>>96517723
>The novels it evolved out of were derisively labeled "steampunk"
Something can exist before it gets labelled. The first thing of anything will never be "labelled" because they're the experimental stuff. BTW, Steampunk was already clearly defined before the 2000s with stuff like His Dark Materials existing before that and being popular enough to warrant a full hollywood movie. Get your akshuaslly science outta here.