Moomin: Building a Steampunk Maker Time Machine in Ten Easy Steps

Jeff VanderMeer • June 24th, 2009 @ 9:49 am • Culture, Photos


(If you’re unfamiliar with Moomin, check out the official site and the wiki)

Drawn & Quarterly has just released the fourth reprint volume of the Moomin cartoon series by the amazing Tove Jansson–and it starts out with a classic step-by-step introduction to the Steampunk Maker process. Note that Moomin papa is even wearing a Steampunk-appropriate hat. Truly, Jansson was ahead of her time…

#1 – Assemble your parts from the guts of other, broken machines.

#2 – Allow yourself a discovery phase based on what you’ve assembled.

#3 – Understand that a vital element of chance will enter your process.

#4 – Recontextualize your creation using your expertise and innate talents.

#5 – Reject doubt as you toil on your project.

#6 – Analyze your progress for flaws.

#7 – Fix any flaws.

#8 – Be prepared for an element of surprise as to functionality; your intent may not always be the machine’s intent.

#9 – Once you understand your creation’s true functionality, tinker with the parts until you’ve brought out its full potential.

#10 – Voila! Steampunk time machine!

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5 Responses to “Moomin: Building a Steampunk Maker Time Machine in Ten Easy Steps”

  1. Alex Carnegie says:
    June 24, 2009 at 11:05 am

    That’s great! Hope they didn’t end up in an End of Time menagerie shortly after however…

    There appears to be a kite attached to the contraption, in the bottom left hand corner of frame #10 – could be for Franklin / Frankenstein style lightening-tapping which would be in keeping with the times.

    I used to love the cartoon The Moomins when I was a kid although unfortunately I never got the chance to read the comics.

  2. James Enge says:
    June 24, 2009 at 11:17 am

    There’s a new genre/literary movement waiting to be born: Moominpunk Pastiche. (Or maybe that’s just a band name.) (Or a touring burlesque group.)

  3. David D. Levine says:
    July 3, 2009 at 12:03 pm

    The “kite” in frame 10 is a radio antenna. (When was this cartoon drawn?)

  4. Graphic Novel Friday: Moomin, Book Four of the Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip | Daily Blog Posting says:
    July 3, 2009 at 12:49 pm

    [...]  (From the fourth Moomin volume, recontextualized as Steampunk invention here.) [...]

  5. Graphic Novel Friday: Moomin, Book Four of the Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip reviews, prices | eOpinions Product reviews says:
    July 4, 2009 at 10:08 am

    [...]  (From the fourth Moomin volume, recontextualized as Steampunk invention here.) [...]

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