John Watkins

Victorian lady in a steampunk gown sits in an ornate airship lounge, opening a small clutch bag to reveal a tiny kraken offering her a lace handkerchief. At the bottom of the meme image reads the caption "Pocket Kraken — because one can never be too careful with valuables… or sailors.".

Pocket Kraken — because one can never be too careful with valuables… or sailors.

Facebook, 9th Augast 2025.

Captain’s Log, Supplemental:
Lady Winslet’s new ‘pocket companion’ has stirred both admiration and mild panic among the crew. Measuring no more than six inches from tentacle to tentacle, the diminutive kraken resides in her evening clutch and responds to her commands with unnerving swiftness.
Yesterday, it passed her a handkerchief; today, it attempted to fillet Jenkins for looking at her bonnet. I am forced to consider the possibility that we’ve taken on the most well-dressed privateer in the aether.

Between the lines (and pixels).

The “Pocket Kraken” meme takes one of the most feared creatures of maritime legend and reimagines it as a dainty, handbag-sized companion for the well-dressed steampunk socialite. In true steampunk fashion, it blends the absurd with the refined — pairing high society etiquette with a fantastical pet that’s equal parts charming and dangerous.

The humour comes from the juxtaposition: a creature known for dragging ships beneath the waves is here politely handing over a lace handkerchief. In the logic of the steampunk world, this is perfectly normal — after all, if you can fit an airship in a teacup (given the right amount of brass and optimism), why shouldn’t a kraken fit in your evening clutch?

The caption, “Pocket Kraken — because one can never be too careful with valuables… or sailors,” plays into the tongue-in-cheek worldbuilding, implying that the kraken’s talents are equally suited to guarding jewels and abducting hapless seafarers. It’s a wink to those familiar with nautical lore and a nod to the whimsical impracticality that defines the genre.

A black-and-white, vintage-style illustration of a steampunk automaton sitting at a drafting table, holding a quill pen. The text below the image reads "AUTOMATON IMPROVISATION UNIT / FOR CONCEPTUAL ESCAPADES AND DRAFTING WONDERS." The image's style is reminiscent of a 19th-century engraving.

Beyond the Backlash: How this Steampunk Automaton Meme Redefines the AI Conversation.

By John Watkins

On August 8, 2025

In Behind the Gears, Early memes

Crafted by human hands, the Automaton Improvisation Unit doesn’t understand…

It reflects our ideas, performs without knowing,

a mindless echo in metal and sparks.

Facebook, 15th May 2025.

Description of the Meme

The image is a black-and-white, engraved-style illustration that evokes the aesthetic of 19th-century scientific diagrams or advertisements, often associated with the steampunk genre. It features a detailed mechanical automaton, a robot of sorts, sitting at a drafting table. The automaton has a large, rounded head with gears, a beak-like nose, and what appear to be smoke vents. It holds a quill pen in its articulated hand, poised over a piece of paper, as if in the process of drawing or writing. The automaton’s body is made of riveted metal plates, and it sits on a simple wooden chair.

The title below the image reads “AUTOMATON IMPROVISATION UNIT,” with the subtitle “FOR CONCEPTUAL ESCAPADES AND DRAFTING WONDERS.” This text is the key to the meme’s meaning. While “automation” usually suggests rigid, repetitive tasks, the phrase “improvisation unit” implies the opposite—spontaneous, creative, and non-prescriptive action. The “conceptual escapades” and “drafting wonders” further reinforce this idea of the automaton as a creative partner, not a mindless tool.

The meme cleverly subverts the common fear that AI will merely replace human workers by automating existing jobs. Instead, it frames AI as a collaborative partner in the creative process, capable of “improvising” and exploring new ideas. It’s a visual argument that AI isn’t about replacing human creativity but rather about augmenting and enabling it, much like a steampunk-era machine designed for artistic exploration instead of factory work. The vintage, handcrafted style of the image itself adds a layer of irony, presenting a futuristic concept through a historical lens.

A distressed Victorian man clutches a teacup and stares in horror. Behind him, steampunk brewing equipment emits steam. Text reads: “Case #14B: The Great Mint Tea Shortage.”

Case #14B: The Great Mint Tea Shortage.

By John Watkins

On August 8, 2025

In Early memes

The Great Mint Tea Shortage!

Suspect is reportedly calm on the outside but screaming internally.

Further investigation required. Scone integrity may also be compromised.

Thanks to Daniel Glenn Lady for your inspiration.

This meme was created using lots of imagination from multiple human donors and a little Automaton Improvisation.

Facebook, 14th May 2025.

In this sepia-toned dispatch titled “Case #14B: The Great Mint Tea Shortage”, we bear witness to a moment of sheer steampunk crisis: a gentleman, visibly shaken, stares in horror at his teacup. The reason? No mint. Just a steaming vessel of disappointment.

The elaborate piping and brass kettle in the background hint at a complex tea-brewing system — now likely compromised. A watchful raven looks on, as if aware that this minor inconvenience may spiral into full-scale emotional ruin. After all, in the steampunk world, tea is more than a beverage — it’s the engine of civilisation.

The meme plays on the genre’s love of elevating the mundane to the melodramatic. Mint tea, often associated with calm and clarity, becomes the symbol of stability here — and its absence signals that something has gone terribly wrong.

Framed as “Case #14B”, this image introduces a delightfully absurd bureaucratic system for cataloguing minor catastrophes. It suggests there’s a whole archive of ridiculous crises still to be uncovered — a format ripe for expansion.

Whether read as a commentary on overreaction, an ode to herbal blends, or simply a love letter to overcomplicated beverage preparation, this meme resonates with the tea-loving time traveller in us all.

A Victorian man in a top hat sips tea while examining a wall covered in steampunk meme posters, including past hits like “Time Rift? Again?” and “Oh Dear.” The text reads: “Meme investigation ongoing. Suspects: you lot.”

Meme Investigation Ongoing…

By John Watkins

On August 8, 2025

In An open invite, Early memes

Genuinely chuffed — and maybe slightly overwhelmed — by how much love these steampunk memes have been getting!

You’ve turned my odd little hobby into a full-fledged timeline tangle.

So let’s make it official:

What chaos shall we illustrate next?

Drop your ideas, scenes, or phrases below

(Bonus points if they involve ravens, tea, or spontaneous combustion.)

This creation comes to you out of pure imagination with a little help from some very polite machines.

Facebook, 14th May 2025.

This sepia-toned image, titled “Meme Investigation Ongoing. Suspects: You Lot.”, is both a meta-moment and a tribute to the ever-growing community around your steampunk meme universe.

In the scene, a dignified gentleman — complete with top hat, pince-nez, and teacup — sits in a leather chair, gazing thoughtfully at a wall filled with past meme posters. Among them are familiar favourites like “Time Rift? Again?”, “Oh Dear,” and “Keep Calm and Blame It on Time Travel.” This parody of a detective’s case board reimagines meme creation as a kind of ongoing chrono-conspiracy — with you, the viewer, clearly implicated in the digital mischief.

The humour plays on the trope of the “meme detective” while affectionately acknowledging the audience’s role in the chaos. It’s a fourth-wall-breaking wink that invites further interaction. The caption on Facebook leans into that sentiment, recognising the audience not just as passive viewers but as co-conspirators in an expanding timeline tangle of steampunk absurdity.

By visually referencing earlier memes, this piece also functions as a self-aware milestone — marking the moment when your fictional memeverse begins to loop in on itself. It’s both an inside joke and a call to action: suggest more nonsense. Tea is optional, but strongly encouraged.

A serious-looking Victorian man in a dark brown three-piece suit adjusts his cuffs with composed precision. Behind him, a glowing blue swirling temporal rift opens ominously. Caption reads: “TEMPORAL RIFT? AGAIN? Tidy your cuffs. One cannot time-travel with wrinkled sleeves.”

Time Travel Tip #42: Always Tidy Your Cuffs!

By John Watkins

On August 8, 2025

In Early memes

Temporal Rift? Again?

Tidy your cuffs. One cannot time-travel with wrinkled sleeves.

This image was created with the assistance of machines far too polite to take credit. No paradoxes were harmed in the making.

Facebook, 13th May 2025

In this meme titled “Temporal Rift? Again?”, we are introduced to a quintessentially composed Victorian gentleman calmly adjusting his cuffs while a swirling temporal rift looms ominously behind him. The contrast between chaotic time anomalies and his unwavering sense of decorum plays into the humour of steampunk culture — where refinement and absurdity coexist in perfect harmony.

This piece pokes fun at the idea of repeated time-travel emergencies being met not with panic, but with sartorial composure. The caption, “Tidy your cuffs. One cannot time travel with wrinkled sleeves,” satirises the obsession with appearance and etiquette often found in both Victorian society and modern cosplay subcultures. It’s not just a visual gag — it’s a manifesto for the chronologically adventurous: dignity first, even when the timeline collapses.

The underlying joke is a love letter to the steampunk aesthetic, which blends high-stakes sci-fi tropes with genteel manners, impeccable tailoring, and a touch of British absurdity. Whether facing tea shortages or tachyon surges, proper attire is non-negotiable.

This meme sits comfortably within the “Steampunk Composure Protocol” series, where formality always trumps chaos.

Airships and Whimsy: The Steampunk Eurosteam Express

By John Watkins

On August 7, 2025

In Transport

You haven’t truly lived until you’ve queued for croissants in the gondola lounge while crossing the Channel at 3,000 feet. Mind the steam pressure.

Thank you, David Bent, for your vision.

Facebook, 9th August 2025.

In an alternate steampunk universe, the skies are not just a realm for clouds but a bustling highway for airships. Our latest meme captures this enchanting reality with an image of a grand, brass-plated dirigible, adorned with the Eurostar logo, gracefully soaring over a sepia-toned London. The caption reads, “The regular dirigible service, London to Paris, flying overhead.” This phrase is delivered with deadpan humour, presenting the spectacle of air travel as an everyday occurrence.

The Charm of Steampunk Travel

Imagine a world where international travel by airship is not only viable but also a standard expectation. In our familiar, fast-paced world, high-speed trains like the Eurostar whisk passengers beneath the English Channel in clinical tunnels. But in this imaginative steampunk London, travel is an affair filled with elegance and nostalgia. The Eurosteam Express floats effortlessly above the channel, offering travellers an experience complete with feather-quilled reservations and charming brass luggage tags.

This whimsical reimagining invites us to reflect on how we perceive travel in our own lives. The immense airship drifting across the skyline isn’t cause for astonishment; in this world, it’s simply another Monday. This notion subtly highlights modern life’s tendency to normalise extraordinary feats of engineering. We often forget to marvel at the wonders of flight as we get lost in the details of our busy routines—like untangling headphones or finding the right boarding gate.

A Nod to Familiarity

The addition of the Eurostar logo on the dirigible plays a cheeky role in this meme. It ties the fantasy of steampunk travel to something recognisable and familiar, creating an eerie yet amusing plausibility. What if the Eurostar were an air cruise line, gliding majestically through the sky? It’s a humorous thought that evokes curiosity and imagination.

In our fast-paced modern society, we tend to overlook the marvels right in front of us. What if this airship were your daily commute? Each journey would be a grand adventure, marked by the gentle hiss of steam and the intricate gears that power your flight.

Conclusion

This playful meme not only serves as an entertaining glimpse into a whimsical world, but it also encourages us to rethink our relationship with travel. Next time you gaze skyward, consider the possibilities that lie beyond the tunnels and tracks we’re accustomed to. In a world where dirigibles float overhead, every day could be an opportunity for adventure.

So, the next time you catch a glimpse of a plane in the sky, remember, it could be an airship on its way to Paris—because in the steampunk world of the Eurosteam Express, that’s just another day in the skies.

A steampunk-style etched illustration of a chaotic scene where a man in Victorian attire releases a large pigeon from a cylindrical canister marked “broadband.” In the background, another character appears alarmed by questionable events. The style is darkly whimsical and deliberately surreal.

Deploying the Emergency Diplomacy Kraken

By John Watkins

On August 7, 2025

In Captain's Log, Early memes

Logbook Entry #008 – Tentacle Diplomacy Protocols

What’s your steampunk solution to unexpected sea monsters?

Drop it below

Deploying the diplomacy Kraken again… Or never mind the tentacles…?

Visuals are conjured with the help of machines. No krakens were harmed (or negotiated with) in the making of this image.

Facebook, 13th May 2025;

Observed anomaly:

Unidentified leviathan encountered in the lower fog banks of the Thames-Sargasso Channel.

Standard torpedo etiquette is deemed insufficient.

Protocol Theta-8 enacted: Deploy the emergency diplomacy kraken.

Results: inconclusive, but impressively dramatic.

Meme context:

Originally posted to Facebook with the prompt:

🧭 What’s your steampunk solution to unexpected sea monsters?

The replies included everything from polite cannon-fire to “ask if it’s read Jules Verne.”

This image represents one of the more… tactile approaches.

Text reads:

“Deploying the emergency diplomacy kraken again.

Some days call for torpedoes. Other days call for tentacles.”

Because sometimes, even in steampunk diplomacy, things get grabby.

A sepia-toned steampunk illustration showing a stern-faced conductor in a peaked cap standing beside a steam-powered bus on a cobbled street. The bus driver wears goggles, and a tall smokestack on the bus releases steam into the foggy, Victorian-style cityscape. The slogan "Fuelled by tea. Guided by fog." appears above.

Fuelled by Tea. Guided by Fog.

By John Watkins

On August 7, 2025

In Transport

Just another perfectly reasonable morning commute through Parallel Steampunk London.

Steam-powered buses hiss down cobbled lanes, conductors look alarmingly composed, and no one can quite remember where the fog ends and the timetable begins.

Fuelled by tea. Guided by fog.

A big thanks to David Radlett for suggesting the bus.

Facebook 7th August 2025.

Observed anomaly:

The transport system appears fully operational — if mildly whimsical. Steam-powered buses rumble down cobbled lanes. Conductors maintain an air of severe professionalism. Goggles are issued but not explained. Timetables remain theoretical.

The fog appears sentient.

Meme context:

This image was created in response to a reader comment on the post:

“You wake up in a parallel steampunk London — what’s the first thing you notice?”

Their answer:

“The steam-powered buses with conductors. Possibly goats — maybe even the descendants of our late pet pygmy goats, Patsy, Purdy and Edgar.”

We opted to explore a slightly more conventional version of that reality. Goats may yet arrive.

The slogan “Fuelled by tea. Guided by fog.” nods to two essential British exports: determination and utter confusion. It’s a wry summary of steampunk logistics — where the engine may sputter, but the vibe stays impeccable.

A sepia-toned Victorian-style drawing of a man in a suit sipping tea while calmly sitting beside a sparking, broken steampunk communication device. A raven (or pigeon) stands beside him holding a scroll. The image text reads: “Lost all communications? Post a raven. Sip something restorative.”

Feathered Broadband and a Cup of Calm: When Tech Fails, Steampunk Prevails.

By John Watkins

On August 5, 2025

In Captain's Log, Early memes

When the signal fails, summon the feathered broadband. Reliable, reusable, and never asks for a password.

“Lost all communications? Post a raven. Sip something restorative.”

Facebook, 12th May 2025.

This meme playfully combines steampunk aesthetics with modern digital woes — specifically, losing internet or mobile signal.

In the image, a well-dressed Victorian gentleman sips tea calmly while a pigeon (styled as a stand-in for a raven) perches nearby with a scroll. In the background, a sparking, gear-filled communication contraption has clearly failed. The top text asks, “Lost all communications?”, and the bottom advises: “Post a raven. Sip something restorative.”

The joke hinges on the absurd juxtaposition of 19th-century solutions to 21st-century problems. When your high-tech device fails — a relatable modern frustration — the suggestion is to revert to a whimsical steampunk alternative: sending a message via bird (like a raven or pigeon), and calmly drinking tea.

The accompanying Facebook caption drives the humour further:
“When the signal fails, summon the feathered broadband.
Reliable, reusable, and never asks for a password.”

This line mocks our dependence on Wi-Fi and passwords, suggesting instead a feathered creature with perfect uptime and zero digital barriers. It pokes fun at both modern connectivity issues and Victorian-era eccentricity — the very essence of steampunk humour.

A steampunk-style illustration in sepia tones depicts a scene of chaos and conflict on an airship. A cat in a pilot's uniform and goggles, with its paw raised in a menacing gesture, confronts a wide-eyed goat wearing goggles and a suit, who is clutching the ship's wheel. A large, black bird with its wings spread wide swoops in from above, its beak open in a squawk. The title "A Mutiny Most Fowl —" is at the top of the image, and the subtitle "Fur Flies at 10,000 Feet." is at the bottom. The artist's signature, "Tuff Steam," is visible in the bottom right corner.

A Mutiny Most Fowl — Fur Flies at 10,000 Feet.

By John Watkins

On August 5, 2025

In Captain's Log

🚨 A Mutiny Most Fowl — Fur Flies at 10,000 Feet! 🐐🐾🐦

The cat’s in a waistcoat. The goat’s lost control. The raven’s clearly in on it.

Just another quiet moment aboard the airship. Nothing to see here.

Thank you, Kenneth Earl Fletcher, for the idea.

Facebook, 5th Augast 2025.

Entry Summary:

Submitted without context, yet somehow perfectly understandable.

This latest entry features a tabby cat in full steampunk attire (waistcoat and goggles, naturally) staging what appears to be a mid-air mutiny against an anxious goat at the helm. A raven provides enthusiastic aerial support. It’s unclear what caused the feline-led rebellion, but judging by the goat’s expression, this was not on the flight plan.

The phrase “Mutiny Most Fowl” was suggested by a regular follower who imagined the chaos of a raven and a cat teaming up to overthrow a goat pilot. Naturally, we obliged.

No actual animals were harmed. The goat probably had it coming.

A detailed, sepia-toned illustration in a steampunk style. A cat in a pilot's uniform and goggles stands on the left, its paw raised and claws extended, confronting a startled goat in a suit and goggles who is gripping a wooden ship's wheel. A large, dark bird with its wings spread is swooping down from the upper left. The background shows the ropes and fabric of an airship's balloon, and some clouds.

The Raven-Cat Mutiny (also known informally as “A Mutiny Most Fowl”) refers to a widely circulated steampunk meme depicting a feline-led insurrection aboard a dirigible.
Accounts vary, but most versions involve a waistcoated tabby cat, a helpful raven, and a bewildered goat attempting to retain control of the airship’s helm. While traditionally viewed as a lighthearted affair, some historians have argued that the incident marks a turning point in airborne animal diplomacy.
Interpretations differ as to whether the event constitutes an actual mutiny or simply an aggressive redistribution of navigational responsibility.
The event is now commemorated annually aboard some airships with ceremonial squawking, theatrical paw-pointing, and biscuits withheld without explanation.

A brass-bound record of chaos, corsets, and commentary.

Author: John Watkins Page 2 of 6

Pocket Kraken — because one can never be too careful…

Beyond the Backlash: How this Steampunk Automaton Meme Redefines the AI Conversation.

Description of the Meme

Case #14B: The Great Mint Tea Shortage.

Meme Investigation Ongoing…

Time Travel Tip #42: Always Tidy Your Cuffs!

Airships and Whimsy: The Steampunk Eurosteam Express

The Charm of Steampunk Travel

A Nod to Familiarity

Conclusion

Deploying the Emergency Diplomacy Kraken

Observed anomaly:

Meme context:

Fuelled by Tea. Guided by Fog.

Observed anomaly:

Meme context:

Feathered Broadband and a Cup of Calm: When Tech Fails, Steampunk Prevails.

A Mutiny Most Fowl — Fur Flies at 10,000 Feet.