In a recent exercise to “explain Steampunk in a sentence” a group from across the world came up with: “Steampunk is a creative social movement that draws inspiration from Victorian and pre-war history in an anachronistic mix of science fiction, modern values and a sense of fun.”

It's been nearly five years since Nick Ottens of Neverwas Magazine, in a widely read essay, posed the provocative question, “Who Killed Steampunk?” Today, after another trip around the sun, we can proclaim once again that steampunk is very much alive.

Steampunks often make or modify everyday objects to fit a Neo-Victorian aesthetic. This could be making a wood and brass cabinet for your PC or a mock raygun suitable for an adventure with Jules Verne.

While the term "steampunk" was first coined in the 1980's by author K. W. Jeter, the genre of steampunk goes as far back as the Victorian era itself. Many would argue that steampunk (and even the science fiction genre as a whole) began with one work in particular - Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, published in 1818.