I am a man of simple pleasures, all I need is a cold beer, the warm embrace of a beautiful girl and the opportunity to shoehorn myself into every UK comic book podcast out there. Last week I had the pleasure of being invited to join Rich McAuliffe on the Everything Comes Back to 2000AD podcast and of course I jumped at the chance. I was supposed to be there to give my opinion on 2000AD jumping on points prog 1740 and 1741, I actually ended up talking more about nazis and picking up chicks. Good times.

I watched a little bit of the Bendis and Maleev Spider-Woman motion comic, I wasn't impressed. I guess I just don't like motion comics, they're like the bastard love child of comics and animation but act more like the ungrateful ginger step-child of the middle-aged single mum you're banging. Too much? Maybe a little too much.

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Not only can you listen to the podcast of our Secrets and Lies Live show from Cardiff International Comic Expo but now thanks to our sidekick camerman, Matt Pease you can see it in moving pictures. Watch as Chris Lynch, Paul Cornell, Rob Williams, Stuart Tipples, Charlie Adlard and Mike Collins take on the Sidekicks in the comic book news quiz with a twist.

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Link: http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/nominations/

First order of business, the above cartoon, nothing to do with the Eagle awards I just thought it was funny ok? - You can find Hope 'n' Change by clicking on the cartoon strip.

You may disagree with some of my nominations for The Eagle Awards this year but choices had to be made, mine were made based on what I have personally read and experienced in 2010. Fundamentally The Eagles are beautifully flawed as they allow those nominating to add to the list, this is both to it's credit and it's curse as you will see:

Some of these selections are bound to be disqualified mostly due to ineligibility, those that I feel may be marked as such will have the word FAIL written after them.

Q1: Favourite Newcomer Writer

Kieron Gillen

Newcomer writer? Really? The guy has been around longer than Old Spice but I thought, hey, why not? If Gillen hadn't been in this category the nod would've gone to Nick Spencer, I think.

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Link: http://www.fantasyevents.org/cice/

CICE 2011: The Programme Download .pdf here.

All panels are held in the Caernarfon Suite 1st Floor (Opposite the bar area) of the Holland House Mercure Hotel, 26th February 2011:

Oh look, starting the show it's Cardiff's favourite Sidekicks...us!
10.45am Secrets and Lies Live with The Sidekickcast!

Join your hosts Gavin Jones and Dan Marshall from The Sidekickcast as they take Secrets and Lies; the comic book news quiz with a twist, on the road again. This time it's WAR with Artist vs Writers vs Cardiff International Comic Expo. Heading up the writer's team is Chris Lynch with Paul Cornell and Rob Williams. Captain on the artist's team is Stuart Tipples with Mike Collins with a special surprise final member. Of course Dan will be getting amongst the people to represent those really in the know, you the fans. Whose Side Are You On?

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Instead of recording our own show, this week we have mostly been recording on other people's shows, like our good buddies Scott and Steve of The Comic Book Outsiders. They asked us to join them for their 100th episode quiz show special, and who doesn't love a quiz show?!

From The CBO site:

This episode is over three and a half years in the making. Steve and Scott started podcasting back in July 2007.

Normally we would have several of our recurring segments, talk about the next book club selection and so on, but for our special 100th episode, we've thrown everything out the window and have decided to go for a quiz show instead. We invited Gavin and Dan from The Sidekickcast to help battle against us and it was an epic and funny struggle.

Link: http://www.sidekickcomicsuk.com/blogs/blog5.php/2011/01/04/sidekickcast-episode-50-home-aamp-away

For the 50th episode of the Sidekickcast (which you can find here) we wanted to give a little something back to our loyal listeners so we decided to run a competition. I'm not going to tell you what you have to do to win but there is an obvious clue in this post, you'll just have to listen to the show for that. I can tell you what you'll win though; we've got a Boneman avatar branded mug (see my avatar in the right hand corner of this post, that's it) signed by a whole host of comic book creators, including:

Chris Lynch
Jamie McKelivie
Paul Cornell
Anthony Johnston
Kieron Gillen
and
Chris Claremont
If you want to win the mug simply send your answer to either

sidekickcast@sidekickcomicsuk.com

or tweet to @sidekickcast using the hashtag #Iwantamug.

It's been a while but somehow SuperFan and all around good guy Alan White AKA New Mutant found a way to keep me in Beta Flight; the internet audio superhero drama. I play Thomas Raynolds brother to Sam as played by fellow podcaster Matt Burden and boy do I like to ham it up. The show is a lot of fun with a truly worldwide cast and the people involved put a lot of effort and hard work into it so please give it a listen.

The unintended Sidekickcast world tour of podcasts continues as this week the Comic Book Outsiders were kind enough to open up their doors to little old me. A good time was had and Steve made me feel so welcome, even adapting their Challenge segment to make me feel more at home. Here's what they have to say about it:

In this episode Scott is away so Steve is joined by Gavin Jones, one half of The Sidekick Cast, a fantastic UK comics podcast. Before they get into the news, there is a quick reminder about the book club and current selection which is Eastern Standard Tribe by Corey Doctorow. We'll be recording the next episode in two weeks and will be discussing the book, so there is still time to pick up a copy of the book for free from Corey's website in various document formats, or you can download it as an audio book, read by Corey Doctorow. Email your comments to Scott or Steve or post your feedback on the book on our forum. Also send us your suggestions for the next book club selection.

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It's part 2 of Dan's evening with Barry Nugent of the mighty Geek Syndicate. So in Barry's own fair words this is what they got up to:

In this second part Barry is still joined by Dan Marshall from the Sidekickcast Podcast. In this last part they answer some listener questons before descending into a drunken homage to Airwolf.

You have been warned.

Apologies for the lack of an intro!