MISC. MANGA, *Girl Genius

It’s kind of impossible not to think of steampunk nowadays and not have your mind stray a little in the direction of this fan favorite. What started out as a regular printed comic, has become a successful webcomic. Often referred to as a gaslamp fantasy, this takes place in a world where eccentric scientists run most of the show.

The title character Agatha begins as a unlucky college student in Transylvania of all places, and she later gets picked up by the local Baron and his son to take on the secrets of her family’s special ability to use the “Spark”. This is a rare trait that for those who possess it can become supremely great at science and technology, almost in a technopathic fashion, but it also makes them very mad and susceptible being duped by those in authority. As the last of the Heterodyne family, Agatha has trouble balancing her genius and madness sometimes, especially when the spirit of her insane mother keeps invading her mind. The rest of the cast is also very eclectic, including a talking power-hungry cat, a princess from a lost city, airship captains, smoke knights, dashing heroes, sky pirates, and manner of strange creatures.

This comic is featured exclusively from the creators, Phil and Kaja Foglio, but is a pretty much a much for all steampunk fans and lovers of high fantasy.