The Steampunk Explorer

Features

Whitby Goth Weekend characters

Photo by Craig Jenkins

Photos: Vampires, Steampunks, and More at Whitby Goth Weekend

Vampires are supposedly creatures of the night, but someone apparently forgot to inform the fanged characters who showed up April 30-May 3 at Whitby Goth Weekend in North Yorkshire, U.K.

Steampunk light sabers

Conventions Are Important, but...

Some folks seem to assume that hotel conventions are the alpha and omega of steampunk, as if the community doesn’t exist elsewhere. But there are many other ways to participate.

Facebook grave

Is Facebook Long for This World?

It might be time for steampunk fans to think about life after Facebook. But what could replace it? The answer may lie in a new “open social” approach that frees users from the walled gardens of proprietary platforms.

The Trappery

Photos: Spirit Alley Market

Spring has sprung, but for some folks that just means it’s six months until Halloween. With that in mind, our friends at The Menagerie presented the Spirit Alley market at the Winchester Mystery House.

Robots at school

Primer: Generative AI Imaging

If steampunk fans want to have a constructive conversation about generative AI, we should all be aware of how it works. Here’s a short guide to AI models and how they are trained, as well as the legal and ethical issues surrounding them.

Spider-Noir

Streaming Guide − May 2026

It’s a banner month with the arrivals of two modern classics — The Prestige and Hugo — along with Good Omens, Spider-Noir, and for the first time ever on a streaming service, Tales from the Crypt. Photo courtesy of Prime.

Steampunk cosplayers

Photos: A Fond Farewell to WWWC

One of the most prominent gatherings in the steampunk world came to an emotional end as the 14th Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention (WWWC) took place March 19-22 in Tucson, Arizona.

Time Machine

2025: The Year in Pictures

The steampunk community is driven largely by events, be they festivals, conventions, or small, informal meetups. Many are showcases for imaginative cosplay and/or whimsical contraptions, and their stories are best told in pictures.