The Fantasticast Episode 240: Fantastic Four #176 - Improbable As It May Seem -- The Impossible Man Is Back In Town

The Fantasticast Episode 240

George Perez Saves Stan Lee!

Hello, and welcome to episode 240 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week, we're arriving at the much-anticipated Fantastic Four #176, in which The Impossible Man shatters the fourth wall, causing havoc and mayhem in the Marvel Bullpen. With a Jack Kirby cover inspiring the action, Roy Thomas, George Perez and Joe Sinnott pull out all the stops, puncturing egos and giving cameos to just about everyone in the Bullpen.

Joining us for this madcap comic is frequent podcast e-mailer, comic book inker, and lifelong Fantastic Four fan Charles Yoakum. Together, we attempt to identify every single creator cameo, play a round of Starlin or Salicrup, and try and squeeze the entire show through Steve's Poppuppian filter. (It's a joke about an important piece of podcasting equipment, you see.) (Not, admittedly, a very good joke.) (Ah, well...)

Charles can be found at http://charlesyo.com/, and his blog at http://inkdestroyedmybrush.blogspot.co.uk/

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_240.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 239: Marvel Two-in-One #20 - Showdown At Sea

The Fantasticast Episode 239

Swastika Fidget Spinner

Hello, and welcome to episode 239 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week, we're finally bring to a completely satisfying (honest, guv) conclusion this multi-annual story involving multiple divergent World War IIs, time-travelling vibranium, mimetic Watchers, and underwhelming period superhero teams. Yes, it's Marvel Two-in-One #20, featuring the Liberty Legion, in their last attempt at standing in the spotlight in the 1970s.

Returning to join us for this episode is Michael Bailey, currently the most prominent Liberty Legion fan to be found within this episode. He's here to try and explain how gyroscopes can affect the power of brain and eyeballs in a jar welded to a giant flying swastika, and to show us why Gerry Anderson hipsters are the worst of the puppet hipsters.

Michael Bailey is the host of numerous podcasts, including From Crisis To Crisis: A Superman Podcast, Views From The Longbox, The Overlooked Dark Knight, the upcoming Married With Comics, and the upcoming It All Comes Back To Superman. All of these, as well as his comics blogging, can be found at http://www.fortressofbaileytude.com/

Direct download: http://www.thefantasticast.com/podcast/239

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 238: Marvel Two-In-One Annual #1 - Their Name Is Legion

The Fantasticast Episode 238

The Podcast With Everything But Yuuuul Brynner!

Hello, and welcome to episode 238 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week, we're doing something new on The Fantasticast. Marvel Two-in-One is going giant sized with Annual #1. Picking up the story threads of Fantastic Four Annual #11, the Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Thing heads back to World War II (via the world's slowest time machine), teaming up with the Liberty Legion to retrieve half of a vibranium cylinder. As you do.

Returning to The Fantasticast to help us cover this issue is former guest-host, voice of The Thing, podcaster, and fan of obscure World War II superhero teams, Michael Bailey. He's on hand to explain Roy Thomas's Time Wedge, The Thing's things, and exactly what happens when you find yourself rubbing against the crotch seams of the trousers of time.

Michael Bailey is the host of numerous podcasts, including From Crisis To Crisis: A Superman Podcast, Views From The Longbov, The Overlooked Dark Knight, the upcoming Married With Comics, and the upcoming It All Comes Back To Superman. All of these, as well as his comics blogging, can be found at http://www.fortressofbaileytude.com/

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_238.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 237: Fantastic Four #175 - When Giants Walk The Sky

The Fantasticast Episode 237

Bobblehead Galactus

Hello, and welcome to episode 237 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

It's an anniversary week at The Fantasticast, as we get to grips with the not-super-sized Fantastic Four #175. The High Evolutionary and Galactus are finally getting down to the battle for Counter-Earth, and the Fantastic Four can do little more than stand by and watch. A solution seems almost... impossible...

Roy Thomas and John Buscema (inking himself) present the first ever final ever Galactus story, concluding a tale that began with a giant golden gorilla, and ensuring that the life of Ben Grimm will never be the same again until the next time his life will never be the same again. All this, included in the limits of Galactus's peripheral vision.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_237.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 236: Marvel Two-in-One #19 - The Claws Of The Cougar

The Fantasticast Episode 236

The Inessential Tigra

Hello, and welcome to episode 236 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week on the show, we're taking a look at the history of the Cat People, as Tigra - The 61st Sexiest Female Character in comics, according to CBG - arrives in both the Baxter Building and Marvel Two-in-One #19. Tony Isabella, Bill Mantlo, Sal Buscema and Don Heck introduce an actual Were-Woman (don't think about it) in a book described by one of the team for this episode as "like reading gas."

Joining us for this episode is Gary Lactus, live from his spaceship in space. Gary's a lifelong Fantastic Four fan (although this issue may have affected this passion somewhat, and one of the hosts of SILENCE!, a fantastic comics podcast. Together, we discuss the nomenclature of Greer Nelson - Happy Housewife, the misadventures of Benjamin 'Shagger' Franklin, and exactly how Ben Grimm sleeps at night. And, just for kicks, there's also a brief discussion of a couple of pages in Avengers #151, in which Ben is a bit of a hypocrite.

Find Gary on SILENCE!, every week at mindlessones.com. Gary's civilian alter ego Fraser Geesin releases comics, short films, and more at frasergeesin.com. Follow Gary on twitter where he is @frasergeesin. And, if you like the very last thing in the show, you can find more at http://mindlessones.com/2012/12/24/silence-night-holy-shit/

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_236.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 235: Fantastic Four #174 - Starquest!

The Fantasticast Episode 235

I Drove My Fantasticar Through Your Haystack Last Night

Hello, and welcome to episode 235 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week, we continue our journey through the story of the High Evolutionary / Galactus war for the very existence of Counter-Earth. Ben and Reed find themselves inciting revolution on Torgo's planet of robots, whilst Johnny and Gorr go jousting on a suspiciously-cliched medieval planet. Well, I say Johnny does this - what he actually does is literally tread water for half a comic.

Roy Thomas, John Buscema, and Joe Sinnott present Fantastic Four #174, containing unusual armour, a life-changing admission, a cunning disguise, a discussion of why Reed isn't working (both literally and figuratively), and someone spoiling the Planet of the Apes. Some of those things might be us.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_235.mp3

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The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 234: Marvel Two-in-One #18 - Dark, Dark Demon-Night!

The Fantasticast Episode 234

No Charge? I Still Want A Refund!

Hello, and welcome to episode 234 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week is a Marvel Two-in-One week, and what a week it is. Marvel Two-in-One #18 features possible the most obscure guest star to ever appear in the comic. It's The Scarecrow, and if you think you know who this guy is, you should probably check again. The inhabitant of a supernatural painting that also happens to be a portal to another dimension, The Scarecrow is here to make Ben reconsider his views on the Supernatural and to fail to do his one job.

Bill Mantlo, Scott Edelman, Ron Wilson, Jim Mooney and Dan Adkins present a comic that completely fascinates Steve, as it works to incorporate a complex backstory and an entire supporting cast into one punch-happy team-up story. We also take a brief look at Super-Villain Team-Up #7, ignoring anything at all to do with The Shroud, and see just how the Fantastic Four react to being thrown out of Latveria by Henry Kissinger.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_234.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 233: Fantastic Four #173 - Counter-Earth Must Die At The Hands Of Galactus!

The Fantasticast Episode 233

Thank You, Rich Buckler

Hello, and welcome to episode 233 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week, it's the turn of Fantastic Four #173, as Ben Grimm prepares to battle Galactus in space, before events conspire to split the team up and hunt down a different snack for the World-Eater. Roy Thomas, John Buscema and Joe Sinnott present a tale of digging for oxygen, unconvincing reasons for Sue to stay out of the action, and the return of the surprising character.

But before all of this, we take a few minutes to remember writer and artist Rich Buckler, whose two year tenure as Fantastic Four artist we finished covering just a few months ago. Rich recently passed away after a long battle with cancer, and with his work fresh in our minds, we sit down to discuss his artistic contributions to the Fantastic Four, as well as his wider career in general. 

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_233.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 232: Marvel Team-Up #47 - I Must Fight The Basilisk

The Fantasticast Episode 232

Powered By Plotonium

Hello, and welcome to episode 232 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

We're concluding our coverage of this volcano-themed three part story by taking a look at Marvel Team-Up #47. With The Thing and Spider-Man finally teaming up, only they can stand between The Basilisk and the fiery destruction of New York. Bill Mantlo, Ron Wilson and Dan Adkins present a comic full of arse equality, and we genuinely compare the writing styles of Mantlo and Jonathan Hickman.

Joining us for this episode is writer and podcaster Peter Dillon-Trenchard. Pete is one half of The Mostly Made-Up Doctor Who Podcast, another half of Ranger Pod, and a regular writer for the fantastic film and TV website Den of Geek. We're pretty sure we gave him the strongest issue out of the three parts of the story, but we're not entirely sure that would stand up in court. Follow him on twitter at @pdtsaysthings

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_232.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 231: Marvel Two-in-One #17 - This City Afire!

The Fantasticast Episode 231

Andy vs Jabba The Hutt

Hello, and welcome to episode 231 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

We're returning once again to the world of Marvel Two-in-One for an issue of Marvel Team-Up that was printed in the wrong place for reasons that aren't exactly clear to us. As a result, we spend a little too long dealing with recent events for Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up and not enough time focusing on The Thing. Although, seeing as most of his pages are spent in a fight with The Basilisk, maybe that's not such a bad thing after all.

Bill Mantlo, Sal Buscema, Mike Esposito and Dave Hunt present Marvel Two-in-One #17, a book jam-packed with surprise volcanoes, unusual uses for web fluid, unlikely eye-beam propulsion, and the ever-changing vista as seen from the window of Peter Parker's apartment.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_231.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 230: Fantastic Four #172 - Cry, The Bedeviled Planet

The Fantasticast Episode 230

Feeding Twinkies To The Cosmic Cube

Hello, and welcome to episode 230 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week, we're returning to the scene of the crime, with a talking golden gorilla held in Reed Richards' sex dung- I mean, laboratory. It's Fantastic Four #172, which returns the team to space to battle The Destroyer, Herald of Galactus, for the very existence of the High Evolutionary and Counter Earth.

Bill Mantlo, George Perez, and Joe Sinnott present Cry, The Bedeviled Planet, a truncated story of intergalactic life-saving, and space-filling flashbacks. As well as this, we discover that Andy can't remember who's been on the show, and we discover a surprising addition to the very short list of Tony-nominated comics creators.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_230_Final.mp3

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The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 229: Marvel Two-in-One #16 / Super Villain Team-Up #6

The Fantasticast Episode 229

Surprise Pterodactyl

Hello, and welcome to episode 229 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

We're doing the unlikely this week, tackling two, full-length comics in one, full-length podcast. First up is Marvel Two-in-One #16, guest-starring Ka-Zar, Nick Fury, a surprised pterodactyl, a numbered tank, and a surprisingly-complacent Reed Richards. Written by Bill Mantlo, with art by Ron Wilson and Dan Adkins, it's a dino-tastic volcanic issue.

Then we're off to Latveria, as Steve Englehart, Herb Trimpe, and Jack Abel bring a story of the Fantastic Four going to war with Doctor Doom, invading his homeland for the first time. Only Namor the Sub-Mariner stands between them. Well, him and the infuriatingly-cryptic Shroud. Oh, and special guest star Henry Kissinger. Yes, him.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_229.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 228: Fantastic Four Annual #11 - And Then The Invaders

The Fantasticast Episode 228

8 Simple Rules For Punching A Nazi

Hello, and welcome to episode 228 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

For the first time in nearly three years, we open up the pages of a Fantastic Four Annual. The appearance of The Watcher and the disappearance of a small cylinder sets off a journey into an alternate past where the Nazis won World War II. Any similarity between our subject matter this week and a certain comic published this week is purely coincidental, but that doesn't stop us from spoiling the crap out of Secret Empire #0 as we cover Fantastic Four Annual #11.

Roy Thomas, John Buscema and Sam Grainger team the Fantastic Four with The Invaders to set history back on track (or not back on track, depending on your viewpoint). Featuring confusion as to how causality and memory actually works, Steve attempting to speak German, incredulity at a certain creator with the initials NS, and the discover of the lessons of the postman.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_228.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 227: Fantastic Four #171 - Death Is A Golden Gorilla

The Fantasticast Episode 227

Swipe Left To Turn Page

Hello, and welcome to episode 227 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

Apparently, at the time this comic was released, there was a new King Kong movie about to be released. Now, I'd hate to suggest that such a cinematic event would affect the plotting of this issue... but when there's a giant golden gorilla scaling the Baxter Building with Sue Richards in its hand whilst Ben Grimm cracks numerous Dino de Laurentiis jokes, it's hard not to draw that conclusion.

Roy Thomas, George Perez, Joe Sinnott, and Rich Buckler (guest-penciling three pages for no readily-discernible reason) present Fantastic Four #171 - Death Is A Golden Gorilla, introducing Gorr, and featuring another completely non-disastrous date for Johnny Storm and Frankie Raye. All this, plus a seemingly-invisible barcode.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_227.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 226: Marvel Two-in-One #15 - The Return Of The Living Eraser

The Fantasticast Episode 226

Interdimensional Linoleum

Hello, and welcome to episode 226 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

Hey everyone, the Living Eraser is back! Woohoo! Yaaay! We totally know who he is! And that completely affects our level of enthusiasm for his return! It's Marvel Two-in-One #15, in which the Living Eraser returns, along with Morbius, The Living Vampire. It's a tale of granite blocks, interdimensional travel, and a love untempered by an uncontrollable bloodlust.

Arvell Jones makes his full-issue Marvel debut, under the inks of the legendary Dick Giordano, whilst Bill Mantlo tries to get an interesting story out of two not-particularly-interesting guest stars. We also examine the confusing origins of this issue, and ask the troubling question: who erases the eraser?

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_226.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 225: Fantastic Four #170 - A Sky Full Of Fear

The Fantasticast Episode 225

The Prat In The Cat In The Hat

Hello, and welcome to episode 225 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week, we say a fond farewell to the most recent substitute member of the Fantastic Four, Luke Cage. A victim of mind-control and Reed's inventiveness, the Hero For Hire is sent packing back to Harlem. But not before he goes toe-to-toe with an artificially-enhanced Ben Grimm across the skies of New York in Fantastic Four #170.

Roy Thomas, incoming regular penciler George Perez, and Joe Sinnott present what we consider to be the strongest story to date for Alicia Masters, as she single-handedly uncovers the villain behind the entire plot. We also spend time examining Riker's perverted boot, experiencing some OVER-ACT-ING!, and asking that all-important question: Who, or what, is Captain Sticky?

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_225.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 224: Super-Villain Team-Up #5 - ...And Be A Villain!

The Fantasticast Episode 224

Tank O' Doom

Hello, and welcome to episode 224 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week, we're indulging our villainous side, as we explore Super-Villain Team-Up #5. Namor and Doctor Doom take the lead, leaving the Fantastic Four to move in their orbit. Despite being a team-up title, Doctor Doom has condemned Namor to a slow, suffocating death, and only the Sub-Mariner's sometime love rival Reed Richards can help him.

With Steve Englehart, Herb Trimpe, and Don Perlin at the helm, things are a little more complex than this, with multiple flashbacks, underwater devastation, a personal challenge, some glorious gloating, and a moment where Johnny takes a little to long to admire Namor's tiny green trunks. Well, they're not that tiny, if you get my drift...

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_224.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 223: Fantastic Four #169 - Five Characters In Search Of A Madman

The Fantasticast Episode 223

Spinal Discord

Hello, and welcome to episode 223 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week sees the team come to terms with its new line-up, just in time a mysterious force to take control of Luke Cage, MASTERing him like some kind of PUPPET. Yes, it's Fantastic Four #169, in which Ben Grimm goes looking for a fight, Luke Cage goes looking for some continuity, and Roy Thomas goes looking for a clumsy bit of setup for an upcoming annual.

Pencils are provided by Rich Buckler, in what would turn out to be his final full issue of the Fantastic Four for over 150 issues. We take a few minutes in this episode to look back on his work, a few minutes before Andy is forced to face an uncomfortable truth about 1970s pop culture.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_223.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 222: Marvel Two-in-One #14 - Ghost Town

The Fantasticast Episode 222

Charles Atlas Meets Scientology

Hello, and welcome to episode 222 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week we're encountering ghosts and the devil's offspring in a deserted town, in Marvel Two-in-One #14. Daimon Hellstrom, the Son of Satan, guest-stars in an issue in which he and The Thing go on a ghost/demon hunt, all because Alicia Masters has a strange feeling about an eerily-accurate model. Bill Mantlo, Herb Trimpe and John Tartaglione present a tale that we've chosen to read as including a Nazi Doombot Thing, full of Shat and getting strident with a trident.

Joining us for this episode is returning guest-host Chris Thompson. Chris is Brand Manager for Titan Comics, and is previously an Eisner Award-winning retailer. He's also a huge fan of the Son of Satan, which is a bit of bonus as neither of the regular hosts can consider themselves such a thing. Chris can be found on twitter as @popculturehound, his fantastic interview podcast can be found at Multiversity.com, and Titan Comics can be found at http://titan-comics.com

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_222.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, or leave them in the comments below. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Fantasticast is Patreon supported. Visit www.patreon.com/fantasticast to donate and support us.

The Fantasticast is part of the Flickering Myth Podcast network.

Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

The Fantasticast Episode 221: Fantastic Four #168 - Where Have All The Powers Gone?

The Fantasticast Episode 221

Ben & Alicia 'Celebrating'

Hello, and welcome to episode 221 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This week, it's all change for the Fantastic Four. It's out with the now-human-and-powerless Benjamin Grimm, and in with the unbreakable-skinned Power Man, Luke Cage. Yes, thanks to an ancient bylaw that definitely wasn't made up by Roy Thomas as he sat down to plot this issue, only people with super powers can be on the Fantastic Four, and Reed wastes no time in chucking his best friend to the curb.

Rich Buckler returns to pencil Luke's first adventure with the Fantastic Four, as the team take on The Wrecker, paperwork, reckless piloting, truncated television interviews, faulty Danger Room doors, and lots and lots of barely-off-panel nookie.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_221.mp3

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Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk

Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.