The Manticore Society

The Inaugural Flight of San Diego’s First Steampunk Convention: The Gaslight Gathering

2011-05-26T21:08:00.000-07:00

Recently San Diego played host to its first steampunk dedicated convention, the Gaslight Gathering at the Town & Country Resort, from May 6th to the 8th. Attendees had a wide array of activities, panels, and sights to see in the three days the convention ran. There were everything from an art salon filled with contraptions and curiosities, gaming with airship miniatures, and much much more. Panels and workshops included the Bartitsu Demonstration and Lecture, The Victorian Era as a Fantasy Setting,Girl Genius Radio Theater, Edison Phonograph demonstration, Beyond the Anglosphere: Steampunk Worldwide, A Steampunk Writer’s Guide to Eminent Victorian Occultists, and Facial Hair Appliance Demonstration just to name a few. And as it was the weekend that Mother’s Day fell upon the convention also hosted a special Mother’s Day Victorian Fashion Show and Ice Cream/Sweet Social which was emceed by the fabulous Cindi Piselli which was both entertaining and informative.

Guests of honor for the convention included Literature Guest of Honor Kim Newman (The Original Dr. Shade andAnno Dracula) and Maker Guest of Honor Nick Baumann (The League of S.T.E.A.M.). Also on hand were Druann Pgaliassotti (Clockwork Heart), Christian Lorenz Scheurer (Fifth Element and theMaxtrix), Leslie Klinger (The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes), and Gavin Scott (The Secret Advantures of Jules Verne). Performing at the big steampunk concert on Saturday were the amazing line up of 6 String Samurai, Steam Powered Giraffe, Jon Magnificent, andVernian Process with Unwoman. Chrononaut, San Deigo’s first steampunk club night’s resident DJ Professor J.S. Greyshade spun the tunes during theTime Traveler’s Mask Ball on Friday night. Roving entertainers were also wandering about the labyrinth like hotel floor such as Dino Staats with magic and fire juggling, Salomé and Saleemawith their Persian and Arabic dances from the Silk Road, Zoe Tantrum as Angelique the Living Music Box, theBete Noir Dance Company with their compilation of various dances, Tasha Dabek the mechanical music box ballerina, and the Zarya Bellydancers a trio of delightful dancers with their unique take on steampunk hoop dancing. But that’s not all there were also featured magicians William Draven the Master of the Macabre and Paul DraperAnthropologist and Mentalist.

And if you think that’s all there was to it, guess again! There were a whole lot more but to tell the whole tale would take way to long and I very much doubt you’ll sit though it all. So the rest of the story will be told through the photos and videos taken at the convention. Enjoy and we hope to see you there next year!

[via Nerd Reactor]

More photos at Mad Calamity Photos.

More videos at Mad Calamity Productions.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Voyages Extraordinaires Featuring Abney Park

2011-02-07T15:56:00.000-08:00

Prepare yourselves for an evening of spectacular amusements in San Diego this weekend! Queen Bee's proudly presents the Voyages Extraordinaires with Steam Powered Giraffe, Tragic Tantrum Cabaret, Shovelman, and headlining the evening will be widely acclaimed steampunk band Abney Park in their first San Diego performance. The evening will be hosted by the Weird Val herself Veronique Chevalier.

Also featured will be steampunk art, embodhi fire dancers, belly dancers, vendors galore, scrumptious hors d'oeuvres, and an assortment of wines and beers. Awards will be given to the best dressed of the night. Keep the evening going afterwards with a special $5.00 steampunk performance of REPO! The Genetic Opera with the Elective Surgery Shadowcast.

Saturday, February 12th

Doors Open 7pm

Queen Bee's

3925 Ohio Street, San Diego

Tickets available at Brown Paper Tickets

- Captain Wong Wei -

Photos and Videos from the Concert For Sepiachord

2011-02-07T15:41:00.000-08:00

Full gallery of photos here.

Full series of videos here.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut: A Concert For Sepiachord

2011-01-12T13:42:00.000-08:00

The genre of steampunk music is unusual in that there is not one word that could be used to describe it. Instead it's a network of performers who have come to recognize that indefinable yesterday-meets-tomorrow 'spark' which we as steampunks have come to recognize. But that network did not just spout from the æther , someone had to define a 'genre that doesn't exist'. And that someone is Jordan Bodewell, the visionary behind Sepiachord.

Mr. Bodewell is often times hard at work writing record reviews of new finds. He posts a song of the day on multiple Internet forums every day. And he has put together two extraordinary compilation CDs and has pulled artists together who otherwise might not have known one another existed. But now here does the stitch, the Bodewell family has been hit with medical bills so far beyond what their insurance covers that it will take years of careful budgeting to recover. And as part of that budgeting Mr. Bodewell has felt that he neeed to cut his internet connection (in this day and age? ouch!), server his web hosting, and his music budget. Doing so would've killed off Sepiachord. But the steampunk community has pulled together and donated funds including the proceeds from Chrononaut's Jule Fest to hold off on that dreadful day. But more is still needed for both Sepiachord and the Bodewell family.

So Chrononaut is doing their part and brought together an assembly of Los Angeles musicians to donate their talents to this good cause. This is a rare opportunity for Chrononaut to host so many performers under her roof. The line up includes Eliza Rickman, Flip Cassidy and the Junkyard Gospel, Jon Magnificent, and the 'Weird Val' of dark cabaret herself Veronique Chevalier.

$10 at the door (Additional Donations Welcomed!)

All Ages

Beer & Wine with ID

Queen Bee's

3925 Ohio Street

San Diego, CA 92104

(619) 255-5147

Anime Los Angeles 2011

2011-01-05T13:18:00.000-08:00

The weekend of January 7-9 at the Los Angeles Airport Marriot is Anime Los Angeles and while we're not having a panel this year we will be having a steampunk gathering. Due to the big success it was last year the gathering will be at the same place as last year which will be by the pool on Sunday at 3:00pm. So slap on your steampunk finest and join us for a grand ol' time!

- Captain Wong Wei -

Happy Holidays

2010-12-25T12:44:00.000-08:00

We here at the Manticore Society would like to wish you and yours a very Happy Holidays!

- Captain Wong Wei -

San Diego Comic-Con Photos & Videos

2010-12-18T13:58:00.000-08:00

Took a while but we here at the main offices have finally have everything from Comic-Con uploaded. From photos and videos of the convention to the special Chrononaut: League of Temporal Adventurers First Society Gala concert where performers included Veronque Chevalier, The Slow Poisoner, The Unextraordinary Gentlemen, The League of S.T.E.A.M., The Hoop Unit, and Voltaire. Also here is the award list of the 2010 Starburner Awards.

Full gallery of the convention here.

Full gallery of Scoundrels Alley: San Diego Steampunk Collection here.

Mad Calamity Productions Videos of Comic-Con are here.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Lady Mechanika #1 Signing with Creator/Writer/Artist Joe Benitez

2010-12-07T00:10:00.000-08:00

Beach Ball Comics is celebrating the release of Lady Mechanika with creator, writer, and artist Joe Benitez who will be signing copies of issues #0 and #1 this Wednesday! Stop by and say hi to Joe and pick up your comics book needs! Pop on your top hat, polish up your goggles, and bring your friends!

Beach Ball Comics

3024 W Ball Rd

Anaheim, CA

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut Presents A Jule Festival

2010-12-06T23:53:00.000-08:00

Tis the season of winter and celebration the fine folks of Chrononaut invite you to join us this Thursday to Queen Bee's for the return of Chrononaut, San Diego's premier Steampunk club night.

The Jule is a strange celebration. It's origins are Roman, Germanic, and Judeo-Christian all at once. Its purpose however is trans-cultural and interfaith: It's cold. We're sad. Let's make it better with a party. So from the steppes of Russia to the green hills of Ireland and beyond, it is celebrated by Christian, Pagan, and Jew in various ways. The Chrononaut way of course is a grand steampunk mash-up!

Highlighting the evening is a steampunk restyling of Tschakovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies as performed by Tasha Dabek. The night also features seasonal silent short films and of course J. S. Greyshade selecting music.

No Jule Festival could be complete without a gift exchange. Please bring a wrapped gift with an approximate value of five dollars or less to the club. It may be new, gently used, or even broken if the parts are really good and brassy. Among the gifts will be tickets to Les Voyages Extraordinaires at Queen Bees on February 12th, an Evening featuring the infamous musical airship pirates Abney Park. You must bring a gift for the exchange to have a chance to take home these tickets.

Queen Bee's Art & Cultural Center

3925 Ohio Street

San Diego, CA

12/9/10

7:00 pm to 11:00 pm

$7.00 at the door

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut September Photos

2010-12-06T22:40:00.000-08:00

Full gallery here.

- Captain Wong Wei -

LACMA Muse 'till Midnight Photos

2010-11-30T03:27:00.001-08:00

Full gallery here.

- Captain Wong Wei -

LosCon 2010

2010-11-25T14:10:00.000-08:00

After you stuff yourself with turkey and all the fixin's this year what are you gonna do next? Well if you're in Los Angeles during November 26-28th maybe you'll want to come on down to LosCon 37, an annual sci-fi convention held at the LAX Marriott. This year the theme is urban fantasy, steampunk and sci-fi noir. This year Phil Foglio (Girl Genius) is the artist guest of honor and Emma Bull (Bone Dance and Territory) the writer guest of honor.

And the convention doesn't end when sun goes down but an entire floor of the hotel is set aside for open room parties each with their own theme such as the 'Gaslight Gathering's Exhibition of the Legendary Floating Curiosity Shoppe'. Hope to see you there!

November 26-28th 2010

At the LAX Marriott in Los Angeles

http://www.loscon37.org/

- Captain Wong Wei -

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T13:35:00.000-08:00

For those who celebrate Thanksgiving we here at the Manticore Society would like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your assorted pies, cakes, turkeys, hams, potatoes, and such!

- Captain Wong Wei -

First Regular Meeting of the Manticore Society

2010-11-10T14:55:00.000-08:00

This Sunday the fourteenth of November the Manticore Society will be holding our first regular meeting at the historic Heritage Square, a living history museum reflecting the settlement and development of Southern California from the Civil War to the early 20th Century. Eight historic structures are located at the museum, constructed during the Victorian Era, which were saved from demolition to educate the public about Southern California's early development. There will be a guided tour by Manticore member Colonel Sir Harry Flashman VC .

We will be gathering at the venue at 12:00pm for a picnic and group photo with the actual meeting starting at 1:00pm sharp, afterwards we'll have the guided tour throughout the historic houses. There is a $10 museum fee. A big thank you goes to Casandra deNocturne for organizing this event and our first regular meeting. Below is the address to the museum and their website. Also as this is a public venue we ask that you please leave all firearms and large contraptions at home as we hope to use this space again in the future.

All are welcome to attend!

Heritage Square Museum

3800 Homer Street

Los Angeles, California 90031

(323) 225-2700

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut August Photos

2010-11-10T00:59:00.001-08:00

Full gallery here.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Jr. League W.A.T.C.H. Mummy Scouting Outing Photos

2010-11-09T11:11:00.001-08:00

We've been pretty behind of late here at the Manticore Society but we're finally starting to catch up. In the next few weeks we'll be bring you photos of past events we were not able to put up until now. So enjoy!

These are the photos from the Jr. League W.A.T.C.H. Mummy Scouting Outing event in August at the Mummies of the World Exhibition at the California Science Center organizes by the fantastic Ellie and Coyote Copperbottom. It was the first of what will be many outings in which the Jr. League W.A.T.C.H. are planning to aid the League of S.T.E.A.M. in keeping track of the supernatural throughout the globe.

Full gallery here.

- Captain Wong Wei -

League of S.T.E.A.M. at the Beacon Arts

2010-10-27T15:43:00.000-07:00

Telegraphing all Los Angeles locals! The League of S.T.E.A.M. will be appearing this Friday, October 29th at the Beacon Arts Building for an evening of Ghost Stories: A Night of Happenings and Hauntings. This event is free to attend as well as free valet parking provided. There are a variety of activities occurring and we encourage you to join us! More information is listed on their website.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Editorial: Censorship in the Steampunk Community

2010-10-16T18:46:00.000-07:00

Quite an interesting editorial came across the Manticore Society front desk today. It was called to my attention that a group of individuals from our community are using censorship to promote their own brand of what they think steampunk is and should be. And those who disagree has had their comments deleted to out right being ostracized from said steampunk community. It is a shame that there are those in positions of influence who would abuse their authority in this. And the fact that if there are people out there actually doing what this editorial claims they are doing is totally reprehensible and wrong. With that said, yes, I do support steam freedom!

Link to the editorial can be found here.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Steampunk Episode of Castle TONIGHT!!!

2010-10-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

TONIGHT!!! The steampunk episode of Castle airs! See if you can spot members of the Manticore Society!

- Captain Wong Wei -

Labyrinth of Jareth 2010 Videos

2010-10-04T22:44:00.000-07:00

We've finally edited an impressive twenty two videos taken at this years Labyrinth of Jareth for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!

For the full twenty two videos visit our youtube channel at Mad Calamity Productions.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Labyrinth of Jareth 2010

2010-09-29T03:40:00.000-07:00

On July the 15th we were offered a peek into the wondrous world known as the Labyrinth of Jareth. For one night the popular Los Angeles night spot the Edison Bar was transformed by the artists of Sypher Art Studios into the Darius Exposition. Stilt walkers, clockwork performers, and a performance by the band Helios Jive entertained the crowd throughout the night. The next evening would hold much more for us as we were left with a taste of what was to come.

For the nights of July 16th to the 17th the Historic Park Plaza became the setting of the yearly masquerade event known as the Labyrinth of Jareth. For those who are unfamiliar with this event, the Labyrinth of Jareth Fantasy Masquerade Ball is a weekend of entertainment and enchantment. Where the lines between fantasy and reality blur and cross over. Where in the court of the fae masked nobles dance throughout the night and legends become alive.

It was amazing how everything flowed so well from the high ceilings, impressive staircase acceding to the top dance floor with stage area, and down to the dining area with outdoor courtyard. Everyone who came in was a sight to behold, so many wonderful inventive and creative costumes crafted by talented artist and makers. The goblins were everywhere making mischief for fellow costumed patrons especially during the Goblin Clockworks.

The world famous League of S.T.E.A.M. had set up their tent outside in the courtyard and the crowd were fascinated by their contraptions, gizmos, and inventions for controlling troublesome ghostly apparitions and supernatural phenomenon. Along with the demonstrations of their tools of the trade, they also answered questions and spared no expense at entertaining their enraptured audience! Nearby their tent was a beautiful hydro powered sculpture and reflecting pond lit up wonderfully for a very soothing atmosphere. A number of fantastic bands and performers entertained the patrons throughout the evenings be it in the lobby, the courtyard, the first floor dance floor, or the main stage upstairs. Many of our friends were sighted in their fantastic costumes and make-up, everyone dressed to impress for this wonderful event!

The main event of the night was a show on the second floor of the venue which would tell of the tale within the realm of the Labyrinth. This performance was ongoing in ten minute intervals throughout the evening. Wild acrobatics and amazing costumes, it was truly a buffet for the senses.

At the end of the last evening, when the events were closing, the last dance was danced, and the final story of the Labyrinth was told, everyone left very happy and very tired from all the festivities. The Labyrinth of Jereth was truly an event to experience and many are counting down the days and nights until the next year.

Full gallery here.

- Captain Wong Wei & Ms. Merci -

LACMA Muse's Fourteenth Annual Muse 'til Midnight Event

2010-08-20T02:06:00.000-07:00

LACMA Muse invites you to its fourteenth annual Muse ‘til Midnight event for an evening of art, live music, food, and drinks to celebrate the museum’s two exhibitions, "Manly Pursuits: The Sporting Images of Thomas Eakins" and "Catherine Opie: Figure and Landscape". This year’s event is particularly inspired by Manly Pursuits and will feature an atmosphere to match Eakins’ late nineteenth-century paintings. In this vein, Muse 'til Midnight will be presented in two acts:

Act 1: The Eakins Arena

8:15 to 10:30pm: LATCC

Sports and vaudeville collide in the Los Angeles Times Central Court!

After hours access to Manly Pursuits: The Sporting Images of Thomas Eakins and Catherine

Opie: Figure and Landscape

Live music by Dusty Rhodes and the River Band

Large scale video projections

Vaudeville performers, Opie-inspired photo stations, complimentary cocktails, and more!

Act 2: The Steampunk Saloon

10:00pm to 12:00am: LACMA West Penthouse

The fashion of yesterday meets the technology of tomorrow five floors up in the LACMA West Penthouse. Bust out your goggles and parasols to enjoy...

Live performance by The Unextraordinary Gentlemen

Steampunk inspired art, crafts, and fashion; featuring ensembles by Clockwork Couture

DJ spinning the finest in early-century vinyl with a modern twist

Moustache contest (homegrown and homemade), complimentary cocktails, and more!

Ticketing

Tickets are $25 for Muse members and $40 for the general public.

Tickets can be purchased at www.lacma.org/muse, at any of LACMA’s Welcome Centers, or by telephone at 323 857-6010. Advance purchase is recommended, as the event is expected to sell out quickly.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut on the Boardwalk

2010-08-09T23:11:00.000-07:00

The salt breeze, the bright sun, the ladies and gentlemen in their whites, gay stripes and straw hats. The strong men, jugglers and arcades on the piers entertain folks from all around. From the cliff tops, ornithopters launch catching the updrafts and only occasionally crashing on the rocks below. Beach goers in their modest costumes enjoy the sun and the surf trusting in the submarine kraken patrols to keep them safe. Fortunately death rays work even underwater!

For the month of August Chrononaut's theme will be summer at the boardwalk. Professor Greyshade will spin light and amusing tunes, while vendors wheel and deal. As usual Obscure Discoveries will be there with many goodies on hand! And there will be other surprises including a rare cinematic treat.

August 13th, doors open at 8:00, and the event closes at 12:00. $5 at the door.

Queen Bee's

3925 Ohio Street

San Diego, CA

- Captain Wong Wei -

Junior League W.A.T.C.H. Mummy Scouting Outing

2010-08-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

This Sunday on August 8th, Coyote and Ellie of the Junior League W.A.T.C.H. invites you on a fact finding mission at the California Science Center. There are rumors of the arrival of the worlds largest collection of mummies displayed in our fair city of Los Angeles. The W.A.T.C.H. has decided an investagation is in our and needs your help!

The expedition begins at 12:15pm, at Exposition Park in Los Angeles CA and will go into the exhibit at 1:15pm.

-PRICES-

Parking in the Structure is $8

Tickets for Mummies of the World is $19.50 for adults, plus $2 to print the ticket at home.

PLEASE BUY YOUR TICKET FOR 1:15pm SHOW BEFORE ARRIVING TO THE EVENT!!!

We are planning on seeing exhibit BUT NOT the IMAX film.

Please RSVP by sending an email with your name and how many will be in your party to...

EVENTS@JrLeagueWATCH.com

Remember this is a Steampunk League W.A.T.C.H event, so dress to impress, BUT PLEASE LEAVE YOUR LARGE GADGETS, BACKPACKS, RAY GUNS, & any other sort of oversized equipment at home. We are going to be guests of the California Science Center and should respect the venue. The W.A.T.C.H. did call ahead of time, and confirm that there are no dress codes, and we will be able to go into Museum in Steampunkery!

- Captain Wong Wei -

San Diego Comic-Con International 2010

2010-07-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

Another year has soon passed and the time has once again come upon us for one of San Diego's largest events, Comic-Con International. If you aren't familar with this convention it's about a week long event covering everything from the newest comic books to upcoming movies, tv shows, and video games. And as always your friendly three feathered captain will be there with camera in tow.

A special thank you goes to Ingred of the San Diego's Machina Fatalis for putting together a special steampunk related schedule for those in attendance. A couple of highlights include the steampunk gathering and group photo on the back steps as we're not able to have access to a panel room big enough for all of us this year and a special off site Chrononaut event and concert also on Saturday evening.

Also much like at Anime Expo, Mad Calamity Photos will be offering free mini steampunk photoshoots after the group photo at the steampunk gathering. So please get in contact with Mad Calamity Photos if you are interested.

-Exhibitors-

Ogner Stump/The Slow Poisoner S04 (Small Press)
Chet Phillips Illustration/Steampunk Monkeys P13 (Small Press)
Paul Guinan/Boilerplate CC09 (Artists Alley)
Mysterious Galaxy #1119/1121/1123
Wondermark/TopatoCo #1231/1233
Phil & Kaja Foglio/Girl Genius #1331
Tor Books #2310
Entertainment Earth #2343
Dr. Grordbort/Weta Workshop #2615
Steam Crow/Monster Commute #4207
Rolling Thunder /Dave Dorman #4401/4500
Brute Force Studios #4919
Thing From Another World/CBLDF Fundraiser #5625/5626
Semantik Publishing - "The Heavens" comic due Fall '10 TBD
Dr. Steel's Army of Toy Soldiers MZ20 (Mezzanine Fan Tables)
Gaslight Gathering MZ10 (Mezzanine Fan Tables)

Steampunk Special Features:
Tor Books #2310 - Friday, July 23rd is Steampunk Day at the Tor Books booth. Stop by the booth to say hello and check out some of Tor’s steampunk offerings on display. While supplies last, we’ll be giving away an illustrated short story “The Life and Adventures of Young Sam Smiles by the Brotherly Order of the New Thought”. This short story ties into Felix Gilman’s The Half-made World, a forthcoming steampunk novel set in an alternate American West. At 2:00 PM we’ll be giving away copies of Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. For those of you who can’t make it out to San Diego this year, keep an eye on the @torbooks Twitter as we’ll have a couple of giveaways running that week.

Thing From Another World/CBLDF Fundraiser #5625/5626 Participating artists include Phil Foglio (Girl Genius) and Nick Percival (Legends: The Enchanted). Original sketches to be auctioned for charity, limited edition autograph cards available of each sketch from the artist or TFAW booth.

-Panels & Meetups-
THURSDAY:
The Clockwork Girl - 11:00am-12:00pm Room 9 Alexa Vega (Spy Kids) and Sean Covel and Doc Wyatt (Napoleon Dynamite) talk about the feature film and show an exclusive featurette for The Clockwork Girl.

The Danger Element by Battle Jitni -12:00pm-12:30pm showing in Marriott Hall Room 2 as part of the SDCCI Independent Film Festival. See map in con guide for location.

Twisting Genres - 4:00pm - 5:00pm Room 25ABC Fantastic fiction authors talk about pushing the envelope on genre, not confining it to one definition. Participants include China Miéville (Kraken), Justin Cronin (The Passage), Naomi Novik (Tongues of Serpents), Daryl Gregory (The Devil's Alphabet), Jeffrey J. Mariotte (Cold Black Hearts), Robert Masello (Blood And Ice), Keith Thompson (The Leviathan trilogy), and Scott Westerfeld (The Leviathantrilogy). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy.

SFX presents The British Invasion - 5:00pm - 6:00pm Room 5AB Five top UK writers from the worlds of TV, comics, books, and movies discuss what makes modern British SF unique. Dan Abnett(Ultramarines), China Miéville (Perdido Street Station), Paul Cornell (Doctor Who), Kieron Gillen (Thor), Pat Mills (2000 AD), and Toby Whithouse (BBC's Being Human creator) talk to SFX magazine's Dave Bradley in this panel and Q&A session.

Thursday Offsite
Steam Powered Giraffe + Rumbledore 6:30pm - 11:00 pm
San Diego's original singing robot comedy act are joined by one-man-band Michael Reed of The Smart Brothers as they weave a laugh-out-loud colorful performance imbued with pantomime illusion and folk inspired songs. Opening for the robots are the local Harry Potter band Rumbledore,
which will be followed by a live art showdown by SPG members Jon Sprague and Christopher Bennett, as they race to paint portraits of lucky raffle winners.
There will be prizes to win via raffle, Steam Powered Giraffe merchandise for sale, and a tournament of the SPG Card Game. Doors open at 6:30 PM for The Card Game Tournament. If you are participating make sure to arrive on time!
at Queen Bee's, 3925 Ohio St, San Diego All Ages, $10 at the door.

FRIDAY:
The Official Aspen Comics Panel - 12:00pm-1:00pm Room 32AB Creators Frank Mastromauro (Dellec), Peter Steigerwald (Soulfire), Vince Hernandez (Fathom: Kiani), Mark Roslan (Heroes), J.T. Krul (Mindfield), Joe Benitez (Lady Mechanika), David Schwartz (Fathom: Blue Descent), David Wohl (Witchblade), Micah Gunnell (Shrugged), Alex Konat (Mindfield), Eric Battle (The Scourge), Beth Sotelo (Fathom), and surprise guests are on hand to unveil Aspen's all new properties for 2010 and beyond! See never-before-seen covers and art, hear firsthand from the creators their plans for exciting new properties, and ask them questions directly in a special Q&A session. All fans in attendance will receive an exclusive gift courtesy of Aspen Comics.

Top Shelf 2010 5:30pm-6:30 Room 9 The crew at Top Shelf Productions celebrate their most international year yet, discussing their hit "Swedish Invasion" initiative, the acclaimed graphic novelThe Playwright from British-Australian expats Eddie Campbell and Daren White, and their brand-new book of cutting-edge manga, Ax. And they'll show off exclusive sneak previews of upcoming books from Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), Jeffrey Brown (Incredible Change-Bots), Jeff Lemire (Essex County, Sweet Tooth), Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole), and so much more!

SATURDAY:
Steampunk Meetup - Saturday 12:00pm-3:00pm The official Steampunk at Comic Con meetup is back! This time no room can hold us all, so we will meet at the center terrace stairs, bayside exit from Ballroom 20. Wear your best for the group photo at 2:00 pm, parade through lobby at 3:00.

Spotlight on China Miéville 1:30pm-2:30pm Room 5AB Multi-award-winning author and Comic-Con special guest China Miéville talks about his books -- including The City & the City, Perdido Street Station and his most recent, Kraken -- in this special Spotlight panel.

Spotlight on Dave Dorman 2:00pm-3:00pm Room 8 Eisner Award-winning illustrator and Comic-Con special guest Dave Dorman is best known for his stunning depictions from the Star Wars universe. Dave talks about his paintings and his comics work, including the eagerly awaited sequel to his Steampunk graphic novel Rail -- continuing stories set in his creator-owned universe, The Wasted Lands.

Warehouse 13 and Eureka 3:30pm-5:00pm Room 6BCF Don't miss two of Syfy's biggest hit series in one exclusive event. Catch back-to-backWarehouse 13 and Eureka panels, featuring Warehouse 13's Eddie McClintock (Pete Lattimer), Joanne Kelly (Myka Bering), Saul Rubinek (Artie Nielsen), Allison Scagliotti (Claudia Donovan), and Jack Kenny (showrunner/executive producer) and Eureka's Colin Ferguson (Jack Carter), Salli Richardson-Whitfield (Allison Blake), Neil Grayston (Douglas Fargo), James Callis (Grant), Jaime Paglia (co-creator/executive producer/writer), and Bruce Miller (executive producer/writer). Plus, Syfy brings back Cafe Diem at Hard Rock Hotel, featuring W13 themed items.

Disney Epic Mickey 4:30pm-5:30pm Room 9 Warren Spector (creative director, Junction Point -- Disney Interactive Studios) and Peter David (award-winning comics writer and author of upcoming Disney Epic Mickey comics) share their insights about bringing the world and characters of the Disney Epic Mickey video game to life in two media -- video games and comic books. Warren and Peter explore "Wasteland," a world of forgotten, retired and rejected creative efforts from the Disney archives, and discuss the joy and challenges associated with writing for Mickey Mouse and his "brother," Walt Disney's first cartoon star, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. The panel includes discussion, gameplay demo featuring never-before-seen areas, concept art, previews of comic pages and Q&A.
ure Solider video game studio associate producer Adrian Lacey in a panel discussing the upcoming short film, as well as connections between the film and the game. Attendees will be treated to the world premiere debut of the film trailer, as well as a live demo of the upcoming video game.

War of the Worlds: Goliath 6:00pm-7:00pm Room 5AB War of the Worlds: Goliath is an animated, 95-minute, battle epic set in a Steampunk 1914 Earth that has rebuilt and rearmed following the failed Martian Invasion of 1900. Set for release in early 2011, War of the Worlds: Goliath features voices by Peter Wingfield, Adam Baldwin, Elizabeth Gracen, Jim Byrnes, and Adrian Paul, among others. Producer Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Heavy Metal), producer/director Joe Pearson (Roswell Conspiracies, Captain Simian and the Space Monkeys), producer/writer David Abramowitz (Highlander), and producer Leon Tan screen footage from the upcoming feature, discuss the production process, and hold a Q&A session.

SATURDAY OFFSITE
The League of Temporal Adventurers Society Gala 8:00pm-2:00am
Wrap up your Comic Con Steampunk experience with the steampunk party of the year! Featuring Voltaire, Unextraordinary Gentlemen,The Slow Poisoner, Veronique Chevalier, The Hoop Unit & The League of S.T.E.A.M. With guest DJ, Mr. Bodewell of Sepiachord and Professor Greyshade of Chrononaut.
at Queen Bee's, 3925 Ohio St, San Diego All Ages, beer & wine with ID
$18 in advance, $20 at the door (if available) L. T. A. Gala

SUNDAY:
Spotlight on Ann and Jeff VanderMeer 10:30pm-11:30pm Room 8Dr. Lambshead, Steampunk, Weird Tales, Imaginary Animals, and You— Weird Tales editor and Hugo Award winnerAnn VanderMeer and her World Fantasy Award–winning husband, writer/editor Jeff VanderMeer, take you on a whirlwind exclusive inside look at a cornucopia of exciting new projects, from The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities, featuring work by Mike Mignola and Greg Broadmore, to the Steampunk Biblecoffeetable book, from the rejuvenated Weird Tales to the insanely entertaining Kosher Guide to Imaginary Animals, featuring recipes for Wookiee and Cthulhu by Ace of Cake's Duff Goldman. With discussion, interrogation, arguments, and, er, Mongolian Death Worms. Nom nom.

-Offsite Events-

THURSDAY
Steam Powered Giraffe + Rumbledore 6:30pm-11:00 pm
San Diego's original singing robot comedy act are joined by one-man-band Michael Reed of The Smart Brothers as they weave a laugh-out-loud colorful performance imbued with pantomime illusion and folk inspired songs.
Opening for the robots are the local Harry Potter band Rumbledore,
which will be followed by a live art showdown by SPG members Jon Sprague and Christopher Bennett, as they race to paint portraits of lucky raffle winners.
There will be prizes to win via Raffle, Steam Powered Giraffe merchandise for sale, and a tournament of the SPG Card Game. Doors open at 6:30 PM for The Card Game Tournament. If you are participating make sure to arrive on time!
at Queen Bee's, 3925 Ohio St, San Diego
All Ages, $10 at the door.

Hot Topic Tweetup - Food, Giveaways & surprises for Hot Topic fans. Follow them on Twitter for details.

SATURDAY 7/24
The League of Temporal Adventurers Society Gala 8:00pm-2:00am
Wrap up your Comic Con Steampunk experience with the steampunk party of the year! Featuring Voltaire, Unextraordinary Gentlemen,The Slow Poisoner, Veronique Chevalier, The Hoop Unit & The League of S.T.E.A.M. With guest DJ, Mr. Bodewell of Sepiachord and Professor Greyshade of Chrononaut.
at Queen Bee's, 3925 Ohio St, San Diego
All Ages, beer & wine with ID
$18 in advance, $20 at the door (if available)

- Captain Wong Wei -

The 13th Annual Labyrinth of Jareth

2010-07-12T01:59:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know the month of July is quite a busy month for us at the society. Nipping at our heels is the 13th Annual Labyrinth of Jareth. Court will be held within the glorious Los Angeles Park Plaza on July 16th and 17th. The Labyrinth of Jareth is a masquerade ball based upon venetian history, celtic faerie, and goblin lore. Amazing artists, costumers, and special effects crews near and far attend the celebration and bring the night alive each year as creatures of legend and fantasy roam the hollowed halls of the labyrinth. The wonderful artists of Sypher Studios work tirelessly each year to bring to us an evening to remember. Mad Calamity Photos and the Manticore Society shall be in attendance this year chronicling the events of the evening.

On Thursday the Darius Exposition a free opening event for attendees of the Labyrinth Masquerade will be held at the Edison downtown. Whilst the Goblin Clockworks prepare to whirl and turn, Sir Darius calls together some of the most innovative entertainers, inventors, and creative minds to host a singular night of intrigue and invention. Before the Labyrinth Masquerade opens its doors. This special engagement is 21+ only.

The Darius Exposition

July 15th, 2010

8:30pm - 12am

The Edison

108 West 2nd Street

Los Angeles, CA

On Friday night at the masquerade the Goblin Clockworks will be in effect. The first part of the Labyrinth of Jareth storyline and a complete night of goblin ingenuity and artistry will take place within the Royal Court. Saturday is the masquerade and the second part of the labyrinth storyline which is one of the few classical events which welcomes all those dreamed of an extravagant night of dance and revelry.

- List of those Performing at the Masquerade -

Brother - An Aborigine-Celtic influenced band bringing an unique, creative, and primal experience by drawing upon energy from the dreamtime.

Stellamara - The musicians of Stellamara express profound devotion and passion for the great muse, the Star of the Sea.

Blessed Le Strange - Among the creatures de mort of Los Angeles, Blessed Le Strange is a unique electro-folk, industrial rock takes you into their world of Voodoo styled Cabaret.

Sylphirance - Sylphirance is the alliance of dancers, sculptors, composers, actors, dreamers and builders who create Sypher's Elaborate Court each year.

Tresk - Ambient and orchestral music for the court dreamers, the halls echo with a symphony crafted specifically for the invocation of the court.

The League of S.T.E.A.M. - Supernatural and Troublesome Ectoplasmic Apparition Management or the League of S.T.E.A.M. is an organization comprised of Inventors, Scientists, Adventurers, Craftsmen, Monster and Creature Hunters, and Paranormal Researchers!

Augustus Saunders - Brings us before the Cannons of Dusk and the Gates of Night in the realms of the Queen of Midnight Graces.

Wandering Marionettes - The city has a shadow. Not an underside, an Otherside. crisscrossed by phantom alleyways that twist between the no-longer, the never-ever and the farthest reaches of your imaginings. The dwellers here are myths and legends, in such a place do marionettes come to wander...

Stilt Circus - The jubilant heights of fae majesty.

The Goblin DJ - Dance to the genre mixed, chaotic antics of the Goblin DJ.

Nouveau Cabaret - Enjoy the colorful dance and tribal drums of Sabrina's Nouveau Cabaret.

...and more to be announced! Hope to see you there!

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut June: There be Airship Pirates on the Horizon

2010-06-28T14:46:00.000-07:00

Chrononaut celebrated their first anniversary in June with an Airship theme. Majority in attendance donned their airship finest from goggles to flight caps and jackets to tall boots. Ms. Merci roamed about with her metallic Hindenburg during the evening.

The Elective Surgery booth had a delicious red velvet cake for those who made a contribution and a lovely wind-up clock up with exposed workings and gears up for raffle. And as usual Obscure Discoveries were on hand with steampunk related jewelery and accessories and Mad Calamity was snapping photos throughout the night.

The silent film projector featured a showing of archival footage from the golden age of zeppelins. While spinning the tunes DJ Greyshades announced a trivia contest where the winner would win a newly printed Chrononaut Club t-shirt for the first person who could name five songs that played at the first Chrononaut. Amazingly the good captain remembered the first song of that night which was Emilie Autumn's 'Always look on the Bright Side of Life" and won the shirt.

As it grew later into the evening the Animal Cracker Conspiracy performed a shadow puppet show. The story involved the creation and exploration of a mechanical man's curiosity with butterflies. In the end the audience gave a standing ovation as the puppeteers took their bows and invited everyone behind the scenes.

In all it was a wonderful night as we celebrated Chrononaut's first anniversary.

More pictures as usual on Mad Calamity Photos.

- Captain Wong Wei & Ms. Merci -

Anime Expo Steampunk Gathering

2010-06-27T20:55:00.001-07:00

At the moment it's quite difficult for me to post as our offices are experiencing technical difficulties and our connection to the world wide æther web is nonexistent at the moment. I am at the moment able to find an outpost to post from for just a little bit.

Anime Expo is coming up on July 1-4th and this year we're hosting a steampunk gathering on Saturday 5pm outside of West Hall. Hope to see you there!

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut Gets Airborne for First Anniversary

2010-06-04T00:18:00.000-07:00

Calling all Harlots and Scoundrels of the sky! Indeed a year has passed since the conception of Chrononaut has began. A steampunk oasis in a desert of stagnate local clubs the first steampunk themed club has garnered some small fame in the global steampunk community. And to celebrate the theme for June will be what most people think of when asked what steampunk is...AIRSHIPS! So dig out your goggles, polish up your cutlasses, strap on your flight caps, and fuel up your ornithopters! The evening will feature a shadow puppet show by the Animal Cracker Conspiracy presenting their original production 'Desire to Fly' in which was described as...

"A timeless tale of innovation, longing, and imagination, Desire to Fly is a shadow puppet show inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's "flying machines" and man's eternal quest for flight. In the distant future a robot, fresh off the assembly line, finds himself wandering through a garden, where he unexpectedly becomes fascinated by butterflies. From this inspiration he attempts to build his own set of wings. His journey of experimental flight travels beyond the unexpected."

And rounding out the evening is a demonstration for radio controlled airship piloting by The Airship Consortium. And on the big screen will be archival footage from the golden age of zeppelins. And as always the musical selections of Professor Greyshade and vendors galore!

Doors open at 8:00 pm and closes at 12:00 am with an $8.00 cover. See you there!

Queen Bee's Art and Cultural Center
3925 Ohio Street
San Diego, CA 92104

- Captain Wong Wei -

Grand Opening of First Steampunk Store in LA

2010-06-03T23:55:00.000-07:00

Grand Opening of Clockwork Couture the first steampunk theme store on June 12th! You must RSVP for with them to go to this event.

When you first make an appointment with Clockwork Couture to come visit their showroom, you will be treated to a visit worthy of royalty. Expect full tea service and biscuits, a private seating area and fittings by their very staff to consult with you privately.

Groups of no more than four can make a weekday appointment to come in. To make an appointment phone them at (818) 237-5477. Be prepared to give them the names of all visiting guests, time and day of your visit and preferred teas. Visits should last one hour or less.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut May: A Steampunk Circus

2010-06-03T02:16:00.000-07:00

Concertinas, acrobats, and knife jugglers oh my! The month of May was circus night at Chrononaut and it was quite a night indeed with performances by the students of the Lindley-Lopez Circus in San Diego. Local entertainer and costumer Justine opened up the night with a lively concertina performance. Then an acrobatic duo astounded audiences with an amazing display of skill and feats. And to top off the night we had local knife juggler Strider dazzling the crowd with his whirling blades of daring doom. Also Skin Tight Body Art were in attendance to offer custom body painting those interested. As always I was there with my partner in crime the lovely Ms. Merci in a stunning ring leader attire and myself as the dangerous Man Eating Circus Animal. At least that's what was printed on the sign I wore around my neck. The rest of the night was folly on top of a miniature bicycle and chair racing galore. Hope to see you at the next one!

As usual more pictures at Mad Calamity Photos and Jerry Abuan Photography. Videos can be viewed at Mad Calamity Productions.

- Captain Wong Wei -

100 Members Strong

2010-05-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

Members of the Manticore Society, I am proud to announce we have reached 100 members on our facebook page thus far! To date we are LA's largest steampunk groups. Congratulations!!! We have no where to go but up!

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut Presents 'A Steampunk Circus'

2010-05-11T00:32:00.000-07:00

It's May and at Chrononaut it means the circus is in town! With great pleasure the San Diego steampunk club night announces an evening of circus arts featuring performers from the Lindley-Lopez Circus! Come join us as we travel though the pathways of what if to an alternate reality where technologies of old and new combine.

Also in attendance are face and body painting by Skin Tight Body Art. Brianna of Skin Tight asks that if you would like something especially elaborate that you contact her in advance though her website. Regarding this we feel we must point out that Chrononaut is at once an all ages club and a forum for creative and alternative culture. With this in mind Chrononaut only asks that you keep your bodily exposure within the bounds of public legality.

And as always the good professor will provide us with musical selections and silent cinema from his personal stash. A wide array of vendors will be at hand peddling their wares. Chrononaut are also extending a special invitation to any circus-related busking. So if you would like to perform on a pass-the-hat basis on the evening, please e-mail grshado@yahoo.com.

Please also note that the evening goes from 8:00 to midnight in deference to later sunsets of summer. $8 at the door (plus money for buskers). Hope to see you there!

Queen Bee's
3925 Ohio Street
San Diego, CA 92104

- Captain Wong Wei -

Veronique Chevalier's An Evening of Steampunkery

2010-05-10T00:26:00.000-07:00

And what a wonderful evening it was! I only wish I was able to make it on time. But true to my name I couldn't find the place and got a bit lost. Stumbling though the door I was greeted by quite a rogues gallery awaiting the next performance. Veronique as always was quite a delight with her animatronic replacement accordionist. Markham the Miracle Man astounded us all with a sword swallowing act. Weasels Exist knocked our collective socks off with their bluesy cabaret. Johnny B. Goode an operative of Dr. Steel's Toy Soldiers entertained the crowd with short propaganda films and a toe tapping harmonica performance. Lady Lavender LaRue got our pluses quickening with a tea sipping burlesque show. And Erica "Unwoman" Mulkey captivated us all with a dazzling set. The night ended with champaign, cupcakes, and birthday wishes to Veronique. Once again bravo! Bravissimo! It was a wonderful evening of steampunkery indeed!

As always full gallery at Mad Calamity Photos!

- Captain Wong Wei -

An April Trip to the Edison

2010-04-26T12:59:00.000-07:00

Seems that a few of the local steampunks of LA are planning a trip to the Edison on April 30th, Friday night. So if you're looking for a night out with your fellow brothers and sisters in steam come on down and hoist a few drinks! Hope to see you there!

21+ Event

108 W 2nd St Los Angeles, CA 90012

Edison Website

- Captain Wong Wei -

An Evening of Steampunkery

2010-04-23T14:43:00.000-07:00

On May 2nd, Veronique Chevalier of GildedAgeRecords.com & Sepiachord.com presents a red velvet evening of steampunkery and Veronique's natal date celebration!

An All Ages Vaudeville Extravaganza in Two Acts!!!

Cover: $8
Date: Sunday, May 2nd
Time: 8:00pm
Echo Curio
1519 Sunset Blvd, LA, CA 90029
http://echocurio.com

For your edification and entertainment, Veronique is proud to feature...

Erica "Unwoman" Mulkey, Cellist who has toured with Votaire and Rusputina, among others!

Markham the Miracle Man, Sword Swallower & Vaudevillian Extraordinaire!

Weasels Exist, Marauding Lunatic Cabaret Music!

Dr. Steel's Toy Soldiers, screening the Doctor's short propaganda films & recruiting for his World Domination Campaign!

Vixen Magdelene, a Steamy Burlesque to Dr. Steel's Theme Song!

Lavendar La Rue, a Saucy Victorian Burlesque!

Tales Of The Extraordinary, with a Live In Studio Pulp Radio Serial Dramatization!

And last but not least the 'Weird Val' of Dark Cabaret herself...Veronique Chevalier!!!

- Captain Wong Wei -

LA Heritage Day

2010-04-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

What started out as a gray slightly chilly day with a scattering of raindrops in the begining became a wonderful step back into time. On April 11th on the eastside of Heritage Square was a festival that every history buff should have attended. More than 70 historical societies from the Historical Society of Southern California to the Los Angeles Historic Theater Foundation was gathered to show off their knowledge of the past. Demonstrations and activities included blacksmithing from Adam's Forge, period dancing and audience participation by the Yesteryears Dancers, a costumed presentation recalling moments in the history of the Centinela Valley by the Historical Society of Centinela Valley, Pink's Hot Dog with no line wait, and a tour of the Hale House at Heritage Square. Six steampunks were in attendance at this event wondering about, chatting, snapping pictures throughout the day, and generally having a good time. Definitely a place to go to in Los Angeles to lose one's self in the past and return with some dandy photos.

As usual for more pictures go to Mad Calamity Photos.

- Report & Photos by Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut April: Tango de Vapourpunque

2010-04-20T00:44:00.000-07:00

The theme for April's Chrononaut was Tango de Vapourpunque, 'A Latin take on steampunk as if the Spanish Empire had developed a high alternate technology.' The good captain and I embarked on a rather long journey to our beloved second home of San Diego, prepped with our outfits for the Elective Surgery shots that the highly skilled photographer Jerry Abuan graciously volunteered to take for the Repo! shadowcast of San Diego.

Finally arriving and setting up the Obscure Discovery booth it was easy to see the crowd was in a festive tango mood. Soon there was a brief but compelling demonstration of the tango dance. Afterward the performers were kind enough to give anyone who wanted a chance for a lesson. At one point our dear captain while dressed in in SWAT gear as a GENcop was found under one of the tables taking pictures in which Ingrid lamented that he looked to be in the middle of a battlefield.

As the dance lesson came to an end Jerry began taking the cast photos for Elective Surgery. They can be found on his zenfolio page here. The night then came to an end, as usual we had a delightful time and was happy to have spent the evening in the land of the Tango de Vapourpunque!

As usual photos of the night can also be found on Mad Calamity Photos.

- Report by Ms. Merci & Photos by Captain Wong Wei -

A Report on an Evening with the Obscure

2010-04-13T00:39:00.000-07:00

The Manticore Society was on hand for the League of S.T.E.A.M.’s latest installment of A Night with the Obscure, though Captain Wong Wei was delayed in his arrival, so I scouted ahead to give my account. This was my second time at this establishment.

This evening was hosted at one of Hollywood’s well-known alternative lifestyle night spots, Bar Sinister. It is a goth themed dance club/bar which caters to Hollywood’s darker desires, promoting their place as 'A Hollywood dark decadence for AlternAttiVe PleaZures catering to the Artistic, CreatiVe & Futuristic Industrial Tendencies of a TurTured Soul in a Hollywood Mecca'.

As you walked in, the open air entrance was decorated with some of the League’s invention blue prints alongside the comfortable ottomans and smoking patrons. The lovely Miss Sheyne along side with Mr. Glenn, were at the corner booth at the end of the corridor commanding the merchandise booth welcoming the club goers, steampunk and otherwise to the League of S.T.E.A.M.’s Evening with the Obscure. I first spotted J.R. and Crackitus Potts mingling with some in attendance, always a pleasure to talk to! They wondered where my usual partner in crime was, I informed them of his tardiness.

This event was not as intimate as the last held at Rene’s Courtyard Café. The venue was bigger but very crowded and loud. No matter, I pressed on despite my unfondness for these types of clubs.

As I walked into the sage and bar area, there were already a mass of people huddled around the candle lit pit and crowded around the bar. The stage was roped off by chain of garlic and crosses in preparation for the vampire belly dancers of Twisted Gypsy. A screen was set up off to the side and was used to showcase the League of S.T.E.A.M.’s recorded adventures.

A few steps down into the second bar and dance area was becoming more crowded as people filed in, and there was my first sighting of the R.O.S.E. and what I think were a few ghostly apparitions that toyed with our senses. Zombie Zed shuffled about the crowd unleashed for most of the night, very frightening! Most of us veterans warned the newcomers to get out of the way should his collar’s timer sound off.

I re-entered the corner where the merchandise booth and found a fellow member, Liam, with a drawing he made of our beloved Zed if he were the Disney character Pluto. We met up with some new Manticore Society members and chatted, still waiting for the Captain. As midnight approached, most of us went back into the stage area for the premier of a new video, this of the League of S.T.E.A.M.’s very first ad in a silent film style. I was amused by the whole production, which featured Crackitus, J.R., and Professor Jager in pancake make-up.

Some time in the night, the heavily guarded members of the League brought out the vampire troupe of Twisted Gypsy, wrapped in chains for our protection. These ladies were very lovely and mesmerizing, so much so we were advised NOT to look into their eyes for fear of being entranced and fall victim to their thirst! I had a great view point for their second performance, as the ladies donned in various vestments, tattoos, and body paint barred their fangs as they move throughout the crowd. Despite the League’s best efforts, Crackitus was more than once put into a vampiric trance by one of these fanged vixens and was nearly bitten. Had it not been for his comrades swift actions, surly it would have been the end of a member of the League. The R.O.S.E. stood beside me as the ladies where dancing, doing her duties assisting the League in zombie control. A cute moment occurred as one of the League members standing guard saw R.O.S.E. with Zed’s chain in hand. She raised the chain in one hand and gave an enthusiastic thumbs up to the guard with the other.

While Liam and I spoke to a couple in the crowd our not so punctual friend, Captain Wong Wei FINALLY showed up with camera in hand and looking his festive self with his three feather donned flight cap. It was astounding and amusing to see people I’ve met in the past come up to me and tell me that they did not recognize me until the good Captain stood next to me! After the performances some demonstrations of different devices from the League were shown off. A lot of new friends were made through the like interest and love of steampunk that night. I hope new members of the Manticore Society are reading this review.

Some local celebrity sightings took place at this wondrous event. A delightful meeting with a very 'spirited' Professor CJ whom performs as the mustached limo driver in the Los Angeles Repo! The Genetic Opera shadowcast ATTacK took place. He came up to the Captain and I commenting on how all the limo drivers where here at one place. Captain Wong Wei plays the limo driver and a couple of other parts in the San Diego Repo! shadowcast Elective Surgery.

Captain Wong Wei also came across the fantastique Veronique Chevalier, a wonderful burlesque performer. I highly suggest you check out her talent and attend her next performance in May!

A lot of our friends were feeling too crowded downstairs so they made their way upstairs to the 'Love Loft' where some rather interesting 'services' were being administered. I was not daring enough to step up there but the adventurous captain mingled upstairs with a few other Manticore Society members.

I am very glad to have made it to another League of S.T.E.A.M. evening and I know the Captain was, too! He took some terrific photos which you should look though on his website. To those unable to attend the evenings festivities I do hope that this may have sparked some interest and that we could see more new faces!

http://madcalamity.zenfolio.com/
http://www.leagueofsteam.com/
http://www.barsinister.net/

- Report by Ms. Merci & Photos by Captain Wong Wei -

Report on the Hanami Cogs & Petals Picnic

2010-03-27T02:02:00.000-07:00

On March 13th members of the Manticore Society reported to the Hanami Cogs and Petals picnic at Lake Balboa. The good Captain made very good use of his new photographic reporting equipment. The day started off with a lovely gathering of steampunks from near and far to gather at the beautiful and sprawling Lake Balboa in Van Nyes, California. The Cogs and Petals Picnic was headed by the beloved members of the society Ms. Sheyne and Mr. Glenn. So many people were at this event, one of the camera men who took our group photo was a bit overwhelmed to say the least! We were pleased to see so many of the Manticore Society and the League of S.T.E.A.M. in attendance as well as delighted to meet so many new faces! There was something for everyone in the park; catching up with lost contacts, a few games to play, blankets to lounge upon, plentiful food to snack on, a dog in a pirate hat, bountiful scenery to take in, and people watching! Captain Wong Wei took many wonderful pictures of the people and the view we were surrounded by as we all chatted about with many of the men and women, enjoying the many different animals in and out of the water and, of course, admiring the few cherry blossoms that did bloom at the time. There were not that many that bloomed at the time because of the very cold season but the few that did were beautiful!

There was also a cosplay photoshoot near our event and it was fun seeing all the different outfits worn by both the steampunk and cosplay groups. As it neared the night it was quite chilly so the picnic was wrapped up as soon as the sun started to go down but there was a lot of talk about events yet to come. If there’s anything common about any steampunk event it's that we do NOT stop talking about present or future projects, places to buy interesting materials, and events to come! We did not all go right away, we lingered along with a group that included our gracious hosts, very grateful that they put this all together for everyone!

Full Gallery at Mad Calamity Photos!

- Report by Ms. Merci & Photos by Captain Wong Wei -

March's Automatons and Alchemical Aberrations at Chrononaut

2010-03-27T01:19:00.000-07:00

This March's Chrononaut was a very special one for a few members of the Manticore Society indeed! Both Ms. Merci and the good Captain are cast members in the San Diego Repo! shadowcast entitled Elective Surgery. The Captain is the shemp of all trades (doing the parts of lead GENcop, mustache driver, band leader and reporter to name a few) and Ms. Merci brings to life the part of operatic sensation Blind Mag. And this night Elective Surgery performed a small preview of their upcoming shadowcast. Despite a few early technical difficulties, the number was performed with high acclaim and attention from the audience! It was great to see the hard work of the cast come to life!

At the Elective Surgery booth there was a delicious blood-stain designed cake available per slice per donation as well as the usual stickers and posters. There was also a lovely welded gear necklace up for raffle! And after the performance, there were many pictures taken of the cast in various poses by Jerry Abuan.

Everything seemed to come to a halt when those magnificent pantomime performers, the Steam Powered Giraffe, took to the stage! Hardly anyone moved from their spot! For those who are not familiar, Steam Powered Giraffe is a comedic performance troupe whom dress as steam powered robots and mimic the movements and sounds of the beings they dress as. And what an exciting show it was! A whole night's worth of comedy, songs, and entertainment to watch. If you've never seen the wonder that is Steam Powered Giraffe, we urge you to do so at least once! You shalt not be disappointed!
http://www.steampoweredgiraffe.com/

Everyone was very very happy after they performed and Ms. Merci had the pleasure of talking to some of the people who ran their merchandise booth (as they were right next to the Obscure Discoveries table). The Captain bought one of their albums and Ms. Merci a sticker, and one of the gentlemen went over the beautiful artwork in the sleeve of the album.

At the end of the night, Elective Surgery raffled off the necklace and the lucky winner was Ms. Merci herself! The necklace was made and donated by Mr. Paris, another merchant at Chrononaut. It was a terrific night where people let go of the ordinary, took in the extraordinary and were delighted all night!

The pictures Captain Wong Wei took of the night can be found on Mad Calamity Photos.

- Report by Ms. Merc & Photos by Captain Wong Wei -

An Evening with the Obscure

2010-03-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

This Saturday (3-27-10) the League of S.T.E.A.M. is proud to host 'An Evening with the Obscure' at Bar Sinister in Hollywood, California from 10:00pm to 2:00am. Twisted Gypsy joins the League of S.T.E.A.M. as Sir Conrad Wright’s freshly caught vampiric beauties. There will also be a special premiere of a new League of S.T..E.A.M. episode for the first time ever as part of the ambient entertainment. This event is 18+ with a special $5.00 offer at the door if you're in Steampunk attire or $10.00 before midnight, dress code is enforced. Hope to see you there!

http://leagueofsteam.com/
http://www.barsinister.net/

Bar Sinister is located at:
1652 N. Cherokee Ave
Hollywood, CA

- Captain Wong Wei -

Cogs & Petals: A Steampunk Hanami Picnic

2010-03-07T02:24:00.001-08:00

Hanami (lit. "flower viewing") is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, "flower" in this case almost always meaning cherry blossoms, sakura).

On Saturday March 13th Manticore members Ms. Sheyne and Mr. Glenn shall be hosting a Steampunk Hanami Picnic at Anthony C. Beilenson Park Park (aka Lake Balboa) in Van Nuys CA. This is a pot luck all ages picnic where everyone is encouraged to bring food and drinks. Also don't forget to bring your blankets or chairs to sit on. Steampunk is not required but highly encouraged, though remember we will be sitting out in the sun on the ground, so make sure you are comfortable. Also due to the nature that it is a public park it's suggested to those in attendance to leave any 'convincing' weapons at home. Also since this park usually fills up fairly quickly on weekends do not expect optimal parking so please wear shoes accordingly as you maybe doing a bit of walking.

Saturday March 13th Noon
Lake Balboa (Anthony C. Beilenson Park - Formerly Balboa Park)
6300 Balboa Blvd., Van Nuys, CA 91406

Here is a list of areas where the event may take place...

Spot A: First choice to host the picnic but as it is one of the more desirable areas we may not be able to get it.
Spot B: Second choice, it's up on a hill behind a man made waterfall.
Spot C: Closer to parking and has a few cherry blossom trees.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut Presents Automatons & Alchemical Aberrations

2010-03-07T02:12:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, March 11th Chrononaut presents an evening of Automatons and Alchemical Aberrations. A night where mad science runs rampant blurring the boundaries between the soft flesh and hard metal. With this in mind Chrononaut presents a grand exhibition celebrating the publication of a wondrous book penned by Dexter Palmer, The Dream of Perpetual Motion, telling the tale of prisoner aboard an airship crewed entirely by a clockwork creatures and a disembodied voice. Free copies of the novel and posters will be given away.

Special musical guests of the night will be an overdue appearance by Colonel P. A. Walter I’s remarkable mechanical creations; the musical singing comedic troupe known collectively as Steam Powered Giraffe. They are either the most sophisticated fusion of steam and artificial intelligence technology produced in the late Victorian era or one of the most original musical and theatrical acts to be associated with the steampunk movement. You decide.

Opening for the musical mechanicals are Elective Surgery, San Diego’s Repo! The Genetic Opera shadowcast who will be performing selected scenes from the only musical film ever made about the horrors of overpriced internal organs.

Also in attendance will be various vendors showcasing new and exciting creations fresh from their labs such as Obscure Discoveries. And as always the musical selections of house DJ Professor Greyshade.

Join us, Thursday, March 11th from 7 pm to 11 pm. Entry is $8 and is all ages, at Queen Bee's 3925 Ohio Street, San Diego, CA 92104

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut: Lace & Brass Ball

2010-02-28T01:50:00.000-08:00

This February Chrononaut had a romantic flair with the theme Lace & Brass Ball. All in attendance were encourage to grace the dace floor with their most elegant garb and encouraged to partake in the one-step dance lesson given by a local dance teacher. Manticore Society's Obscure Discoveries wing was there once again to display items of fancy, as well as promote more for Elective Surgery, the Repo! Genetic Opera shadowcast we participate in.

Capt. Wong Wei did not participate in the dance but did take lots of pictures of those who did. I did enjoy myself as I learned the dance and was delighted to see all the smiles and laughter from those who attempted this dance. The instructor and her partner where both patient and wonderful!

Ingred walked the crowds to present roses to all the lady patrons as her other lovely half delighted us with the music styling of what transformed every five minutes into another place & time. The silent film being played had my attention while I took care of the booth. Jerry's photo booth made record of all the lovely couples who came out of this event of grace and romance!

The Elective Surgery booth, headed by our lovely directors Amy and Amanda, was the most sweetest of all, having cake to gain in exchange of a $1 or more donation! We also had a raffle for a beautiful picture album and Valentine's Day candle. The generous crowd contributed enough for us to open an official cast account. A very great step into our future!

After all the songs were played, the photos snapped, the rose basket empty, and the cake was gone, we said our goodbyes and left with a great feeling of togetherness and accomplishment.

For more photos and videos please visit our myspace.

- Report by Merci/Photos by Captain Wong Wei -

Dickens Festival 2010

2010-02-28T01:41:00.000-08:00

This was a first for Manticore Society to attend: the annual Dickens Festival in Riverside, CA. Unsure of what to expect, we got together in our best attempts at 19th Century dress and headed over on a rainy day to Downtown Riverside. The captain dressed in his best "hobo" wear and I as a reformed tart dressed as a nun! The first thing Capt. Wong Wei and I noticed about this area was that it was incredibly beautiful and had really interesting architecture. The fair was set up of vendor booths, exhibits, teas, dances and shows. Minstrels and carolers traveled through the crowd, actors read scenes from A Christmas Carol, and musicians performed in the Chinese pavilion.

Along with the period appropriate dressed patrons and visitors in present day attire, steampunks made their marks and gave those who were not familiar with the genre many questions as to why were were wearing goggles with our costumes! Eventually Capt. Wong Wei and I found our friends Cindy and Jerry along with their friends from the sewing circle. Cindy made her debut in a dress that she had labored over for a long while and it was amazing!

After wandering around the grounds, snapping many pictures around the little hidden corners and seeing a gatling gun exhibit (that was VERY loud!) Capt. Wong Wei and I stood about and talked to our friends, some he knew already and those I met and immediately liked! We even got interviewed for an internet Mediocre Minds concerning the festival and steampunk. (And yes, we did give a shout out to our Manticore Society members!) We could have stood much longer speaking about or different ideas and experiences but the cold was taking over and I was starting to become sick. We did have a wonderful time at this new-to-us festival, will definitely come back next year, and come back just to have another look at everything and take more pictures!

For more pictures and videos please visit our myspace.

- Report by Merci/Photos by Captain Wong Wei -

17th Annual Riverside Dickens Festival

2010-02-02T01:24:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Riverside Dickens Festival will be on February 5th, 6th, and 7th in historic downtown Riverside, California. The theme for this year is 'A Visit to the Old Curiosity Shop'. Activities and events range from plays, street performers, food vendors, educational workshops, musical performances, and exhibits. Come enjoy the street bazaar and the free educational family-oriented entertainment for all ages. Funded in part by the City of Riverside and the Riverside Arts Foundation.

http://www.dickensfest.com/

- Captain Wong Wei -

A Report On An Evening With The Unfamiliar

2010-01-29T01:56:00.000-08:00

The description for this event on Sunday, January 17th first reads:
"Come join us as The League of S.T.E.A.M, famed inventors and paranormal experts, host an unforgettable evening of steam-powered thrills, ectoplasmic oddities and supernatural curiosities. Prepare to be amazed by the latest in scientific advance in spectral detection and containment."

And that we were! The venue was an appropriately themed spot called Renee's Courtyard Cafe in Santa Monica. The venue was an intimate gathering place with smashing decor, wonderful atmospheric lighting and a a heated outdoor area that thankfully wasn't too outdoors, as it was raining a bit! As soon as you walked in you can see the displays of The League of S.T.E.A.M.'s banners and logo as well as the picture collage for their group. Along with a few of the examples of paranormal findings (such as the Phantom Monkey! (damn thing tried to pick my pocket! - the Captain)), there stood some wonderful examples of the seam work on their lady member's garments.

The League set up a projection room which played their short videos of their adventures that also accompanied a merchandise booth to help raise funds for future events and projects. In the Doll Room and along the back rooms of this lovely dwelling were wonders for the senses. Each member with their inventions did small demonstrations at their stations as well as individual stand-alone presentations during the course of the night. Each invention captured the attention of all with the astonishing amount of time and dedication devoted to each device!

Whether it be the guests of League of S.T.E.A.M. or patrons who happen to stumble upon this night of fantastic oddities, there was something for everyone! Professor Jager mesmerized the audience with his clockwork girl, R.O.S.E., designed for dealings with dangerous supernatural forces and, as a bonus, is exquisite in her aesthetic design. (Many blessings upon the R.O.S.E. for retaining her grace during such a long night of operation!) Conrad Wright III, along with Jasper Mooney, spent most of the night interrogating the guests with mirrors and crosses to try to expose the elusive vampire that roamed throughout the crowd. Crackitus Potts, in between relaxing cigar breaks and sips of energizing ectoplasm, stood at the oh-so 'shocking' display of the electric current generator where people lined up to get a taste of the tickler (I been a 'subject' of this invention before...my neck hair still stands on end whenever I'm around it - the Captain).

The EVP phenomenon machine astounded many who listened to the playback and detected the presence of the roaming ghostly apparition that weaved in and out of the rooms causing random occurrences that could not be explained , though strangely only the children seemed to be able to see her! Baron Von Fogel and JR were very kind in explaining any of the questions asked of them about their organization and devices. The jet back that was to carry a Leaguer into the air was not quite up to the science that the members put into it (though they do claim it worked yesterday!) but it was entertaining to watch them try! Zed, the League’s resident zombie, staggered about the attendance unescorted through most of the night and even assisted the barmaids in serving the drinks! Once in a while Zed’s control collar did fail and his rampage proved terrifying until one of the members of the League set it back to work, then all was well again!

Near the end of the night, an auction was held to give away a signed one-of-a-kind promotion poster, and the lucky winner of this item was “Sold, to the gentleman in the goggles!” A splendid time was had for all, steampunk or not! Everyone seemed to be delighted with one another, surrounded by good food, refreshing drinks and the curiosities and delights from the League of S.T.E.A.M.! Each member of The League I had the pleasure of talked to was very gracious in having everyone attend the evening and make it such a success, they are all very wonderful people devoted to their craft and spreading the fantasy and joy that comes along with steampunk. I, along with the other members of the Manticore Society, enjoyed ourselves thoroughly and very much look forward to the next venture with the wonderful League of S.T.E.A.M.! But to really know what it is like to encounter this group, do visit their sites and join us for the next S.T.E.A.M. event! As always for access to our full gallery and videos please visit our myspace at http://www.myspace.com/manticoresociety.

http://www.leagueofsteam.com/
http://www.myspace.com/steampunkghostbusters
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-League-of-STEAM

- Report by Merci & Photos by Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut 1-14-10 Report

2010-01-28T00:39:00.000-08:00

For those who are not familiar with Chrononaut, it is the once a month steampunk themed dance night at Queen Bee's in San Diego. Headed by The Machina Fatalis Steampunk Social Club, this night entails everything you would want for a steamy good time! DJ Professor J. S. Greyshade plays an eccentric play list of music from old to new as a silent movie plays on stage. The lovely Ingrid flutters about the crowds, the social butterfly she is! There are live performances some night, and vendors selling their wares every night for your steampunk buying needs!

Obscure Discoveries, a faction of Manticore Society dedicated to creating and selling such wares, was on site for the January 2010 opening night themed Beggar's Market. The attendance were asked to bring any spare clothing or scrap material to be gone through by all and whatever was left would be donated to charity. All were asked to dress in according attire to match the theme of the evening. There was also soup served in true soup kitchen style!

While Capt. Wong Wei didn't exactly fit the poor look (actually I think I fit the bill that night looking quite bummy - the Captain), Miss Merci definitely did! The Obscure Discoveries table proudly displayed the items we've been knows for and some new items for sale. We shared a table with the San Diego shadowcast of Repo! the Genetic Opera, who are known as Elective Surgery. Cat. Wong Wei is a part of the cast playing many different characters such as Limo Driver, GENcop, and Band Leader. Miss Merci is also part of the cast playing Blind Mag. We were very happy to be next to our fellow cast members as they raised money for the cast!

There was no live performance this evening but a whole lot of fraternization and browsing about the tables. The tables where heaping with clothing, jewelry, and shoes up for grabs and there seemed to be a little something for everyone. While the Captain went about doing his 'steampunk paparazzi' adventures, all else had the opportunity to have their photos taken by our resident steampunk photographer, Jerry Abuan, who time and time again delights us with his amazing photos!

To view the photos from this night, please visit http://jerryabuan.zenfolio.com/ and click on Chrononaut January 2010!

Near the middle of the night, a winner for the attire contest was named and given a gift certificate to Clockwork Couture! The Elective Surgery booth also announced a winner for a raffle held to win a beautiful hand mirror! Obscure Discoveries did so enjoy our time at the dance and had a terrific time meeting with new faces, displaying our creations, and dancing to the music! We very much look forward to our next excursion to San Diego to visit our friends at Chrononaut!

For more information, please visit these links:

Chrononaut:
http://chrononautclub.com/
myspace.com/chrononautclub
http://www.facebook.com/pages/San-Diego-CA/Chrononaut-San-Diegos-Steampunk-Party/162116473820?ref=ts

Manticore Society:
http://themanticoresociety.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/manticoresociety
http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=179121261222

Jerry Abuan Photography:
http://jerryabuan.zenfolio.com/

Elective Surgery:
http://www.sandiegorepocast.webs.com/
http://www.myspace.com/electivesurgery
http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=358829420412

- Report by Merci & Photos by Captain Wong Wei -

AnimeLA 2010 Report

2010-01-20T02:33:00.000-08:00

It's a new year and a whole new batch of conventions. First up to bat for the Los Angeles area is AnimeLA which has earned a reputation for being a fan friendly convention catering to the Southern California anime fanbase. This year though has an extra special theme with Steampunk Sunday. That Sunday the convention was invaded by huge number of steampunks from the Southern California area and beyond. We here at the Manticore Society were proud to host two panels Steampunk on a Budget where panelists Danny Barer, Jo Celso, Mercades Victoria, Michael Pao, and Rebecca Majoros gave tips and lessons on how to create an affordable outfit and Steampunk 101 with Danny Barer, Eric Chamberlin, and Michael Pao which covered a basic overview of the Steampunk genre. Sadly we were not able to use the slide show which Eric prepared as the the projector decided to be difficult. After going though three laptops we just decided to go low tech. Management would like to express our deepest appreciation towards all whom participated and taken time out of their busy schedules to promote the organization and this interest we hold so dear. We also were pleasantly surprised by the large turn out with almost a packed room. Thank you to all those who came down to our panels. Hopefully we'll have more opportunities for events and panels such as this again.

After the panels many of us made our way to the pool area for a massive photoshoot which required two separate pictures to capture all our glory. A far cry from the handful of participants from the AnimeLA gathering a year ago. Hopefully in 2011 AnimeLA will decide to hold yet another Steampunk Sunday due to the smashing success it was this year.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Photos from New Years at the Nautilists' Ball

2010-01-12T14:18:00.000-08:00

This New Years I had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate at the Edison in downtown Los Angeles with a great group of friends and Abney Park! What a fabulous beginning! For those that couldn't make it, you were in our thoughts. I hope your New Years Eve was still full of smiles and giddy hearts.

- Heather von Luminous -

An Evening With the Unfamiliar

2010-01-11T02:57:00.000-08:00

Come join us as The League of S.T.E.A.M, famed inventors and paranormal experts, host an unforgettable evening of steam-powered thrills, ectoplasmic oddities and supernatural curiosities. Prepare to be amazed by the latest in scientific advance in spectral detection and containment.

Melding staged and improvised performance, exquisitely hand produced costumes and inventions, The League creates a multi-sensory reimagining of the fascinations and foibles of the Victorian past. Weaving eloquently between a sense of wonder at science and immersing their audience into the flow of history they bring a wide array of artistic production to each show. Engaging with the many members of the collective might at turns bring to mind the scientific feuds of Tesla and Edison or the folklore of Stoker & Crowley, to the whimsies of Jules Vern, or the prescient ideas of Babbage.

Join us for a highly eclectic evening in the Victorian parlor-style featuring functional gear, spiritual encounters, interactive demonstrations, lectures, various media presentations, and perhaps a cigar & some absinthe amongst much more.

January 17th 2010
$3 flat rate after 6pm

Renee's Courtyard Cafe
522 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Parking available at 1234 4th St.

- The League of S.T.E.A.M. -

AnimeLA 2010

2009-12-31T03:34:00.000-08:00

Well, we waste no time in 2010 indeed! Right around the corner is AnimeLA held at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott from January 8th to the 10th. The exciting event this year is that Sunday will be designated as 'Steampunk Sunday'! And we here at the society have a thing or two up our sleeves. What are they you ask? Well two, count them two panels which we shall be hosting on 'Steampunk Sunday'. Information on the panels are listed below...

Sunday 1:00 PM: Steampunk on a Budget
@ LP 2/Suite B
Danny Barer
Jo Celso
Mercades Victoria
Michael Pao
Rebecca Majoros

Sunday 2:00 PM: Steampunk 101
@ LP 2/Suite B
Danny Barer
Eric Chamberlin
Michael Pao

http://www.animelosangeles.org/wp/

So come out and show your support!

- Captain Wong Wei -

Edison 12-18-09 Report

2009-12-31T03:21:00.000-08:00

Hot off the presses! Here are the photos from the Edison outing on the eighteenth of December! Got us a few new faces and a few familiar ones. With ladies stating that 'Kilts are hawt!' and 'I love your feather!'. A very interesting night indeed...

- Captain Wong Wei -

The Guy is Afoot! - A Sherlock Holmes Review

2009-12-28T23:18:00.000-08:00

As someone who has read a good portion of the Conan Doyle Holmes stories -- and who started reading them 30 years ago -- I'm glad to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Guy Ritchie's new SHERLOCK HOLMES movie, with Robert Downey, Jr. as the master sleuth and Jude Law as an extremely impressive Dr. Watson. I still think the best adaptation of the Holmes stories was the BBC series starring the steely-eyed Jeremy Brett; but Holmes, like Tarzan (another literary Englishman created during the time Holmes stories were originally being released) and Robin Hood, Holmes has become a staple of Western popular culture whom every generation must enact anew. Just as there will likely always be revivals of Shakespeare plays, there will always be reinterpretations of Holmes -- whether he's battling Moriarty, Nazis (as he did in the '40's Basil Rathbone flicks), Jack the Ripper, or the menacing conspirators in this film.

Some may be annoyed by Ritchie's hyper-stylization of reality, or the pumped-up action sequences, or the focus on Holmes's manic-depressive personality (though there's little-to-no mention of Holmes's cocaine habit -- perhaps to avoid a harder rating). Others may grumble about giving Holmes and Watson a cute dog.
Further, the movie features manipulation of lighting and color all too common to modern films. Like old films shot on sound stages, so many of today’s flicks seem to take place in some other reality, with little connection to actual air, light and earth. This is particularly pronounced in the scenes shot around the Thames, in which the (presumably computer generated) tableaux of ships and industry look like a 19th-century black-and-white photo come to life.

But still, this is Holmes. He is woven from threads taken from the actual stories. There are snippets of dialogue from Conan Doyle’s writing, and the fun touches like the “V.R.” shot into the walls of Holmes and Watson’s flat. Further, the movie benefits greatly from taking one of the most memorable supporting characters -- Irene Adler, the American con woman from "A Scandal in Bohemia," who to Holmes will always be the woman -- and building up her role, so that she is an adventuress who stands on equal footing with Holmes and Watson, albeit on the other side of the law. Holmes's Catwoman, if you will.

The costumes will delight anyone looking for 19th-Century inspiration. Whereas most depictions of Holmes and Watson are content with depicting the duo in business wear, with occasional evening clothes and country wear, the costumers here go wild with the mens’ clothes. Watson is a bit of a fashion plate, particularly in a monochrome-indigo tunic he wears to a fancy restaurant. Holmes favors rep-striped ascot cravats, ratty smoking jackets, and a utility belt that should delight steampunk costumers. Adler wears a succession of womens’ costumes that far more suited to action than the skirts and bloomers of the day.

It's always a delight to enjoy a couple of hours of pure cinematic entertainment. SHERLOCK HOLMES shows that there's quite a bit of life in the old sleuth -- enough to fuel reinterpretations for generations to come.

-Danny Barer-

Happy Holidays & A Steamy New Year

2009-12-24T00:21:00.000-08:00

We at the Manticore Society would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a Steamy New Year! Here's to 2010 shining bright on the horizon!

- Captain Wong Wei -

Edison Visit 12-18-09

2009-12-16T23:24:00.000-08:00

This Friday a group of steampunks from the Los Angeles area will be making a visit to the Edison's Depression Era Happy Hour which starts at 5pm until 7pm. While supplies last each person will be supplied with a blue ticket which can be redeemed for a tea cup full of tomato soup and half a cheese sandwich. Also for 35 cents you'll get either a gin based drink or bourbon based drink. Hope to see you there!

108 W 2nd St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0000
www.edisondowntown.com

Drink Responsibly!

- Captain Wong Wei -

LosCon 36 Report

2009-12-01T12:59:00.000-08:00

As always LosCon was the perfect convention to cap off the end of the year. Like many people I was able to reconnect with many old friends and in the same time make many new friends as well. It was also interesting to see how the steampunk movement as a whole is growing as a whole. In fact the first panel I attended was a panel entitled 'Steampunk, Clockpunk, Noirpunk' which I found highly enjoyable and afterward was the LosCon 36 Ice Cream Social and WETA Dr. Grordbort's Steampunk Science Fair were yours truely won Best in Competition (TOP GIT). The prize was a shiny new Righteous Bison Indivisible Particle Smasher.

And as it was year's theme 'But wait...there's more!' as always the room parties on the 17th floor was just fantastic! An event where one could be a lab rat, vote on the mad scientist of the year, and have a rum party with pirates. I could go on forever but I'll just list a few highlights; bison chili, assorted wine and cheeses, a chocolate fountain, meatly meatly meatballs, creamy cream puffs (dip them in the chocolate fountain...fantastic!) and an assortment of other delightful...refreshments.

As always LosCon is a magnet for artists, writers, and the such as they interact with their fan base. This year guests and some of the people one could have encounter were Steven Barnes(The Locusts and Star Wars: The Cestus Deception), Tananarive Due (The Between and My Soul to Keep), Tim Rickard(creator of the Brewster Rockit comic), Harry Turtledove (The Master of Alternate History), and Len Wein (creator of Wolverine) just to name a few.

Next year LosCon is going to be donning some shades, pop on some goggles, and walk down a fog covered street as it's going to be Dark LosCon 37: A Celebration of Urban fantasy, Steampunk, and SF Noir. Yours truly will be handling the steampunk programing so sign up while membership is only $25 until December 31st

Membership Rates:
$25 through December 31, 2009
$30 through March 31, 2010
$35 through June 30, 2010
$40 through September 30, 2010
$45 through November 14, 2010
$55 thereafter

Writter Guest of Honor for 2010 will be Emma Bull writer of such works as War for the Oaks and Bone Dance.
Artist Guest of Honor for 2010 will be Phil Foglio of Studio Foglio and co-creator of popular steampunk comic series Girl Genius.

So sign up for LosCon 2010 and tell a friend! And have them tell a friend, and have them tell a friend, and so forth! See you there!

LosCon 2010 will be held at the LAX Marriot.
5855 West Century Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90045 USA

As always I will be featuring an array of pictures below but for the full rogues gallery visit the Manticore Society myspace. And while you're there friend us!

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut 11-06-09 Report

2009-11-30T16:41:00.000-08:00

Well I know it took a while but I was finally able to upload all the photos and videos from November's Chrononaut in San Diego. Playing this month were the sinfully delightful Demonika and the Darklings. A pleasant change of pace from the thumping industrial beats that dominate the goth clubs these days. And as always the while you can check out the few pictures we have here the rest of them and video will be on the Manticore Society myspace.

The Chrononaut website has recently done a major rehaul so check them out. And also instead of every other month starting 2010 Chrononaut will be open every second Thursday of every month. Hope to see you there!

- Captain Wong Wei -

LosCon 2009 Reminder

2009-11-26T01:46:00.001-08:00

This is a reminder that the 36th annual LosCon: the Los Angeles Regional Science Fantasy Convention which is held at the LAX Marriott is coming up on November 27-29. The LosCon 2009 Steampunk Meet Up will be on Friday at 8pm during the Ice Cream Social.

Nov. 27-29
LAX Marriott
http://www.loscon.org/

5855 West Century Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90045

- Captain Wong Wei -

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T01:41:00.001-08:00

We at the Manticore Society would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Just don't fill yourself up too much in case of rampaging marauders!

- Captain Wong Wei -

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T16:40:00.001-07:00

The Manticore Society would like to wish everybody a safe and happy Halloween!

- Captain Wong Wei -

LosCon 2009

2009-10-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

Looks like we have here another convention in the horizon to hang our hats at. The 36th annual LosCon: the Los Angeles Regional Science Fantasy Convention which is held at the LAX Marriott on November 27-29. Personally LosCon has never really failed to disappoint me. More of a fan friendly social convention it's a place where everyone pretty much gathers together for one last big hurrah before the start of next year's con season (the late night room parties...mah! Just fantastic!). Events this year will include a Steampunk Science Competition and Steampunk Ice Cream Social. Hope to see you there!

Nov. 27-29
LAX Marriott
http://www.loscon.org/

5855 West Century Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90045

Dark Void: Video Game

2009-10-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

I'm sure I'm not the only gamer around here and I want to share with you all an up coming video game by the name of Dark Void using the Unreal Engine 3 on the X-Box 360 platform and Playstation 3 platform. From Capcom the same people that brought you such video game icons such as the Street Fighter series, Monster Hunter, the Resident Evil series, and the Mega Man series.

The score to Dark Void was composed by Battlestar Galactica composer Bear McCreary, making this his video game score debut. He recorded the score with a 63-piece ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony at the Eastwood Scoring Stage.

What is Dark Void you ask? Think a steampunk Rocketeer video game with Nikola Tesla, the Bermuda Triangle, and aliens. The game mixes on-foot and mid-air combat. Check it out, join up with the resistance, and strap on your rockets! It's going to be a hell of a ride!

http://www.darkvoidgame.com/

- Captain Wong Wei -

Nostalgia for the DS

2009-10-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

In seven days Nostalgia for the Nintendo DS hand held system will be hitting the US shores. Originally released in Japan on November 2008 by Tecmo as Nostalgio no Kaze (Wind of Nostalgio) Nostalgia is a role playing video game developed by Red Entertainment and Matrix Software. Produced by Keisuke Kikuchi (Fatal Frame I, II, III) with programming and three-dimensional graphics by Matrix Software (Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy IV). Featuring three-dimensional characters and environments, Nostalgia takes advantage of the Nintendo DS's dual screens, gameplay is featured on one screen while a map of the player's current location is present on the other, which fills as they travel through new areas. As a bonus the player's party is judged at the end of each battle with a letter grade based on what they did in combat as well as how quickly and flawlessly they have defeated their enemies. The higher the letter grade the better as they may give additional rewards. The music for Nostalgia was composed by Shinichiro Sato (FLCL) and Rei Kondo (Okami), who was credited alongside his musical unit "T's Music".

The game takes place in an alternate reality steampunk version of the 19th Century and follows main character Eddie, a native of London and son of a world famous adventurer. He and his companions travel the world in a customizable airship by the name of the Maverick in search of Eddie's father Gilbert Brown who has gone missing and uncover the truth about an ancient civilization. The game features both standard turn based combat as well as aerial battles against enemy airships. The player will have control of Eddie (the main character), Pad (a street urchin), Melody (a witch), and Feona (standard mysterious young girl). Settings include such real world places as New York City, Tokyo, Cairo, South America, and Northern Europe.

At the moment if you preorder the game from Amazon you will get exclusive access to the last volume of the webcomic series and if you join the Nostalgia Face book and send them a a screenshot of your pre-order receipt the Nostalgia Face book will mail you a free copy of the Nostalgia art book.

http://www.nostalgiads.com/

Tonite! Meetup w/ Lex Machina @ The Edison (Oct. 7th)

2009-10-17T16:20:00.001-07:00

Here's your chance to meet a great photographer and all around interesting person by the name of Lex Machina. She travels around the country in her RV roaming around like the gypsies of old. She just arrived into our fair city last night and tonight she'll be heading out to the Edison. If you are able to I suggest dressing up in your steamy finest and coming out tonight!

- Captain Wong Wei -

Chrononaut Friday 11/06

2009-10-17T00:20:00.000-07:00

On Friday November 6th Chrononaut will once again be opening their doors for an evening of steamy delights! This time around the musical guests will be Demonika & the Darklings from the City of Lost Angels. They feature the violinist from The Unextraordinary Gentlemen, Jennifer Palerez (J. Francis in UXG & Devlin in D&D). And as always vendors such as Obscure Discoveries will be on hand and Prof. Greyshade will be spinning the tunes.

So put on your steampunk finest and come on down to show your support! Remember, the club is all ages and the door time is now 8:00 pm to 12:00 am!

Queen Bee's
3925 Ohio Street
San Diego, CA 92104

http://www.chrononautclub.com
http://www.demonikaandthedarklings.com/

- Captain Wong Wei -

Steampunk Empire & Facebook

2009-10-09T02:09:00.000-07:00

A new MySpace like website has spawned with a steampunk twist called the Steampunk Empire. If you get the chance check it out and also the Manticore Society has already made their mark on the empire.

http://steampunk.ning.com/
http://steampunk.ning.com/group/themanticoresociety

Also thanks to Ms. Merci we now have a group up on Facebook so if you're using this communication tool give us an add.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Long Beach Comic-Con Report

2009-10-09T01:15:00.000-07:00

Surprisingly large for a first time convention comes to mind when one first makes their way down to the Long Beach Comic-Con dealers room. It was pretty much packed shoulder to shoulder on Saturday when yours truly made his way to the convention. A few of the members (Bri, Syrin, and myself) were able to do have a small meet up and a bite to eat at the Irish pub the Auld Dubliner across the street. As usual there is a few pictures and the rest could be grabbed at our myspace.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Pyrate Daze Report

2009-10-08T22:55:00.001-07:00

What can I say about Pyrate Daze? Pirates, Steampunks, and the Queen Mary oh my! It was wonderful to see how many steamies turned out for this event and kudos to the League of S.T.E.A.M. for taking over pretty much the entire middle floor of the dealers room. The demonstrations and steamy programing...well as it's printed on the league's flag a big ol' thumbs up.

The highlight of the entire event would have to be the banquet dinner and concert on Saturday night. Well worth the eighty dollar price tag. Abney Park as always puts on a fantastic show. The belly dancers performing along side them was absolutely gold. Big thumbs up for the entire night. It's also wonderful to see how much this group is growing as more and more people are joining up. Spread the word and one day we just might take over. And that's a good thing. Now as usual are a few pictures of the event and if you wish for more just follow this link to our myspace for a massive two part report with even more pictures and a whole bunch of videos.

- Captain Wong Wei -

LA Opera Costume Sale

2009-10-08T02:43:00.000-07:00

For the first time ever LA Opera is having a costume sale on Saturday October 10th at 10am to 6pm. Join us in hunting for bargains and outfits also perhaps even meet up afterward for a bite to eat and some hearty conversation.

330 South Alameda St.
Downtown LA, 90013
(Parking is across the street at the Little Tokyo Shopping Center Garage)
Website: LAOpera.com

Chrononaut in September

2009-09-26T01:26:00.000-07:00

Ah another wonderful night at the Chrononaut. This time around we had Eli August and Veronique Chevalier with Mr. Huxley Vertical performing. And what a wonderful show it was. Got to snap a couple of real nice photos and a capture a few videos of the performances. As usual the bulk of them are up on the Manticore Society myspace.

Photo by: Jerry

- Captain Wong Wei -

Long Beach Comic-Con

2009-09-24T13:01:00.001-07:00

Looks like there is going to be another convention on the horizon. The first annual Long Beach Comic-Con will be taking place on October 2-4. At the moment a full weekend pass is $45 and day passes are $25. Children under 12 enter free. Also with a purchase of a full weekend pass you'll score a free copy of Amazing Spider #606 with a variant cover.

For those interested we're looking to gather together on one of the days to do a meet & greet and then perhaps hoist a pint or seven and some good grub at the Irish pub Auld Dubliner right across the street from the convention center. Current plan is to meet at the top of the escalators in the convention center that leads down into the dealer's hall around 2pm.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Pyrate Daze

2009-09-14T22:36:00.000-07:00

It's time to dust off those eye patches and shine up your flintlocks because national 'Talk like a Pirate Day' is soon upon us! And this weekend we're going to celebrate it in style. How? Well on board the Queen Mary in Long Beach on the 19th to the 10th (Saturday/Sunday) there will be a special event known as Pyrate Daze. And that's not all! Performing at the Masquerade Ball will be the aerial scallywags known as Abney Park and on the 20th (Sunday) it is 'Steampunk Sunday'. Tickets for the Masquerade Ball and concert is $80 (you must buy online) while just a day's admission without the ball and concert is $20 which is payable at the door. Hope to see you there!

The Queen Mary
1126 Queens Hwy
Long Beach, CA 90802

Time for Chrononaut

2009-09-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

Look like it's time for another night of music and steamy goodness in San Diego once again! What am I talking about you ask? Why it's time for Chrononaut of course! Performing this time around is Eli August, featuring members of Fermata, on their first US tour and Veronique Chevalier accompanied by Seth Bedford of Huxley Vertical. Also your host, Prof. J. S. Greyshade will be blasting away the tunes throughout the night. There will also be a marketplace of the strange and wonderful with 'Obscure Discovery', a photo booth by Jerry, and other eye catching attractions. Hope to see you there!

7pm to Midnight
Queen Bee's
3925 Ohio Street
San Diego, CA, 92104
Chrononaut Website

Abney Park and a Very Special Shock Treatment

2009-08-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

Everytime Abney Park puts on a show it just gets better and better and better. This time around the Manticore Society (check out our myspace) met up before the concert for some drinks and grub before running into Captain Robert, Daniel C., and Nathaniel Johnstone for a big group picture.

The opening act was Zoe from the Vermillion Lies with a wonderful blend of folksy bluesy tunes. At first she announced that she felt a bit out place with all the wonderful steamys out there in the audience but being the gentleman that I am (pttf...yeah right! Me a gentleman?), I offered her my own pair of goggles to wear while she played her set and all was well in the factory again!

And when Abney Park got on stage...well they just blew the roof off the place like they always do. Sadly Finn wasn't able to make it but the crew of the H.M.S. Ophelia did bring along a very lovely talent as they always do. And if that wasn't all the band introduced on stage the steam busting ghost hunters...the League of S.T.E.A.M.!!! Sadly my equipment cut out was I tried to record them on stage while Abney Park played 'Airship Pirates'. But later on when they asked for volunteers to test out their rendition of a taser...and lo' and behold...yes I volunteered to be the first guinea pig. Before they had us all join hands in a circuit I was the one who held both prongs with his bare hand to see if it worked, it went a little something like this.

Me: "Nope...not working...not working...I think it might be broken...not working...not working...not wor...OH @%^$!!!"

Yeah...I'll just let you guess what I said.

Check out the Manticore Society Myspace for more pictures and videos.
Also check out the League of S.T.E.A.M. at their website.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Merci's Birthday Shindig

2009-08-26T18:14:00.001-07:00

One of our founding members Ms. Merci's birthday is coming up and is making it an open invitation to all members of the society. This Friday we will be having drinks and conversations at the Edison at 7:30pm. Afterward around 11:00pm we will be making our way to the Recency Theatre for the shadowcast of Repo! the Genetic Opera. Tickets for this event will be about ten dollars. Dress should be anywhere along the club/goth/punk/steam punk/rock look but if you don't have an outfit, don't worry. Character dress-up is encouraged!

The Edison
108 W 2nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 291-3247

Recency Theatre
7907 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 655-4010

http://www.myspace.com/addicted2theknife

- Captain Wong Wei -

AnimeLA Potluck Cosplay Picnic

2009-08-22T14:07:00.000-07:00

This Sunday (August 23rd) AnimeLA will be having a potluck cosplay picnic at Yorba Regional Park. I myself will hopefully be in attendance to promote their Steampunk Sunday event during AnimeLA. The regional park has a $5 parking fee. The picnic itself is free. Some Anime Los Angeles department heads and managers will be on hand to answer any questions you have about Anime Los Angeles 6. Hope to see you there!

Location: Yorba Regional Park, Anaheim/Yorba Linda CA
Come in main entrance of park, turn right, then find a place to park in parking areas 6 or 5.
Date: Sunday, 23 August 2009
Time: Noon to 5:00 pm.
Group Photoshot: Planned for 2:00 pm.

- Captain Wong Wei -

Abney Park Concerts on the Horizons

2009-08-05T13:50:00.000-07:00

Once again the good ship Ophelia shall be docking down nearby pretty soon. But not just once but twice! Once in the City of Lost Angels at the Knitting Factory on August 15th and again at Long Beach's very own Queen Mary on September 19th.

The performance on board the Queen Mary will be for a special event known as Pyrate Daze quite fitting for those vagabonds of the air. The Pyrate Daze event is for two days both the 19th and the 20th. And on the 20th there will be a steampunk costume contest where winners get tickets to SteamCon '09.

Below I shall link the event venues where you can learn more and procure tickets. I hope I see you all there!

Knitting Factory
Pyrate Daze

- Captain Wong Wei -

Comic-Con 2009 Report

2009-08-04T02:10:00.000-07:00

Ah...another year and another Comic-Con, what more can I say? As always every time I suit up and have fun with my fellow steampunks it has always been an absolute pleasure and at Comic-Con it was no difference. As always being able to hang out with various friends and making many new ones what can be better?

We said it once and we'll keep saying it...next year Comic-Con has to give us a bigger room for our panel. There was a line of three hundred steampunk enthusiasts for the panel which was in a room for a hundred or so people. It was just mind boggling. Oh and I seriously think that the big photoshoot we had on the steps outside the convention center was one of the biggest gatherings of steampunks in a photo ever.

Afterward the Ventricular Engine with the Unextraordinary Gentlemen and the fantabulous steambusting contraptions of Nicholas Bauman? All I gotta say is that it was like finding a new use for steam...absolutely amazing.

Photo by Jerry Abuan

- Captain Wong Wei -

Tales from the Labyrinth of Jareth XII

2009-07-20T13:49:00.001-07:00

Just as she bit into the sweet fruit gifted to her,
she delicately fell upon the grassy land and
into a deep intoxicating dream.

She dreamt of an elaborate hall full of masked beauty

everywhere the eye could look...of people laughing and dancing.

Yet, she felt lost and desperate to find a familiar face.

She realized then the man who had given her the challenge of a life,

the man who had been most unfair, was her only refuge.

He finally takes her close as she loses herself in the glittery moment.

When all of a sudden the clock strikes and fantasy is shattered by reality.

The above is a little of LOJ's inspiration. If you have never seen the 1980's movie Labyrinth...you must! This masquerade event of the year has been taking place for eleven years now. Each year drawing in more divine creativity than the last. For the past few years they have extended it to two days of breath taking costuming and amazing performances.

I had the wonderful opportunity to go both nights again this year. Below are a couple photographs of this magical weekend.

PLEASE SEE PHOTO ALBUM "LOJ XII" (on our MySpace) FOR THE COMPLETE COMPILATION.

My photos cannot give you the real beauty of it all, but I hope they inspire you to attend next year. Unfortunately, I didn't capture any pictures of the performers except for one. The entertainment keeps getting better and better...it left me in AWE this year.

- Heather von Luminous -

Comic-Con 2009

2009-07-14T11:12:00.000-07:00

Well that time of the year is coming upon us again! Comic-Con International 2009 is just around the corner. And for myself this looks like the first time in about five years that I won't be attending the full run just Friday and Saturday as well as it looks like I won't be working the convention this year. Which means I will have much more time enjoying the convention and the steamy activities this year. What activities you may ask?

-Saturday-
1:00pm-2:00pm
STEAMPUNK MEET-UP
Room 24A
Do you hunger for a past that never was? If your gears are turned by the speculative future of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, Neo-Victorian, steam, and clockwork then you'll want to check out this meetup. The group will be discussing the Steampunk aesthetic, meet others, share projects and ideas, and discuss this exciting and beautiful culture!

and later that Saturday Night...

Club Deadline and Chrononaut have joined to present:
THE VENTRICULAR ENGINE

With the Unextraordinary Gentlemen
and DJs Synexx and Prof. Greyshade
Plus other surprises TBA

July 25th at The Radio Room
3519 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104

From downtown take Park Blvd through the park until the right lanes turn onto El Cajon Blvd. Take El Cajon Blvd over the 805 until just past 35th St. The club is on the right. 21 and up. $7 at the door and very reasonable drink prices.

Hope to see you there!

- Captain Wong Wei -

The Labyrinth of Jareth

2009-07-08T16:03:00.000-07:00

Coming up in a few days is the event called Labyrinth of Jareth taking place on July 10th and 11th at the historic Henry Fonda MusicBox Theatre. The LOJ is a fantasy inspired masquerade ball. This year the ball offers two nights of dancing and performances with Friday night called the Goblin Clockwork. While I will not be able to attend hopefully we'll be treated to a report and some photos by our lovely member Heather von Luminous.

Henry Fonda MusicBox Theatre
6126 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028

http://www.labyrinthmasquerade.com/

- Captain Wong Wei -

Anime Expo Steampunk Gathering (Results)

2009-07-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

The steampunk gathering was quite enjoyable, when I was finally able to find it. I guess they don't call me Captain Wong Wei for nothing. A big round of applause to all those at the gathering and another for those who embraced the steam throughout the convention. Oh and one more for Fancy India for setting up the gathering.

- Captain Wong Wei -

More Pics at How a Girl Figures

The Manticore Society is on MySpace!

2009-06-29T02:22:00.000-07:00

The Manticore Society is now on MySpace! Currently it's a bit sparse so please be patient while we work on it.

http://www.myspace.com/manticoresociety

- Captain Wong Wei -

Anime Expo Steampunk Gathering

2009-06-29T02:13:00.000-07:00

On Friday the third of July at noon at Anime Expo there will be a steampunk gathering. The location is 'stairs site #2'. Below is a map of the LA Convention Center stair sites with the gathering location marked with a big '2'.

Hope to see you there!

- Captain Wong Wei -

Balboa Park Afterwards...

2009-06-29T01:19:00.000-07:00

A wonderful time was to be had by all on a very sunny and warm summer day at Balboa Park in San Diego. Both the scavenger hunt and the picnic was quite enjoyable. A big thank you goes to Cindy for setting it all up. Afterward a few of us had a little photoshoot while we explored the park. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

- Captain Wong Wei -

Balboa Park Steampunk, Victorian, & Edwardian Picnic and Scavenger Hunt

2009-06-12T16:03:00.000-07:00

This Sunday Miss Emmaline Pierpont, has organized an delightful afternoon of picnics and a scavenger hunt. Dress up in your finest outfit and meet up on the lawn to the left of the Botanical Building-Lily Pond at 12:30 p.m. Lunch and stimulating conversation & tomfoolery at 12:30 followed by the scavenger hunt at 1:30.

The rules of the scavenger hunt will be as followed:
Everyone will be breaking off into teams.
Each team will receive a set of clues and will have one hour to find them.
Make sure at least one person on your team has a digital camera or a cell phone camera, because as you find each clue, you will be taking a picture of it for proof!
First team back to home base with all the clues is the winners.

If possible, please RSVP (here). Hope to see you there!

- Captain Wong Wei -