SLIDESHOW, Click on photo for more, or click on photo in gallery below:

Hundreds gathered for the annual Rustycon 30 Convention this weekend at the SeaTac Marriott to celebrate the "steampunk" scene. According to Steampunk.com, "Steampunk has always been first and foremost a literary genre (...) a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy that includes social or technological aspects of the 19th Century (the steam) usually with some deconstruction of, reimagining of, or rebellion against parts of it (the punk)."

The convention runs through 6:00pm today, Sunday, Jan. 20. There is an admission charge.

Costumed participants parade their edgy fashion statements, some women letting most of it all hang out, some men, with heads covered in gas masks and other rubber and copper disguises, revealing very little. Some play sci-fi board games and attend panel discussions led by successful authors who write in their genre. They seem to celebrate a contradiction, a deliberate blend of hipness and nerdom.

Leslee Fuller of West Seattle was liaison to the press at the convention. Her husband, Lee, was DJ during some late night dance events there.

"Steampunk is reminiscent of of H.G. Wells' 'Time Machine', and Jules Verne, that type of fantasy stuff," said Fuller, with son, Tristan, 10, and daughter, Scarlett, 3, in tow. "My kids are Dr. Who characters. He is Dr. Who and she is a weeping angel. The fun part about all this is that people here are trustworthy and like-minded and my kids can run around and interact with them and they will be friendly and return the interaction."

Regular convention-goer and costume authority, Eric Pope attended. Many saw him at the Youngstown Cultural Center in West Seattle last Christmas perform in the musical "Santa's First Magical Ride" based on the CD and book released in 2011 by former Alki residents and community organizers, Paul and Libby Carr.

"I came here to speak on panels as a professional on costuming," said wild-haired Pope, who, at 6' 7" and dressed in a black Barbarian costume he made, holding a teeth-baring bear head, may seem quite intimidating. He calls himself "Wotan the Fairy Smasher".

"Yes, I am dressed up as a large villain," he acknowledged. "But I am here to lose every battle for the kids because I want them to go away feeling like the heroes of their own stories and adventures."

A Capitol Hill hipster, he cops to the nerd label.

"By term and definition a nerd is someone who is passionate about something in particular like a hobby, and (here) we're all nerds about something different, something fun. Usually this will range from a particular science fiction. Some will love Star Wars or Star Trek. Some love their ancient weapons."