why steampunk is cool

For some time now steam punk has been receiving more and more interest as a genre. Mostly in comics and to some extent in movies. While there has been a fairly consistent flow of steampunk literature under the alternative history label of classic science fiction.
There’s a number of reasons for this. The most significant being the visual side: the genre expands on the designs and constructions from an age, where industrial creations were still beautiful. – or at lest – they had a different beauty than today: Stuff like brass and iron machinery, ornaments and mechanical calculators. The architecture and costumes are undeniably romantic and dramatic.
And then there’s something else. I don’t know if it was in the food they ate or what. But the Victorian age from 1837 to 1901 is a period of explorers, inventors, weird murderers and very inspirational literature: superintelligent detectives, artificial life, ravens, vampires, and then there’s Jules Verne obviously.
The movie “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” which is based on a graphic novel by the way – sums it up quite nicely. – And while you’re at it I recommend a look at the movie Van Helsing.
But there’s more: the fact that this genre is mostly defined by some sort of alternative reality makes it a ((pleasantly) distorted) mirror of our own reality.
I predict that we’ll soon see som sort of steampunk breakthrough.