Step into the haunted halls of the Scholastic Book Fair as Nate cracks open Goosebumps - the paperbacks that taught a generation how to laugh before they screamed.

From R.L. Stine's wild origin story and those hypnotic Tim Jacobus covers, to the Fox Kids TV show, the book-banning panic, and the legacy that still shapes our imaginations today; this Checkpoint Extra is one big love letter to 90s safe scares.

Hear how Goosebumps sparked a lifelong passion for horror, inspired a generation of readers, and maybe even trained us to stay cool when real fear hits.

Featuring:

The Book Fair economy of elementary school legends.

Why The Knight in Screaming Armor still rules.

The Goosebumps vs. Are You Afraid of the Dark? debate.

And Producer Steve chaos you didn't ask for.

Whether you were a Carly Beth, a Slappy fan, or just in it for the holographic bookmark - grab your flashlight. Reader beware...you're in for a nostalgic scare!

The lobby is ALWAYS open...so...STAY GOLD, NERD BOLD.

The Nerdoween season has begun!

In this special kickoff episode of The Average Joe Nerdcast, Nate dives headfirst into the haunted heart of pop culture; from classic monsters to gaming's creepiest legends.

Inside this episode:

Monster Manual: Dracula-the original prince of darkness, from folklore to film to pixels.

Top 5 Slashers Ranked: Ghostface, Michael Myers, Freddy, Jason, and Chucky battle for the crown!

Gaming Urban Legends: Polybius, Ben Drowned, Lavender Town, and other haunted games that blurred the line between code and curse.

Movie Monster Spotlight: The Xenomorph-a deep dive into the Alien franchise, H.R. Giger's nightmarish design, and why this perfect organism still terrifies us.

Halloween of Yesteryear: The 1980s-a nostalgic walk through VHS horror marathons, plastic costumes, and the golden age of trick-or-treating.

Community Checkpoint: Real Ghost Stories-Nate shares his own true encounters: the Shadow Man, the Laughing Farmhouse, and the Haunted Rocking Chair.

It's part history, part horror, and all heart-the perfect kickoff to celebrate everything that makes Halloween one of the best times of the year!

Be sure to Like, Follow, Rate, and Review to keep the algorithm Gods fed so we can continue to build this community and share your own ghost stories: Email [email protected] -your real tales may be featured in one of the following episodes leading up to Halloween!

Stay Gold, Nerd Bold...and Stay Spooky!

Go Team Venture! In this monster cut of AJN Checkpoint Extras, Nate hijacks the feed to celebrate The Venture Bros. - his personal crown jewel of Adult Swim. From Jonas Ventures Sr.'s toxic legacy to Rusty's failures, Brock's loyalty, the Monarch's obsession, and the Guild's ridiculous bureaucracy, this 45-minute-deep dive explores why a parody cartoon grew into one of the richest serialized stories in animation.

We'll revisit essential episodes like Tag-Sale You're It!, Ghosts of the Sargasso, Operation: P.R.O.M., and more-plus character arcs for Hank, Dean, Gary, Sheila, Red Death, the Pirate Captain, and even Dermot. And of course, we'll break down the movie Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart and the emotional ending that cemented the show's legacy.

If you love The Venture Bros., Adult Swim, or just great storytelling born out of chaos, this one's for you!

And hey! If you dug this trip through the Venture-verse, do us a favor: hit that follow button, drop a rating, and leave a review. It feeds those algorithm gods and helps more people stumble into this nerdy mess.

Stay Gold, Nerd Bold!

Step into the kingdom of Cartoon Network of the late '90s to the early 2000s. From the wild experiments of Cartoon Cartoons to the anime revolution of Toonami, the late-night absurdity of Adult Swim, and the nostalgia vault of Boomerang, this episode is a full deep dive into the network's golden age.

Join Nate as he takes you back to the late '90s and early 2000s; when after-school TV felt like an event, Courage was fighting off creepy villains, TOM was captaining The Absolution, and Adult Swim was rewriting comedy one surreal bumper at a time. Along the way, you'll hear personal stories, behind-the-scenes history, and reflections on why this era of TV still echoes today.

Whether you were there for it live, or you're discovering the legends for the first time, this is the definitive trip through Cartoon Network's golden years.

Plus: stick around for a sneak peek at the Nerdoween kickoff!

In this very first AJN Checkpoint Extra, Nate dives deep into the untold backstory of Master Chief-John-117. From his abduction on Eridanus II and the brutal Spartan-II program on Reach, to his first missions against Insurrectionists and the Covenant, this lore drop explores how a boy became humanity's greatest supersoldier.

We'll briefly cover:

The Human Insurrection and why ONI resurrected a shelved supersoldier program.

Flash Clones, augmentations, and the cost of becoming a Spartan-II.

John's earliest missions: Operation TALON, Chi Ceti IV, and Silent Storm.

The promotion that made him the Master Chief

Why ONI labeled him a "Hyper Lethal Vector" (one of only two Spartans to earn it).

The paradox of John as both savior and victim.

Blue Team's role in keeping him human.

Plus, your Halo 3 anniversary community memories.

Whether you're a Halo veteran or new to the expanded universe, this lore drop brings the myth and the man into focus.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, share, rate, and review to help us feed the algorithm gods and grow the Average Joe Nerdcast community.

Stay Gold, Nerd Bold

Eighteen years ago, on September 25, 2007, the world lined up at midnight to grab Halo 3; and gaming culture was never the same. In this episode of the Average Joe Nerdcast, Nate fires up the nostalgia machine to relive the Fight We All Waited to Finish:

Midnight launches, Mountain Dew Game Fuel, and Forge nights until sunrise.

Bungie's scars from Halo 2 and how they restructured to deliver closure with Halo 3.

Legendary campaign moments: Sierra 117, The Covenant, Cortana, and the Warthog finale.

Multiplayer chaos: Forge, Theater Mode, custom games, MLG, and why Halo 3 defined online culture.

Marketing that made history: "Believe" diorama, Starry Night, and Landfall by Neill Blomkamp.

Plus: Top weapons, equipment, vehicles, and cut content that could've changed the game.

This week also marks the 18th anniversary of Halo 3, so Nate reflects on the Spartans we stood shoulder to shoulder with: the friendships, rivalries, and memories that made Halo more than just a game.

If you grew up with the Xbox 360, LAN parties, and staying up way too late on Xbox Live, this is your time capsule. Whether you're a longtime fan or a curious newcomer, come celebrate why Halo 3 remains one of the greatest games ever made.

Don't forget to rate, follow, and share the show! And share your Halo 3 stories to the show on socials, you might get a shout out in a future episode.

Halo 2 wasn't just a sequel, it was a revolution. In this episode of the Average Joe Nerdcast, Nate breaks down the story behind one of the most influential video games of all time. From Bungie's infamous "cathedral in a hurricane" development chaos, to the midnight launch madness of November 9, 2004, to the introduction of Xbox Live multiplayer that redefined online gaming forever, this is the definitive Halo 2 deep dive.

We'll cover:

The turbulent development of Halo 2 at Bungie-leadership shakeups, canceled levels, and that unforgettable cliffhanger ending.

How Halo 2's expanded sandbox changed the game: dual-wielding, new weapons, new vehicles, and terrifying new enemies like the Brutes and The Gravemind.

The Arbiter's bold introduction and how it reshaped the Halo story and lore.

The legendary soundtrack, from Steve Vai's guitar riffs to Breaking Benjamin and Incubus fueling the fight.

The Cultural phenomenon of Halo 2: record breaking sales, midnight launch parties, Xbox Live trash talk, clans, and the emblem legacy that forged an entire generation.

Whether you were at the midnight release with a copy in hand, grinding ranked matches on Lockout until 3am, or just discovering the series today, this episode explores why Halo 2 remains one of the most important and beloved campaigns in the Halo franchise.

DON'T FORGET TO LIKE, FOLLOW, AND SHARE! Join the Nerdcast on Facebook, Instagram, and X! Your comments might be featured in future episodes!

Welcome to the very first episode of the Average Joe Nerdcast! Nate kicks things off by taking a deep dive into the game that changed everything: Halo: Combat Evolved (2001).

From Bungie's scrappy indie beginnings with Gnop! and Marathon, to Steve Jobs unveiling Halo at Macworld, to the infamous "Duke" controller and latenight LAN parties, this episode explores how Halo didn't just launch the original Xbox, it redefined the entire FPS genre.

We cover:

Bungie's history before Halo (Pathways into Darkness, Marathon, Myth)

How Microsoft's acquisition saved the Xbox launch.

The "Golden Triangle" of gameplay: guns, grenades, melee.

Split-screen chaos, LAN parties, and the glory of Blood Gulch.

The Flood reveal, survival horror inside a sci-fi shooter.

Why Marty O'Donnell's Halo theme is burned into gamer DNA

Whether you grew up hauling CRTs into basements, or you're just discovering Halo's legacy today, this is the story of how one game built an empire.

Stick around for the end for a sneak peek at Episode 2, where we dive into Halo 2, Xbox Live, and one of the greatest marketing campaigns in gaming history.

If you love gaming history, Xbox nostalgia, Bungie lore, and Halo deep dives, hit follow-this is just the beginning!

Welcome to the Average Joe Nerdcast! This teaser episode sets the stage for what's to come: a podcast where we celebrate the games, movies, and nerd culture moments that shaped a generation. From LAN parties to comic book crossovers, host Nate brings nostalgia, stories, and a casual vibe straight from the heart. Hit follow and get ready for deep dives, fun tangents, and plenty of nerdy goodness.