The Week In Geek...

A round-up of geeky news you might have otherwise missed...

(1) Blast Off Today: The next generation of American space exploration is due to begin today (Tuesday) with the launch of the Ares I-X test rocket.

(2) Hit Dice For The Fat Lady: An Australian comedy troupe is putting on Dungeons & Dragons: The Opera next month in Melbourme, then touring the States with it in 2010.

(3) Follow In Kaiju Footsteps: A new travel guide to Japan will allow fans of giant monster movies to follow in their idols' massive footsteps.

(4) Is Fourth Pirates Sinking Already? A black spot is seemingly looking over the future of Pirates Of The Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides.

(5) Disney Steams Into The Air: Disney aims to make a steampunk movie out of Eoin Cofler's Airman novel.

(6) Virtual D&D: Watch this stunning demonstration of a possible future direction for Dungeons & Dragons 4e. I'd miss rolling real dice though!

(7) JSA Come To Smallville: Geoff Johns' next episode of Smallville features The Justice Society of America, and news of some of the casting has leaked out already.

(8) The Doctor Is On: Matt Smith, the 11th Doctor, has his own official website now.

(9) Have A Magic Halloween: Two stars from BBC's Merlin - Angel Coulby and Bradley James - are appearing at the Forbidden Planet in London on Halloween for a signing event.

(10) Starbuck Follows Wesley: The latest geek celebrity guest to star on the brilliant Big Bang Theory, after Wil Wheaton's recent turn, is Battlestar Galactica's Katee Sackhoff.

(11) US Military To Use Lightsabers: The Pentagon is investigating the use of a "wearable low-power plasma knife" in the treatment injured soldiers on the front line.

(12) Dollhouse Swept Out Of Schedules: Troubled Dollhouse has been taken out of Fox's schedule for November (the 'sweeps' period), but returns in December in double-doses.

(13) This Has All Happened Before: Some Star Wars Easter Eggs to look out for in The Clone Wars animated series.

(14) Marvel Goes Post-Apocalyptic: Marvel Comics is relaunching 70s and 80s' staple Deathlok as a seven-issue miniseries from its mature imprint MAX.

(15) Tuesday Knights Try Again: The Tuesday Knights ride again this evening as we return to our regularly scheduled Labyrinth Lord campaign.