Cowboypunk?

In the InsideOutcast 8: the Infinity Strain, we paid tribute to the incomperable Nathan Fillion. One cannot discuss the roles of Mr. Fillion without mentioning Malcom Reynolds. Malcolm was the captain of a Firefly class vessel in the space western series, Serenity. Most should be familiar with the program, so I won't go into too great of detail on that. What I do want to touch on is the cross genre of space westerns, or as I like to call it, cowboypunk.

The term, cowboypunk, exists as a musical fusion of punk and country western music. It is also urban slang for a cowboy with a particular attitiude. However, cowboypunk, for me, is a derivation of cyberpunk, which also spawned steampunk, dieselpunk, and the like. Cyberpunk is classified as hard science-fiction taking place usually in the near future. Cyber refers to computers and technology while punk refers to common street people. As such, cyberpunk is a kind of science-fiction wherein the average street person has access to technology. Typically this include cybernetic implants, hi-tech weapons and vehicles, and advanced information technology.

Steampunk is a variation on a theme. Instead of being set in the near future, steampunk is set in an alternate Victorian setting, where steam power is more advanced. The clothing and language tends to be more Victorian, while the technology depends heavily on steam. Lighter than air vehicles abound. Also, a steampunk adventurer is not complete without a pair of goggles and fancy boots. Dieselpunk is a similar genre, only gas is used, of course. The Mad Max films come to mind. A lesser known genre is clockpunk, in which all technology is clockwork. This genre features clockwork robots and a lot of brass.

Following the trend of adding punk to whatever the technology of the day may be, cowboy punk, then, is science fiction with a definite western sesibility. For instance, cattle and horses still play an integral role. The language and dress reflects the wild west as well. Although technology is advanced, it still maintains a western look. For intance, the neighborhood bar may look like a saloon. Also, it is not uncommon to see people in cowboy hats and matching boots.

Cowboypunk is not new. Firefly was not the first series to address this genre, though probably the most popular. I remember the Michael Chrichton film, Westworld. Westworld was a tourist spot wherein one could experience life in a wild west town, only the robot gunslinger developed a glitch. The gunslinger, played by Yul Brynner, sought after the film's hero as that was his core programming. The obsessive, tireless pursuit of robot after hapless hero, in my opinion, may have influenced The Terminator film. The similarities are striking.

A cartoon series in the early to mid eighties really helped define the cowboy punk aesthetic. The Adventures of the Glaxy Rangers was a series about humans encountering alien species and developing faster than light travel. As they colonize the galaxy, special law enforcement units are required to oversee these new colonies. The Galaxy Rangers is heavily western themed, including the use of robotic steeds. One of the major characters, Shane Gooseman (Goose) is essentially Clint Eastwood. He is a genetically modified soldier and the only one of his kind to have not been driven mad by an experiment. Also accompanying this band of heros is a psychic/martial artist woman and a computer expert that has almost wizard like computer-based abilities. One of his programs is actually called Firefly.

Firefly took a more direct and realistic approach to cowboypunk. The concept of humans taking to the stars and forming colonies is very much like Galaxy Rangers, only no aliens and limited genetic alterations. Firefly nods its head in the direction of classic westerns. First, there is the war somewhat similar to the American Civil War, in which our heros were on the losing side. We have gunslingers and russlers and train robbers. We have small town sheriffs and ranchlands and brothels. The setting is very much western themed. Firefly also incorporates Chinese language and culture. This is interesting as the late 19th century saw a large influx of Chinese to American soil.

However, Firefly is also science-fiction. There are spaceships and blasters. There are holograms and supercomputers. There is also an evil empire reminscent of Star Wars and an escaped science experiment as seen in much Anime. Firefly blends the western with the sci-fi quite effectively, making it one of the most charming and entertaining (if not completely original) series of our lifetime.

On a final note, I think it should be mentioned that Star Trek was originally presented as a sort of Wagon Train in Space. The western element of exploring the frontier was very much in the hearts and minds of the creators of Star Trek. Even then, westerns and science fiction overlapped, creating one of the most influential science-fiction commodities of all time.