Punk it! Part Two: Dieselpunk

Dieselpunk is a "punked" era, in the same way that Steampunk is, where you apply advanced and/or alternate technology to the era.  It puts its spin on the World War time period, but can also reach up into the early 1950's.  Generally, Dieselpunk is military-based retro-futuristic genre, but feels very noir and pulp.  The other genre for this period are Decopunk-- that will have its own post later on.  If you're wondering as to the difference immediately, a cohort on a Dieselpunk page I am in said it best: "Dieselpunk is how I go to work and go to war.
Decopunk is where I go home, go out for the night, and what I'm fighting for."
Despite their vast stylistic differences, Diesel- and Steampunk are often confused; it is that fact that prompted me to begin the "Punk it!" series!  The term "Dieselpunk" was created by Lewis Pollak in 2001 to describe his roll-playing game "Children of the Sun."  Where did the "diesel" come from?  During this era, Western transportation was primarily diesel powered, whereas in Steampunk things are mostly steam-powered.  Internal combustion is the basis of most technology in this genre.  The basic technology of Dieselpunk is, appropriately, more advanced than that of Steampunk, as well as more streamlined.  There is much less being ornate just for the sake of being ornate in a world at war!  Music is full of hope-- Jazz, Swing, and Big Band.

Art by Stefan Prohaczka

DragonFly by Charles Cornell

If you're looking to gather some more inspiration, check out books such as Stephen Baxter's Time Ships, Charles Cornell's DragonFly Squadron novels (you can click the pic to get to his website!), and the more mainstream Leviathan series by Scott Westerfield.  Dieselpunk can be exemplified in movies such as The Rocketeer, Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow, and Iron Sky.  DC's new DC Bombshell's comic is based upon their well-selling Bombshell's statue line and can also be considered Dieselpunk; the first issue it due to hit stands in August 2015 and it is set during an alternate era WWII.

The clothing of Dieselpunk stems from two aesthetics-- American (both military and civilian) and the Germanic.  Here is where I would like to insert a disclaimer of sorts... It is OK to like the styling of German military.  It does not make you a Nazi sympathizer.  It's clothes.  Get over it, people.  If you're worried about wearing a swastika, choose a different symbol (Hydra, anyone??), or make up your own!  With any costume that is historically based, it is always a good idea to do some research first.  Here are some pictures to get you started, but I do advocate looking into it a bit more for yourself as this article is just a primer on the genre and does not encompass everything (because this is a blog, not a book).  Pin-Up art also took off during WW2 and you will find plenty of examples of Dieselpunk Pin-Ups while you're looking and that is also a wonderfully fun spin!  If you're looking for cinematic inspiration, think of the clothing in movies such as Indiana Jones and Inglorious Basterds.  The other side to styling from this era we will look at later as Decopunk.

Here you can see some awesome Dieselpunk outfits!  Have you done some Dieselpunking?  Share your looks with me in the comments or on facebook!