Link: http://brokensea.com/betaflight/2010/03/04/betaflight-struck-twice-part-2-conclusion/

It's not often you'll find me pimping somebody else's podcats/audio endeavours, I'm a bit selfish like that, it's all about The Sidekickcast for me. This week however I am going to ask you to take a look at the audio drama Beta Flight, especially Beta Flight: Struck Twice part two - conclusion. And why am I breaking my own rules on this occassion? Quite simple really, I'm in it, as Thomas Raynolds brother to a superhero. If you want to hear some horrendous over-acting from myself (everyone else is spot-on) then please check it out, you have been warned though. Also want to say thanks to New Mutant for giving me a chance, hope you don't regret it Al.

Link: http://ironmanmovie.marvel.com/

This new Iron Man 2 trailer is very similar to the last one but with some interesting and important additions, that new suit being the main one. From what I can tell it seems to be a portal suit that unfolds from your pocket...that's right I said pocket proving once and for all that Tony Stark is the Ultimate Boy-Scout.

Link: http://issuu.com/soundofdrowning/docs/muppetwickerman

We've had a Muppet Christmas Carol and a Muppet Treasure Island so of course next up is a Muppet Wicker Man?! Obviously this isn't real but a parody I saw on Ain't it Cool this week and seeing as it's in comic book form courtesey of issuu.com I thought it would be perfect for Something Silly. Enjoy!

Soon to be on Disney Channels across the globe:

We do seem to be literally swimming in comic book cartoons of late. I remember the days when I used to get so excited over my taped off the TV Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, kids these days don't even know their born, god I'm getting old.

Link: http://www.stansback.com

There's been some speculation for a while now as to what the above image meant, well wonder no more, this press release from Boom! Studios clears it all up:

POW! Entertainment and BOOM! Studios announced a deal has been struck that will see the production of a series of three superhero titles presented by Stan Lee. These series will premiere from BOOM! Studios later this year.

BOOM!'s Editor-in-Chief Mark Waid, creator of BOOM!'s runaway hit series IRREDEEMABLE and its smash sister book INCORRUPTIBLE, will be writing one of the series. Two other series will follow, featuring A-list writers as a part of the creative team. Further announcements will clarify the teams and the timing for the roll-out.

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I pity the fool that thinks the A-Team is gonna be better than this...

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I don't really know why I feel the need to create this faux tension between the Losers and the A-Team, they just seem so close in style and content that a smackdown seems natural. I will of course be going to see both films so it doesn't really matter.

Link: http://www.fastcompany.com/pics/disneys-own-superheroes

Most of you out there in comic book land will have already seen these Kirk Manley drawn Disney Execs presented as mock up Marvel covers, but it was too good an opportunity not to be this week's Something Silly. The covers are part of Fast Company's 50 most innovative companies of which Disney are one, supposedly demonstrating the hot shot executives that helped get Disney into this position. My personal favourites (below) are the futurist Steve Jobs, Lost producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof as the Avenging Thor and Hawkeye and Pixar's Filmtastic Four. You can see all the covers in their entirety here.

Link: http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2010/02/captain-america-contenders-krasinski-cassidy-vogel-fluger-more.html

So everybody's talking Cap again, no I didn't miss out the 'r', I mean with the news that Marvel are this week engaged in screen tests for the Captain America movie everyone has their opinion on who should fill his pretty red booties. Hot favourite or perhaps just best known out of the testees is John Krasinski (above) from the American version of The Office closely followed by Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl), Scott Porter (Friday Night Lights), Mike Vogel (Cloverfield) and Michael Cassidy (Smallville).

What do all these fellas have in common? Well apart from the fact they're all strapping young men just like Cap himself, they've also made the biggest names for themselves in TV. I think this bodes well for future Cap/Avengers movies. By choosing guys that aren't already huge movie stars it allows Marvel Studios a bit of leeway both on price and when tying them into a horrendous eight picture deal. Works for me.

Link: http://www.loopland.net/

Thought we'd go with some pop art I found this week from British artist Allan Sanders based in Brighton. Usually I'm not into cutesy versions of superheroes but these illustrations go beyond the cute and into the quirky realm that I do like. This paticular piece was part of his Hot Rods and Hairy Beasts show, please support the artist by visiting his site here.

So Atomic Robo is back in town and he's been sorely missed let me tell ya. I was first introduce to Atomic Robo by fellow podcaster (of the Comic Racks) and sometimes blogger on this very site Iz McAuliffe as a Dig This! choice for the Sidekickcast. I devoured Volume 1 and have subsequently been making my through the following volumes but couldn't wait until I reached this one in trade format so I'm cracking on with volume 4 in single issues.

I have to say this book held very few surprises, it's a story we've all seen before; an unassuming character ends up saving the day whilst the more suitable candidate buys the farm very early on but there's a charm in this book both in the way it's written and drawn that goes beyond the average everyday stuff. The main bonus of any Atomic Robo story is that they know how to tell fun stories that don't drag on and on, this is very much a done in one with minimal exposition and it's all better for it.

If you want some pulp fun with lasers, vampires and robots (and let's be honest who doesn't?) then this is the book for you. If you don't want that, get a life. 4 Stars (out of 5)