Brainiac (story arc)
Encyclopedia
"Brainiac" is a five-issue comic book
story arc
written by Geoff Johns
and illustrated by Gary Frank
, that was published in Action Comics
#866-870 by DC Comics
in 2008. The story is notable for several major plot developments regarding Superman
: the death of Superman's adopted father Jonathan Kent, the return of the pre-Crisis
bottled city of Kandor
, and the return of the original Silver Age
incarnation of the supervillain Brainiac
. It also serves as a prelude to the "Superman: New Krypton
" storyarc.
steals the city of Kandor
. In the present, the Daily Planet
is having a staff meeting attended by Perry White
, Lois Lane
, Clark Kent
, Jimmy Olsen
, and Ron Troupe
. Also present are Cat Grant
and Steve Lombard
, who have recently returned to the staff. Clark hears a mysterious noise with his super hearing and goes to investigate as Superman
.
He discovers the noise was a Brainiac drone, sent to try to locate Superman. Superman promptly defeats the drone and takes it back to the Fortress of Solitude
. With help from Supergirl
it is revealed that Superman has never fought Brainiac before, and all earlier encounters Superman has ever had with Brainiac has been with one of his probes. It is also revealed that Supergirl was on Krypton
when Brainiac stole Kandor, and because of this is terrified of Brainiac.
After visiting the Kents, Superman then goes flying all through the galaxy in an attempt to track down Brainiac. He discovers his probes on one planet, and witnesses Brainiac capture a city like he did with Kandor. Brainiac also fires a missile into that planet's sun, causing the sun to explode and destroy the planet.
The explosion knocks Superman unconscious and he is brought upon Brainiac’s ship. When Superman awakes he escapes and makes his way around Brainiac's ship. There he discovers a room full of thousands of bottled cities, including Kandor. At this point the true Brainiac reveals himself. It is revealed that Brainiac has been collecting information of all the planets he has been destroying and the next planet he decides to attack is Earth, including capturing Superman and Supergirl as the last remnants of Krypton.
The Brainiac ship arrives over Metropolis
and sends out probes to attack Metropolis, while everyone, including Supergirl, does their best to fend them off. Meanwhile Superman fights with Brainiac. After knocking him out, Superman hears a voice that sounds distinctly like his father, it is actually the voice of his uncle Zor-El, who is alive inside the bottled city of Kandor (along with his wife Alura). As Superman and Zor-El talk, Brainiac attacks Superman from behind. Supergirl is also caught at this point and brought upon Brainiac’s ship just as Metropolis is encased in a bottle and a solar-aggressor missile is fired towards the sun.
Superman is unconscious and held captive by the ship, being hooked up to all the bottled cities, hearing their cry for help. Superman escapes and attacks Brainiac, before taking the bottled Metropolis and Kandor, he then frees Supergirl and convinces her to stop the solar-aggressor from hitting the sun, which would cause it to go supernova
and ultimately destroy Earth. Superman then attacks Brainiac and knocks him out of the ship, forcing Brainiac to land on Earth. Brainiac is overwhelmed by Earth bacteria and micro-organisms. As a result he can not control anything on Earth and is promptly defeated by Superman. However, Brainiac reveals that the cities can not be sustained outside of the ship, and Superman flies off and returns Metropolis before flying to the Arctic and releasing Kandor to its normal size.
Supergirl intercepts the solar-aggressor, preventing the sun from being destroyed. However Brainiac has one final trick left. After reading Superman’s mind while he was kidnapped, he knows where Superman’s parents live, and he promptly fires a missile which explodes on the Kent farm. Although no one is hurt by the explosion itself, Jonathan Kent suffers a heart attack and dies in Martha's arms, just as Clark arrives.
The epilogue begins with Jonathan Kent's funeral. Clark looks over and sees Bruce Wayne and Alfred are standing under a tree nearby.
.
DC issued a statement to retailers that the issue was recalled, and that any copies featuring the original cover be destroyed. The next week, DC reprinted the issue featuring a cover in which the label on the bottle was changed to read, "soda pop." This was the second such instance of censorship invoked by DC that month, the first plaguing issue #10 of Frank Miller
and Jim Lee
's All Star Batman and Robin for insufficient censorship of profanity within the issue.
Regardless of the efforts of DC and the distributors, copies of Action Comics #869 featuring the original cover got out and can be purchased online on sites such as eBay
.
that states the bottled city was not the real Kandor but a city that named itself after the Kryptonian city. His revamping of Brainiac keeps the post-Crisis version of Brainiac intact under the revealation that the post-Crisis telepathic version of Brainiac was a nanite based probe that possessed psychic Milton Fine. This allowed Brainiac to battle Superman for years while never actually meeting him face to face.
and Smallville
.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
written by Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
and illustrated by Gary Frank
Gary Frank
Gary Frank is a British comic book artist, notable for pencilling on Midnight Nation and Supreme Power, both written by J. Michael Straczynski...
, that was published in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
#866-870 by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
in 2008. The story is notable for several major plot developments regarding Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
: the death of Superman's adopted father Jonathan Kent, the return of the pre-Crisis
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
bottled city of Kandor
Kandor
Kandor is the name of the former capital city of the fictional planet Krypton in the DC Universe. It is best known for being stolen and miniaturized by the supervillain Brainiac...
, and the return of the original Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
incarnation of the supervillain Brainiac
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
. It also serves as a prelude to the "Superman: New Krypton
Superman: New Krypton
"New Krypton" is a Superman story arc written by Geoff Johns, James Robinson, and Sterling Gates with art by Gary Frank, Alex Ross, Renato Guedes, Jamal Igle and Pete Woods and published by DC Comics...
" storyarc.
Plot
In flashback, BrainiacBrainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
steals the city of Kandor
Kandor
Kandor is the name of the former capital city of the fictional planet Krypton in the DC Universe. It is best known for being stolen and miniaturized by the supervillain Brainiac...
. In the present, the Daily Planet
Daily Planet
The Daily Planet is a fictional broadsheet newspaper in the , appearing mostly in the stories of Superman. The building's original features were based upon the AT&T Huron Road Building in Cleveland, Ohio...
is having a staff meeting attended by Perry White
Perry White
Perry White is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comics. White is the Editor-in-Chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet.White maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards...
, Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
, Clark Kent
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
, Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character who appears mainly in DC Comics’ Superman stories. Olsen is a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet. He is close friends with Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Superman and Perry White...
, and Ron Troupe
Ron Troupe
Ron Troupe is a fictional journalist, a supporting comic book character published by DC Comics. He debuted in Adventures of Superman #480 , and was created by Jerry Ordway and Tom Grummett.-Fictional character biography:...
. Also present are Cat Grant
Cat Grant
Catherine "Cat" Jane Grant is a fictional DC Comics character appearing in Superman comics. She first appeared in Adventures of Superman #424 as a gossip columnist for the Daily Planet...
and Steve Lombard
Steve Lombard
Steve Lombard is a fictional DC Comics character appearing in Superman comics. He first appeared in Superman #264 in a story written by Cary Bates and penciled by Curt Swan.-Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths:...
, who have recently returned to the staff. Clark hears a mysterious noise with his super hearing and goes to investigate as Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
.
He discovers the noise was a Brainiac drone, sent to try to locate Superman. Superman promptly defeats the drone and takes it back to the Fortress of Solitude
Fortress of Solitude
The Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...
. With help from Supergirl
Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
Kara Zor-El is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and related media, created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino. As Supergirl, Kara Zor-El serves as the biological cousin and female counterpart to DC Comic's iconic superhero Superman, created...
it is revealed that Superman has never fought Brainiac before, and all earlier encounters Superman has ever had with Brainiac has been with one of his probes. It is also revealed that Supergirl was on Krypton
Krypton (comics)
Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe, and the native world of the super-heroes Superman and, in some tellings, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. Krypton has been portrayed consistently as having been destroyed just after Superman's flight from the planet, with exact details of...
when Brainiac stole Kandor, and because of this is terrified of Brainiac.
After visiting the Kents, Superman then goes flying all through the galaxy in an attempt to track down Brainiac. He discovers his probes on one planet, and witnesses Brainiac capture a city like he did with Kandor. Brainiac also fires a missile into that planet's sun, causing the sun to explode and destroy the planet.
The explosion knocks Superman unconscious and he is brought upon Brainiac’s ship. When Superman awakes he escapes and makes his way around Brainiac's ship. There he discovers a room full of thousands of bottled cities, including Kandor. At this point the true Brainiac reveals himself. It is revealed that Brainiac has been collecting information of all the planets he has been destroying and the next planet he decides to attack is Earth, including capturing Superman and Supergirl as the last remnants of Krypton.
The Brainiac ship arrives over Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
and sends out probes to attack Metropolis, while everyone, including Supergirl, does their best to fend them off. Meanwhile Superman fights with Brainiac. After knocking him out, Superman hears a voice that sounds distinctly like his father, it is actually the voice of his uncle Zor-El, who is alive inside the bottled city of Kandor (along with his wife Alura). As Superman and Zor-El talk, Brainiac attacks Superman from behind. Supergirl is also caught at this point and brought upon Brainiac’s ship just as Metropolis is encased in a bottle and a solar-aggressor missile is fired towards the sun.
Superman is unconscious and held captive by the ship, being hooked up to all the bottled cities, hearing their cry for help. Superman escapes and attacks Brainiac, before taking the bottled Metropolis and Kandor, he then frees Supergirl and convinces her to stop the solar-aggressor from hitting the sun, which would cause it to go supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
and ultimately destroy Earth. Superman then attacks Brainiac and knocks him out of the ship, forcing Brainiac to land on Earth. Brainiac is overwhelmed by Earth bacteria and micro-organisms. As a result he can not control anything on Earth and is promptly defeated by Superman. However, Brainiac reveals that the cities can not be sustained outside of the ship, and Superman flies off and returns Metropolis before flying to the Arctic and releasing Kandor to its normal size.
Supergirl intercepts the solar-aggressor, preventing the sun from being destroyed. However Brainiac has one final trick left. After reading Superman’s mind while he was kidnapped, he knows where Superman’s parents live, and he promptly fires a missile which explodes on the Kent farm. Although no one is hurt by the explosion itself, Jonathan Kent suffers a heart attack and dies in Martha's arms, just as Clark arrives.
The epilogue begins with Jonathan Kent's funeral. Clark looks over and sees Bruce Wayne and Alfred are standing under a tree nearby.
Recall
The penultimate issue of the series, Action Comics #869, was recalled at the retailer level by DC Comics for cover content. The original cover depicted Clark and his adoptive father outside the Kent farmhouse apparently holding what may be beerBeer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
.
DC issued a statement to retailers that the issue was recalled, and that any copies featuring the original cover be destroyed. The next week, DC reprinted the issue featuring a cover in which the label on the bottle was changed to read, "soda pop." This was the second such instance of censorship invoked by DC that month, the first plaguing issue #10 of Frank Miller
Frank Miller (comics)
Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
and Jim Lee
Jim Lee
Jim Lee is a Korean-American comic book artist, writer, editor and publisher. He first broke into the industry in 1987 as an artist for Marvel Comics, illustrating titles such as Alpha Flight and Punisher War Journal, before gaining a great deal of popularity on The Uncanny X-Men...
's All Star Batman and Robin for insufficient censorship of profanity within the issue.
Regardless of the efforts of DC and the distributors, copies of Action Comics #869 featuring the original cover got out and can be purchased online on sites such as eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
.
Continuity
In previous post-Crisis stories, Kandor was a run down city populated by non-humanoid, non-Kryptonian residents of Krypton that Superman kept in a bottle at the Fortress of Solitude. However, in favor of restoring the pre-Crisis incarnation of the city, Geoff Johns introduced a retconRetcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
that states the bottled city was not the real Kandor but a city that named itself after the Kryptonian city. His revamping of Brainiac keeps the post-Crisis version of Brainiac intact under the revealation that the post-Crisis telepathic version of Brainiac was a nanite based probe that possessed psychic Milton Fine. This allowed Brainiac to battle Superman for years while never actually meeting him face to face.
Jonathan's death
This story arc features the death of the post-Crisis version of Jonathan Kent. This plot development — where Jonathan dies and Martha survives as a widow — mirrors previous depictions of his death in the motion picture Superman: The Movie, and the television series Adventures of SupermanAdventures of Superman (TV series)
Adventures of Superman is an American television series based on comic book characters and concepts created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The show is the first television series to feature Superman and began filming in 1951 in California...
and Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
.
Collected editions
The storyline was collected in March 2009 in hardcover format.- Superman: Brainiac (128 pages, hardcover, March 2009, ISBN 1401220878)