Brain Storm (DC)

Brain Storm is the name used by several characters in the DC Universe.

Brain Storm (Axel Storm)

Main Article: Axel Storm

Pre-Crisis

Axel Storm had created a special helmet that allowed him to absorb stellar energy, which he could use to create virtually anything which his imagination could conceive.

This invention came to warp his mind and caused him to hallucinate his brother Fred's death. In his twisted ideals, Brain Storm captured the Justice League so that they could witness him taking justice into his own hands by killing the man responsible for his brother's demise. Part of his plan involved stealing the powers and abilities from the Justice League members and redistributing them to random people. However, a side effect to Brain Storm's power was that whoever the power was used upon could also access the energy abilities and the JLA members were suddenly mentally linked to the people who gained their abilities. Transporting them to Brain Storm's base, their arrival freed the Justice League from Brain Storm's trap and they fought against him. They battled a group of stellar-energy powered threats, and came to realize who it was that Brain Storm blamed for his brothers death - the Green Lantern. However, Green Lantern explained that due to Brain Storm's interference with his attempt to capture Fred who just robbed a bank, the combination of both their powers transported Fred to France and erased his memories. Bringing Fred to them and restoring his memory, the Justice League convinced Brain Storm to end his vendetta against the Green Lantern. However, Brain Storm realized that escape was the best course of action and teleported away without a trace, leaving the Justice League to turn his brother over to the police. (Justice League of America v1 #32)

Brain Storm was looking for a way to increase his mental capacity, and discovered that a quasar's radiation was about to hit Earth. He could absorb all of the stellaration, but the energy would be disrupted by the other human minds on the planet. Brainstorm determined to temporarily remove the human population, and he knew this could be accomplished by his newly discovered mental ability to turn his thoughts into reality. He self-hypnotized himself into dreaming that all of humanity had disappeared from Earth, and when he woke up his dream came true. He planned on boosting his brainpower, and then returning humanity to Earth and dominating them with the new mental skills he'd soon possess. His plans had a monkey-wrench thrown into them when he saw a WGBS broadcast by Clark Kent reporting on the disappearance of humans. Unbeknownst to Brain Wave Clark was secretly Superman, and was off-planet when Brain Wave pulled his stunt. He formulated a way to kill Clark, who he believed would interfere with his ability to absorb the full dose of quasar radiation. He called Clark's office, threatening him, and Clark changed into Superman, and followed the call to France. He found a broadcasting machine, and Brain Wave gloated that he was actually in Metropolis, and used a relay system to trick Superman into leaving Clark's side. He described the action as he shot an atomic gun he created with his mind at Clark's office. Superman flew back to Metropolis, and Brain Storm told him he relished some combat before assuming his role as master of Earth, and declared himself the Justice League's most deadly enemy. They clashed, and the hero fled so he could change back into Clark. Brain Wave panicked, realizing he'd never killed the reporter, and chased after him shooting brain-bolts. The last bolt struck Clark, revealing his Superman costume underneath. Superman realized he'd taken a huge risk in revealing his secret identity, but Brain Storm's logical mind looked for a rational reason as to why Clark was not dead, and deduced that Superman was posing as Clark. Superman told him that the quasar's radiation had passed, foiling Brain Storm's plans, and disrupted his helmet, making him dream that the vanished human population was going to exact revenge on him. Brain Storm willed the world's population back into existence in defense, and Superman carted him off to jail. (Superman v1 #294)

Brain Storm subsequently used a machine to extract Superman's power of flight from Clark and imbue it upon Jimmy, then psychically compelled Jimmy to present in his warehouse lair and make use of the flying power to make sure the process worked. Upon witnessing Jimmy fly under his own power, Brain Storm attempted to execute Jimmy and transfer Superman's powers into himself, but Superman himself burst in at that moment, demolished Brain Storm's machine, defeated Brain Storm, and fabricated a believable excuse for how Jimmy appeared to fly. (Superman Family v1 #221)

Post-Crisis

Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.

Brain Storm, or someone dressed like Brain Storm, was one of many costumed villains who attended Roulette's House of Pain, although he did not participate in any of the exhibition events. It is unclear whether this was actually Brain Storm himself, or perhaps one of the other spectators who enjoyed dressing up as a famous super-villain. (JSA v1 #28)

Brain Storm (Alan Barnes)

Main Article: Alan Barnes

Brain Storm (Unknown)

Main Article: Unknown

Brain Storm (Dominic Lanse)

Main Article: Dominic Lanse

Dominic Lanse was a male human who came to be a silicon valley scientist who was working on downloading unique intellects into machines. His success was reversed by an accident that let him reverse the process and transfer those intellects into himself. (Mister Terrific v1 #2)

Overview

Brain Storm's special helmet enables him to absorb and channel cosmic energy for a wide variety of effects.

Notes

• The concept of Brain Storm was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky where it made its first appearance in Justice League of America v1 #32 (December, 1964).

In other media

Television

• In The Flash, the Dominic Lanse Brainstorm appeared in the setting of the live-action television series fourth season set in the Arrowverse where he was portrayed by actor Kendrick Sampson. This version was a telepathic metahuman who was created by the Thinker. With help from Amunet Black, the Thinker arranged for Lanse's capture to implant his consciousness in his body, killing him in the process. Using Lanse's body, the Thinker framed Barry Allen for his 'murder', stealing Kilg%re, Dwarfstar, and Black Bison's powers, where he re-transfered his consciousness to Hazard's body. The Thinker later used Lanse's powers to put a mental block on Killer Frost to negate hers until she regained them.

Appearances

• Justice League of America v1: (1964)

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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