The Fantasticast Episode 262: Marvel Team-Up #61 - Not All Thy Powers Can Save Thee

The Fantasticast Episode 262

KISS Me Quick

Hello, and welcome to episode 262 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

We close out our episodes for 2017 with a nifty little threesome. First up, we find out what happens when Spider-Man goes up against the entire Fantastic Four, in Marvel Team-Up #61. Well, as close to the entire team as you can get, while just being one person. The Human Torch guest stars as future Fantastic Four creators Chris Claremont and John Byrne, along with Dave Hunt, make their debuts.

Then we're off to Long Island to check in with Marvel's teen superhero, Nova. In amongst his battles with perennial FF nemesis The Sandman, he finds time to put the fear of the almighty into the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing. And finally, we check in Gene Simmons et al as KISS find themselves on a whistle-stop tour of the Marvel Universe, in Marvel Comics Super-Special #1.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_262.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 203: Marvel Two-in-One #9 - When A God Goes Mad

The Fantasticast Episode 203

Hast Thou Left Asgard With Thy Mittens?

Hello, and welcome to episode 203 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 diving back into the world of Marvel Two-in-One. Issue 9 poses the question: Just how wrong can a children's puppet show go? Well, if the puppeteer is the inevitably-revealed Puppet Master, and Thor's nearby for reasons of editorial mandate, then it can go pretty wrong!

Joining us for this episode is podcaster, critic and actual Man of Words, Alasdair Stuart. Together, we get intimate with detergent, we join Ben, Donnie Wahlberg, and Daria on Broadway, and we answer that all-important question: If there are no sausages, why should there be puppet shows?

Alasdair is the host of Escape Pod, Pseudo Pod, Pod Castle, and Cast of Wonders, presenting original SD, Horror, Fantasy and YA fiction in podcast form. He is currently running a kickstarter to help fund Pseudo Pod, please check it out. You can find his writings at www.alasdairstuart.com, and on twitter, he is @AlasdairStuart

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_203.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 198: Marvel Two-in-One #8 - Silent Night... Deadly Night!

The Fantasticast Episode 198

Three Wise Men And A Ghost Rider

Hello, and welcome to episode 198 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four.

In a last-minute change to our schedule, we're celebrating Christmas early with Marvel Two-in-One #8. Three Wise Men are following yonder star, Wyatt Wingfoot's got no room in the inn, and a flaming-headed demonic stunt rider is wondering just why all of this is happening in Arizona! A shadow, powerful figure is looming - is it the Collector? Is it God? Or is it someone far, far worse?

Steve Gerber, Sal Buscema and Mike Esposito present a Ghost Rider/Thing team-up of quite literally biblical proportions, with an extra dash of exploding Christmas tree, a sprinkle of astronomical anomaly, and a serving of egg nog.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF1982iO.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 194: Marvel Two-in-One #7 - Name That Doom

The Fantasticast Episode 194

Post-Apocalyptic Slapstick

Hello, and welcome to episode 194 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 fertile lands of Marvel Two-In-One. The Valkyrie needs an origin, Destiny needs a harmonica, and Doctor Strange is on call to provide some ghostly exposition. Richard Burton is dead, and the Thing's under crackers are just wrong. Don't ask, just accept.

Making a welcome return to the show to help us through this issue is Stacey Taylor, of Stacey's Pop Culture Parlour. If you remember Stacey from her previous appearance on the show, you know what you're in for! And joining Stacey is a conicla-boobed bird on a Pegasus, some existential tooting, and a whole bunch of folks doing the Defenders Mash (it was a podcast smash).

Listen to Stacey's Pop Culture Parlour here, check out our appearance on the 24 Hour Pop Culture Parlour here, and follow Stacey on twitter where she is @stacebobt. You can also donate to Stacey's fundraising for the Alzheimers Society here.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_194.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 189: Fantastic Four #152 - A World Of Madness Made

The Fantasticast Episode 189

An Actual Ice-Cream Van

Hello, and welcome to episode 189 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 bid a fond farewell to Gerry Conway with Fantastic Four #152, his last regular issue. Thundra and the team are lost in a nightmarish, hyper-masculine future. Rich Buckler's taking on too much work, and Reed Richards has the wrong number of appendages. As it turns out, not only is this Conway's final issue, but it's not even the conclusion to the story, and it's one of the most notorious rushed comics.

We're also activating our childish-snigger circuits as we get to grips with Giant-Size Man-Thing #2, by Steve Gerber, John Buscema and Klaus Janson. As well as this, we're talking about San Diego Comic-Con, celebrating some new equipment, celebrating the release of something long-lost, and getting interrupted by an actual ice-cream van. It's a packed episode of The Fantasticast, so why are you reading this? Get listening!

Find Amazing Spider-Man Classics at http://amazingspiderman.libsyn.org. Donate to Stacey Taylor's fundraising at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/spcplive2 and listen to our appearance on her 24 hour live podcast at

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_189.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 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 179: Fantastic Four #147 - The Sub-Mariner Strikes

The Fantasticast Episode 179

Namor, The Fastest Milkman In The West

Hello, and welcome to episode 179 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 back, and it's time to get damp and get punched. Divorce papers arrive in the Baxter Building, kicking off another throw down between the Thing and the Sub-Mariner, in Fantastic Four #147. We also take a moment to look at a couple of pages from Daredevil #110 as Ben Grimm gives Matt Murdock a ride.

As well as these comics, we have a smug Steve, a terrible trap laid by one of our listeners, and the Fantastic secrets of Steve's autocorrect. It's post-sprak, pre-boom, and if that makes sense to you, then you're clearly cheating.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_179.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 174: Marvel Two-In-One #2 - Manhunters From The Stars

The Fantasticast Episode 174

Stupid Superman

Hello, and welcome to episode 174 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 a different episode of The Fantasticast this week: Andy's taken a holiday, leaving Steve to entertain our special guest. To help us cover Marvel Two-In-One #2, guest-starring the ever-horny Namor, we've enlisted the help of Kulbir Mann from the House of Flying Scalpels. 

Together, we examine the return of Steve Gerber's Superman analogue, Wundarr, as he battle the Thing, Namor and Namorita. We also celebrate the artwork of Gil Kane, meet Mortoid: The Robot Assassin, question the attempt to trademark the word 'together;, and ponder just whatever happened to Marvel AR.

Make sure to follow Kulbir on twitter:

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_174.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 170: Marvel Two-In-One #1 - Vengeance of the Molecule Man!

The Fantasticast Episode 170

Marvel Two-On-One

Hello, and welcome to episode 170 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 here. We made it. We're finally starting out coverage of Marvel Two-In-One, and what a wonderful cluster of Things it is! The Molecule Man('s son) brings together Marvel's favourite Things for one of the best team-up issues we've covered to date. With writing from Steve Gerber, art from Gil Kane and inks from Joe Sinnott, this is a great start to the second Fantastic Four spinoff series.

In amongst all of the Thing/Man-Thing action, we've also got the tricky issues of codename copyright, one of the most horrific deaths seen so far, queries about the distribution of the Daily Bugle, and the first confirmed sighting of pornography in the Marvel Universe. We also take a moment to remember one of the most prolific Fantastic Four pencilers, Paul Ryan, who passed away this week.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_170.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 165: Fantastic Four #140 - Annihilus Revealed

The Fantasticast Episode 165

Namor's Onesie

Hello, and welcome to episode 165 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 a triple-comic week on the Fantasticast. First up, the main event, Fantastic Four #140, which pulls together just about every unresolved plot line since Jack Kirby left the book. Where did Agatha Harkness go? What's going on with Franklin's glowing eyes? Will Sue and Reed ever reunite? Thanks to the return of our favourite buck-toothed, armour-clad insectoid ruler of the Negative Zone, a sense of purpose and direction returns to the book.  And, as if all of this wasn't enough, we also find out the  origins of Annihilus.

Elsewhere, we're also taking a look at the beginnings of one of the most superfluous mandated pieces of superhero technology, the Spider-Mobile, in Amazing Spider-Man #126. We then follow up with some big changes for Namor in Sub-Mariner #67, where a heavy dose of nerve-gas leads to the introduction of a brand new costume.

Direct download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/FF_Episode_165.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.