First there was Cyberpunk, a dystopian futuristic setting pioneered by authors like William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. Cyberpunk’s official definition is “a genre of science fiction set in a lawless subculture of an oppressive society dominated by computer technology.” It includes the movies Blade Runner, The Matrix, and Hackers. Got it.

Then came Steampunk, an alternate 19th century in which technology runs on steam. The Difference Engine (1990) was one of the first books in the genre. It’s a world inspired by the works of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and Arthur Conan Doyle, covering everything from airships to submarines. This genre transcends mere entertainment, as people dress in Steampunk clothes and build Steampunk contraptions. Unlike Cyberpunk, which seems locked in the 80s' and 90s' version of the future, Steampunk can never go out of date, because it takes place in the past.

But science fiction (and fantasy) hasn’t stopped there. Now there are all kinds of “__punk"s vying to be the next Steampunk. Are any of them good? Let’s take a look.

Dieselpunk



image: Caleb Wilson via DeviantArt



If Steampunk ends around World War One, Dieselpunk encompasses the next few decades. Since this is already a mechanized age, Dieselpunk has to crank the tech and weirdness up a few notches. Think of the jetpack in The Rocketeer and the strength serum of Captain America: The First Avenge. This is also the era of space opera, including Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon. The Indiana Jones and Mummy seem to fit into this genre as well.

The next big thing? This is the closest "punk" that's already a thing, as you can see from the list above. And yet it hasn't inspired as much cosplay, art, and design as Steampunk. Maybe it's just not as romantic?

Silkpunk

Author Ken Liu describes his novel The Grace of Kings as Silkpunk, which "draws inspiration from classical East Asian antiquity. My novel is filled with technologies like soaring battle kites that lift duelists into the air, bamboo-and-silk airships propelled by giant feathered oars, underwater boats that swim like whales driven by primitive steam engines, and tunnel-digging machines enhanced with herbal lore." It's a cool idea, closer to fantasy than sci-fi, and certainly like nothing that's been seen on TV or film.

The next big thing? Liu himself was hard-pressed to name other examples of Silkpunk. It can be difficult for Asian history or mythology to break through in America, but this genre is definitely worth a look.

Clockpunk



image: Darth Destruktor



Steam was the most advanced technology of the 19th century. Clockwork was the most advanced technology before that. Clockpunk takes place during the Renaissance and Enlightenment. Instead of Verne or Wells, this genre is inspired by the imagination of Leonard da Vinci. The 2011 version of The Three Musketeers and maybe the Pirates of the Caribbean movies would qualify as Clockpunk.

The next big thing? You know, adding rap and hip hop to the American Revolution could be Clockpunk, so if we include Hamilton, the genre might be very big indeed.

Elfpunk

Here's where the "punk" phenomena starts to get out of hand. You'd think magical elements in a modern-day story would just be called "urban fantasy." But that genre supposedly includes only werewolves and vampires, like True Blood. Elfpunk features only fairy creatures like elfs and goblins. Author Suzanne Lazear explains: "They don’t have to be of the Celtic persuasion, they can be Norse, Japanese, Slavic… the options are endless. The creatures stay as close to the original mythos as possible and any differences are explained as part of the world building." OK.

The next big thing? I could find only three novels that fit the description, none of which you've probably heard of. The genre sure seems limiting. So it might be a thing... but big, not so much.

Atompunk

It's what comes after Dieselpunk. This is the era of 1950s sci-fi B-movies, with atomic science responsible for mutations and giant monsters. There's also the paranoia about Communism and flying saucers -- and what if one is controlling the other? It's a charming genre, filled with yesterday's vision of the future, with clean energy, flying cars, and regular rocket trips to the moon. It includes all the great 50s thrillers, from This Island Earth to Them! to Forbidden Planet. Even the original Star Trek could fit into this category.

The next big thing? Mars Attacks! illustrated this aesthetic pretty well, but that film came out 20 years ago. And no one seems to be writing novels in the genre since Robert Heinlein and E.E. "Doc" Smith back in the actual 1950s. Still, the time period is a lot of fun, and might need just one big movie or book to bring it back into vogue.

Mythpunk

A postmodern take on myths and fairy tales, usually with an inclusion of formerly "invisible" characters, like people of color, the disabled, or the LGBTQ community. Since women were restricted by politics and society in the old days, many mythpunk stories offer a feminist revision of classic stories. Novels by Neil Gaiman (such as Stardust) and Catherynne M. Valente (such as Six Gun Snow White) fall into this category. So do movies like Labyrinth and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, and the musical Wicked.

The next big thing? Diversity and inclusion are certainly "in" right now, and this genre could offer new, more relevant perspectives on folklore and mythology. Wicked has been running on Broadway for more than a decade and, Frozen, a sort of feminist version of the classic Disney princess story, is one of the studio's biggest hits of all time. Clearly there's an audience for this genre. And if it brings new fans to fantasy, I'm all for it.

Solarpunk



image: Vincent Callebaut



Rather than looking to the past, this is a current version of a utopian future—an egalitarian society, powered by clean energy that's friendly to the environment, with everyone living in harmony and abundance. In these stories, giant corporations and polluters are the villains, while scientists, ecologists, and concerned citizens are the heroes. What's "punk" about that? Well, as Hopes & Fears's Ben Valentine puts it, "Fighting against all the momentum and money that is invested in destroying the environment is as big of a battle as one could imagine." Solarpunk authors would include Kim Stanley Robinson and Ursula K. LeGuin. Solarpunk films would be Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke and Castle in the Sky, along with Beasts of the Southern Wild.

The next big thing? You can't say Solarpunk isn't relevant. How we respond to the changes in our environment, our technology, and our society will decide the fate of the entire human race. If Solarpunk can make conservation cool, change our political priorities, and inspire visionary thinking, I certainly hope it's the next big thing.

This list doesn't even cover some of the sillier ideas, like Stonepunk (yep, in the stone age), Decopunk (squeezed between Steampunk and Dieselpunk), and Cyberprep (a sunnier version of Cyberpunk).

Which of these "punks" sound the best to you? Are there are any I left out? Let me know in the comments.