NW NERD: Fandom-powered geek magazine

Ming Chen spends a lot of time on the road, traveling to different pop culture conventions as a guest and a host. In doing so, he has become familiar with many cities across the USA, getting to know the local restaurants, cafes, dive bars, and more. When he is visiting the Northwest (Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Puyallup), he has a few spots he always returns to. In this episode, Ming discusses his favorite hang outs in the region. This is Ming Chen's bars and bites guide to the NW. (This episode includes unbleeped naughty words and discussion of mature topics)Ming Check spoke with NW NERD at a previous Washington State Summer Con. Theme music by The Hoot Hoots. Cover: Ming Chen and Dyer Oxley visit Bob's Java Jive in Tacoma, Wash.

You may know Alicia Marie from comic conventions where she is often a guest, but this cosplayer is more than meets the eye. Alicia Marie lives many lives: Cosplayer, fitness expert, social media influencer, advocate for the deaf community, author, and more. With so much going on, it's no wonder that some information has been stretched online. So we set the record straight by going to the source and learning about the many lives of Alicia Marie. Cosplayer Alicia Marie took time to chat with NW NERD at Washington State Summer Con. Theme music by The Hoot Hoots. Cover: Cosplayer Alicia Marie visits NW NERD's podcast lounge at Washington State Summer Con.

Beau Johnson organizes events for PlayTest NW, so game designers can test their creations. But when the pandemic struck in 2020, prompting lockdowns and social distancing, the gaming organization had to evolve overnight. How did PlayTest NW change, and what does it look like today. Beau Johnson with PlayTest NW took time to chat with NW NERD at a previous Washington State Summer Con. Theme music by The Hoot Hoots.

How to describe Captain Slinky? Well, for starters, he makes these lamps. They're one-of-a-kind and you just have to see them to believe them. They certainly fit in at an event called "The Oddmall." Captain Slinky took the helm of The Oddmall in Washington and has been featuring crafters and vendors that don't always fit in at your generic craft fair. Here, you will find the weirdness that defines the Northwest, and more. Think of it like the best of the DIY vendors at a comic con. Also: Random Fandom with Nathan O'Brien. Nathan founded Spokane's Lilac City Comic Con. He sat down to chat about a couple modern renditions of old fandoms that he really got into. NW NERD's theme music is by The Hoots. Other music in this episode is "Humm OK," by Gable.

Cosplay is not just about crafting screen-accurate costumes for Rogues Gallery Cosplay. It's also about fitness.  NW NERD presents a feature profile on this Northwest couple who builds their attire along with their bodies.This feature is an audio version of a profile on Rogues Gallery Cosplay published in the first edition of NW NERD Magazine. Find a digital copy of the magazine here. Cover photo by Dave GallagherNW NERD's theme music is by The Hoot Hoots. Music in this episode:"The City Wakes Up" by Jonas Hipper"Acid Jazz" by Kevin MacLeod

Cosplayer Ani-Mia has taken her cosplay to new heights as a writer who has been featured in Otaku Magazine and Cosplay Central. She didn't let her passions end there and also penned a series of comics for Dynamite's Betty Page series. But these stories may not be what you would assume. Also in this episode: Random Fandom with Comic Dad Andrew. Andrew reaches back into his childhood memories to reminisce about a little-known 1980s TV show. NW NERD's theme music is by The Hoot Hoots. Other music in this episode is"Humm OK," by Gable. Interviews with Ani-Mia and Comic Dad Andrew were recorded at Washington Summer Con.

Do you have a comic book idea you want to see in print? Woody Arnold is a DIY, indie comic creator who has navigated the tricky world of self publishing. He has had to adapt to many challenges, which he hasn't let stop his current project,  Cybersymbiosis.  Woody is taking Cybersymbiosis to a whole new level with his latest Kickstarter effort. Check that out here. Also, a new segment debuts on NW NERD: Random Fandom. We all have some piece of pop culture we hold dear — perhaps something that has been lost to time, salvaged mostly in our memories, or maybe it’s a guilty pleasure, something folks wouldn’t assume you love. Whatever it is, NW NERD is collecting these treasures in a segment called "Random Fandom." Random because of the pop culture discussed, or the people discussing it.

Beverly Downen wears many hats ... or helmets, horns ... and crowns? She's a cosplayer, competitor, judge, and now an author!You may know Beverly as a skilled cosplayer who crafts impressive costumes for the Northwest's many comic cons. You may know her from competitions she has participated in or judged. You may know her from the SheProp! community (celebrating female, non-binary, and transgender cosplayers). Pretty soon, you will know Beverly as an author. Her new book, "Cosplayer's Ultimate Guide to EVA Foam," is on pre-order (as of the publishing of this episode), and is slated to be released on November 25. Beverly sits down with NW NERD to discuss how she got into cosplay in the first place, her work as a cosplayer and in the SheProp! community, and her new book.

The Hero Initiative is a federally recognized non profit with a simple mission – help comic creators in need. It's been around nearly 20 years and during that time it has distributed more than $1 million to such comic creators. But what does helping "comic creators in need" mean anyway? We're pulling in Cullen Stapleton, Hero Initiative's volunteer in the Pacific Northwest. He gives us an up-close look at what this non-profit does and what kind of help our cherished comic creators need. And while we're at it, we get a primer on Rose City Comic Con's upcoming Drink and Draw After Party, presented by Dark Horse Comics. For more details and tickets, check out Rose City Comic Con's website.

A chat with actor Russell Hodgkinson of "Z Nation" fame. The actor discusses the film scene in Spokane, whether or not he should shave his beard, projects he's working on, cats, and gardening ... and more. This interview was recorded at Spokane's Lilac City Comic Con.And check out the first time Russell spoke with NW NERD. This episode is brought to you by Rose City Comic Con's Drink and Draw after party, presented by Dark Horse Comics. Drink and Draw is 8 p.m. on September 9, at the Spirit of '77. Proceeds go to support the Hero Initiative. Get your tickets now.

Dyer has some big news to announce, and to explain it all ... this episode is going to get a little weird. Egypt Archie from the Comic Dads and Joel the Geek take over the podcast to press Dyer about what NW NERD has been up to, why did it go on hiatus, what will the podcast be like now ... and what's the deal with this magazine?!That's right, NW NERD has made a magazine that is now showing up at geek hangouts across the Northwest, from Portland to Spokane, Seattle to Bellingham. Digital copies are available at nw-nerd.com. This is a magazine for us - the geeks, cinephiles, gamers, cosplayers, comic collectors, pop culture aficionados and more. If you know that Han shot first, or have a favorite Star Trek captain, or dream about roaming Middle Earth or outer space in the Bebop, this magazine is for you. And by the way, this podcast episode is brought to you by Rose City Comic Con's Drink and Draw after party, presented by Dark Horse Comics. Grab your tickets now. Comic artists will draw alongside you as you settle in for a night of hilarity and artistry. There will be prizes. And it's all for a good cause - The Hero Initiative. NW NERD's theme music is by The Hoot Hoots. This episode also features "Humm OK" by Gable.

What started as a chance encounter with a rental VHS copy of "Clerks" put Ming Chen on a path to working with the film's creator, Kevin Smith. That path included designing websites, podcasting, TV's Comic Book Men, and more. Ming sits down on the couch with Dyer Oxley during Washington Summer Con to discuss his unique resume ... and just about everything else. Like, do you have a favorite sparkling water? Ming does. So does Dyer. And by the way, this podcast episode is brought to you by Rose City Comic Con's Drink and Draw after party, presented by Dark Horse Comics. Grab your tickets now. Comic artists will draw alongside you as you settle in for a night of hilarity and artistry. There will be prizes. And it's all for a good cause - The Hero Initiative. NW NERD's theme music is by The Hoot Hoots.

What would Jim Starlin, creator of Shang-Chi, say about where this character could be headed on screen? We ask him in an exclusive interview. Also featuring collaborator Jaime Jameson to talk Dreadstar and more. Our Shang-Chi discussion continues with Joel the Geek and NW NERD’s Nina to cover our reviews of the film, as well as (spoiler alert) speculation on where Marvel could be aiming its films now that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has been released.

Chanel Johnson just wanted a perfect wedding. For her (and husband Bil) that meant a Harry Potter / Viking themed event. Chanel tells the story of her geek wedding. Also, Victoria Rudolph with Simply Nerdy Events provides some insights into wedding planning, especially for those who really want to include their pop culture passions. And joining this special wedding episode is Nina, the girl who Dyer somehow convinced to marry him. They have their own experience to relate, which includes planning, and eloping ... and a Superman shirt.

This episode is for all the geek senses – tastes and smells, etc. Michel Paves used her creativity during the pandemic to develop scent profiles for her favorite fandoms and characters, from Wolverine to Falkor the luck dragon. That evolved into Nerdwax Candles which can be found online and perhaps at a farmer's market near you. She talks with NW NERD about some candle projects in the works.  Also, NW NERD recently won an award from the Society of Professional Journalists for a version of a story he did on Friday Elliott with Friday Afternoon Tea. That story was first published on NW NERD. We're playing a segment from that story. Friday showed how she uses her unique form of synesthesia to develop flavor profiles by listening to NW NERD episodes and designing a tea flavor for the podcast. Joining this episode to talk through it all is Egypt from the Comic Dads along with Nessa (Comic Mom). Both have bartending experience, so we're throwing some characters at these comic parents to see what drink they would serve them. All that and a few special announcements.

You can still play The Oregon Trail on Apple Arcade, but the modern version of this iconic educational game has gotten an upgrade as part of an effort to more accurately depict the times, and the people along the trail – Native Americans in particular.  This story comes to us from reporter Anna King who first reported this story for Northwest News Network. You can read and hear her story here. Music in this episode was by Kevin MacLeod. NW NERD's theme music is by The Hoot Hoots.

An encore presentation of NW NERD's feature story on the Oregon Trail video game that was the highlight of many young students' school day in the 1980s and 1990s. NW NERD talks with Don Rawitsch, the creator of the educational video game,. It was a rocky road over many years before The Oregon Trail was a pop culture icon. Ensign Brandon Haddix and Pop Culture Journalist Dyer Oxley go over their own experiences with the game, and Dyer even pops a quiz on Brandon.

What is the connection between Star Trek and journalism?NW NERD presents a special roundtable discussion with three award-winning journalists who happen to be major Star Trek fans. Essex Porter, Heather Bosch, and Jeff Pohjola join Dyer for a chat about their love of Star Trek, and how it can relate to their industry.

When the pandemic first struck in 2020, Funko was already in a bit of a funk. But the company, and its fans, learned to adapt over a rocky year. This is the story of how Funko (and its fans, and retail shops) faced the pandemic. What it learned and how it adapted may change things for this Northwest-based fandom company. Also featuring Pixie Bomber Cosplay. This feature references reporting from The Seattle Times, GeekWire, and CNBC.

Former Seahawk Cassius Marsh (currently Pittsburgh Steelers) has long dreamed of owning a store focused on Magic: The Gathering and other collectable cards. He has now achieved that dream with Cash Cards Unlimited, further aiming to provide a new experience for card collectors. It turns out, this is not Cassius' only nerd niche ... and he may have even more ambitions to pursue. He talks about it all with NW NERD. Also – can Spokane be Washington's film town? We talk through why filmmakers praise the area for making movies, yet they shy away from the Evergreen state. Finally, Dyer offers his review of Zack Snyder's Justice League. He has been harsh on Snyder movies in the past. Will this film finally change his tune? Joining this episode as co-host is That Guy Named John with About to Review, offering his cinephile expertise on the Northwest film scene. Theme music by The Hoot HootsMusic in this episode: "Newer Wave" by Kevin MacLeod