{"podcast":{"title":"The United States Department of Nerds Podcast","slug":"the-united-states-department-of-nerds-podcast-6458372","podcast_index_feed_id":6458372,"rss_url":"https://feeds.transistor.fm/the-united-states-department-of-nerds-podcast","website_url":null,"image_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/3uR7wzHPN4OuGqAXjlJP-WKXevDcYxp6TefwvEFCYkI/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8xMDE0/NzI5MzBlZGRiOGQ2/MzFlNGI2NzJiMzc2/MTczOC5wbmc.jpg","author":"Datfeelin Podcast Network","episode_count":126,"summary":"USDN Podcast is a cinematic indie comics interview series hosted by the USDN_Chairman and the Council of Nerds spotlighting the creators, storytellers, and worldbuilders shaping the future of independent comics. Each episode dives beyond headlines into the real journeys behind the books from Kickstarter launches and creative struggles to the philosophies driving today’s indie storytelling movement. This isn’t about rumors or recycled news. It’s about the people creating the worlds. Through in-depth conversations, creator spotlights, and crowdfunding discussions, USDN explores: • The rise of indie comics • The business of crowdfunding • The art of worldbuilding • The realities of independent storytelling USDN is where indie comics come to life for the fans, by the creators, and powered by the community.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-31T02:20:16.542664+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-united-states-department-of-nerds-podcast-6458372"},"episode":{"title":"Zach Zeman - Building Ghostwood: A Paranormal Indie Comic Universe","slug":"zach-zeman-building-ghostwood-a-paranormal-indie-comic-universe","published_at":"2026-04-05T14:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-united-states-department-of-nerds-podcast-6458372/zach-zeman-building-ghostwood-a-paranormal-indie-comic-universe","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-united-states-department-of-nerds-podcast-6458372","url":"https://share.transistor.fm/s/5cbae28f","audio_url":"https://media.transistor.fm/5cbae28f/99c1a852.mp3","summary":"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. We explore: Zach’s transition from screenwriting to comics The influence of horror classics like EC Comics, X-Files, and Buffy The structure behind Ghostwood’s “monster-of-the-week” storytelling Long-term worldbuilding and character arcs The realities of indie comic creation and distribution If you’re into horror, supernatural storytelling, and indie comics , this is a conversation you don’t want to miss. 📖 Read Ghostwood: https://globalcomix.com/c/ghostwood http://patreon.com/GhostwoodComic 🌐 Follow Ghostwood: https://www.instagram.com/ghostwood_comic https://www.threads.com/@ghostwood_comic https://www.facebook.com/61569206552375/ 🎙️ ABOUT USDN PODCAST Hosted by The Chairman, The USDN Podcast is a creator-focused media platform spotlighting indie comic creators, storytellers, and worldbuilders shaping the future of comics. ✔ Indie creator interviews ✔ Kickstarter campaigns ✔ Worldbuilding & storytelling craft ✔ Creator-owned publishing insights Subscribe and join the Council of Nerds. 🔗 FOLLOW USDN: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@USDN_Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/USDN_Podcast 📬 BUSINESS / MEDIA INQUIRIES: thechairman@usdnpodcast.com ⚡ SUPPORT THE SHOW: 🧰 BCW Supplies: https://www.bcwsupplies.com/?acc=usdn 💥 Use Code: USDN Affiliate disclosure: USDN may earn a commission if you use our link or code. 🎙️ The USDN Podcast - Where indie comics come to life.","meta_description":"Zach Zeman joins The USDN Podcast to break down GHOSTWOOD - a genre-blending indie comic exploring paranormal investigations, hidden government agencies,…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4567,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-united-states-department-of-nerds-podcast-6458372/episodes/zach-zeman-building-ghostwood-a-paranormal-indie-comic-universe/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-united-states-department-of-nerds-podcast-6458372/zach-zeman-building-ghostwood-a-paranormal-indie-comic-universe.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}