. I will became more and more Scottish. Prussia, the driving force behind readily admit that while steampunk Hilde Heyvaert’s Steampunk Germany’s unification, which set does interest me greatly, the Wardrobe has to be my favorite the tone to which the other primary interest within it for me is part of the magazine, for it not only principalities marched, is nowhere the costuming. For the first time, I caters to the costumer I’ve become to be found in this article. have designed my own costumes, once again, but also to my interests The problem is further have put them together, and have in recycling. Much of my costumes compounded by placing the blame gotten praise for them. I have other have come from thrift shops and for German militarism squarely on ideas in mind for the future. Living antique shows, but also from the the epaulette-encrusted shoulders the steampunk lifestyle may be back of my wardrobe, and the junk of Wilhelm II. Here the “Great Man” good for some, but not feasible for drawer, too. Now have two theory of history is strained to the me. Gotta make a living. costumes, the railway conductor limit of credibility by asking the And there’s old friend Chris and the businessman, and the reader to accept that rather than Garcia. He’s right, the logical labourer is in the design stage right being guided by the currents of process of just about any interest is now. centuries of established Prussian the splintering off of other As for Col. Hazard’s Ad Astra culture, Wilhelm, easily influenced, interests. This has certainly report, I was there, and in charge of neurotic, insecure, was guiding the happened in the eighty-year history the table area the Toronto nation with him. At least two of science fiction fandom, and it will Steampunk Society was in. I am not centuries of Prussian martial continue. Science fiction fandom sure if Ad Astra will continue with culture created and enabled has two sayings: FIAWOL, Fandom steampunk programming, but I Wilhelm II’s militaristic pose, not Is A Way of Life, and FIJAGH, hope the Colonel will press them to the other way around. Fandom Is Just A Goddamned do so.