The PDX Broadsides is a nerdy pop-folk trio that sings about science, piracy, superheroes, robots, and other geeky topics with great vigor and harmony. Hailing from Portland, Oregon (PDX, get it?), they formed in September 2011 on accident in a crucible of exhaustion, excessive coffee and too much wine. They have become known for their harmonies and clever writing.
Dr. Jessica Hebert has a PhD in reproductive biology and performs as Quartermaster Greta for Portland piratical entertainers PDXYAR. Hollyanna McCollom is the author of the Moon Guide to Portland and builds costumes for cosplay and burlesque. Christian Lipski was Portland’s foremost comics journalist and served as a judge for the comics industry’s Eisner Awards.
The trio will be performing live at the 2018 Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival at 1 p.m. in the Main Theater. Before seeing them do their thing, get to know Jessica, Hollyanna and Christian a little better with our nerdy spin on the Proust Questionnaire:
1. Cake or pie?
Hollyanna: Cake
Christian: Pie. It can be hot or cold, it’s never dried out, and adding ice cream makes it better, not worse.
Jessica: Why not both? I demand both.
2. What was your first comic book?
Hollyanna: DAR: A Super Girly Top Secret Diary by Erika Moen
Christian: A giant-sized reprint DC did of All Star Comics #3 with the Justice Society of America.
Jessica: Marvel released a Barbie comic book line in the early ’90s. Those are the first ones I can remember buying with my own money!
3. What makes you laugh out loud?
Hollyanna: Cat videos
Christian: When people get (mildly) injured while showing off.
Jessica: I laugh uproariously pretty easily, but the writers at Clickhole and Cracked for some reason always have their finger on my absurd funny bone. The schedule of Ben Franklin made me laugh so hard that I hurt myself and couldn’t breathe right for several days.
4. If you were an animal, what would it be?
Hollyanna: I am a rabbit. But, I aspire to be more like a capybara.
Christian: I’d like to say fox, but I’m pretty sure I’d be a little bird.
Jessica: I’d like to say a fox, because they’re so quick and clever and sleek, but I think I’m probably something far more domesticated, like a collie. I am happiest when I am being helpful and spending time with my people. I am very loyal, and I like a good snack. (Christian says I’m a Muppet. He’s not wrong.)
5. Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead or Orphan Black?
Hollyanna: Game of Thrones
Christian: Game of Thrones – love that fantasy intrigue!
Jessica: Game of Thrones. No interest in Walking Dead (see Q6), and I haven’t seen Orphan Black yet, though I think as a biologist, I’d really like it.
6. What makes you squeamish?
Hollyanna: Expired food and misogyny.
Christian: Rodents!
Jessica: Flesh wounds. I’m great in most emergency situations, but the moment the initial adrenaline-fueled first response is over, I’m going to get queasy. Fake gore. I don’t do horror well.
7. Is there a comic book character from any genre that you just cannot help but follow?
Hollyanna: Lying Cat
Christian: Loki – he’s the perfect combination of hero and villain, plus he can swap genders.
Jessica: Wonder Woman. She’s such an important symbol of feminine power and strength. She’s smart, believes in the good in people, and fights on the side of justice. I started to follow her thanks to celebrations for Wonder Woman Day in Portland, where you could see so many artists’ interpretations of what Wonder Woman means to them, from the funny to the serious, while raising money for domestic violence charities. I think that’s something that Wonder Woman would like a lot.
8. Leader, lone wolf or double agent?
Hollyanna: Lone Wolf
Christian: Lone wolf OWOOOOOOOOOO
Jessica: Leader, though if there’s a more expert person in the room, I’m happy to be a second in command.
9. If you came back as a person or thing, what would it be?
Hollyanna: The Key of F#Major
Christian: This gets me thinking about what I *deserve* to come back as, so I’m going to say “tree” and move on.
Jessica: Do we get to choose? Is it the future? Where even am I right now? I guess I’d like to be an otter. Everyone likes otters.
10. What profession, other than what you are currently doing, would you like to attempt?
Hollyanna: Animator
Christian: Comic book editor!
Jessica: I’m really lucky that I love what I do: scientist, science communicator, nerdy musician. These are all super awesome things to be. I like teaching and I’m not doing it right now, but I hope to do it again in the future. If it has to be a totally new job, then I’d like to be a film actress or a paid professional ice cream taster.
11. Whovian, Trekkie, Ringer, Browncoat, Potterhead or Jedi?
Hollyanna: Yes, please.
Christian: Yes. I go all ways.
Jessica: We have a track called “I Go Both Ways” for this exact reason, friends. You can be all of these things and it’s okay! If I have to pick one, I’ll go with Potterhead. I’m coming to terms with my Hufflepuffness.
12. What is playing on your smartphone right now?
Hollyanna: Captain and Tennille “Love Will Keep Us Together”
Christian: My embarrassing Spotify playlist of modern country love songs.
Jessica: I’m always listening to audiobooks; I devour them. Audiobooks keep my brain stimulated and my hands going. I typically go through about two books a week. I just finished the new “Dresden Files” short story collection Brief Cases by Jim Butcher earlier today, and started Changeless, the second book of the excellent supernatural Victorian steampunk “Parasol Protectorate” series by Gail Carriger.
13. What is your favorite TV show or movie?
Hollyanna: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Christian: One?? That’s mean! Let’s go with the movie Velvet Goldmine and be done with it.
Jessica: The 1985 movie Clue with Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Martin Mull, and a dozen other absolutely amazing folks. It never fails to cheer me up.
14. Name three things you cannot live without.
Hollyanna: Food, carbonated beverages, creative outlets
Christian: My iPad, my guitar, and pizza.
Jessica: Coffee, SCIENCE!, my supportive and completely kick-butt husband Royal.
15. Do you believe in aliens?
Hollyanna: I don’t not believe.
Christian: Yep! This universe is a pretty big place, so there’s room for anything to develop.
Jessica: I believe in extraterrestrial life. I think the first thing we’re going to find out there is going to look like Earth’s archaea, the unicellular organisms that grow in extreme environments like near volcanic vents and in deserts. I don’t think we can rule anything out. As Yakko Warner tells us, “It’s a great big universe and we’re all really puny.”