El
WILD WEIRD WEST YEAR 1 MONTH 2
STEAMPUNK APRIL
1875 FREE ISSUE
RETROFUTURISM
A time where Past, Present and Future converge.
Steampunk México: Caught in an Uchronia (pg. 3)
El Fonógrafo: The Tiger Lillies and their Freakshow (pg. 7)
Who are the Mercenarios de DIOS? (pg. 4)
In The Archives: A steam powered car (pg. 6)
Mercenarios de DIOS publicaciones (Mercenaries of GOD publications) Administrators: Negrotipo and 99 Balloons. Director: The Boss. Design: Von Marmalade. Mercenaries and collaborators: Bandido Perales, Elisa, Katalina Salazar, N. Inmunsapá, Von Marmalade, Xpike. Translation: Hodson & G’Mork. Publication: April 2011. Mexico. Commentaries: http://mercenariosddios.blogspot.com - MDCCCLXXV
El Investigador EDITORIAL
IN XXI CENTURY NOBODY READS ANYMORE. THE LEADING ARTICLE. - The Boss Submitting a monthly magazine through web 2.0 does not seem to be a difficult task. That this is a single focused publication on one theme seems to simplify further the work, but when we discover that there are no publications in any language that has the same frequency and has the goal to present and report on retrofuturism, we realized that we stand in inhospitable territory. We know that the road has just begun and it will be long, but we believe that any human being can found, in the same stream, the union of all the arts, what a genius of the nineteenth century called “A total work of art”.
By: Von Marmalade
Using the creative arts as tools, recreating the aesthetics and taking the values of the past, with the convenience of modern technology, the individuals who make “El Investigador” possess the same spirit of adventure and courage that distinguishes the protagonists of the uchronic stories. We started this journey in which we know we will face obstacles but when the goal has been set, the objectives are clear and creativity and will amalgam, then the dreams weave together and no matter if no one in the 21st century reads this leading article.
MAKING OF...
MERCENARIOS DE DIOS PUBLICATIONS 2
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Wild Weird West RESEARCH
STEAMPUNK MÉXICO: TRAPPED IN AN UCHRONIA - El Investigador
PART 1 “The promotion and dissemination of a cultural approach, which is fed by the individual imaginative proposals, and therefore original, from his participants”, adds Mr. Serpens.
I
t was an idea I had since we begun this voyage to discovery, exploration and conquest of the fascinating world of retrofuturism. Is there an equal movement in “the belly button of the moon” (Mexico)? The answer soon appeared when my assistant, Miss Von Marmalade, said in the middle of editing the previous issue (the first of this publication) about “several photographs that Lord Lukyan Corvinus had, and could be useful for us”. Intrigued asked about the referred gentleman and she responded with his peculiar smile: “Lord Lukyan? Ah, is the administrator of Steampunk Mexico!” Without saying more words thanked Miss Von Marmalade her valuable information and asked to give me the information necessary to lead “The Condottieri”, my aircraft and home, to what I thought might be a kind of “club” or “invisible college”. Once I had the information, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was an island in the virtual waters. As soon as I arrived, realized with a quick glance it was a quiet but not an empty place and their transients were distinguished by their manners, vestments, ways of talking, but particularly for
their genius and creativity. Every individual share something in common: their taste and attraction for retrofuturism, especially focused on Steampunk. But I will let some of the members speak about the fascinating space located in the waters of the virtual sea. Facing the basic question “what is this?” We got the following response: A. SP Mexico is a forum for promoting the Steampunk movement, mainly looking for the own characteristics of the nineteenth century Mexico, says Johan Serpens, mechanic and adventurer, who holds the degree of copper gear in the forum. Q. When and why SP Mexico has born? A. “It started with the idea of creating a place where Mexican followers of this culture can meet, chat, comment, share, know each others, etc... On July 27, 2010 at 11:57 pm, the forum is formally opened as Steampunk Mexico” says, with what I think is a certain euphoria, Lord Corvinus, site administrator.
“A virtual forum is perfect for exchanging all those ideas and knowledge”, says Lord Corvinus with that look that the genius and creative minds have. Q. Being the Retro Futurism so vast, why choose Steampunk over any other contemporary genre? A. “When I had my first glimpses into the Steampunk I realized that this was what always fascinated me and was united under this genre”, answered Lord Corvinus. Meanwhile Johan Serpens adds: “Being a more holistic movement, which includes not only the nineteenth century typical clothing, complemented by the imaginative exercise of conceiving any actual accessories, equipped with the aesthetics of the era. This proposal goes beyond the style of dressing, to make a specific cultural approach, which encompasses all the arts”. There is so much to say and so little space. I only invite you to read the next issue, which will continue with the answers about Steampunk Mexico.
“The primary objective of the forum is the existence of a meeting point for all the “Mexican steamers”” continues his manager, who also defined himself as a mechanic and monster hunter.
YEAR 1 MONTH 2 - APRIL 3
El Investigador RESEARCH
THE MERCENARIOS DE DIOS WE ARE HERE TO STAY
M
ercenarios de DIOS, that is our name. Our army is -for now- a small independent collective of creative people, each one with his own career, artistic approach and individual interests, jointly presented in their own spaces (Blog, DevianArt, Tumblr, Flickr, etc...) also offering its own windows for it. The Mercenarios, also gather our skills, knowledge and talent developing projects together, such is the case of “Retro-Futurism 1875” which includes, in addition to this magazine, several lines of which we will be talking to you in future issues. The command integrate young -and not so young- artists located in different regions of the Mexican territory, convinced that the time to put together the different artistic expressions in a common goal has come, so we decided to bomb the virtual space with payloads of retrofuturism. Here is a place for the Steampunk and the Dieselpunk and even the post-apocalyptic Cyberpunk, Uchronias, Dystopias and other mixed and nonexistent times.
Like any commercial benefit is given or can give from any of the works. These are and will be exclusive to its creator. Mercenarios de DIOS does not require (or will require ever) any financial compensation of any kind. Our banner waves with the ideas of “Dios y Libertad (God and Liberty)” from Captain Mission, founder of Libertia. If any work produces any sort of monetary benefit or transaction of any kind, the rights correspond entirely to its creator, under the motto: “Lo tuyo es tuyo por derecho propio, lo mío yo lo comparto. Código de Mercenario, vaya con DIOS” (Yours is your by your own right, Mine, I share it. Mercenary Code, go with God)
We have the potential of a legion. Other will see us as a label that show, endorse, support and accept artists who work by themselves, are starting or have a long way in their area of expertise. Everyone is welcome, plastic artists, illustrators, visual artists, musicians, writers and even the adventurous and creative mind. We will form an army that shows the various forms of expression that may exist, and provide a showcase for them. There is nothing to lose and everything to win. We are Mercenarios de DIOS but we do not charge a penny for the contributions received or link promotion to portfolios, blogs and showcase that each artist possesses.
MERCENARIOS DE DIOS PUBLICATIONS 4
Yours, is yours by your own right, Mine, I share it. Mercenary Code go with God
Wild Weird West RESEARCH
DO YOU LIKE SCIENCE FICTION? - Elisa
N
o, was the answer in my mind... But I remained silent.
— — — —
Do you like the Retro vibe? Hippies and stuff? Well, what about horror tales? Ha! Not a chance.
But the story I heard from my friend caught my attention and managed to trap me. Retrofuturism... Rewrite the past with elements of the future? Alternative timelines? The ability of taking the technology of today, transport it to the past and establish an utopian society, with the best of the two eras? It sounded good; maybe that’s why I liked it. Could it be that returning to the past is kind of a necessity?
I’ve seen some images: a computer with a typewriter keyboard with an old computer monitor as those old TV sets that first appeared... I liked that! I thought, “What a bizarre mixture...” Could be that young people do not have some weird aspects, light and dark bearings, mixed at different times, perhaps...? Could it be that we are always looking for “something”? Will be the retro futurism that “something” that is here to stay?
There is a kind of retro futurism, which would be the vision of the future through the eyes of the past, where we analyze the expectations they had in another time in our own century. Also, there is another type, which would be more related to the uchronia; one that portrays a perfectly recognizable past in which modern technology (computers, flying machines, giant robots) bounce into. It’s called “Uchronia” because it is about historical branches that never really happened... I think I should start to understand what the Retro-Futurism is and then comprehend their categories, write a glossary, terms, concepts... The structure must be clear to me. Then proceed to the areas of art which deals with... Music, Fashion, Sculpture, Design, etc... I just want to understand what they’re looking for in the “style, fashion, genre”. Where the link between past and future is, how I’m taking what I like about this time to another place, time, moment...
YEAR 1 MONTH 2 - APRIL 5
El Investigador IN THE ARCHIVES
L’OBEISSANTE By: Von Marmalade
B
efore Henry Ford became famous with his cars, L’Obeissante, the ancestor of the private vehicle, made his first long trip out of Le Mans. On April 26, 1875, the steam powered car invented by Amedee Bollee made its first trip, which lasted only 18 hours and brought their passengers safely
from Le Mans to the capital of France. Because back then there were no laws to regulate the traffic, Amedee Bollee received 75 fines for using the path in an incorrect way. L’Obeissante (The Obedient, in French) was the first steam powered car, owned
by an individual, with permission to transit on the streets of Paris.
OBITUARY Died on April 6, 1875
Moses Hess Precursor of Zionism. Collaborator and Friend of Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels.
WE A RE RECRUITING! We are looking for teachers, engineers, inventors, adventurers, aristocrats and any Steampunk creation that you have and want for include in our “1875” tales.
You can be the next Mercenario de DIOS http://mercenariosddios.blogspot.com MercenariosDIOS
Mercenarios de DIOS
MERCENARIOS DE DIOS PUBLICATIONS 6
Wild Weird West THE FONĂ“GRAFO
MARTYN JACQUES AND THE TIGER LILLIES COME TO SABINE WITH THEIR FREAKSHOW By: Bandido Perales
T
hree crazy musicians from London came to Sabine with radical songs to delight our ears, banned in some places for its controversial lyrics that talk about prostitutes, murderers and blasphemers; have caused anger among conservatives and moralists of the entire region. This randy punk cabaret has won the hearts of many and the chagrin of others, bringing the Freak-Show to a bizarre musical level and, in some instances, sick and decadent. Just with an accordion, bass and drums, these musicians manage to captivate and bring you to their twisted world, being a great experience for anyone who dares to enter this world of fire-eaters, freaks and sinners.
http://steampunk.mexico-foro.com/ YEAR 1 MONTH 2 - APRIL 7
Wild Weird West
El Investigador UCRONIES
Cash is offered for the apprehension and execution of Alpino olate alias "Chuck", alias "Capuccino, under sentence of death for muder, robbery, conspirancy, defamation and use of prohibited occultism in the Confederate States of America in the year 1875.
The above reward will be paid by the Confederate States of America for the arrest and execution of said Alpino Olate, upon the delivery of the head, body, arms, legs, fingers, tongue, eyes and of all fugitives belongings into the custody of the Ranger Tadeo Solomon Taylor. Confederate States of America. April 10, 1875 MERCENARIOS DE DIOS PUBLICATIONS 8
YEAR 1 MONTH 2 - APRIL