Cyberpunk- A Starterpunk Primer

-Nick Gibson

   So Cyberpunk 2077 came late last year. As one, legions of gamers cried foul. What was once a hotly hyped game quickly became an example of what not to do.

   But I bet many others were left asking "What is Cyberpunk?" To those people I dedicate this article to.

   Here you shall find recommendations for several movies and books. These should give you at least a basic understanding of the genre.

Movies

Blade Runner: Without a doupt, one of the more well known pieces of media on this list. This 1981 film is "based" off the novel "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep" by Phillip K Dick.

   Harrison Ford is Detective Decker, a Blade Runner. It's his job to hunt down rouge Androids...and kill them. Well they call it "retirement" but we all know the deal.

   The film is actually pretty good in my not so humble opinion. A bit slow in parts but definitely an audio/visual feast for the sences

The Matrix: A personal favorite of mine, this movie is an original story from The Wachowski Sisters. Staring currently media darling Keanu Reeves, it's a film of self discovery and fulfilling one's true potential.

  I'm not going to spoil it but you really should see it.

Metropolis: We're going back with this one, way back, to 1928. Part of The German Expressionist Movement, this silent film may be ancient but it is no less relevant. Another high recommendation.

Books

Neruromancer: If anything be considered for the title of first it is definitely this book. Written by William Gibson, it literally laid the blueprint that is still being followed to this day.

   Part one of The Sprawl Trilogy, the book is just as entertaining as the day it was first released.

Judge Dredd: This one is more about the over encompassing brand than the actual comic. Oh don't get me wrong the comic is amazing. It's a delightfully cynical take on our modern times.

  What I really wanted to mention is the criminally underrated film staring Karl Urban in the titular role. Please go watch this movie if nothing else!

Ghost in the Shell: This list would not be complete without mentioning the Japanese side of Cyberpunk. I could talk about Akira, but GITS is by far the more impactful of the two.

   Starting out as a manga by Masamune Shirow, it quickly blossomed into first a ground breaking film and later an iconic anime series.

   Oh and avoid the film that came out a few years ago. It's just...not good.

Special Mention

2100 Samurai: I thought I'd take this moment to slip in a shameless shout-out for my upcoming comic. If you like Samurais and you also like Cyberpunk my book is for you. Expect it to be released in the next few months. 

  That's the list. Anything I didn't mention that you think should be on the list? Sound off below!