The United States Department of Nerds Podcast

🎙️ Travis James - Inking Horror & Bringing AHA to Life In this episode of The USDN Podcast - Where Indie Comics Come to Life , we sit down with artist and inker Travis James to explore the craft behind one of the most overlooked yet essential roles in comic creation. From rediscovering his passion for comics later in life to developing a disciplined daily art routine, Travis shares his journey...

Tony Kapp joins The USDN Podcast to discuss #HexTheMoon , his chilling entry in CHK Comics Presents: AHA - A Horror Anthology . This episode explores psychological horror rooted in modern online culture, touching on themes of loneliness, digital influence, and manipulation. Featuring artwork by Chaz Hoar 📲 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chazzlets/ Catch Chaz at: Portsmouth Comic Con (May 2–...

Zach Zeman joins The USDN Podcast to break down GHOSTWOOD - a genre-blending indie comic exploring paranormal investigations, hidden government agencies, and supernatural mysteries. In this episode, we dive into the creation of Ghostwood , a world where a secret organization monitors paranormal activity across a fictional U.S. state - uncovering cases that go far beyond traditional crime stories....

Duke Electric & Miguel Santiago - AHA! Horror Anthology Episode 2: Too Late to Save Them On this episode of The USDN Podcast - Where Indie Comics Come to Life , we’re joined by Duke Electric and Miguel Santiago to discuss their contribution to AHA! (A Horror Anthology) . This story explores one of the deepest fears imaginable, a parent realizing something is wrong with their child. What begins...

Alex De Luca - Building Dragon Whisperer & a Steampunk Comic Universe In this episode of The USDN Podcast - Where Indie Comics Come to Life , The Chairman sits down with comic creator Alex De Luca. From his early days discovering comics in a small newsstand to breaking into the industry through persistence and passion, Alex shares the full journey behind his career. We explore the creation of...

Alim Leggett joins The USDN Podcast to discuss his LIVE Kickstarter campaign for The Diary of Sweet Pea #3 . At the center of the story is Imani Williams, a young girl whose powers are triggered by grief, trauma, and emotional intensity. These abilities manifest subconsciously, acting as both protection and danger as her world expands beyond a personal story into something far more complex. In thi...

In this episode of The USDN Podcast - Where Indie Comics Come to Life , The Chairman sits down with Alejandro Rosales Duran , creator of Drako & Sambos Inc. , to discuss what it really takes to build a comic universe from scratch. Coming from Colombia, Alejandro is working to create his own lane in the global comic space — developing original characters, telling new stories, and building a cre...

The USDN Podcast - Where Indie Comics Come to Life. In this episode, The Chairman sits down with Chris Stall & Kris Mendoza of CHK Comics to kick off a special AHA! Horror Anthology series. What started as a simple idea quickly turned into a full indie horror project driven by DIY mentality, punk culture, and a passion for storytelling. From assembling creators to shaping a diverse range of ho...

Len Mihalovich, creator and publisher behind Lenovations Press, joins the USDN Podcast to discuss building a lasting indie comics universe across decades. From the 1990s indie comic boom to today’s creator-driven landscape, Len shares his journey from rejection letters and early publishing struggles to launching Section 12 and establishing a boutique publishing model focused on quality and longevi...

Donal Thoms-Cappello - Building the Sci-Fi Universe of POWERSCAPE In this episode of the USDN Podcast, we sit down with Donal Thoms-Cappello , creator of the sci-fi series POWERSCAPE . Set in the year 2798, POWERSCAPE explores a future where civilization survives within franchise cities powered by limited energy resources and structured around competition. We discuss the origins of the series, its...

Welcome to The USDN Podcast - where indie comics come to life. In this episode, host The Chairman sits down with Paul Eza , creator of The Olympian and founder of Acorn Comics. We dive into the origins of The Olympian , a story blending Greek mythology, small-town life, and a reluctant hero chosen by fate . From a mysterious talisman to mythological creatures like a Minotaur and a talking squirrel...

On this episode of The USDN Podcast , The Chairman sits down with Collin McLamore , creator of Skyline Comics and the growing Skyline Universe . Collin discusses the origins of his flagship character Outline , the personal and grounded themes shaping his first series, and what it means to start building a creator-owned comic universe at a young age. The conversation also explores the realities of...

In this episode of The USDN Podcast , The Chairman sits down with Deece Casillas , stand-up comedian turned comic creator and founder of Inferno Comics . Deece discusses the origins of his indie comic Kill Stan , a dark character-driven story centered around trauma, purpose, and the complicated human desire to keep going even when everything feels lost. The conversation explores Dees’ journey from...

Welcome to The USDN Podcast - where indie comics come to life. On this episode of the USDN Podcast , The Chairman is joined by Akihiro Goska , director of Froglight Studio , an emerging indie manga studio from the Philippines. Akihiro shares how his creative journey began with Wattpad writing during lockdown, how Froglight Studio came together, and what it takes to build a collaborative manga proj...

On this episode of the USDN Podcast , host The Chairman sits down with creator David Biggs , founder of Disco Punk Comics , to explore the origins of his upcoming indie comic series Once Upon a Hive in the West . Inspired by spaghetti westerns and the strange realities of insect life cycles, the series imagines a gritty frontier where bugs become gunslingers, outlaws, and legends of the Wild West....

Russell Berger joins The USDN Podcast to discuss A Knight’s Title , his long-running independent sci-fi fantasy saga, and the realities of building a creator-owned universe without the backing of a major publisher. In this conversation, Russell shares how his love of creative writing began in elementary school, how influences like King Arthur, Star Wars, Highlander, anime, and comics helped shape...

Mark C. Dooley - The Genesis of a Fanboy & The Actual Adventures of Mark and Dee Mark C. Dooley joins The USDN Podcast to talk about growing up a comic book fan before fandom was mainstream — and how the 1960s Batman TV era temporarily turned bullying into popularity overnight. Mark is the creator of MARK AND DEE: GENESIS OF A FANBOY (an autobiographical comic strip series spanning childhood i...

Doug Marcaida - LINEAGE, Martial Arts Philosophy & Bringing Real Combat to Comics Forged in Fire judge and martial arts expert Doug Marcaida joins The USDN Podcast to discuss LINEAGE: Brotherhood of the Blade — a grounded, action-driven comic series published by Kid Heroes Productions. Blending authentic Filipino Martial Arts philosophy with brotherhood, legacy, and intelligent combat storytel...

Braxton A. Cosby - The Yasuke Duology & Mythic Historical Storytelling History remembers warriors. Stories remember legends. On this episode of The USDN Podcast, bestselling author Braxton A. Cosby joins us to explore the YASUKE Duology, a bold reimagining of history’s first African samurai, blending documented legacy with mythic fantasy. From the slave markets of India to feudal Japan… From l...

Todd Black — Tokyo Blade Detectives #1–12 & The Future of Indie Sci-Fi Comics In this episode of The USDN Podcast , we sit down with comic creator Todd Black to discuss his cyberpunk detective series Tokyo Blade Detectives and the Kickstarter campaign collecting issues #1–12. Set 200 years in the future where guns are outlawed but violence still thrives, the series explores faction warfare, ad...

On this episode of The USDN Podcast, we sit down with indie comic creator Alfred Paige to discuss Hostile Assets — an upcoming crossover event uniting Gun Goth and Footpath in a brutal horror-action one-shot heading to Kickstarter this April. We explore Alfred’s journey in indie comics, the collaboration with Mark Poulton of Haunted Pizza Comics, the creative process behind crossover storytelling,...

🎧 S. Xing Xin. B — From Indie Rejections to Walmart Shelves | USDN Podcast Interview Rejected more than 200 times by the mainstream comic industry, S. Xing Xin. B chose persistence over permission — building his own publishing path and developing the Ximphonic Versus universe over a 32-year journey. With 17 volumes published, nearly 13,000 physical copies sold without crowdfunding, direct market...

Legacy Rising: Building Gods, Monsters & Myth with Gary Seaward A story carried since 2008 finally takes shape. This week on The USDN Podcast, we welcome creator and artist Gary Seaward to discuss Legacy: Idols & Bones — a new indie comic universe blending superhero mythology, sci-fi scale, and horror-driven consequences. We explore the origins of the world, the characters shaping its futu...

He Was Dying… Then the Government Turned Him Into a Weapon | PorTroyal Smith – The Rogue Recordings He was dying. Then the government offered him survival. The price? Becoming a weapon. In this episode of The USDN Podcast, we sit down with PorTroyal Smith (Nathan Lebens), author of The Rogue Recordings , to explore a superhero saga grounded in military realism, moral ambiguity, and the true cost o...

Raised to Kill, Fighting Monsters — Akemi & Indie Comics with John Holland Some stories are born from imagination. Others are forged through survival. In this episode of The USDN Podcast, we welcome writer and publisher John Holland of Die Bold Comics to the Council to discuss Akemi , his upcoming Fund My Comic crowdfunder launching around the time of this conversation. Akemi tells the story o...