Announcing Duel at Dusk 2017
“Duel at Dusk” is back! This is the third time we are offering this event. Drake & McTrowell, along with help from the steampunk community, is making it even better than ever.
See our Duel at Dusk event page here.
Not familiar with Duel at Dusk? It’s a steampunk parlor event with dueling. But this time there will be four types of dueling: steampunk nerf gun dueling, tea dueling, compliment dueling, and our traditional Olympic-style foil fencing! We will also have our usual dazzling array of steampunk vendors, and much, much more.
6 P.M. to 10 P.M. on Saturday the 14th of January, 2017
Location: Team Touché Fencing Center
11468 Sorrento Valley Rd. Suite A-1
San Diego, California 92121
On-line tickets are no longer on sale through the Drake & McTrowell General Store.
You may buy tickets at the door of the event. $15 for adults (age 17 and up) and $8 for children.
On-line tickets may be purchased for $10 for adults and $5 for children (only available on-line until 11 PM January 13, 2017 - that’s right, Friday the 13th! Ooh, scary!). Adults tickets are for ages 17 and up. Children are ages 4 through 16.
So acquire your tickets, stuff your photographic apparatus into your carpet bag, take in an early dinner, and come join us on the evening of January 14th to participate and/or watch the competitors!
Announcing Duel at Dusk 2015
Not familiar with the event? Well then, may we ask a not-so-simple question? What would happen if you had the excitement of the finals of a sporting event, fencing no less, combined with a steampunk parlor event? Well, that’s easy to answer! You would have Duel at Dusk 2015 with Chief Inspector Erasmus Drake and Dr. Sparky McTrowell as the Masters of Ceremonies, steampunk and fencing vendors, awards for our fencing champions, door prizes for the audience, a Starburner Galactic Courier Service exhibit, and much, much more.
8 P.M. to 11 P.M. on Saturday the 18th of July, 2015
Location: Team Touché Fencing Center
11468 Sorrento Valley Rd. Suite A-1
San Diego, California 92121
Tickets are no longer on sale, because the event is over and done. Please plan to attend next year!
On-line tickets may be purchased for $10 for adults and $5 for children (only available until July 17, 2015). Although we employ PayPal to help you acquire your ticket, a PayPal account is not needed. Price of admission at the door on the day of the event will be $15 for adults and $8 for children.
You can download the PDF file of the Duel at Dusk 2015 poster from here!
So acquire your tickets, stuff your photographic apparatus into your carpet bag, take in an early dinner, and come join us on the evening of July 18th to watch the competitors cross wits and steel!
A New Look to Our Web Site
As we plan to start adding new story content to our web site, we also thought that now would be a great time to give the old site a new and better look. Just so you remember, it use to look like this:
A few things to point out. There is now a menu at the top of each page to give you quick access to all of the top-level material. There are Quick Links in the left sidebar, too, and we made them very image-rich to allow you to find what you are looking for.
Also the on-line books are laid out in an easier-to-read format. And a good deal of effort went into making the Store and Logbook more fun to go through. We also made it easier for us to maintain the web site, something that you don't have to worry about, but it effects us each time we generate a new post.
Click around and see what you think. Your comments are welcomed.
Presenting “A Murder At Midnight”
Tickets are no longer on sale for this event.
The event was an amazing success, thank you all for coming!
Sure, You Can Buy The Book From Us
And, yup, our store is open and ready. You could buy “London, Where It All Began” elsewhere, however we will add a dedication! After your purchase, we will send you a friendly email (supplied by PayPal) enquiring as to what you would like for your dedication in the book. Rules of decorum apply, of course. The other reason to buy from our web site is that we will not be charging for the shipping within the forty-eight contiguous United States. If you need the book shipped outside that area, we will use your email to let you know about the additional shipping costs. The link for the “Books” section of our General Store is below.
Announcing the Upcoming “Duel at Dusk” Event
What would happen if you had the excitement of the finals of a sporting event, fencing no less, combined with a steampunk parlor event? Well, that’s easy to answer! You would have “Duel at Dusk,” a nice Sunday evening show (March 16th) with Chief Inspector Erasmus Drake as the Master of Ceremonies, comestibles by Dr. Sparky McTrowell, steampunk and fencing vendors, awards and prizes.
Tickets are now on sale through the Drake & McTrowell General Store. Click here!
Click Here to Get the Poster (in PDF)
Also, as a special treat, we will be displaying (for the first time to the public) the Starburner Galactic Courier Service’s Strato Sculpin!
Here are the details:
See the Thrilling Finals of a Contemporary Foil Match Utilizing Electrified Scoring Apparatus! Cheer on Your Selected Champion! Wear Your Best Fineries and Join Us! There will also be:
• Refreshments Provided • Steampunk Vendors • A Fencing Booth • The Strato Sculpin! • And Much, Much More...
Intrigued by Steampunk? Never seen anything like it before? Eager to see the latest Retro-victorian Fashion? Now is your chance!!
5 P.M. to 8 P.M. on Sunday the 16th of March, 2014
Location: Team Touché Fencing Center
11468 Sorrento Valley Rd. Suite A-1
San Diego, California 92121
On-line tickets may be purchased for $12 (only available until March 15, 2014). Having a PayPal account is not necessary to purchase on-line tickets. Price of admission at the door on the day of the event will be $15, cash only.
Doc Synchronous, L.O.S.E.R. Leader
There are numerous reports from published newspapers in the American colonies attesting that Doc Synchronous is a snake oil salesman, a charlatan, and a dealer of weapons. In the wilds of the Americas, these crimes may be taken lightly, but not in London! Our man from Scotland Yard is most concerned that this “Doctor” leads an international organization of villainy. Check out the details and photos of Doc Synchronous in his Logbook entry.
Want to add your character to the Logbook? Follow the directions on our Submitting and Terms of Use page. After it’s posted, your character will have its very own web page! A jolly good way to tell the world about your steampunk character.
Phineas Sinclair Joins the Logbook Crowd
Phineas Sinclair is known for being an airship smuggler, Confederate sympathizer, villainous rights supporter, horse thief, train robber, and Cthulhu cultist. That’s quite a Victorian rap sheet! And, for the first time, Chief Inspector Erasmus Drake has illustrative evidence of a crime in progress. One of Scotland Yard’s men doesn’t take this lightly. Check out all of Phineas’ details, with a photo showing a train robbery in progress, in his Logbook entry.
Want to add your character to the Logbook? Follow the directions on our Submitting and Terms of Use page. After it’s posted, your character will have its very own web page! A jolly good way to tell the world about your steampunk character.
Our 15th Logbook Entry
Oliver Von Bremen and Alva O'Dell
Want to add your character to the Logbook? Follow the directions on our Submitting and Terms of Use page. After it’s posted, your character will have its very own web page! A jolly good way to tell the world about your steampunk character.
New Logbook Entries!
Let’s ponder Gertrude (illustrated below), a cyborg of questionable allegiance. She’s an aethership concierge by occupation, and Erasmus has proof that her sideline is as a procurer of all things rare and precious. More details can be obtained on her logbook entry.
Our other entry is Professor Ambrosius, an evil boy-genius aspiring to join the L.O.S.E.R.s. He is currently under the tutelage of Doc Synchronous, who is a charlatan and purveyor of remedies and medicines (of questionable efficacy). I ask you gentlefolk, what is this world coming to?! As with the rest of the mischief-making lot, the Chief Inspector has more details regarding the lad in his logbook entry.
Want to add your character to the Logbook? Follow the directions on our Submitting and Terms of Use page. After it’s posted, your character will have its very own web page! A jolly good way to tell the world about your steampunk character.
Milestones
But much like watching the odometer in your airship roll over to an interesting number, it’s a passing transition, a temporary fascination with digit-related repetition. We must continue on, telling the tales that must be told. Perils, in this case, in a postulated past.
How long, you might ask yourself, does it take to write 100 episodes? Well, we normally write an episode a week. By “normally” we mean that sometimes we just don’t always quite make it. Those pesky day jobs that pay the bills seem to get in the way periodically. So, the answer is that it took us 2 years, 1 month, 1 week, and 2 days. We started on July 5th, 2010 and finished yesterday. But that didn’t stop us from celebrating at the 2-year mark. Thanks to all our fan-friends who came out to help us celebrate by eating chocolate…yeah, we know, it’s a rough gig being our fans.
D&McT + Fan-friends + Eclipse Chocolat!
New Logbook Entry: Alastar Hyde!
The latest entry is Alastar Hyde, another person photographed by Jerry Abuan at Gaslight Gathering 2. I have to mention (again) that Jerry is impressively omnipresent at almost all San Diego Steampunk events, snapping pictures. At Gaslight Gathering he took over 890 pictures! Well worth a look, I must say.
Alastar Hyde is a very interesting character, and definitely deserves to be in Chief Inspector Drake’s Logbook. The primary note regarding him is “Pleasant gentleman by day with a tendency towards sadistic pleasures after sunset.” Hmm.
Additional notes in the margin indicate “Alastar has traveled throughout the world and time, experiencing many adventures. He spent a significant amount of time in the Middle East while he was waiting for authorities in London to lose interest in certain incidents of violence and mayhem which may have been associated with his presence. During that time he traveled with a band of wandering musicians and performers, learning the ways of the Bedouin.” This is followed by a hand-drawn arrow down to a rare photo taken in some god-forsaken desert, showing Alastar himself standing in the back row of a motley band.
Incredible bit of evidence! See for yourself!
Want to add your character to the Logbook? Follow the directions on our Submitting and Terms of Use page. After it’s posted, your character will have its very own web page! A jolly good way to tell the world about your character.
Bludyanne Joins the Logbook
Jerry Abuan was the photographer for the Gathering, and has posted an excellent collection of his pics on his website (over 890 images). He has created a truly amazing gallery from the event, and it shows off his great eye for what makes an interesting shot. For example, take a gander at this.
Picture from Gaslight Gathering 2
We teamed up with Jerry and offered that we would add a Logbook of Intriguing and Noteworthy Persons entry for anyone that wanted a web page for their steampunk character. Please welcome our first taker, Bludyanne.
Due to Jerry’s fine work, we have five photographs in Bludyanne’s web page, a few of which show off the finer details of her attire.
I’ll be adding more entries to the Logbook soon!
Want to add your character to the Logbook? Follow the directions on our Submitting and Terms of Use page. After it’s posted, your character will have its very own web page! A jolly good way to tell the world about your character.
Steampunk Cufflinks
Lady Amethyst and Her Gentleman Admirer
At the masquerade ball, the adventurous pair met up with Lady Amethyst and her mysterious gentleman admirer. They had a grand time, discussing past exploits and madcap heroic deeds. Lady Amethyst was kind enough to allow her image to be captured for inclusion into the Chief Inspector’s The Logbook of Intriguing and Noteworthy Persons. Luck would have it that the mysterious gentleman’s likeness was also recorded!
Lady Amethyst and Her Gentleman Admirer
Sparky was thrilled to meet the noted crypto-zoologist. “I’ve read all of her published works!,” Sparky declared, “how wonderful it was to meet her!” View the new Logbook entry to acquire the particulars that Erasmus gathered about this couple.
Want to add your character to the Logbook? Follow the directions on our Submitting and Terms of Use page. After it’s posted, your character will have its very own web page! A jolly good way to tell the world about your character.
Sheriff Jack Webster Added to the Logbook
Want to add your character? Follow the directions on our Submitting and Terms of Use page. After it’s posted, your character will have its very own web page! A jolly good way to tell the world about your character.
Yet Another Logbook Entry: Dr. Edmond Pogue
Ed had a number of costumes for “Edmond,” but decided on this one for “The Logbook of Intriguing and Noteworthy Persons.” He also wore an overcoat, repurposed as a fancy lab coat, that was previously one of the costume pieces in the movie “Gangs of New York.” I guess it’s one of those odd little benefits of living in San Diego and being relatively close to Hollywood is that sometimes you find these things on sale.
As faithful readers know, Dr. Pogue is a critical part of the D&McT story line right now. Now, you no longer need to picture him in your head. Click on his link below and read all about him.
Want to add your character? Follow the directions on our Submitting and Terms of Use page. After it’s posted, your character will have its very own web page! A jolly good way to tell the world about your character.
A New Entry to the Logbook: "Jonny B." Goode
While there, we were spotted by Sky Marshal Jonathan Baines “Jonny B.” Goode. After an email exchange, Jonathan noticed that we offered to post steampunk characters’ pictures and details in “The Logbook of Intriguing and Noteworthy Persons.” He jumped at the chance. Take a gander at his entry.
Want to add your character? Follow the directions on our Submitting and Terms of Use page. After it’s posted, your character will have its very own web page! A jolly good way to tell the world about your character.
Steamcon III Swag!
We have a treat for those of you who will be at Steamcon III in Bellevue, WA, this week. If (when) you see us, approach us and identify us by name ("Hey, aren't you Drake & McTrowell?"), and we'll give you a nifty piece of swag: a D&McT pin or refrigerator magnet, your choice (while supplies last, and there aren't a lot, so don't be shy!). Not sure what we look like? Visit our Logbook page.
See you there!
Oh, yeah, one more thing. If you got to this site because you saw our ad in the Steamcon III newspaper, welcome! We have an on-going cyberserial story that we have been contributing to (pretty much) every week since July 2010. You can read the story from the beginning starting at this link. We have also been posting Drake & McTrowell related artwork. Just this week, we have also added a section of our web site for steampunks to submit a picture and description of your character. Details for submitting are located here.
Enjoy!
-- Drake & McTrowell
D&McT Artwork: Jake Rieman
We love the motion, and the way he captured the retro-futuristic aesthetic of steampunk in the transportation. Chief Inspector Erasmus Drake looks particularly natty with his red vest and tie. Looking at how good I look in gloves, I might have to get a pair for myself.
It is Finally Here! The Logbook of Intriguing and Noteworthy Persons!
Katherine and I have added a new section to the Drake & McTrowell website specifically for steampunks to submit pictures and details of their characters. I have added three of them so far:
Erasmus L. Drake
Dr. “Sparky” L. McTrowell
Mr. Jonathan Lord Ashleigh
For each character, there is a “thumbnail” picture in The Logbook of Intriguing and Noteworthy Persons, and an individual web page (see the links in the pictures above).
Want to add your character? Follow the directions on our Submitting and Terms of Use page. After it’s posted, your character will have its very own web page! A jolly good way to tell the world about your character.
D&McT Artwork: Mike Maihack
Incredible, huh?!? We keep catching ourselves staring at it and just saying, “Wow!” over and over.
Mike posted it online yesterday (September 30, 2011) at both his blog and at DeviantART.com. He also mentioned our cyberserial and included a link to DrakeAndMcTrowell.com. Well, Mike’s art draws quite a crowd, and with the click-through of the visitors from those two sites, we quadrupled the number of visitors to our site!
Oops. I just caught myself staring at it again. Wow! Just love the motion and how spot-on he got the shape and color of our outfits. Not to mention the steampunk background. Just amazing.
D&McT Artwork: Brandon Dayton
She had some reference pictures, but actually ended up describing the characters more than anything. Brandon did a great job with the image, which we are proudly displaying in our Steampunk gallery.
The interesting part of the story is that Katherine fell in love with the idea of having the four button gloves that Brandon illustrated. Then she found a pair of red ones!
They go well with her McTrowell outfit (which has become “outfits,” as in more-than-one). So here is another case of life imitating art.
Getting the Word Out at SteamCon III
We (Katherine and Dave) have been paying attention to the feedback that we’re getting from our loyal readers, and one of our consistent requests is that we add more to the Adventures of Drake & McTrowell website than just the running cyberserial story. So we’ll be adding some non-story Drake & McTrowell information. We also plan to have more pictures, illustrations, and the like; you know, visually interesting stuff.
So here we go with the first installment, just for you, dear reader.
Katherine and I will attending SteamCon III in Seattle, Washington, from October 14th through 16th. We will be there in full Drake & McTrowell regalia. We attended last year, and had a great time. One of the things that we enjoyed about it was that they had a daily newspaper for the convention that not only contained the events of the day, but also advertisements for the various steampunk vendors, authors, and web sites.
We decided this year to put in a 6x4 inch “ad” for our web site. The organizers just sent us an approval for our ad, so we wanted to share it with everyone.
We hope that it grabs the attention of a gagillion SteamCon attendees.
For those of you that attended last year’s SteamCon II, it was there that Dr. Sparky McTrowell and her crew won the Airship Regatta (as reported in the Seattle Times article)! The regatta was hosted by Girl Genius’s own Cheyenne Wright, the web comic’s colorist. Real fans of our cyberserial will jump with joy when they find out that the famous Seattle Times’ photo of Sparky piloting the balloon craft is on sale.
See you at the Con!!
