Popzara Podcast

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: A Better Brawler or More Melee?

Somethings gone wrong in the happy-go-lucky world of Nintendo…again! That’s right – on this brawling episode of the Popzara Podcast our own challengers Cory Galliher and Herman Exum enter the world’s wackiest fighting ring to talk about the latest, greatest and certainly most anticipated game of the year for Nintendo loyalists, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Switch! Packed to the gills with characters, levels, music and more Herman calls it “the most comprehensive and accessible Smash Bros. yet.”

Brian Volk-Weiss and Andre Meadows Talk CW’s Discontinued Special

If you subscribe to the adage that one man’s trash is another’s treasure, well, you’re in luck! On this unearthing episode of the Popzara Podcast our own cultural excavator Nathan Evans talks with Brian Volk-Weiss, creator of Netflix’s documentary series The Toys That Made Us, returning to the podcast to discuss reviving interest in some of pop-culture’s forgotten gems in the upcoming docu-comedy special Discontinued, premiering this month on The CW Network.

Pokémon: Let’s Go Switches It Up!

Gotta catch ’em all…forever! It never ends, and on this episode of the Popzara Podcast our own trainers Cory Galliher, Nia Bothwell and special-guest Leon Cook stop by the Pokémon Center to talk Pokémon Let’s Go, the latest in Nintendo’s never-ending pocket monster catching franchise very likely invading your Switch as we speak. As the first main Pokémon release on a home console, does this motion-controlled, online powered double-dose of Pikachu or Eevee live up to the expectations of insatiable fans with the most adorable addiction one could hope to have?

From Rocky to Creed: Ranking Rocky with Film Critic Joe Leydon

Going toe-to-toe on this pugilistic episode of the Popzara Podcast is challenger Nate “Editor Guy” Evans and special guest Joe Leydon, the triple-threat returning champ who writes, teaches and – on occasion – writes reviews and lists for Variety.com. We say pugilistic because he’s ranked every movie in the long-running Rocky franchise, from the 1976 Oscar-winning original to the recent Creed 2, a sequel within a sequel serving as both the eighth Rocky and second Creed film, continuing the parallel sagas of both Rocky Balboa and Adonis Creed as they face off against a returning Ivan Drago and his monstrously huge scion Viktor in a clash the film itself calls Shakespearean.

Red Dead Redemption 2: Slowpoke is Okeydoke

Howdy partners! On this tender footed episode of the Popzara Podcast we’ve rustled up Cory “Lightfoot” Galliher, Nathan “Cowpoke” Evans and – making her podcast debut –newcomer Evelyn “Highfalutin” Fewster to dialogue and discuss quite possibly the biggest videogame of 2018, by which we mean Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2, a mammoth open-world game set in the old west nearly a decade in the making.

Cartoonist Rachel Lindsay Talks RX, Comics and Surviving Mental Illness

In this artistically expressive episode of the Popzara Podcast our own Nathan Evans talks with cartoonist and comics instructor Rachel Lindsay about RX: A Graphic Memoir, her impressive feature-length debut where she documents the difficulties in paradoxically straddling two similar worlds: working for a major pharmaceutical firm while struggling with her own diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 20 Series: Is The Future Ready for Prime Time?

On this architecturally enhanced episode of the Popzara Podcast our resident tech editor Herman Exum and gaming editor Cory Galliher – both devotees of the all-powerful PC master class – really take things to the next level with a lively discussion dedicated to Nvidia’s latest series of dedicated GPU monster cards – the RTX 20 series.

Author Jeff Ryan Talks Walt Disney, Ub Iwerks + the Creation of Mickey Mouse

On this animated episode of the Popzara Podcast our animation fanatic Nathan Evans talks with author Jeff Ryan about his new book A Mouse Divided: How Ub Iwerks Became Forgotten, and Walt Disney Became Uncle Walt, which details the fruitful – and contentious – relationship between Walt Disney and Ub iWerks through the creation of the most popular cartoon character in history: Mickey Mouse. The timing couldn’t be better: The Mouse celebrates his 90th birthday this year. If only we could all live on love and cheese.

Comedian Dana Gould Talks Planet of the Apes: Visionaries, Rod Serling

Our guest on this anthropoidal episode of the Popzara Podcast our own missing-link Nathan Evans talks with acclaimed comedian-slash-writer Dana Gould, whose credits include decades working with comedian-slash-actor Ben Stiller, TV appearances galore, and tenure writing for The Simpsons, about his new book Planet of the Apes: Visionaries, a graphic novel illustrating the legendary Rod Serling’s (The Twilight Zone) equally legendary unfilmed screenplay for the original 1968 Planet of the Apes movie starring Charlton Heston.

Author Kate Harris Talks Lands of Lost Borders + Traveling the Silk Road

On this wayfaring episode of the Popzara Podcast our own intrepid pilgrim Nia Bothwell joins travel author and modern day explorer Kate Harris to talk about her upcoming literary debut that blends these two passions in one alluring package: Lands of Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road.

Writer Mike Reiss Talks Springfield Confidential, The Simpsons

Our guest on this perfectly cromulent episode of the Popzara Podcast is Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, script-fixer and all-around funnyman Mike Reiss, known for everything from children’s books – most of which aren’t considered pornographic – and Hollywood films as diverse as Airplane II (yeah, the sequel), Ice Age, Despicable Me, and Horton Hears a Who!

Author Travis Jeppesen Talks Studying in Pyongyang, Cold Noodles

On this diplomatic episode of the Popzara Podcast our own Nathan Evans talks with author Travis Jeppensen about his new book See You Again in Pyongyang: A Journey into Kim Jong Un’s North Korea, out now from Hachette Books. Touted as “the first American to study in North Korea,” Travis relates not just his studies at the Kim Hyong Jik University of Education, but the people and culture seldom seen outside the opaque wall of propaganda surrounding the most isolated country in the world.

Game Composer Jesse C. Harlin Talks Yoku’s Island Express, Yeast DNA

On this euphonious episode of the Popzara Podcast our own melodious Nia Bothwell welcomes game composer and interactive music director Jesse C. Harlin into the auditorium. With an impressive career spanning nearly two decades of scoring everything from Star Wars (both RPG and dancing varieties) to 2K’s Mafia III to directing his own pieces with the London Philharmonic, Jesse wears the title of game composer loud and proud.

Solo Story: A New Hope for the Star Wars Faithful

In this scurrilous episode of the Popzara Podcast we’ve scoured the worst hives of scum and villainy to put together a team to talk Solo: A Star Wars Story, the second Star Wars Anthology film – and fourth overall – since Disney took control of the franchise. At the helm are Nathan Evans joined by Annette Palmer and Chris Mitchell to discuss the latest Star Wars prequel in one glorious spoiler-filled gab session. You’ve been warned!

Director Joseph Procopio Talks eHero and Competitive Gaming

On this 1337 episode of the Popzara Podcast our own Nia “Lady Terror” Bothwell goes PvP with director Joseph Procopio about eHero, his breakthrough film that looks at the fast-growing world of competitive gaming through the eyes of Tyler Conway, a troubled 22-year old hotshot who becomes an overnight eSports sensation.