The Fantasticast Episode 298: Marvel Two-in-One #46 - Battle In Burbank

The Fantasticast Episode 298

Oh So Tropey

Hello, and welcome to episode 298 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've got a triple-shot of late-70s Marvel goodness for you. We start with Marvel Two-in-One #46, in which some jealousy over the Bill Bixby TV series leads The Thing to Hollywood, where a throwdown with the Hulk disrupts an attempted kidnapping of Karen Page. Allan Kupperberg, Chic Stone, Gaspar Saladino, Roger Stern, and Jim Shooter are along for the ride.

Then it's off to Earth-7812, which attempts to answer the question... What If Rick Jones Had Become The Hulk. What If? 312 sees Reed Richards trying to help Bruce Banner separate the teen from the monster. And finally, we swing by an introspective Spider-Man in Spectacular Spider-Man #25. Oh, and we also discover what the word is.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_298.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 270: Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2 - Death Watch!

The Fantasticast Episode 270

Alan Moore's Thunderbirds

Hello, and welcome to episode 270 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

This is it. The grand climax to the first grand, cosmic story depicting the threat to the universe posed by Thanos, his armies, and the reunited Infinity Gems. The Avengers stand between Thanos and Earth, whilst Adam Warlock must sacrifice everything to stop his foe. And, caught in the middle, are the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing, and your friendly, neighbourhood Spider-Man.

Jim Starlin and Joe Rubinstein present Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2, the grand climax to Starlin's first cycle of Thanos stories. Featuring Ed Piskor's X-Men thing, spoilers for Salem's Lot, the most obscure reference ever made on the podcast, and Jim Bowen as... Thanos.

Joining us for this momentous, magnificent magazine is writer and critic Steve W. Morris. Steve has written for sites such as Comics Beat, Comics Alliance (where he snuck us onto the site), and CBR, as well as running his own single-issue review site at shelfdust.com, and the monthly comics newsletter The MNT, which can be found on patreon at https://www.patreon.com/comicsmnt. Follow him on twitter, where he is @stevewmorris

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_270.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 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 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

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 219: Marvel Two-in-One #13 - I Created Braggadoom, The Monster That Walked Like A Man

The Fantaticast Episode 219

Pulsing & Throbbing With A Life Of Its Own

Hello, and welcome to episode 219 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 world of Marvel Two-in-One as Luke Cage, Power Man tangles with both The Thing and a pair of giant green shins. It's the semi-tragic tale of Braggadoom, The Mountain That Walked Like A Man, that only gains its tragic nature if you ignore the multiple deaths and the sheer scale of city-wide destruction. We're asking only the most important questions on this podcast - just what do a plotter, two scripters, a penciller and an inker think a mountain looks like anyway?

Joining us for this historic first team-up between Luke Cage and any member of the Fantastic Four is Joe Cunningham. He's the host of Cinematic Universe, a guide to comics adaptations on screens both big and small, and he joins us to investigate the relative sizes of boats and bridges, and to wonder just what would happen if this comic featured Chuff and Spack - The Mountains That Walked Like A Man!

Cinematic Universe can be found at cinematicmultiverse.com, and Joe can be found on twitter where he is @JoeCunningham14

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_219.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 216: Fantastic Four #165 - The Light of Other Worlds

The Fantasticast Episode 216

Venusian Fiduciary Services

This week, we're looking at Fantastic Four #165, by Roy Thomas, George Perez, and Joe Sinnott. We've got a whole load of 'splaining to do, as we discover the origins of the Crusader, his connections to a 1950s iteration of the 1940s character that would feed directly into a 1970s character who would become prominent in the 1990s. Oh, and it turns out that thanks to the power of retcon, it's not that person after all. Thanks, Jeff Parker!

Somewhere amongst all of the continuity porn is a story of misplaced revenge, confused motivations, sensible bank managers, unreasonable loan requests, and people miraculously having their heads crushed by high-velocity masonry. What else would expect from the mighty world of Marvel?

And, just as a heads-up, next week's episode will include a discussion of the 1970s Fantastic Four radio series, featuring Stan Lee and Bill Murray. You might want to check out archive.org or Old Time Radio Downloads for some episodes.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_216.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 213: Fantastic Four #164 - The Crusader Syndrome

The Fantasticast Episode 213

A New Year's Spanking

Hello, and welcome to episode 213 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

We kick of 2017 with Fantastic Four #164, which is an issue full of firsts. It's the first issue produced under the purveyance of incoming Editor-in-Chief Mark Wolfman. It's the first appearance of the villain known as The Crusader. It's the first appearance of Frankie Raye. And, as you can see from the episode image, it's the first cover by Jack Kirby following his return to Marvel.

It doesn't stop there. It's also the first issue with pencils by George Perez, making his first credited appearance on the Fantastic Four. Will the book survive so many shake-ups? Will Sue survive a 'good-natured' spanking from Ben? Will Ben survive giving the spanking to Sue? And just what is the stealth monogram? Find out, in an all-new episode of The Fantasticast.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_213.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 200: Fantastic Four #157 - The Endeth Cometh

The Fantasticast Episode 200

Let's Go Latverian Bargain Hunting - Yeah!

Hello, and welcome to episode 200 (yes, 200) of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

For our giant-size anniversary special, we're taking a look at Fantastic Four #157, the conclusion to the latest Doctor Doom/Silver Surfer storyline. The Doomsman returns, the Surfer gets a snog, the truth about Shalla-Bal is revealed, and revealed again, and someone's playing a much bigger game than the Fantastic Four realise. Roy Thomas, Len Wein, Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott welcome the coming of the Endeth, whatever that is.

Following this, we take a very deep dive into our mailbag, stuffed full of listener questions. We wonder about which version of the films deserve to continue, who Johnny's least-terrible girlfriend was, discover how we'd bring back the Fantastic Four, explore what's in our current pull-list, and reassign Stan and Jack to other comics properties. All this, and more, in our extra-sized 200th episode.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_200.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 197: The Defenders #20 - The Woman She Was

The Fantasticast Episode 197

Suspiciously Unsolid Wall

Hello, and welcome to episode 197 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

In an unusual move, we're throwing our regular titles to the side, and spending this week in the weird world of Marvel's premier non-team, The Defenders. Issue 20 brings to a conclusion the plot line involving the harmonica, the Valkyrie and Destiny that has been running through the last two issues of Marvel Two-in-One, and because The Thing is along for the ride, we are too.

Guided by the hands of Steve Gerber, Sal Buscema and Vince Coletta, we follow The Thing, Valkyrie, Doctor Strange and Nighthawk into the town of Cobbler's Roost, where great old ones are waiting to burst into our dimension, trapdoors are waiting to be sprung, harmonicas are waiting to be blown, husbands are waiting to be revealed, and plots are waiting to be wrapped up. Not all of these things actually happen in this book...

You can find Andy's recent appearance on 90s Comics Retrial here, Steve's recent appearance on Waiting For Doom here, and we'll both be appearing on Views From The Longbox very soon.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_197.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 192: Fantastic Four #153 - Worlds In Collision

The Fantasticast Episode 192

Bondage Trousers

Hello, and welcome to episode 192 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

What is it with creative teams changing mid-story? From Kirby to Romita Sr, and Lee to Goodwin, it seems that more creators have switched out without completing their stories than there should be for the FF. Fantastic Four #153 is no exception, as Tony Isabella steps up to complete Gerry Conway's plotline, and I think it's fair to say that in the case of this particular story, it's a pretty thankless task.

With Machus and Femizon converging, it's clear that worlds will die, worlds will live, and pretty much everything will be the same. Only this time there's some muddled plotting, some incredible trousers, and a really uncomfortable ending that has to be read to be believed. Strap in folks, we're bringing the saga of Mahkizmo to a conclusion.

On another note, we're seeking your questions and queries for our 200th episode - send them in via e-mail, and we'll answer them as part of our bicentennial celebration!

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_192.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 191: Marvel Two-in-One #6 - Death-Song Of Destiny

The Fantasticast Episode 191

Is... Is That Stalin?

Hello, and welcome to episode 191 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

If there's something' strange in your neighbourhood, who you gonna call? Doctor Strange! Especially if the something' strange is an exploding manifestation of Destiny in a subway station, touching the lives of a myriad of New Yorkers. Threats for the Thing and Doctor Strange to overcome include faceless ones and a giant rat, which sounds like Steve Gerber has been raiding Doctor Who plots for this issue.

Joining us is comics writer and long-time Fantastic Four fan Ryan O'Sullivan, who took a break from preparing his webcomic Turncoat for publication to help us work our way through this issue. Together, we uncover the secret history of Ben Grimm, and find out just what happens when Doctor Strange cooks.

Ryan's webcomic Turncoat, with art by Plaid Klaus, can be found at http://turncoatcomic.com, and the collected edition will be in stores in September. Follow him on twitter, where he is @ryanosullivan

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_191.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 187: Fantastic Four #151 - Thundra and Lightning Part One

The Fantasticast Episode 187

A Wombful Of Wombats

Hello, and welcome to episode 187 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 another double-comic episode. We start with Avengers #128, which sees the Fantastic Four's now-redundant nanny Agatha Harkness head take up a new position as the Defence Against Dark Arts teacher for the Avengers. Following this, we peer into the pages of Fantastic Four #151, as Gerry Conway starts his final Fantastic Four story by revealing the origin of Thundra.

This does, however, mean that we also get the first appearance of the walking manifestation of brutish masculinity, Mahkizmo. It's a battle of the sexes with the entire (possible) future of the Earth hanging in the balance. Can this issue carefully walk the line between comment and crassness? Find out in this week's episode!

We are live on Stacey Taylor's 24 Hour Pop Culture Parlour Podcast at 10am BST, Saturday 9th July. Listen to the show at http://mixlr.com/spcp-live/

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_187.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 185: Marvel Two-in-One #5 - Seven Against The Empire

The Fantasticast Episode 185

Honky-Tonk Badoon-Ba-Donk

Hello, and welcome to episode 185 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 year 3014AD, as The Thing, Captain America and Sharon Carter attempt to overthrow the Badoon occupation of Earth. But they can't do it alone - they need the aid of the Guardians of the Galaxy (Classic Edition). And we can't do it alone either - we need the aid of Al Kennedy, of House to Astonish!

Together, we're serving up some super-sized scrutiny of the work of Steve Gerber and Sal Buscema. We offer some of the best Ben Grimm impersonations ever heard, encounter some Churlish Haters of Ol' Marvel, and encounter a wolf in a snood. As an extra bonus, Al gets us both to shut up for a few minutes whilst he explains why the classic Guardians are awesome, although it's entirely possible that this comic needed to listen as well.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_185.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 183: Fantastic Four #149 - To Love, Honor, And Destroy

The Fantasticast Episode 183

No-Prizing A Boardwalk

Hello, and welcome to episode 183 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 covering Fantastic Four #149, by Gerry Conway, Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott. With the title fast-approaching an big anniversary issue, there's a need to start wrapping ongoing plots and storylines. So, it's time to deal with Reed, Sue and Namor. And Thundra. And an Atlantean invasion. And some flashbacks to an early FF adventure. This one's a bit packed, folks!

With all of this going on, you'd think that there would barely be time to gaze at the view through Namor's legs, encounter a self-repairing boardwalk, wish each other a Happy Birthday, miss some very obvious swiping, and ponder on the whereabouts of Little Namor. Well, we managed to fit it all on. We're efficient like that.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_183.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 182: Marvel Two-in-One #4 - Doomsday 3014

The Fantasticast Episode 182

A Latverian Dictator In King Arthur's Court

Hello, and welcome to episode 182 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 stretching the title of Marvel Two-in-One to breaking point, as issue #4 not only guest-stars Captain America, but the Agent 13, Namorita, Reed Richards and Wundarr as well. It's Doomsday 3014 as Steve Gerber, Sal Buscema and Frank Giacoia lay the groundwork for the return of the Guardians of the Galaxy... but not just yet.

Joining us this week is Mark D. White. Mark is a Professor of Philosophy as well as a huge comics and Fantastic Four fan. He's the editor of books such as Batman and Philosophy and Watchmen and Philosophy, and the author of the newly-released A Philosopher Reads... Marvel Comics' Civil War. Given all of this, we probably should have picked an episode for him with a bit more philosophy in it... But we do have some enjoyable apes, some ebullient baboons, and John Ritter: The Solaria.

Find Mark at www.profmdwhite.com, and follow him on twitter where he is @profmdwhite. Mark's article, My Year With The Fantastic Four, can be found here.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_182.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 178: Marvel Two-In-One #3 - Inside Black Spectre

The Fantasticast Episode 178

A Pro-Patriotism Podcast

Hello, and welcome to episode 178 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 our favourite Thing-starring team-up title, Marvel Two-In-One, to jump into the middle of an ongoing Daredevil storyline. The Black Spectre are attacking in an impossible blimp, the Black Widow is only appearing one body part at a time, and Hitler's killing Captain America. Somehow, all of this comes together into a story...

A Two-In-One issue demands a guest-host, and we couldn't resist the opportunity to bring back onto the show Christine Hanefalk, of The Other Murdock Papers blog. Having made four other appearances on the show, she's our first Five-Timer, and we're celebrating by making her explain the Nelson family tree. We're also examining convenient awnings, Steve Gerber's interpretation of circles, and pondering a cry for help from the letterer.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_178.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 177: Giant-Size Super Stars #1 - The Mind Of The Monster

The Fantasticast Episode 177

Giant-Size Rental Lycanthropy

Hello, and welcome to episode 177 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

Giant-Size greetings to you all, as we take our first dip into the mid-1970s Marvel Giant-Size comics. Giant-Size Super Stars #1 is, to all intents and purposes, Giant-Size Fantastic Four #1, and it features another bout of fighting between the Hulk and the Thing... or does it?

We're looking at the the writing of Gerry Conway, the penciling of Rich Buckler, and the inking of Joe Sinnott. Oh, and the colouring of Petra Goldberg, and the lettering of John Constanza. We also have a re-appearance of Thundra, we go Over The Escher-esque Garden Wall, and discover that it's all Joe Quesada's fault!

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_177.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 171: Fantastic Four #143 - The Terrible Triumph Of Doctor Doom

The Fantasticast Episode 171

He Looks Like John Constantine!

Hello, and welcome to episode 171 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 core FF title for Fantastic Four #143, in which Doctor Doom slowly captures the entire team, a college football coach, his wife, and a semi-mythical beast from the Balkans. As you do. Created by 

We also spend some time on Medusa's balcony, ponder the mystery of Rich Buckler's Disappearing Dining Table, enjoy multiple finger blasts, and take advice from the monarch of Latveria as Doctor Doom shares his seduction tips.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_171.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at www.TheFantasticast.com. 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 168: Fantastic Four #142 - No Friend Beside Him

The Fantasticast Episode 168

Time-Delayed Insults

Hello, and welcome to episode 168 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

January 1974. The month that everything changed (for about a decade or so). But we'll get to that in a couple of episodes. In the meantime, it's time to pick up the pieces of the team with Fantastic Four #142. Alicia's on another sight-restoring kick, there's an impressively-designed villain/monster out to kick Ben Grimm's backside, and Coach Thorpe is still trying to force himself into a plot line. Will she? Will it? Will he?

It's also a huge welcome to new regular Fantastic Four penciler Rich Buckler, and we waste no time in getting into the details of the controversies of his run. We're also debating Steve's favourite sight-gags in Mel Brooks movies, the non-spoilers awesomeness of Supergirl, and spending far too long arguing the temporal relativity of a single caption box. Because it wouldn't be the Fantasticast if we didn't find a reason to argue over the tiniest little thing.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_168.mp3

Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at www.TheFantasticast.com. 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.