Alexander Leydenfrost was born Sandor Leidenfrost in Debrecen in 1888, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was from a noble family and studied at the Royal Academy of Fine and Applied Arts of Budapest.

The First World War and the subsequent collapse of the monarchy convinced Leydenfrost to emigrate to the United States in 1923. He changed his name to Alexander, which was easier to pronounce for Americans, and found employment as an industrial illustrator.

The Art of Kurt Röschl

Atomic

Nick OttensFebruary 1, 2017April 1, 2019

Kurt Röschl (1923-1986) was an Austrian graphic artist and painter who illustrated various science-fiction stories in the 1950s. There’s not much information about him online, but it seems he illustrated quite a lot of books for Erich Dolezal (1902-1990), another Austrian.

Jupiter Ascending

Steam

Hilde HeyvaertFebruary 9, 2015April 1, 2019

Imagine a space opera-style movie with both casual, practical and elaborate costumes, visually pleasing combat scenes, all kinds of alien, human and everything in-between species, interesting villains and bombastic space ships as well as magnificant scenery.

Well, you don’t have to imagine it any longer, because the creators of the Matrix trilogy are back with a new cyberpunk sci-fi epos: Jupiter Ascending.

Nazis on the Moon

Diesel

Nick OttensFebruary 2, 2014October 17, 2019

Dieselpunk fans will be familiar with the 2012 movie Iron Sky, which shows how a group of Nazis fled to the Moon after Hitler’s defeat in 1945 and return to Earth with flying discs and a huge zeppelin-like spaceship.

Not all may be aware that the fantasy of a German Moon base precedes this film.

Outcasts of East Mars

Future

Scott KinkadeSeptember 20, 2013April 12, 2020

Today we have a short story by Brett Harte and B.R. Nielson: Outcasts of East Mars. Taking place in 2072 on, naturally, Mars, the story centers around a small group of people who have been deemed undesirable by the city of East Mars and so are forced into exile.

These unwanted examples of humanity include Mr Rose the gambler, the Mistress, Dear Mother and Uncle Billies. We are given very little description of these characters, yet you can easily form pictures of them in your mind.

They are escorted out of the city at gunpoint and head off on a journey to West Mars, where hopefully they will be given a better reception.

Hirokin: The Last Samurai

Steam

Hilde HeyvaertDecember 14, 2012April 1, 2019

On the planet Aradius, the human interlopers have suppressed the indigenous Arid for years because of their link to the planet itself, called the Wei, and their fear thereof. This resulted in a near genocide of the Arid race and all kinds of unpleasant side-effects that both remaining Arid people and humans alike suffer from.

Centuries later, the planet is a wasteland and humanity is led by the tyrant Griffin, who uses his deacons to hunt down the Arid and their rebel leader, Moss.

Enter our reluctant hero, Hirokin, who crosses paths with the despot and ends up with the choice between standing up for the Arid and leading their rebellion so they can once again be free — or avenging his family.

A Prince of Mars

Steam

Marcus RauchfußMay 13, 2012March 30, 2019

The next installment of the Space 1889 & Beyond series and I can say only one thing: The dive that was Vandals on Venus was used to build up momentum and now it is going full steam ahead. Abattoir in the Aether was already one great novella and A Prince of Mars by Frank Chadwick is, well, I tell you what it is, just bear with me.

A Prince of Mars starts with intrigue and mystery, setting the stage for a more political adventure. Next, we get introduced to Kak’hamish, an old, experienced Martian also with an air of mystery about him. Than the story shifts back to our beloved main protagonists, Annabelle and Nathanael, who once again seem a bit different from the last installment of the Space 1889 & Beyond series.

Iron Sky

Diesel

Marcus RauchfußApril 7, 2012April 1, 2019

It was a long time in the making, but now it is finally out: Iron Sky. It was released in Germany on April 5 and this was the day I went to see it.

The whole movie is just as absurd as the story promises: Space Nazis who escaped to the Moon in 1945 now want to come back to conquer the Earth.

The scouting mission of the Fourth Reich gets an unexpected ally who leads them to an even more unexpected ally. Both allies are rather temporary, obviously, but what they achieve and who picks up on and uses their slogans…

John Carter

Steam

Hilde HeyvaertMarch 13, 2012April 1, 2019

First of all, allow me to admit I have not yet read the original book A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs on which this movie is based. What I do know from reading on the subject and talking to people who read it is that Disney has — as is to be expected with these things — taken some liberties with the story.

Visually, this movie is fantastic. The costumes, effects and characters are beautifully done. The airships, well, I could rave on for quite a while on how fabulous these Davincian flyers look. This entire movie is aesthetically pleasing and has quite a few steampunk elements to it.

Nazis Take to the Moon in Iron Sky Prequel

Diesel

Nick OttensOctober 13, 2011September 26, 2020

Dieselpunk fans will be familiar with the Iron Sky project. The independent film production will depict the Nazis plotting an invasion of Earth from their secret refuge on the Moon.

In anticipation of the film’s release, Iron Sky is releasing a prequel comic adventure.

The first issue, “Bad Moon Rising,” depicts the Third Reich’s survivors in Antarctica preparing to board UFOs bound for the Moon. They will build a base on the far side of the Moon to stage another attempt at conquering the planet.