Written by Joe Casey & Joshua Williamson.
Art by Scott Kolins; Ardian Syaf; Jay Fabok; Vincente Cifuentes; David Enebral; Norm Rapmund; Marlo Alquiza; Prentis Rollins; Rebecca Buchman; Derek Fridolfs; Walden Wong; Michael Atiyeh; Ulises Arreola; Pete Pantazis; & Rob Leigh.
Collection Cover Art by Ardian Syaf; Vicente Cifuentes; & Ulises Arreola.
SUMMARY:
DC Comics, in 2010, released this 144-page paperback compiling Superman/Batman # 64 and # 68-71 from 2009 and 2010. Thousands of years before, homicidal Durlan terrorists aboard a hijacked Kryptonian vessel flee local justice through a space-time portal. The shape-shifting Durlans intend to exterminate all Kryptonians to finally achieve victory in their intergalactic feud.
In the present-day (amidst the aftermath of Our Worlds At War), Batman & Superman grimly investigate this same vessel they have found now derelict in a secluded asteroid belt. Given a missing escape pod and the ship’s uneasy proximity to Earth, they conclude that an alien hostile is apparently now hiding somewhere on the planet.
What confounds the World’s Finest Duo is how this Kryptonian ship could have jumped through time – more so, the reason why. Meanwhile, in the Himalayan Mountains, reclusive billionaire (and STAR Labs silent partner) Anderson Gaines evidently makes a sinister discovery.
A seemingly routine assignment weeks later for Clark Kent has him interviewing the enigmatic Gaines. Soon afterward, an incendiary assassin named NRG-X launches fiery attacks targeting Clark Kent at The Daily Planet and then the Man of Steel in his own Fortress of Solitude. Having probed his own suspicions of Gaines’ unusually public activities, Bruce Wayne contemplates the identity of NRG-X’s shadowy employer. Whoever it is knows Clark’s secret and is unleashing a very personal vendetta to kill Superman.
Against two formidable adversaries, the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel must go on offense to end a predator’s wrath bent on finally destroying Krypton’s legacy.
Note: This title is presently available in a trade paperback format only.
REVIEW:
Considering this title’s brevity, readers could construe Big Noise either as a tight, plot-driven space/action thriller or a fast and forgettable read. Squandering excellent artwork (specifically, Issues # 68-71), one makes a more convincing case for the latter. Suffice to say, Big Noise’s storyline is, at most, superficially entertaining.
A lack of depth is glaring, such as the absence of pivotal supporting characters – apart from Alfred Pennyworth making some contributions, the plot leaves one wondering: where is Clark’s spouse, Lois Lane? Or Perry White, for that matter, especially if The Daily Planet’s upper deck has been firebombed? Writer Joe Casey doesn’t provide any answers, let alone seems to care.
As adequate compensation, Casey might have pitched some welcome plot twists, but the Superman-targeted-for-death storyline doesn’t bother with a single surprise. Minimal creativity isn’t a deal breaker, but this story’s business-as-usual outcome has no impact. The predictable Superman/Batman: Big Noise, if anything, is strictly a library find.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The full-page cover precedes each story. The cover artists are for Issue # 64: Scott Kolins & Mike Auyeh; and for Issues # 68-71: Ardian Syaf; Vicente Cifuentes; & Ulises Arreola.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 4½ Stars
