The Fantasticast Episode 74: Fantastic Four #65 – From Beyond This Planet Earth

Definitely Not Not Brand Echh!

It’s really not.

What it is, though, is the 74th episode of The Fantasticast, hosted by Steve Lacey and Andrew Leyland. This week we’re looking at the first physical appearance of the Kree in the Marvel Universe, as both the Supreme Intelligence and Ronan The Accuser make their debut appearances in the Marvel Universe. Hint: One of these is a lot more prominent than the other! Yes, it’s Fantastic Four #65.

We’ve also dragged show artist Michael Georgiou back for a second bout of commentary and stumbling through the Bullpen Bulletins.

And, as a special bonus, we spend almost two minutes looking at the lead strip from the first issue of Not Brand Echh!, Marvel’s first humour mag. And I use the word ‘humour’ very broadly.

Why not drop by Mike’s website (http://www.mikedraws.co.uk), buy a copy of Elemental Micah (http://www.elementalmicah.com), or follow Mike on twitter (https://twitter.com/MikeDraws)?

Click on this link to go to the libsyn page for this episode, or listen below.

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The Fantasticast Episode 73: Fantastic Four #64 – The Sentry Sinister

 

Mike Draws Us In With His Synopsis

A little twitter-based humour for you there…

It’s been a while since Steve and Andy invited a guest onto the show, and Fantastic Four #64 seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so. Joining us this week is the writer and artist of Elemental Micah, and the cover artist of this very show, Michael Georgiou.

Michael jumps aboard as we gently explore the theories of Erich von Daniken (and by explore, I mean completely neglect to mention). The Kree make their first appearance in the Marvel Universe by proxy, with the Sentry Sinister. There’s a mighty amount of destruction, one of Jack Kirby’s greatest designs, and a suprisingly moving ending.

We also have one of the longest selection of outtakes we’ve had in a long time, although I should warn you – they are not for the faint-hearted…

Why not drop by Mike’s website (http://www.mikedraws.co.uk), buy a copy of Elemental Micah (http://www.elementalmicah.com), or follow Mike on twitter (https://twitter.com/MikeDraws)?

Click on this link to go to the libsyn page for this episode, or listen below.

[audio FF_Episode_73.mp3]

The Fantasticast Episode 72: Fantastic Four #63 – Blastarr, The Living Bomb-Burst

 

BLAST It, I Need A Funny Subtitle

Episode #72 of The Fantasticast is here, ready to BLAST you with a BLAST of audio goodness, BLASTing from your speaker/headphones into your non-BLAST-proof ears! BLAST BLAST BLAST! (Have you guessed that this week’s villain is BLASTarr yet?)

Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland are here to continue guiding you through the Fantastic Four from the very beginning, this week looking at Fantastic Four #63, featuring a mighty team-up between the Sandman and Blastarr. Along the way, we discover some words that Stan may or may not have made up, we get totally awesomed by Jack’s use of forced perspective, and we come across our first ever column from Stan “The Man” Lee – Stan’s Soapbox.

Click on this link to go to the libsyn page for this episode, or listen below.

[audio FF_Episode_72.mp3]

Strange Tales #112: Flamin’ ‘Eck 33

Strange Tales #112, page 8, panel 1

Story plot: Stan Lee

Script: Jerry Siegel

Art: Dick Ayers

Lettering: S. Rosen

I wonder if Johnny has ever stopped to think about his powers, as well as the basic properties of fire and heat. He clearly seems to think that his giant flaming dome will project heat rays downwards, forcing the helicopter to land, betraying the fact that he has no idea that heat rises.

I don’t blame Johnny, I blame the high school teachers in Glendale. They’re the ones who have clearly failed to instil basic physics into Johnny. Education in the 1950s was clearly lacking.

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #112 on our seventeenth episode: No Funny Title Springs To Mind

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/Episode_17.mp3]

 

Strange Tales #112: Flamin’ ‘Eck 32

Strange Tales #112, page 6, panel 7

Story plot: Stan Lee

Script: Jerry Siegel

Art: Dick Ayers

Lettering: S. Rosen

Equipped with a device to pick up the Eel’s body vibrations and thus locate him before he turns Marvel’s faux-Riverdale into a smoking pit in the ground, Johnny emits a tracer fireball. That is, a fireball that will follow these vibrations and home in on him.

Er… right… How much is the Eel vibrating, exactly? Most people could put their hands on a wall and never feel the vibrations that they give off. So how exactly is a non-sensory ball of fire supposed to pick up the vibrations of an individual who could be over a mile away? Who knows?

Jerry sure doesn’t…

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #112 on our seventeenth episode: No Funny Title Springs To Mind

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/Episode_17.mp3]

Strange Tales #112: Flame On 47

Strange Tales #112, page 6, panel 2

Story plot: Stan Lee

Script: Jerry Siegel

Art: Dick Ayers

Lettering: S. Rosen

Across several pages that didn’t involve any of our tropes, a plot has developed. A broadcaster has been whipping up anti-Johnny hatred, whilst the Eel accidentally steals a miniature atomic bomb and irradiates himself. Hiding out in town, he is relatively unaware that he or the bomb (it’s not quite clear which) could explode at any moment and destroy everything.

Being a moral conundrum in the early 1960s, Johnny’s decision as to whether he should continue as the Torch in the face of public opposition is an easy one to make. Extra-easy, considering that if he doesn’t the entire town is going to blow up. So, he flames on, and turns off his television set. Which presumably had an asbestos coating.

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #112 on our seventeenth episode: No Funny Title Springs To Mind

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/Episode_17.mp3]

 

Strange Tales #112: Flamin’ ‘Eck 31

Strange tales #112, page 2, panel 5

Story plot: Stan Lee

Script: Jerry Siegel

Art: Dick Ayers

Lettering: S. Rosen

“There!” cries Johnny. “A blazing version of Niagara Falls!” But the crowd give him nothing but dirty stares, presumably because the idea of flames falling out of the sky towards them overrides any appreciation they may have had towards his artistic abilities.

And yes, either Jerry Siegel or Sam Rosen have a particular problem spelling the name of the most famous US/Canadian waterfall attraction…

Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #112 on our seventeenth episode: No Funny Title Springs To Mind

[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/ffcast/Episode_17.mp3]