Steampunk Comics: Where Victorian Era Becomes Absinthe Era!!!

Have you ever listened about the ‘Absinthe Era’? Perhaps you haven’t, because there was no such era in reality. But, when we look towards the steampunk literature, which find such period, and this period is none other than the ‘Victorian Era’. It is a salient feature of the steampunk literature that it edits the Victorian era. Its events are set in the scenario of the Queen Victoria but are not confined to that period. We find a number of gadgets running through steam power, which were not invented during that period. A number of Hollywood films have also been made, in which you can witness the people in the steampunk costumes. The punk dresses in these films are the edited forms of the Victorian outfits, but the events and technologies are entirely different from the original historical period.

In the same trend, steampunk comics have been written by Joe Kelly. The Absinthe era, which we were talking about, belongs to this literature. The comics start from the story of a poor fisherman Cole Blaquesmith and a teacher Miss Fiona. They exist in the mid-18th century. Cole doesn’t have the proper manners, but still Miss Fiona educates him. She also opens a school, which was burnt because she teaches the lower-class children also. This notion is very unpopular for the ruling class.

Once Fiona falls ill, and no rational doctor agrees to treat her. Cole takes her to Absinthe, a mad genius who does the horrible experiments of grafting the body parts of animals to other animals. He agrees to help Cole, but tells Cole to visit future and takes the books and all other material of science. Cole agrees and does the time travel to the year 1954 in Absinthe’s machine. When he comes back, Absinthe betrays him and does not treat Fiona. Cole hides Absinthe’s engine in order to teach him a lesson. Absinthe is outraged, and he rips out the Cole’s heart. In place of that, he imparts a metal furnace inside. Everything goes dark for Cole after this.

Cole wakes up after 100 year, which is the Victorian Era. But, as we mentioned above, it is no more the ‘Victorian Era’ because of the activities of Absinthe and Cole. London is under the rule of Lord Absinthe.  Poor people are forced to live underground, and the upper class people live in aristocracy. They can enhance their bodies with mechanical parts and animal parts. But, question arises where is Queen Victoria is. Alas! She could not become the queen. But, she is one of the best killers of Absinthe, whom he sends to kill Cole when he comes to know that Cole is back, and he is creating the trouble for him.

The comic book comprises of the beautiful illustrations by Chris Bachalo, in which you can see the beautiful steampunk costumes. The comic book is interesting to read and takes us to a fictional world.