Mythpunk: Difference between revisions

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{{quote|''We raise and raze our city like the strangest house of cards...''|S.J. Tucker, "We are Shangri-La"}}
{{quote|''We raise and raze our city like the strangest house of cards...''|S.J. Tucker, "We are Shangri-La"}}


[[wikipedia:Mythpunk#Other proposed derivatives|Mythpunk]] refers to "a subgenre of mythic fiction" in which classical folklore and faerie tales get hyperpoetic postmodern makeovers. Coined by author [[Catherynne M Valente (Creator)|Catherynne M Valente]], the term describes ''[http://yuki-onna.livejournal.com/263738.html a brand of speculative fiction which starts in folklore and myth and adds elements of postmodern fantastic techniques: urban fantasy, confessional poetry, non-linear storytelling, linguistic calisthenics, worldbuilding, and academic fantasy.]''
[[wikipedia:Mythpunk#Other proposed derivatives|Mythpunk]] refers to "a subgenre of mythic fiction" in which classical folklore and faerie tales get hyperpoetic postmodern makeovers. Coined by author [[Catherynne M. Valente|Catherynne M Valente]], the term describes ''[http://yuki-onna.livejournal.com/263738.html a brand of speculative fiction which starts in folklore and myth and adds elements of postmodern fantastic techniques: urban fantasy, confessional poetry, non-linear storytelling, linguistic calisthenics, worldbuilding, and academic fantasy.]''


Characterized by [[Awesome Anachronistic Apparel|baroque multicultural fashion]], [[Everyone Is Bi|alternative/ queer sexuality]], [[Adaptation Expansion|bizarre retellings]] of [[Twice-Told Tale|familiar faerie tales]], [[I'm Having Soul Pains|pervasive anxiety]], [[Big No|fear of inevitable change]], [[Mind Screw|elaborate symbolism]] and [[Deconstruction|radical reinterpretation]], mythpunk is a cross-media movement. Although largely defined through literary works like Andrea Jones's ''Hook & Jill'', Francesca Lia Block's [[Weetzie Bat]] series and Catherynne Valente's ''[[The Orphans Tales (Literature)|The Orphans Tales]]'', the mythpunk aesthetic occasionally manifests in music (The Decemberists), film (''Pan's Labyrinth''), jewelry and other media forms.
Characterized by [[Awesome Anachronistic Apparel|baroque multicultural fashion]], [[Everyone Is Bi|alternative/ queer sexuality]], [[Adaptation Expansion|bizarre retellings]] of [[Twice-Told Tale|familiar faerie tales]], [[I'm Having Soul Pains|pervasive anxiety]], [[Big No|fear of inevitable change]], [[Mind Screw|elaborate symbolism]] and [[Deconstruction|radical reinterpretation]], mythpunk is a cross-media movement. Although largely defined through literary works like Andrea Jones's ''Hook & Jill'', Francesca Lia Block's [[Weetzie Bat]] series and Catherynne Valente's ''[[The Orphan's Tales|The Orphans Tales]]'', the mythpunk aesthetic occasionally manifests in music (The Decemberists), film (''Pan's Labyrinth''), jewelry and other media forms.


Although this (sub)genre shares many elements with [[Urban Fantasy]], mythpunk stories tend to avoid [[Three Act Structure|linear or obvious story structures]], [[Purple Prose|simple prose]] and [[Cliché Storm|easily-discernible character archetypes]]. You may find talking dance shoes or carnivorous zebra-satyrs in a mythpunk tale, but [[Wangst|lovesick vampires]] are right out!
Although this (sub)genre shares many elements with [[Urban Fantasy]], mythpunk stories tend to avoid [[Three Act Structure|linear or obvious story structures]], [[Purple Prose|simple prose]] and [[Cliché Storm|easily-discernible character archetypes]]. You may find talking dance shoes or carnivorous zebra-satyrs in a mythpunk tale, but [[Wangst|lovesick vampires]] are right out!
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* [[Steampunk]]: Often overlaps with mythpunk, especially in its Victorianna trappings.
* [[Steampunk]]: Often overlaps with mythpunk, especially in its Victorianna trappings.
* [[Talking Animal]]: As in traditional folklore, mythpunk animals are quite chatty.
* [[Talking Animal]]: As in traditional folklore, mythpunk animals are quite chatty.
* [[This Is Your Premise On Drugs]]: The "punk" element of mythpunk often comes from the rampant [[Rule of Symbolism|symbolism]] and [[The Walrus Was Paul|surreal atmosphere]].
* [[This Is Your Premise on Drugs]]: The "punk" element of mythpunk often comes from the rampant [[Rule of Symbolism|symbolism]] and [[The Walrus Was Paul|surreal atmosphere]].
* [[Twice-Told Tale|Twice Told Tales]]: Many mythpunk stories have origins in older tales.
* [[Twice-Told Tale|Twice Told Tales]]: Many mythpunk stories have origins in older tales.
* [[Urban Fantasy]]: Usually the starting-point of an adventure that gets stranger as it goes along.
* [[Urban Fantasy]]: Usually the starting-point of an adventure that gets stranger as it goes along.
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* [[World Building]]: Mythpunk stories often feature [[Culture Chop Suey|polycultural]] stews of elaborate degree.
* [[World Building]]: Mythpunk stories often feature [[Culture Chop Suey|polycultural]] stews of elaborate degree.


{{examples}}
{{tropelist}}


== Literature ==
== Literature ==


* Most of the elements involved in this genre can be found in the writings of [[Angela Carter (Creator)|Angela Carter]], most obviously ''[[The Bloody Chamber (Literature)|The Bloody Chamber]],'' ''[[Nights At the Circus (Literature)|Nights At the Circus]]'', and ''The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman''.
* Most of the elements involved in this genre can be found in the writings of [[Angela Carter]], most obviously ''[[The Bloody Chamber]],'' ''[[Nights at the Circus]]'', and ''The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman''.
* Andrea Jones's novel ''Hook & Jill'' features a poetically perverse [[Coming of Age Story|Coming of Age]] tale. In it, Wendy Darling starts growing up and wanting someone a bit more... ''serious''... than an increasingly callous Peter Pan...
* Andrea Jones's novel ''Hook & Jill'' features a poetically perverse [[Coming of Age Story|Coming of Age]] tale. In it, Wendy Darling starts growing up and wanting someone a bit more... ''serious''... than an increasingly callous Peter Pan...
** [[wikipedia:Gerald Brom|Gerald Brom's]] novel ''The Child Thief'' is a nightmarish take on [[wikipedia:Peter Pan|Peter Pan]]. It begins with a kid running from drug dealers and just gets progressively weirder from there. And for extra spice, it adds [[Everything's Deader With Zombies|zombies]], too!
** [[wikipedia:Gerald Brom|Gerald Brom's]] novel ''The Child Thief'' is a nightmarish take on [[wikipedia:Peter Pan|Peter Pan]]. It begins with a kid running from drug dealers and just gets progressively weirder from there. And for extra spice, it adds [[Everything's Deader with Zombies|zombies]], too!
* Valente's ''[[The Orphans Tales (Literature)|The Orphans Tales]]'' features most of the tropes above, wrapped in a [[Recursive Reality|Recursive Narrative]] drawn heavily from [[Arabian Nights (Literature)|Arabian]], [[Hans Christian Andersen|Danish]] and [http://russian-crafts.com/russian-folk-tales.html Russian] fairy tales. Plus [[Pirate|pirates]]!
* Valente's ''[[The Orphan's Tales|The Orphans Tales]]'' features most of the tropes above, wrapped in a [[Recursive Reality|Recursive Narrative]] drawn heavily from [[Arabian Nights|Arabian]], [[Hans Christian Andersen|Danish]] and [http://russian-crafts.com/russian-folk-tales.html Russian] fairy tales. Plus [[Pirate|pirates]]!
** Sei's saga in ''Palimpsest'' features some [[Cool Train|amazing visions of locomotive mythology]].
** Sei's saga in ''Palimpsest'' features some [[Cool Train|amazing visions of locomotive mythology]].
*** November's saga = ''Brrrrrrr..." or perhaps that should be [[Everything's Worse With Bees|''Buzzzzzzz...]]''
*** November's saga = ''Brrrrrrr..." or perhaps that should be [[Everything's Worse with Bees|''Buzzzzzzz...]]''
* [[wikipedia:Francesca Lia Block|Francesca Lia Block's]] novels and short stories practically vibrate with this style, most especially those in her Primavera series and the collection ''The Rose and the Beast''.
* [[wikipedia:Francesca Lia Block|Francesca Lia Block's]] novels and short stories practically vibrate with this style, most especially those in her Primavera series and the collection ''The Rose and the Beast''.
* The ''Jabberwocky'' series of anthologies published by Prime Books
* The ''Jabberwocky'' series of anthologies published by Prime Books
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* An apparent progenitor of this subgenre can be found in Neil Gaiman's ''[[The Sandman|Sandman]]'' series, especially the "Season of Mists" story arc and the tales "Ramadan" and "Dream of 1000 Cats."
* An apparent progenitor of this subgenre can be found in Neil Gaiman's ''[[The Sandman|Sandman]]'' series, especially the "Season of Mists" story arc and the tales "Ramadan" and "Dream of 1000 Cats."
* Alan Moore's series ''[[Promethea]]'' is mythpunk from end to end.
* Alan Moore's series ''[[Promethea]]'' is mythpunk from end to end.
* [[Hellboy (Comic Book)|Hellboy]] has shades of this, combining fictional [[Eldritch Abomination|cosmic horrors]] with real-world mythological figures like [[Baba Yaga]] and Hecate.
* [[Hellboy (comics)|Hellboy]] has shades of this, combining fictional [[Eldritch Abomination|cosmic horrors]] with real-world mythological figures like [[Baba Yaga]] and Hecate.


== Music ==
== Music ==
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== Live Action TV ==
== Live Action TV ==
* ''[[Doctor Who (TV)|Doctor Who]]'' has some examples. Most of them predate the term ''mythpunk''.
* ''[[Doctor Who]]'' has some examples. Most of them predate the term ''mythpunk''.
** ''The Curse of Peladon'' and ''The Monster of Peladon'' both take place on a Federation planet with Roman and Medieval elements, and a castle with a king or queen. One of the characters in the second story is a satyr for no particular reason.
** ''The Curse of Peladon'' and ''The Monster of Peladon'' both take place on a Federation planet with Roman and Medieval elements, and a castle with a king or queen. One of the characters in the second story is a satyr for no particular reason.
** ''The Androids of Tara'' is a futuristic retelling of ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' with electric flashing swords! Also includes castles, kings and robots!
** ''The Androids of Tara'' is a futuristic retelling of ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' with electric flashing swords! Also includes castles, kings and robots!
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** ''Battlefield'' is a sequel to the King Arthur legend.
** ''Battlefield'' is a sequel to the King Arthur legend.
** ''The Fires of Pompeii''
** ''The Fires of Pompeii''
** ''The Pandorica Opens'' and ''The Big Bang'' <ref> Autons disguised as Romans, a Cyberman in the [[Temple of Doom]], [[Sealed Evil in A Can|Pandora's Box]], Stonehenge, and a Fez!</ref>
** ''The Pandorica Opens'' and ''The Big Bang'' <ref> Autons disguised as Romans, a Cyberman in the [[Temple of Doom]], [[Sealed Evil in a Can|Pandora's Box]], Stonehenge, and a Fez!</ref>


== Webcomics ==
== Webcomics ==
* The writer of the webcomic ''[[Digger (Webcomic)|Digger]]'', Ursula Vernon, obviously knows a LOT about comparative mythology, much of it apparently gained from doing research for a degree in anthropology, as shown by the story's mix of a variety of mostly Asian sources, but including influences from around the world,including in one memorable case a modification of a myth told by the children of Cuban refugees in Miami, as well as some Vernon made up on her own.
* The writer of the webcomic ''[[Digger]]'', Ursula Vernon, obviously knows a LOT about comparative mythology, much of it apparently gained from doing research for a degree in anthropology, as shown by the story's mix of a variety of mostly Asian sources, but including influences from around the world,including in one memorable case a modification of a myth told by the children of Cuban refugees in Miami, as well as some Vernon made up on her own.




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* [[Cosmic Horror Story]]: Radio Gaga.
* [[Cosmic Horror Story]]: Radio Gaga.
* [[Crowning Moment of Funny]]: "''The British were fielding velociraptors. A full legion of them, clad in red coats and powdered wigs, advanced on the colonial army, reptilian eyes aglint with the cold malice of primeval hunger.''"
* [[Crowning Moment of Funny]]: "''The British were fielding velociraptors. A full legion of them, clad in red coats and powdered wigs, advanced on the colonial army, reptilian eyes aglint with the cold malice of primeval hunger.''"
* [[Deal With the Devil]]: George Washington made a pact with the gods of firearms to become impervious to bullets.
* [[Deal with the Devil]]: George Washington made a pact with the gods of firearms to become impervious to bullets.
* [[Doomsday Device]]: Benjamin Franklin built one of these.
* [[Doomsday Device]]: Benjamin Franklin built one of these.
* [[Eldritch Abomination]]: [[Lady Gaga]].
* [[Eldritch Abomination]]: [[Lady Gaga]].
* [[The Empire]]: The British, naturally.
* [[The Empire]]: The British, naturally.
* [[Everything's Better With Dinosaurs]]: ''Washington Invictus''.
* [[Everything's Better with Dinosaurs]]: ''Washington Invictus''.
* [[Eye Beams]]: Jane Austen's demon governess has these.
* [[Eye Beams]]: Jane Austen's demon governess has these.
* [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]]: Gods, zombies, vampires, Buddhas, Lovecraftian horrors, mad scientists, dinosaurs, and presidents.
* [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]]: Gods, zombies, vampires, Buddhas, Lovecraftian horrors, mad scientists, dinosaurs, and presidents.
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