Holy the craps I’m exhausted.
I have to admit, I’m really not hard core when it comes to this con stuff. I think my con constitution is -2 or so, or something. Not that I’m not totally enjoying myself, just that… TIRED. *whine*
I will be posting more updates, including an interview with Tobias Buckell, in the following days. I have to get the audio from our Flip and assemble it into something cohesive for the rest of you. Bottom line, though, is that Tobias is a really awesome, insightful fellow, and you should definitely go to his website. He posts the first 1/3 of all his novels there, and if you like the flavor of steampunk and some truly fascinating SF, do yourself a favor and read.
Also: Sean Astin is the most courteous con panelist ever, and Nathan Fillion is hysterical in person.
Also: The Steampunk panel this evening attracted so many people that literally dozens had to be turned away (including me). Note to the folks at D*C next year: STEAMPUNK TRACK. I know a writer who’s writing a steampunk novel and podcast who’d love to help you out (HINT HINT).
I’ll be posting some pictures a little later this evening if I don’t completely fall asleep in the mean time…
The Aldersgate Cycle 
September 1, 2008 at 2:49 am
I definitely heard rumors that there will be a Steampunk track next year (the lovely young lady in front of me at the panel claimed she had suggested it and was confident she’d be allowed to have it)
As for the panel, it was merely a rehashing of the definition of steampunk along with a good bit of self-congratulatory comments disguised as responses to “What is the appeal of Steampunk?”
My husband is now convinced that all Steampunk enthusiasts are insufferable snobs who are only interested in Steampunk as a means of rebelling for the sake of rebelling. TT^TT
However! Steampunk track next year. Oh, how I hope this comes to pass…..
September 1, 2008 at 2:57 am
@dryope That is so awesome to hear (about the track!!). And some steampunks are insufferable snobs, to be sure–but that’s merely part of the aesthetic, now isn’t it?
Steampunk is so much more powerful than what it sounds like the panel made it out to be. It’s such an exciting genre/movement/aesthetic. I really hope it gets all the awesome attention it deserves next year (including, I hope, a fashion show of some sort–the costumes this year blew me away!).
September 1, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Well, to be perfectly fair two of the three panelists were authors and they had only recently been made aware that they were writing steampunk. So they actually were trying to understand something they’d never heard of before. Also, I’m pretty sure most of the people there weren’t snobs, but there were a few rather vocal audience members who felt it necessary to proclaim that an interest in steampunk makes one superior to some vaguely defined Other People. This is a flattering assessment but I can’t quite bring myself to actually believe it.
Oh, a fashion show would have been fun! There were indeed some spectacular costumes! I’m so sad we didn’t bring a camera or I would have been fangirl-ing all over some of those poor souls. But then it looked like there was an impromptu photoshoot of all the costumers who didn’t make it into the panel — we saw them when we left the room and I was mightily impressed. I can’t wait to see some of those pictures! All those fabulous costumes gathered in one place was almost more awesome than I could stand.
September 2, 2008 at 4:35 pm
@dryope They should have asked Tobias Buckell to talk–he was there! His stuff is steampunk, Caribbean style. I’ll be putting together our interview a little later.
Steampunk is growing, and there’s always the naysayers, the early-adherents, the late comers… Like any other genres, it’ll no doubt have its staunch believers, wide-eyed optimists, etc. To me it’s about fun and freedom of expression, covered in brassy beauty. Something like that.
September 3, 2008 at 2:53 pm
FWIW, there was ANOTHER steampunk panel at DragonCon, too, on Friday night, and it sounds like it may have been more diverse and all-embracing than the one you’re describing. The panelists were two musicians, one author, two podcast producers, and one magazine editor (that was me). The discussion was thoughtful, excited, optimistic, and assertively anti-snobbish. (Quote: “It doesn’t matter whether it’s steampunks, goths, hackers, or whatever — if some dork ever tries to tell you they’re a cooler dork than you are, the proper answer is to laugh at them.”)
September 3, 2008 at 3:02 pm
@S.H. Segal Well, awesome! I was delayed coming out of NC and couldn’t get myself there in time for the first panel. I think people had to be turned away there, too. I don’t know myself what any of them were really like, just that the demand was rather tremendous. There’s been lots of talk of a Steampunk track for next year, so here’s hoping.
I’m glad that the discussion was so lively! And I love the quote too… sounds like I missed something pretty awesome.
September 3, 2008 at 8:35 pm
@SH Segal: Coooool. I agree, the quote is awesome! =D
Ahhh, I don’t want to be too down on the panel or imply that all steampunks are snobs or anything. I mean, I like steampunk or I wouldn’t have gone. I guess I am just too insecure and thus over-sensitive to certain sentiments (I don’t laugh when other people say they’re cooler than me; I think “Rats, they’re on to me!!”) Does that make sense? I don’t wanna make it sound really awful or anything. I was kinda disappointed, but then I was expecting a discussion on how Verne and Dickens influenced Steampunk as a genre. So you know.
Anyway, just because the panel wasn’t perfect doesn’t actually mean I didn’t have fun. I got to see lots of cool costumes and maybe next year I’ll remember a camera so I will have an excuse to fangirl. ^_^ and maybe next year I’ll actually wear my costume instead of wimping out. >.>; Y’never know.
And the best thing to come out of it? While searching for pictures of all those costumes I didn’t get to immortalize I found this blog, which I would never have heard of otherwise. YAY NEW STUFF TO READ. ^_^ So there ya go.