The Fantasticast

Fansplaining Earth X

Join hosts Stephen Lacey and Andrew Leyland as they venture down into the Sub-Atomica, the Microverse, the worlds within worlds. Fantastic Four #76 sees Reed, Ben and Johnny on the trail of the Silver Surfer, seeking his aid to prevent Galactus from consuming the planet Earth. Featuring a not-very-surprising guest-villain, and more pregnancy-induced hysteria than you can shake a stick at.

We also take a brief look at the moral conundrums of Reed Richards in Incredible Hulk #105. On top of this, we have your favourite non-Fantastic Four Fantastic Four stories, we pose a new listener question of the month, and there's a double-dose of British number-one singles.

Send in your feedback to [email protected], leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at fantasticflameon.wordpress.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

Galactuth Hath A Lithp

Poor Galactus.

Andrew Leyland and Stephen Lacey welcome you to the latest episode of The Fantasticast. We're celebrating 75 issues of the Fantastic Four in a way that definitely doesn't involve half an issue's worth of plot stretched to fill an entire issue, oh no, not at all. We're also taking a look at The Sub-Mariner #2, featuring the return of the Plant Man. Because you demanded it. Allegedly.

We're also taking a look at the effects of microwaving comics, defending the fun of the New 52, promising to buy a Dan DiDio comic, looking forward to The Flash (obviously, this was recorded before the leak of the pilot episode), and getting disproportionately angry over the mere existence of the Sleepers.

Send in your feedback to [email protected], leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at fantasticflameon.wordpress.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

The Steampunk Herald Of Galactus

Welcome to the 86th episode of The Fantasticast. This week, your hosts Steve Lacey and Andrew Leyland present Fantastic Four #74. The Silver Surfer is on the run, Galactus is hungry, and Reed's got the contractors in. It's a veritable health and safety nightmare! We also take a look at the first issue of Namor's solo title, The Sub-Mariner.

There's also e-mails, a love affair, news about Andy's other podcasts, a discussion about lame Doctor Who cliffhangers, talking to letter-writers on twitter, and just how much Jon Snow can be expected to know following major head trauma.

Send in your feedback to [email protected], leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at fantasticflameon.wordpress.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

Douchebaggery, Mistaken Identities, Shooting First & Asking Questions Later

How can you resist a podcast episode with this title?

This week, Steve and Andy are joined once again by Daredevil blogger Christine Hanefalk. After a fairly decent run of Daredevil comics, we're back to the main Fantastic Four title to wrap up the story of Daredevil's battle with the mind-swapping Doctor Doom. We were quite favourable towards the Daredevil issues that lead into this issue, so our hopes are high for this issue.

If you've enjoyed Christine's appearances over the past couple of episodes, why not go and check out her excellent Daredevil blog, The Other Murdock Papers, or drop her a follow on twitter at @Chris_TOMP

Send in your feedback to [email protected], leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at fantasticflameon.wordpress.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

Gene Colan Draws Galactus

We're taking a break from our regular run-through of The Fantastic Four to take a look at four issues of Daredevil: The Man Without Fear. Between guest-appearances and a plot featuring Doctor Doom that flows in next week's issue of the Fantastic Four, we had a lot of Daredevil to cover, so we gave it its very own episode. It's a veritable feast of Gene Colan artwork, with little flavourings of Mike Murdock, Foggy Nelson's career and Karen Page's hormones.

Joining us this week is one of our favourite guest-hosts, Daredevil blogger Christine Hanefalk. The writer of The Other Murdock Papers, and hot off of her guest-appearance in recent issues of Daredevil, we were delighted to have Christine back with us to take a look at these issues. And for a bonus, during the recording, the Netflix Daredevil casting announcement was made - look out for a special outtake containing our live reactions to the news!

Send in your feedback to [email protected], leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at fantasticflameon.wordpress.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

Which Episode Number Is This Again?

(If you grabbed the episode and it was just Andy speaking by himself, it's now been fixed!)

It's episode 83 (we think) of The Fantasticast, and it's time for Steve Lacey and Andrew Leyland to lay some groundwork for the first true spin-off of The Fantastic Four. Issue 72 of the series prominently features the Silver Surfer, his alien morality and viewpoints, and a shedload of wanton worldwide destruction.

We're also reading some of our shorter listener e-mails, looking at what happens when a cartoon adapts a storyline with two actual female characters in the story, and Steve's least-favourite Beatles song. Oh, and we're also singing a completely faithful and accurate cover of the Dallas theme song, and damnation upon anyone who would suggest otherwise.

Send in your feedback to [email protected], leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at fantasticflameon.wordpress.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

Pac-Man Gobbling Kirby Krackle

Episode 82 of The Fantasticast is upon us, and Steve's in a begging tenaciously-requesting mood. Desperate for shares, retweets and iTunes reviews, he's taken to the airwaves to ask for your help.

Once this is out of the way, Steve and Andy get down to what is possibly our shortest episode to date, as the Fantastic Four engage in an issue-long fight scene, exchanging subplots and subtlety for wall-to-wall action. We've got it all - giant green robots, random unconsciousness, and a huge status quo change that definitely won't be undone during the next issue at all, oh no.

Along the way, we wonder what would have happened (as our titles suggests) if Pac-Man had gobbles Kirby Krackle for energy, and Andy learns how to pronounce the word 'Leicester'.

Send in your feedback to [email protected], leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at fantasticflameon.wordpress.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

Just Who Is Irving Forbush Anyway?

Don't ask us. We'll try to answer any question. Why does Crystal not use her powers in a situation which would demand that they be used? Why does Steve think that he can inflict singing on his audience on a semi-regular basis? And why The Thinker? But we won't even begin to touch the question of who exactly lurks beneath the saucepan helmet.

This week Steve Lacey and Andrew Leyland take their copies of Fantastic Four #70 and unleash the epic fight scene within. Reed Richards does to The Thinker the exact thing that Steve wants to, and Crystal is an integral and vital part of the story. Or she goes out shoppng. Take your pick.

We've also got some more listener e-mails, and a look at a few episodes of the 1967 Fantastic Four cartoon series. Really, what more could you want?

Send in your feedback to [email protected], leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at fantasticflameon.wordpress.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

Doom/Silver Surfer: The Original Odd Couple

I say that, there's absolutely no Doctor Doom or Silver Surfer in this episode...

What there is, however, is Steve Lacey and Andrew Leyland's coverage of the second part of the greatest late-era Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Fantastic Four story. Doctor Stand-ini has done something terrible to Ben Grimm, turning him against the team in a murderous rage.

We also take a brief look at the first four episodes of the 1967 Hanna Barbera Fantastic Four animated series. And we read some listener e-mails. We also take a look at the chilling consequences of a flippant line from this issue's mystery villain. And revisit the Real Housewives of Latveria. Because that's a joke that never gets old.

Send in your feedback to [email protected], leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at fantasticflameon.wordpress.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

I Wonder Who The Mystery Villain Is...

Episode 79 of The Fantasticast is here, kicking off a brand new storyline as the enigmatic and not-at-all-related-to-Airwolf Dr Santini arrives in town to mess about with Ben's brain chemistry. Don't worry - he's been invited! But a mystery villain who is not at all easy to guess turns up to throw a spanner into the works... with hilarious consequences!

Before all of that, Steve and Andy finally get around to answering the most recent Listener Question Of The Month, looking at your suggestions for the best issue of the Fantastic Four that showcases the team as you see them.

And then we go and launch another Listener Question Of The Month, because we like making you lot work! This time around, we want to know your favourite non-Fantastic Four Fantastic Four stories. Confused? Listen on, and all shall become clear!

Send in your feedback to [email protected], leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at fantasticflameon.wordpress.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast