Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Ferrell and Colonel Malcolm Weatherby.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started working for the San Diego Community College District Police Department in 2000, when I was 22 years old. From there, I started as the mail runner, then promoted to parking enforcement and the two police officer in 2005. I was mostly assigned to patrol, and did what most cops do in patrol, chase bad guys/gals, take reports, investigate crimes, help people, and teach. I found the most rewarding part of my career to be the helping people and teaching part.
I was a firearms instructor, I was the coordinator for the district’s disaster management program where I provided instruction in CERT (community emergency response team, a FEMA program), active shooter survival and disaster planning. I have always had a lot of hobbies and one included the San Diego International Comic Convention, where I coordinate the operations side of the Independent film festival. I was volunteering for comic con since 1994 and I was always impressed with the costumes and art I saw. I think it was the 2005 Comic Con where I ran across some people dressed in steampunk. Not knowing what it was, I approached them to learn they were dressed as steampunk.
I had no clue as to what that meant, so I engaged in some research by attending one the first steampunk convention in San Diego–which at the time was called “The Gaslight Gathering” (it has now been renamed the Gaslight Steampunk Exhibition). There I purchased a British pith helmet, and that started my journey in the art form of steampunk. From there I researched history of the pith helmet and created a steampunk version of an 1890 British Officer from the 1st Boer War. I named the character Colonel Malcolm Weatherby, and I created a back story that would eventually lead to a steampunk novel I am writing about his adventures.
Now sadly, after 12 years as a police officer, I have become disabled and am no longer able to work, so I now have invested more of my time in the development of Colonel Weatherby and his story. I have gone as far as creating a YouTube series “Adventures with Weatherby” that focus on education of history, science and travel. I am also well known for my steampunk rayguns, faux medals, lamps and clocks.
Has it been a smooth road?
The struggle I always secretly faced was how my coworkers in the police force would treat me. Nobody could possibly take a cop serious if he plays dress up on the weekends. Not only was I into steampunk, but even before that and to this day, I am a solid Jack Sparrow impersonator that volunteers for charity and community events. By my surprise, my coworkers embraced the idea and actually admired it. I found myself attending birthday parties and even parades by invitation of my coworkers and employer. My biggest hurdle now is overcoming a back injury that has changed my life. I can no longer work as a police officer and even costuming is a challenge. income loss and lack of physical capability has and is a real challenge.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Steampunk Arsenal story. Tell us more about the business.
I am a performer, an artist, and a teacher. Colonel Weatherby is well known in the local and national steampunk community just for his character’s appearances at local and out of state conventions. My store is called Steampunk Arsenal, and it’s on etsy.com/shop/steampunkarsenal and a soon to be released website www.steampunkarsenal.com. There I sell mostly faux military medals that are popular with the steampunk community, as they like to add medals to their costumes. I also take pride in my Victorian era Ray Guns, which I create from vacuum tubes, copper, brass, wood and other glass and metal components. I guess what sets me apart is that when I sell my wares and when I promote them I am always in character. I have a solid posh British accent and all the mannerisms you would expect from a British officer in an alternative universe that spends most of his time traveling space and time in a time machine. It’s a bit complicated to explain in text, but if you witnessed the character for yourself you would understand. Colonel Weatherby has a Facebook page and an Instagram where he promotes the YouTube series and his products. (I should probably say I to avoid and mental health labeling. lol.)
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The steampunk art form is constantly changing, mainly because it has few rules. You can steampunk anything, from any time, any universe. So, what we see is a lot of crossover universes like steampunk super heroes, steampunk Star Wars, steampunk star trek, steampunk anything. At first steampunk seemed to be exclusive to Victorian England, but in the past 5 years we have been seeing more of a breakout into other areas. The culture has even changed to be all inclusive and to allow artists, cosplayers, and musicians to feel free to create steampunk in their vision.
Technology is rapidly advancing and elements that move, light up and even make sounds are becoming commonplace in the genre. Recently I have been seeing people challenge the steampunk movement with a political historical stance that during the Victorian era the colonial empires did some awful things to the developing world and to each other and why would anyone want to dress up and play pretend in an era of such political controversy in present day. My answer simply is “Steampunk is an alternative universe where those ideas and activities weren’t practiced, just look at the diversity of race and culture you see in what people dress and create.”
The future of steampunk will become increasingly diverse and accessible. I see steampunk slowly creeping into the mainstream as fashion, jewelry, and art. I feel because steampunk has increased its diversity, that the genre will grow in popularity and have a timeless appearance that will perhaps stay with society for many decades to come.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: col_weatherby
- Facebook: Malcolm Weeatherby
- Other: www.etsy.com/shop/steampunkarsenal
Image Credit:
Abhi Vootukuru
Allen Freeman
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