HOSTS
Mike Gillis is a podcaster, an aspiring professional geek, anti-capitalist roustabout, and comic book fanatic. He also used to co-host the Mike and Pól Save the Universe! comic book podcast, and is a co-creator of the Ask an Atheist radio show.
He geeks out for comic books, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium, superheroes, the Planet of the Apes, so-bad-they’re-good action and sci-fi movies, the band Queen, Spider-Man, the Venture Bros., Back to the Future, the Rockford Files, and Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Don’t get him started about the problems with the movie Prometheus, capitalism, Zack Snyder movies, Garfield’s inexplicable change into a biped, or his giant man-crush on James Garner.
Casey Doran is an aspiring Hari Seldon, a psycho-historian planning for the future of the Empire. When not cramming for a discussion panel, he works as an I.T. pistolero for his day job, chips away at a speculative fiction novel and is teaching his infant son percussion with rhythmic spankings.
Aside from All-Things-Trek, he geeks out for retro and indie gaming, 19th century Japanese history, American cinema (who doesn’t?), sci-fi literature, and the philosophy of Epistemology.
Don’t get him started on supernatural horror movies that are “based on true story,” or those asshats who say “It’s only a movie!”
PANELISTS
Michel “Siskoid” Albert is the French-Canadian madman behind Siskoid’s Blog of Geekery, the Doctor Who RPG’s Expanded Universe Sourcebooks, and many other projects, and the host of such Fire and Water Podcast Network fare as Gimme That Star Trek, FW Team-Up, oHOTmu or Not?, Lonely Hearts: the Romance Comics Podcast, and co-hosts both First Strike: The Invasion Podcast and Zero Hour Strikes! He writes for the Outside In series of books, and for himself. He lives in Moncton, New Brunswick, apparently with too much time on his hands.
He geeks out for movies (which he pretentiously calls cinema), Doctor Who in all their incarnations, Zany Bob Haney, table top role-playing games, and as his Internet handle suggests, Star Trek.
Don’t get him started on his true love, improv. No, really. Don’t. You’re not ready for that conversation.
Matthew Amster-Burton is the co-host of the Spilled Milk podcast and author of many books, including Pretty Good Number One: An American Family Eats Tokyo and the upcoming novel Our Secret Better Lives.
He geeks out for urban planning, Japanese food, pop songs, and comedy podcasts about bad movies he hasn’t seen.
Don’t get him started on why the 90s had the best music.
Episodes featuring Matthew Amster-Burton
Kinsey Burke is a YouTuber, podcaster, video game collector and overall nerd culture junkie. She contributes on MetalJesusRocks, is often seen at gaming conventions and thrift stores, and she’s on the board for the Seattle Retro Gaming Expo.
She geeks out for VIDEO GAMES (particularly RPGs), Craft Beer, bad horror movies, nerdy fashion and Futurama.
Don’t get her started on sexism in the workplace, overly competitive gamer assholes (You know the ones…) or the downfall of Final Fantasy.
Episodes featuring Kinsey Burke
Kayleigh Casterline is a writer, D&D enthusiast, and cat mom. To pay the bills, she is employed as a technical writer. She enjoys working in the garden, creating cosplays, and cooking. In another age long since past, she was a host on the podcast View from the Gutters.
She geeks out for horror comics, The Lord of the Rings, and The Sandman. One of her true passions in life is collecting and sharing factoids about animals, medical history, the beauty industry, spooky lakes, crabs, and so on. If there is a factoid to be shared or learned, she is on board.
Don’t get her started on gatekeeping, the awful ways Shakespeare is taught in schools, or capitalism. Her one true nemesis in life is Clint from Stardew Valley.
Episodes featuring Kayleigh Casterline
Ryan Chaddock is a programmer, wine steward, and role-playing game writer/designer with a degree in applied economics and public policy. His company, Ryan Chaddock Games, publishes licensed material for Monte Cook’s new science fantasy role-playing game: Numenera. He’s helped run a Vampire: the Masquerade LARP for the last decade or so and enjoys all kinds of politics (both real and imagined).
He geeks out on role-playing, Star Wars, MMOs, miniatures painting, board games, and macroeconomics.
Don’t get him started on fantasy racism or leaving your trash behind at the movie theater.
Episodes featuring Ryan Chaddock
Ryan Daly is a stay-at-home dad and a podcaster on the Fire and Water Podcast Network. He hosts Cheers Cast, It’s Midnight… The Podcasting Hour, and Batman Knightcast. When not podcasting, he devotes his time to making sure his son grows up to be a healthy, albeit socially maladjusted, geek just like daddy.
He geeks out for comic books, Marvel and DC superheroes, 1980s toy properties like G.I. Joe and Transformers, the Aliens franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Blues Brothers, Beverly Hills Cop, horror novels by Stephen King and Peter Straub, crime novels by James Ellroy, and TV shows Cheers, True Detective, the West Wing (seasons 1-4), and Parks and Recreation.
Don’t get him started on Star Wars, which used to be his favorite geeky subject until the greater Star Wars fan community became so loud and poisonous that now Ryan wants it all to go away like it did in the late ‘80s.
Bryon DiGianfilippo is a media producer with over 20 years experience in film, web production and content licensing/management. He first got started in the straight-to-video serial killer movie business and then naturally made the switch over to family friendly web entertainment with kittens and puppies.
He geeks out to deep album cuts, trashy rock ‘n roll and video games. He is also geeking out really hard to BBC period dramas as of late.
Don’t get him started on established conventions in the media industry, tradition, mob mentality or echo chambers.
Episodes featuring Bryon DiGianfilippo
Rebecca Friedman is the assistant producer for the Ask An Atheist radio show and coordinates kids’ science and philosophy programming for Camp Quest Northwest. She lives with Sam Mulvey and their two enormous cats. También es maestra de español.
She geeks out for Doctor Who, sociolinguistics, Adventure Time, tea, the regularity of Spanish orthography, and education.
Don’t get her started about teachers who dislike children.
Episodes featuring Rebecca Friedman
Matt Goodman is a lifelong creative, produced screenwriter and film production maven (Titanic, Shrek, Star Wars: Episode One, Gladiator, Master & Commander) whose latest endeavor is co-producing the world’s first science-fiction one-act drama festival, Sci-Fest 2015, as well as developing film and television properties in the shadow of the Chateau Marmont.
He geeks out for all things comedy, occult symbolism, German & Swedish cars, flicks of the 1930’s-1970’s, especially the Fighting Sullivans (1944) and Rollerball (1974).
Don’t get him started about George Lucas’ neck, Cameron or Brest rumors, reboots & inaccurate firearm-centric film & TV dialogue.
Episodes featuring Matt Goodman
Ian Gould is the General Manager of Ace Comics & Games in Brisbane, Australia. He finds himself an exceptionally dull topic.
Ian geeks out for comics of the 60s, 70s and 80s; classic science fiction and the works of Alan Moore.
Don’t even get him started on the New 52 or Before Watchmen.
Libbie Grant is an author of historical and literary fiction from Seattle, Washington. Her novels include Baptism for the Dead, the Sekhmet Bed and Sovereign of Stars.
She geeks out on ancient Egypt, the writings of George R. R. Martin and sci-fi in print (not film) form, the nerdliest of the sci-fi nerderies.
Don’t even get her started on zombies. Seriously.
Episodes featuring Libbie Grant
Kirby Green is an artist, horror lover, and Nintendo Fan Girl. She can be found contributing to Olympia’s weekly Night Drawers collective. When not engaging in hobbies like drawing and playing Animal Crossing, she works IT for a company no one has ever heard of. She loves sharks, ghosts, and the bear she lives with.
She geeks out for most anything Nintendo-related, urban legends/spooky stories, and art supplies. She is also a big fan of liminal spaces and the feelings that come along with them. She can talk your ear off about 90 Day Fiancé (and the extended 90D universe) and why The Family Chantel is actually a good watch.
Don’t get her started on Ari Aster or pricing of digital comic books.
Episodes featuring Kirby Green
David “Ace” M. Gutiérrez is a writer / illustrator / reporter whose work can be seen on Emmys.com and in The Mindful Mom-to-Be. He is also a frequent contributor to the Film and Water Podcast and was co-host of the late Ultraverse Podcast.
He geeks out for crime fiction, Robotech, Highlander, all things Star Trek, Queen (the greatest rock band in the history of music), and Fastball and Sloan (the most underrated bands of all time).
Don’t get him started on fan entitlement or how the growing lack of theater etiquette marks our collapse as a civilization.
Episodes featuring David “Ace” M. Gutiérrez
Greg Hatcher (1961-2021) was a writer, teacher, and occasional commercial artist. He wrote a weekly pop culture and comics column for the Atomic Junk Shop blog. He also wrote “new pulp” adventure stories for Airship 27. He also taught a comics and writing program in Seattle middle schools for the last couple of decades.
He geeked out for Star Trek, Sherlock Holmes, pre-Star Wars science fiction films, Richard Matheson, both the literary and cinematic James Bond, “Bronze Age” superhero comics, pulp fiction from Doc Savage to Mack Bolan, small-press D.I.Y. ‘zine scene, Hammer films, and the “bionic” wave of superhero television that hit in the mid-70s.
Don’t get him started about entitled fan-rage, or how modern superhero comics publishers have abandoned their legacy as mass entertainment for all ages in order to cater exclusively to a tiny hobbyist population of whiny man-children.
Episodes featuring Greg Hatcher
Paul Hix is an old Australian nerd who has kept his geek pilot light burning continuously since the 1970s. He is half of the podcasting team behind the long-running Doom Patrol show Waiting For Doom, the DC Comics event podcast DCOCD and the ill-defined blather podcast The Gary Show.
He geeks out for new comics, ‘splosion movies and being a gentle smart-arse on Twitter.
Don’t get him started about Tremors because you’ll have to hear how he thinks it’s the perfect low-budget horror-starter film, which distinguishes itself from other less-fun films by having no villain and a cast of characters who never make typical horror movie mistakes that make you think ‘that idiot deserves to die’.
Patrick Johnson is a vagrant we found wandering along the side of the road.
He geeks out for Charlie Kaufman, George Lakoff, research on priming effects, artful indie games, NES nostalgia, and Campbellian examination of the psycho-mythic function of science fiction/fantasy.
Don’t get him started on US copyright law, the war crimes of George Lucas, or the word “decimate.”
Episodes featuring Patrick Johnson
Rob Kelly is a writer, artist, and comics historian. He hosts the Film and Water Podcast, and Pod Dylan, as well as co-hosting the Fire and Water Podcast, and is the creator and editor of the world famous (no, really), Aquaman Shrine website, and the creator and editor of the book, Hey Kids, Comics!: True-Life Tales From the Spinner Rack.
He geeks out for anything by Bob Dylan, Orson Welles, or Albert Brooks. (He is still holding out hope for that missing Magnificent Ambersons ending).
Don’t get him started on Van Helsing, 90s era Aquaman, or the Affordable Care Act.
Micah Krabill is a bag of mostly water, a confidant of Rassilon, a seer of the pink laser, a fledgling father, and often a Senior Product Manager for Kindle. His favorite authors include Philip K. Dick, James Joyce, Williams Shakespeare, Neal Stephenson, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and John Steinbeck. He’s never been published (self-published or otherwise), but he has written and aspires to do so again once he completes his current creative omphaloskepsis cycle.
He geeks out for colorful Adidas shoes, quality sci-fi in any form, the Beastie Boys, non-boring Euro-style worker placement board games, the Seattle Seahawks, Doctor Who, and great food.
Don’t get him started about bicyclists who don’t follow the rules of the road, drivers who don’t understand unmarked intersections, restaurants with crappy service, dogs in the workplace, or those ridiculous footglove “shoes.”
Episodes featuring Micah Krabill
Scott Kramer is a professional sound designer for films and television (the Expendables, Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Transparent), who resides in Venice, California. When not making sounds, he enjoys mountain biking, hiking, road trips, long walks on the beach, and hand-holding.
He geeks out primarily for the X-Files, and Star Trek: the Next Generation, Terence Malick and any really slow films and television about feelings.
Don’t get him started on the American Telecom Industry, or the current state of the film business.
Episodes featuring Scott Kramer
Kit Laika is an artist and library worker by default, a geek and aggressive chin-scratcher by necessity. She vacillates wildly between striving to combat ignorance with self-perceptive acuity while attempting to spur efforts that encourage creativity and, most troubling, acerbic judgment of her surroundings, culminating in general existential malaise. She is in a commited relationship with a medical skeleton named Ezekiel and doesn’t need your judgment.
She geeks out for Coens Bros. films, robotics, early Vertigo titles, animation history, cosplay, metal bands, and vikings.
Don’t get her started about the McDonaldization of the film industry, debating an artist’s compensation with them, censorship, or the arrogance that we are the only intelligent life in the universe when people still get their hands stuck in Pringles cans and pay money for Gogurt.
Morgan Lambert (1980-2019) was the Program Director & Social Media Manager at RadioTacoma 101.9 FM, a media historian and critic, and amateur photographer.
He geeked out for U2, pro wrestling, Canada, grocery stores, AM DXing, time-travel/alternate universe sci-fi, British television, and Swarm (he’s been the mayor of a bus stop in Northeast Minneapolis for over 7 years!).
Don’t get him started on the Seattle Mariners, social media algorithms, commercial radio, misspellings on TV news graphics, and “fake news.”
Episodes featuring Morgan Lambert
Rich Lyons is a former United Pentecostal Church pastor with 20 years in the ministry. In 2004 he left that ministry and began a tumultuous deconversion journey. He shared these experiences on his Living After Faith podcast. Once the 20-year self-imposed quarantine on popular culture was lifted, Rich discovered fulfillment in the world of frivolity.
He geeks out on trippy photography, pro wrestling, getting caught up on two decades worth of film, and Lady Gaga.
Don’t get him started on puritanical prohibition.
Bob Mackey is a game critic, podcast producer, and general enthusiast of all things obscure and/or nerdy. He’s written for just about every website that focuses on video games (more or less), but you can check out most of his current work at US Gamer or Something Awful. Bob also co-hosts the weekly classic gaming podcast Retronauts, a fan-backed venture that’s been produced semi-regularly since 2006.
He geeks out for video games (mostly Japanese and retro), Mystery Science Theater 3000 and its many related riff-based projects, really good beer, and numerous other interests that are the direct result of a latchkey childhood.
Don’t get him started about that David Cage guy!
Nathan Martin is co-founder and co-showrunner for the Seattle Retro Gaming Expo, and creator/host of the Question Block Video Game Pub Quiz. He currently works at Microsoft as part of the Xbox team.
He geeks out over all things retro and classic gaming, Neal Stephenson, ska, house, and Japanese bubble gum.
Don’t get him started on DRM, explosions and other sounds in space, pedestrians who think they own the road, or people who use more than one paper towel to dry their hands, you won’t like it.
Episodes featuring Nathan Martin
Todd Maxfield-Matsumoto is a member of the 501st Legion, an expert on Sea-Monkeys, and a proud father of three Jawas. He used to tour with the band Joker’s Poem but now enjoys covering music from Disneyland rides exclusively. He once wrestled a reindeer. It was a draw.
He geeks out about guitar effect pedals and film-accurate Star Wars costumes.
Don’t get him started about podcasts.
Episodes featuring Todd Maxfield-Matsumoto
Lauren Montgomery is a story artist working primarily in TV action adventure animation, an avid toy collector, and a big fan of cheese…. The food. She directed an animated Wonder Woman film for DC/Warner Bros., as well as Green Lantern: First Flight, and Justice League: Doom. She also co-directed Batman: Year One, and is the supervising producer on Nickelodeon’s Legend of Korra.
Beyond her animation interests, she geeks out for toys, video games, Disneyland, and most other things related to childhood and immaturity.
Don’t get her started on the gross lack of realistically depicted female characters in film, specifically animation. Unless you want a whole lot of harpy screeching coming your way.
Episodes featuring Lauren Montgomery
Sam Mulvey is the host and producer for the Ask an Atheist radio show, and the President of Humanists of Washington. In addition to atheism and humanism, Sam has spoken about open source software and community media.
He geeks out for brewing beer and ham radio. In the Star Trek or Star Wars dichotomy, Sam chose Babylon 5. He is a collector of vinegar varieties, vintage computers, antique radios, and propaganda.
Don’t get him started about Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Tobiah Panshin is an author, podcaster, and professional bureaucrat. He is primarily to blame for the award-considered podcast View from the Gutters, a roundtable discussion of comic books and related media. He also unconvincingly denies involvement with the well-reviewed and highly regarded RPG style-guide which bares his name, The Game Master: A Guide to the Art and Theory of Roleplaying.
He geeks out for 80s cartoons, wizards, golden-age Science Fiction, and questioning the fundamental basis of reality.
Don’t get him started on latter-day Doctor Who, copyright, Isaac Asimov, the elvish holocaust, and why Harry Potter is just, like, the worst.
Episodes featuring Tobiah Panshin
Joe “Kuma” Preti was born with the brain of an evil genius and the heart of Fozzie the Bear. Legend has it that he is a co-founder and host of the podcast View from the Gutters. He is a sucker for comic books, good beer, and food of almost any sort. There is also a persistent, but unverified, rumor that he is a bear that has learned the ways of man.
He geeks out for superhero fights, old movies, and is generally a pop culture junkie of the lowest sort. He also knows a thing or two about jazz, and enjoys conversations about films, old and new.
Don’t get him started on sexism in modern comic books, how Christopher Nolan dropped the ball on the Batman movies, or how Harry Potter is an awful protagonist.
Carlos Rodela is a producer/host/editor/podcaster who never seems to sleep. He enjoys cooking his own tacos (flash fried corn tortillas!), and video games. He’s worked for places like Gamespot and PC World, once interviewed Snoop Dogg, and created his own Cable TV show (about ..what else? video games).
He geeks out for RPGs (namely the Witcher – which has cost him roughly 300 hours of his life), UFC, indie games, chocolate anything, and the Walking Dead.
Don’t evennnn get him started about TurboGrafx16… He’ll be talking for awhile.
Episodes featuring Carlos Rodela
Pól Rua is a comics retailer, podcaster and full-time multi-purpose nerd. He is a former co-host of the Mike and Pól Save the Universe! comic book podcast with Mike Gillis, and spends his days slinging funnybooks at Ace Comics & Games in Brisbane, Australia.
He geeks out for pulp adventure fiction, superheroes, Twin Peaks, Magical Kung Fu movies and anything which involves Mexican Wrestlers battling the forces of evil.
Don’t get him started about modern DC comics, David Tennant’s tenure as The Doctor, or Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Roslyn Townsend is an aspiring screenwriter, actor, comedian, human, sanitation engineer and small dog. She doesn’t know how to read, but makes fairly accurate guesses at what words are. She can be found at home, looking for excuses to sputter and fume at the internet.
She geeks out over cartoons, history, linguistics and ridiculously epic music.
Don’t get her started about people who say “un-plug your TV/computer/other form of technology.”
Episodes featuring Roslyn Townsend
Christopher Walker is a podcaster, a self-confessed Trekkie, board game junkie, and nerd-of-all-trades. He’s a regular contributor to BJ Shea’s Geek Nation, and spends his free time trying to write comic books, playing in a semi-regular Pathfinder group, and posting YouTube videos of his nerdier endeavors.
He geeks out for comic books, all things Trek, Game of Thrones, Futurama, and the musical stylings of They Might Be Giants.
Don’t get him started about the uselessness of the dime, the coarse inelegance of playing a lot of green and red in Magic: the Gathering, or the difference between Trekkies and Trekkers (spoiler alert: there is none).
Episodes featuring Christopher Walker
Michael Warbington is a Camp Director for Camp Quest NorthWest, a very occasional guest host of the Ask an Atheist radio show, and a novice graphic designer and Lego builder. He also works in an office where he fills large stacks of boxes full of manila file folders.
He geeks out for Lego, Marvel Studios movies, the current Golden Age of Television, Red Dwarf, Spaghetti Westerns, Pink Floyd, the Seattle Sounders and Star Trek.
Don’t get him started on people who drive slowly in the left lane, using two spaces after the period at the end of a sentence, or umbrellas.
Episodes featuring Michael Warbington