Akting Out

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is DC’s newest animated film, and acts as a direct sequel to the dubious Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. While the original wasn’t a bad film, I was disappointed by how far it strayed from the original material, primarily with one of its key characters. Having never read Superman/Batman: Supergirl (which is the basis for this film), I had to base my opinion on the film alone.

The movie picks up a few months after the events of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. When a large meteor crashes into Gotham Bay, the Dark Knight moves in to investigate. He finds an exceptionally strong young girl who’s managed to incapacitate several ill-intentioned dockworkers and evade police—by taking to the skies. The pursuit is nearly catastrophic until Superman intervenes. Meanwhile, Batman, having deduced the girl’s origin, renders her temporarily powerless with kryptonite. As Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman (who plays a large role) bicker over what to do with the rebellious adolescent, Darkseid involves himself with plans of his own.

The character design is much sleeker than the over muscled, blocky design found in Public Enemies, and Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly reprise their roles as Batman and Superman, respectively. Summer Glau scores as Kara/Supergirl, and Susan Eisenberg is impressive as an iron-willed Wonder Woman. The only cast member to fall short is Andre Braugher, who is completely miscast as Darkseid. While he pulls off Darkseid’s ruthless intelligence, he fails to make Darkseid frightening. The animation is the film’s high mark, and it’s amazing to see how far fight choreography has come in an animated film. Watch Wonder Woman’s battle with Darkseid’s furies to see what I’m talking about.

The story is almost a huge letdown, especially as it climaxes. The entire thing feels rushed, as though the filmmakers were trying to get as much of the original source material in here as well as please the fans. Although the climax opens one gaping plot hole, the final battle nearly makes up for it.

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse does better than its predecessor, but not by much. For twenty dollars, you can get the two-disc special edition which includes a digital version as well as a short featuring Green Arrow. Hardcore fans might find this a worthwhile purchase (and I did), but casual fans would do just as well spending fifteen dollars on the regular version. Not horrible, not great, but better than average.

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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I am proud to announce the upcoming publication of my very first book, Universal Warrior: Atherean Defenders [Redux]. This upcoming e-novella tells of the very first battle in war between Heaven and Hell. The story occurs during the Alpha period, a few generations after Adam and Eve, as political tensions in Heaven finally escalate to violence.

One early spring morning, three Angels go stunt-diving over the Atherean Sea, Heaven’s largest body of water.  Only one comes home. Her final thoughts speak of unspeakable terrors that have overtaken the sea, and all of Heaven cries out for vengeance.

Reginald St. Morias, a small-town lumberjack, finds himself reluctantly pressed into service, leading a small force into the heart of the sea. Although his instructions conflict with his faith, Reginald, and those he leads, soon find themselves in battle with an impossible enemy, one who has no known weaknesses, feeds on fear, pain, and suffering, and originates from the worst place imaginable, a place that will become known in all languages as the final destination of the damned.

Universal Warrior: Atherean Defenders [Redux] is a story about the loss of paradise, and the struggle to hold onto one’s faith in the face of senseless madness. It is about the struggle to accept who are, so you may become who you are meant to be. This is the very first battle in a war that will rage on for centuries.

Universal Warrior: Atherean Defenders [Redux] will be available for digital download on November 1, 2011, to coincide with the relaunch of http://universalwarrioronline.com.

The e-novella will be made available to anyone who wants it at absolutely no charge.

Stay tuned for more details as the release date draws nearer.

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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As he passed over the lake of fire, Reginald locked eyes with one of the many damned. It howled, reaching up for him desperately. Another one leapt from the lake and pounced on it, pushing it back below the surface. Its hand was the last to go. The scream would stay with him forever.

“Nothing you can do now.” Angelica Reached into his mind, “We have to save Lihua and Jayden!”

“I know…” Reginald replied sadly. He hesitated a moment longer and then turned away, arms ahead of him as though flying as he streaked through the water. Jayden and Lihua were roughly fifty yards ahead, ferociously engaging Rahab. Jayden seemed to be doing most of the work; he would attack, get knocked several feet away, and re-engage. The closer they drew, the stronger Jayden’s thoughts became; the boy was weakening, and he knew he was no match for Poseidon’s killer, but it didn’t matter; no matter the cost, Jayden was determined to kill Rahab.

Surprisingly, Lihua appeared skilled at hand-to-hand combat, although her movements were awkward and Rahab was capitalizing; she wasn’t used to her new body yet, wasn’t familiar with how far she could push it. Still, she held her own; Rahab seemed intent on grabbing her, but Lihua would slip away and push him off-balance before he could do any damage. Which was good for her; Rahab seemed intent on eating her. Reginald felt Angelica’s mind and realized they were thinking the same thing; if Jayden and Lihua were to work together, Rahab may have had a problem. Now, all they could do was get there before it was too late; Reginald drew his axes and accelerated. They had closed the distance to mere feet. “Remember,” Reginald reached to everyone, “we want him alive. Don’t damn yourself for him.”

“I won’t.” Angelica’s was the only response. Reginald feared that his words would be lost on the young ones. Even as he entered the fray, he struggled to remember what it was that Rahab had called Lihua…lilen? What exactly was that?

Time for analytical thought was over. “Angelica.” Reginald ordered as Lihua wrenched away from Rahab, “Take his mind.”

Angelica smiled–coldly–at Rahab as she clenched her fists, and the demon arched backwards, hands raised to his ears as a forked tongue appeared to spasm its way out of his mouth. He screamed a terrible, piercing shriek as he appeared to convulse, slowly buckling under Angelica’s mental assault.

Jayden recovered from Rahab’s last assault and saw an opportunity; clutching his knife, he dove towards the demon, blade raised for the killing blow. At the last second, Reginald intercepted Jayden’s wrist and jerked the boy’s arm downwards, forcing Jayden to look him in the eye. “Li,” Angelica reached to Lihua, “Circle and grasp. I’ll hold him here.”

“Oh, is that what you’ll do…” Rahab began to overpower Angelica’s telepathy as Lihua began to circle around to his left side, reaching into his mind. “You know what I am,” her tone was menacing, “And you know you can’t stop one of my kind.”
“Shut up, damn you.”

“It’s time, Rahab.” Lihua’s tone was mocking comfort. “It’s time to go home.”

Reginald looked to Jayden. “Have you lost your mind?!” He bellowed into the boy’s mind, “Don’t you know what’ll happen to you if you kill him?!”

Jayden’s eyes were black as he merely looked back to Reginald, and that’s when the elder Angel knew.

The rock foundation ahead of them suddenly exploded outwards, sending all of them tumbling through the water, which had abruptly become hot. There was a horrifying, deafening roar that emerged from the gaping hole in the wall of the Atherean, overtaking the sea. It slowly, distinctly said Rahab’s name. Rahab began swimming for dear life, moving away from the vacuuming abyss that had suddenly become the most dominant thing in the ocean.

“This is our chance!” Angelica strained to Reach them, “Grab him now!”

“No!” Reginald shot back, trying to regain balance in the water, “Send him back! Drive him back into the hole!”

“He’s not leaving here alive.” That final thought came from Jayden.

Reginald realized that he could not let Jayden be damned…no matter what. The family had lost enough. But that meant that something terrible had to be done.

The suction from the screaming black hole had increased, as though the thing was becoming frustrated. The one it wanted was almost treading water, desperate to get away. Lihua descended upon him, dropping the heel of her foot squarely into the center of his spine. Rahab was splayed out, but recovered quicker than anyone imagined; he whipped around and caught Lihua’s ankle before she could pull away. As the two were drawn towards the abyss, Lihua’s eyes turned black, and talons began protruding from her nails.

“Lihua, no!” Angelica bulled her way into Lihua, knocking the girl free from Rahab’s grasp. Rahab, feral with terror at being pulled back into the hole, clutched Angelica and jerked her close. He sunk his teeth into her throat and ripped something free; she struggled momentarily before floating lifelessly away.

Reginald landed squarely on Rahab’s back and buried one of his axes into the demon’s shoulder. Rahab screamed, and as the two were drawn into the abyss, Reginald pulled the blade free and struck again, severing the demon’s arm.

The look Rahab gave to Reginald would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Reginald sprung from Rahab before they could both be taken. Jayden was approaching from underneath Rahab, prepared to eviscerate the demon from below. There was no time to dive and save the boy from himself. One way to ensure he wasn’t damned.

Closing his eyes, free from the pull of the abyss, Reginald raised his axe high overhead and hurled it towards Jayden.

He didn’t see what happened next. He heard the blade find its mark, felt the abyss cease, and knew it was over.

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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