A genre of books, movies and other entertainment media set primarily in the Art Deco and Streamline Moderne art eras-- mostly from the early 1920s-50s.
Prior to World War I, France was the center of art and learning in the modern world. The artistic style named Art Deco became popular in Paris during this time, and spread throughout the world. Art Deco, or Style Moderne, is characterized by rich colors, bold geometry and decadent detail work. Writers and producers of the DECOPUNK style have infused science fiction into the bold world of the roaring 20s and beyond.
My first foray into the world of decopunk took place when I saw the fantastic Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. Combining the movie-glamour of the early WWI spy scene with the over-the-top adventure and futuristic tech, SC&TWoT was one of the freshest and most imaginative movies I'd ever seen.
You can't go wrong with intrigue, glamour, fashion, and murder! When ingenue Phryne Fisher returns to her hometown of Melbourne and takes up the dubious title of Lady Detective sparks fly between her and Inspector Jack Robinson. This is classic decopunk! Set in Australia after WWI, we get to see the world through the eyes of the magnificent Miss Fisher. She experiences all that the time period has to offer, and we get to tag along.
Whenever you "punk" any era, you're expected to take the standards of fashion and give it a sci-fi flare. In the photo above (courtesy of DeviantArt @doppleganger) the standard German serviceman's suit has been given a high-tech upgrade in the form of her headphones. What do you think she hears through those?!
Do you adore the glitz, glamour and fashion of The Great Gatsby? Do you thirst for sci-fi, high-tech action? Combine the two and you get DECOPUNK! The books above are just a few of the books currently available in the genre. You'll see that they share the love of bold colors, geometric patterns, and intricate details. Suave spies dashing about in pre-War London, chasing flapper girls in glittering gowns who carry pistols loaded with diesel-powered bullets? You'll find that and more when you explore the exciting world of DECOPUNK!
Even the video game industry is falling in love with DecoPunk. In Fallout 4, the 40s and 50s never ended and the world is a place of peace and prosperity until the great Resource War ends in nuclear holocaust. When the player, the Lone Survivor, emerges from his vault, he finds a post-apocalyptic world with smudges of the world he remembers remaining. There are hundreds of DecoPunk touches sprinkled in with the chaos of Fallout 4.
There is nothing more enchanting than discovering a world of glittering excitement and intrigue mixed with your favorite sci-fi tropes. The fashion of the 20s-50s, the architecture and the romance, combined with elements of sci-fi make DECOPUNK a genre you won't want to miss!
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