Yes, it’s a real comic.  It was created by Antarctic Press and also makes President Evil, Time Lincoln, The Govinator, and others.  You can buy it from Things From Another World (TFAW) which is also where I bought my Firefly / Serenity comics.  Judging by the excerpts, it’s actually looking pretty well done.

Energy catastrophe has struck worldwide! Massive oil spills, nuclear meltdowns and more leave us desperate for viable energy sources to rebuild global society and technology.

Inspired by a little tea party, Sarah Palin hits upon the answer: steam power! She begins the ‘Steam Initiative’, touting geothermal energy as the cure for what ails ya. The heads of Big Oil and Nuclear Power are less than happy with this trend, and they send their agents to do in the Rogue Republican. Luckily, she comes prepared with a set of steam-powered armor! (Standard equipment, don’cha know.)

I have some “Independent” (Republican) friends who will love this…

Google is paying tribute to Jules Verne’s 183rd birthday by creating an interactive Google Doodle based on
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas.

If you missed it, you can check it out in Google’s Doodle History.  If you have an iOS device such as an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch, you can move your device to change the angle of the viewpoint in the Doodle.  Traditional browser users can use the joystick to change the view.

New and upcoming Steampunk comic book by Joe Benitez with fantastic art and story.  I’m a harsh critic, especially when it comes to comics; but this one is a winner.

I used to collect comics back in the ’90s.  X-Men, Spawn, Lobo, Crow, and a few others.  My collection is now limited to a handful of favorites.  So naturally, I am very critical of comics.  I feel they have to have great stories, fantastic characters, and beautiful art.  I’m looking forward to following Lady Mechanika.

With no memory of her captivity or her former life, Mechanika eventually built a new life for herself as a private detective, using her unique abilities to solve cases the police couldn’t or wouldn’t handle. But she never stopped searching for the answers to her own past.

Set in turn of the century England, a time when magic and superstition clashed with new scientific discoveries and inventions, Lady Mechanika is about a young woman’s search for her own identity as she solves other mysteries involving science and the supernatural.

Via: Official Joe Benitez Site

Escapement, by Jay Lake.  3 Omegas out of 5.  A novel set in a SteamPunk universe where the world is hollow and filled with gears, and a giant Wall dividing the world is guarded by mechanical Brass Men.  This is the sequel to Mainspring (maybe, it’s hard to tell if it’s actually a sequel).  The story follows a young girl from a tiny fishing village who wants to see more of the world, and as fate would have it, is compelled to do just that.  Soon into her journey, she learns of the great mechanical prowess of the British and sets out for England.  However, her skills in constructing the rare Gleam attract the attention of evil-doers, and her magnificent adventure ensues.

The book is a little slow to start, but by the end of the first chapter, I was into it.  The quality of the writing is slightly above average, and probably worth reading for the SteamPunk enthusiast.  However, compared to other respected works, such as those by Arthur C. Clarke, James Rollins, C.S. Lewis, or Anne Rice, it’s just not as good.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good story, and I wanted the story to continue; but for the non-SteamPunk’r, this book is a solid “maybe”.  It made me want to read Mainspring.  In defense of Jay Lake, this is my first SteamPunk book; I’ve read thousands of books, and somehow missed this genre until Dr. Warthan handed it to me.