From Squids & Octopi to Kraken: Cephalopods in Fact and Fiction
Rose Colored Glasses – A Victorian Window to the Past
Steampunk & Storytelling
From clockwork cities to sentient robots, airships, and time travel, this informative panel will explore how the imaginative worlds of Steampunk serve as dynamic settings for various narratives. Guest authors and storytellers will discuss how these unique settings and conventions provide endless opportunities for creative storytelling, blending history, fantasy, romance, science, and futuristic innovation.
Read MoreResistance, Revolt + Maroon Societies
Resistance can take many forms. It can be an armed rebellion or revolt, a personal attack or escape. It canalso look like the food people ate, the clothes they wore, or the language they created. This presentation looks at the ways that enslaved and free Black people in the Americas and the Caribbean resisted systems…
Read MoreGadgets & Gizmos of the High Seas
Discover the real story behind the maritime gadgets and gizmos! First, we’ll talk about the wide range of actual technology used in navigation and seafaring. Then, we’ll explore how these technologies have influenced steampunk media.
Read MoreFantastical Stories from the Caribbean Islands
Pirates, ghosts, and strange happenings! Captain Quaestor, a steampunk adventurer who hails from an island in the Caribbean Sea, shall narrate some thrilling 19th-century stories from his native land. Some are based on history, some are based on local legends, all of them entertaining and a great source for steampunk creativity!
Read MoreKathryn’s top 10 Pirate movies
Really Cool Lesser-known Pirates
The women! Meet a daring tactician of the ancient world, a Muslim woman Corsair; enterprising and vengeful pirate widows; a mother-and-daughter-in-law ship-stealing duo; the “Most Successful Pirate in History” who got the better of the Chinese empire, and more.The Jews. When Spain forced them out, some went to raid Spanish shipping in the Caribbean under…
Read MoreWhat if? Exploring Alternate History in Media
Explore the fascinating genre of alternate history in media, where writers and artists imagine scenarios of a past that never was. In this panel, we’ll discuss some of the most popular and influential works of the genre in media, such as Watchmen, Anno Dracula, and Loki. We will also examine the themes, challenges, and implications…
Read MoreThe Science of Verne’s “Nautilus”
Full translation of Jules Vernes’ novel “20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea” has revealed the scientific secret of the famous submarine’s advanced propulsion system–and it’s SO Steampunk! This presentation will delve into the real science of Nemo’s ship, his lighting system, weapons, and underwater breathing apparatus.
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