A newly released food additive found in potato chips, certain salsa dips and some processed meats has been found to provide its consumers with superpowers if eaten in sufficient quantities. The additive, a compound called Klatunium, is used to enhance the taste of some massed produced products but has been found to possess permanent side effects not limited to flying, super strength and plant control. Foods that contain Klatunium have been recalled from supermarket shelves, but not before a last minute purchasing blitz by citizens attempting to buy up quantities of the foodstuffs.

Martha Dux was one of the citizens who managed to acquire large quantities of All-Natural Potato Chips, which use Klatunium as a key flavour additive. "I managed to buy 85 packets down at the store before they took them off the shelves and then I won an eBay auction and got two entire boxes," she says. "I did it for my son, Tommy. We've enrolled him in all the superhero classes we could - Advanced Combative Gymnastics, Ultra-Technology for Beginners, Being a Dark Detective - but we're hoping this could give him the extra edge."

Mrs Dux said she was ensuring her son's future earning potential through these actions. "Being a sports or movie star is nice," she says, "But the real money is to be made in superheroing. You've got sponsorships, reward money, grants... and then there's the loot you can get off the bad guys when you beat them up! Crey pays good money for Rikti doodads!"

Other parents the Beholder spoke to shared similar views. "It's hard to give your kids the right skills to succeed in this fast-paced world. Having 36 jars of Klatunium-rich Fried Green Tomato Salsa just gives you a bit more leeway," says David Hart, father of three girls.

Child nutrionalist Dr Cindi Brummer is warning parents about the dangers of relying on Klatunium to give their children superpowers. "We really don't know what Klatunium does over the long-term. Sure, it appears to give superpowers in the short-term, but we don't know what the long-term effects will be. Plus you really have to eat a lot of substances containing Klatunium before it works which can be unhealthy, and then there are the random powers it seems to provide. We just don't know how safe this substance is. It would probably be safer to expose your child to gamma radiation than to a lot of Klatunium."

"I'm not worried about the effects," says Mrs Dux. "It was passed by the Food and Safety Committee before release, which makes it safe. Plus it tastes great! I'm planning on feeding Tommy only two packets of the potato chips per day until his powers kick in, then one packet a day after that. We're really hoping for kinetic control, enhanced strength and lots of invulnerability - that would make for a great hero!"

Something 'smelt foul' at Crey Industries when we got 'wind' of the news that 4 months of research has gone 'down the tube', and 2.3 million dollars had been 'flushed away' on a single research project at Crey Industries.

A group of researchers at the famed Crey Industries discovered that the alien artefact they believed was a Rikti portable medical device that could revolutionise the medical industry was in fact... a portable toilet.

When we contacted Crey Industries about this research project we were told the chairperson of Crey Industries, Countess Clarissa Crey, was unavailable for comment.

Shortly following our inquires for a comment, her 'number 2', the vice-president of Crey Industries 'dumped' the official announcement to the press which included this 'flowing' statement "We at Crey Industries believe this discover could be used in environmentally friendly forms of waste treatment".

Hollywood action movies are finally bringing in packed audiences, thanks to improvements in movie special effect that compare with real-life superhero activities. For years action movies have been a niche market, often characterised by paper-thin plots and one dimensional characters who's activities are less exciting than the evening news, but recent technical advancements have changed this.

Action films have always faced stiff contest again superhero documentaries. Unless the actor in question has powers of his own, most action films up to this point have been uninspiring. Watching someone shrug off bullets onscreen is a lot less impressive if you've seen it done in real life, while the wonders of flying vicariously are nothing compared to doing it yourself.

Recent advances in computer technology and special digital effects have started to change this, with the on-screen antics looking bigger and more impressive than ever before. A number of Hollywood studios have announced major action films for release later this year, with a focus on special effects and sequels.

Hans Heinburg of Mirror Image Movies has given the Beholder some indication of what is coming out. "Obviously superhero films never do well, no matter how square-jawed the actor they use," he says. "What you will see is lots of science fiction, sword-and-sorcery and spy action - everyday people do not have much familiarity with this, so the canvas to work on is broader."

Well-known action star Denise Borg says it's about time. "We haven't got much respect in Hollywood as they'd rather release some talky drama or thinking film that is bound to make money. It's good to see things start to change!"

A new education program has launched in Paragon City aimed at reducing the number of high IQ pre-teens who turn evil with the onset of puberty. The Young Genius Management Program will be used to identify and aid school children identified as abnormally gifted with integration into normal society. Although it is estimated that only 3 in every 2000000 teens will make use of the initiative, the program has been justified in that it will "reduce the threat that Paragon City faces whenever a new supervillian arises" according to its supporters.

"It would be foolish not to support this program," says reformed villain supergenius and program chairman FourThought. "Although only a small number of child-units will be helped, catching them now will stop much pain and reduce the workload on overtaxed superhero cooperatives. And we've already had some success... MWAHAHAHA! Success!"

FourThought was controversially selected as chairman for the Young Genius Management Program, but it is believed his experience as both a criminal mastermind and reformed villain will bring the necessary skills to the initiative. On the matter FourThought says, "True, I was responsible for wholesale destruction and terror in Paragon City, but that was until I saw the logical inconsistency of being a supervillain - what would I do once I actually started ruling the world? Once I figured that out, reforming was easy."

The initiative has already accepted five Paragonite High School students into the fold. Daniel Schuberman, 16, was accepted into the program after displaying evil supergenius traits - he unleashed an interdimensional chtulloid horror onto several students who were allegedly bullying him and was responsible for the robot rampage that destroyed his local school. "I'm not proud of what I've done," says Daniel, "but it was so easy to bend reality to my will so I thought I had to. This program has shown me that there is better way to attract Suzy Denkin's attention than building a battle robot and abducting her."

Lee Dansesk, 14, has also benefited from the program and how it trained her to use her powers correctly. Lee commented that she "used to use my powers all the time to get what I wanted, but I know now that's the right thing to do. FourThought has really opened my eyes regarding my duty to the rest of humanity. I've decided to use my mind-reading powers to help society instead - I'm going to work for the IRS."

The Young Genius Management Program will run for 12 months before its long-term effectiveness can be determined.