Books & Nachos

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Brock, Arnie, and Stuart invite you into their flying car as they head back to Hogwarts, and pry open the cover of The Chamber of Secrets. This second Harry Potter novel finds the boy wizard trying to unmask the Slytherin heir who threatens to commit genocide on Muggle-born classmates.  Was house elf Dobby right to warn children away from a school year that might petrify them?  Have a seat on the toilet and listen to the hosts moan about it all.  Listen Now!     

Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone

Brock, Arnie, and Stuart use their combined podcasting magic to revive Books & Nachos so that the literary adventures of Harry Potter can finally be discussed!  How did this orphaned boy wizard enchant so many millions of readers from all around the world?  And are philosophers or sorcerers responsible for the stone at the center of this first installment?  You won’t need a wand to conjure the answers. Just strap on a pair of headphones and Listen Now!      

Big Trouble in Little China/Escape from New York by Greg Pak, Daniel Bayliss, and Triona Farrell

Snake Plissken is back, but which Snake Plissken is the real Snake Plissken? After reviewing four BOOM! Studios Escape from New York graphic novels, Jakob and Jason shake the pillars of heaven to see John Carpenter’s antihero go head-to-head with an alter ego from Little China. That’s right, Jack Burton is back, and he’s teaming with Snake to take on villains of the past, and present. Join us once more for the final episode in our Books & Nachos Escape from New York series.

Escape from Cleveland Christopher by Sebela and Maxim Simic

Fun times in Cleveland again! Snake Plissken’s been retired for more than a decade, but when the government comes for his land, he’s going to lead a revolution against the one percent! The final volume in BOOM! Studios’ Escape from New York series leads directly into the events of John Carpenter’s Escape from L.A., but does the creative team know that? Jakob and Jason have some questions, and a whole lot of fun, saying goodbye to Snake in the penultimate episode of our Books & Nachos Snake Plissken series.

Escape from New York Vol. 3: Escape to New York by Christopher Sebela and Maxim Simic

Snake Plissken just wants to get away, but first, he’s got a bone to pick with his former president. In the third volume of BOOM! Studios’ Escape from New York series, the hero of John Carpenter’s iconic action film returns to his roots, breaking into the world’s largest prison to take down an arch nemesis. It’s the showdown this series has been building toward, and hosts Jakob and Jason are here to break it down. Could it overcome the campiness of Escape from Florida and the unneeded detour that was Escape from Siberia? Well, this one’s got a flying car. Nuff said.

Escape from Siberia by Christopher Sebela, Diego Barreto, Mike Henderson

Snake Plissken leaves the Sunshine State for Siberia in the second volume of "Escape from New York" by BOOM! Studios. John Carpenter's eyepatch-wearing outlaw is sent to a frozen warzone by a vengeful president, but before he can face down his enemy, Snake must outwit bears, soldiers, a man from his past, and a cult of comet worshippers. It's as crazy as it sounds, but is it any good? Jakob and Jason follow Snake's journey in our ongoing Books & Nachos series, which ties into our Escape from New York retrospective on Now Playing Podcast.

Escape from Florida by Christopher Sebela, Diego Barreto, Tim Bradstreet

In 2014, comic book publisher BOOM! Studios acquired the rights to produce new stories based on John Carpenter’s “Escape from New York” and its hero Snake Plissken. Their first story picks up seconds after the finale of Carpenter’s 1981 film, with Plissken on the run from the United States Police Force and seeking refuge in the “free” state of Florida. But Snake’s in for a helluva fight at every turn. Does “Escape from Florida” live up to the legacy of Carpenter’s creation? It’s hard to say when you can’t tell what’s happening from page to page. Follow Snake’s journey with hosts Jakob and Jason, and find out if this is a worthy successor.

Escape from New York by Mike McQuay

Filmmaker John Carpenter scored a hit when his “Escape from New York” hit theaters in 1981, introducing the world to Kurt Russell’s eyepatch-wearing antihero Snake Plissken. But there’s more to the story than what audiences saw on the screen. This week Jakob and Jason (making his Books and Nachos debut) break down author Mike McQuay’s adaptation of Carpenter’s film, including the deleted scenes and backstory that add new dimension to the Plissken character and the authority figures that force him into a suicide mission on the prison island of Manhattan. PLUS, our hosts break down two additional Plissken stories in comic book form; “Adventures of Snake Plissken” and “John Carpenter’s Snake Plissken Chronicles.”

The Godfather by Mario Puzo

Before it became one of the most beloved movies of all time, The Godfather was a blockbuster novel with characters and plot points that never made it to the screen.  Join long lost podcaster Stuart as he comes home to his Books & Nachos family and parses out all the changes made to Mario Puzo’s classic.

Bad Man by Dathan Auerbach

Ben's three-year-old brother Eric disappeared five years ago, but Ben continues to search. When Ben takes a job at the store where Eric vanished things are not all that they seem. Join Brock for his spoiler-free review of Bad Man to see if this is the perfect thriller to cap off your summer reading list!