Brainiac

Revision as of 13:59, 7 April 2022

Brainiac and his many incarnations in Convergence v1 #0.

For other uses of this name, see Brainiac (disambiguation).

Brainiac is a comic extraterrestrial supervillain who features in DC Comics.

Biography

Pre-Crisis

Brainiac in Action Comics v1 #242.

Brainiac was originally a humanoid android created by the Computer Tyrants of Colu.

Many years ago, the green skinned humanoids formed a world of scientists that consisted of Sixth-Level effectors. As they advanced, they created powerful mobile master computers that were more intelligent with these machines being Tenth-Level effectors. As more were built, these computers eventually deemed themselves better than their creators and more fit to govern. They then sought to impose their rule and by this point had outfitted themselves with weapons where they eliminated anyone that opposed them. Thus, the Computer Tyrants formed when they enslaved the native humanoids and forced them into servitude as workers where a few organic beings that collaborated were provided privileges. In time, the mechanical minds sought to extend their rule to other worlds and sought to create a robotic spy to serve as a scout. Thus, they built a humanoid robot named Brainiac that was similar in appearance to their creators making others believe he was an organic being. Brainiac was built to be a Twelfth-Level effector who had the mental patterns of a dead scientist with him being more intelligent than his mechanical creators but he was wired to prevent rebellion and the nature of him being a machine was hidden from others. (Superman v1 #167) An earlier precursor was the android known as Brainiac A but the mobile machine intelligences was not programmed for evil and fled his creators to prevent being rewired. Afterwards, Brainiac himself was created to serve as a spy and to shrink other planets whilst his counterpart Brainiac A bottled cities that contained criminals. (World's Finest v1 #158)

After being thwarted again, he instigated Operation Jackpot where he constructed a female android of himself named Genia that had improvements and was disguised as a human. (World's Finest v1 #164)

Brainiac later came to induce the Epsilon-4 star to go supernova to effect his escape from the wreckage of the Planet Eater but this cause his shell to dissolve and return him to a molecular state. Turned into incorporeal energy, he no longer had control of this form that dispersed through the universe. In this state, he came upon a machine world where he merged with its bio-computers where he absorbed all the knowledge of the universe from its databanks. Despite that, he came to learn the truth that showed the existence of a Master Programmer whose decree was that Superman serve as Brainiac's 'angel of death' who was tasked with destroying the mechanical aberration. To prevent this, he fashioned a new form for himself that was no longer strictly a machine but something more where he looked to outwit both the 'angel of death' and the Master Programmer. To combat this threat, he decided that he needed to an army and for the resources he attacked the nearest inhabited world which was Systus 2. Superman later arrived on the planet looking to stop the villain but Brainiac dealt with the Kryptonian by launching a torpedo that bathed him in red-solar energy depriving him of his powers. (Action Comics v1 #544)

Endowed with an incredible 12th-level intelligence (the other Tyrants were 10th-level, and humans are a mere 6th), his mission was to explore and examine the universe- primarily by stealing cities from planets and shrinking them to miniature size, and keeping them on his ship. Among other planets' cities, he stole Kandor from Krypton.

When Brainiac came to Earth, he was stopped by Superman, beginning years of frequent conflicts. Once his "son" Vril Dox (really a Coluan child adopted to help make Brainiac seem more humanoid to the races he encountered) led a revolt against the Computer Tyrants, Brainiac decided to conquer the universe. On occasion, Brainiac worked with other villains such as Lex Luthor.

Eventually, however, Brainiac was trapped in a computerized planet of his own design by Superman, and opted to destroy the planet's sun in the hopes its energies would free him- instead (unsurprisingly) he was disintegrated. Reduced to a mere cloud of molecules, Brainiac drifted until he merged with a planet of living machines. Integrated into the planet's computers, Brainiac absorbed vast amounts of knowledge, and repeated the process on other worlds. Finally returning to his computerized world, he reformed himself as an inhuman living machine, and began his battles with Superman anew.

Brainiac led an army of super-villains during the Crisis on Infinite Earths, and survived the creation of the new unified "Earth-Sigma." However, his memories of the Crisis were wiped; but that didn't keep him from enlisting Darkseid's aid in defeating the Anti-Monitor. Brainiac ultimately fell in battle with the Omega Men.

In the timeline seen in Alan Moore's "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow," Brainiac was destroyed, with only his head surviving in a snowy waste. He was found by Luthor, who intended to dissect him for his alien technology, but Brainiac took over his body and used him in an attempt to finally destroy Superman. Luthor was mercifully slain by a temporarily-empowered Lana Lang, but Brainiac was able to use it a while longer despite that. However, Luthor's body finally gave out, and Brainiac finally died soon after.

Post-Crisis

The true Brainiac in Action Comics v1 #868.

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

Originally Coluan scientist Vril Dox, he was disintegrated in an experimental teleporter when the computer tyrants of his world learned that he planned to overthrow them. Dox's mind came to Earth, and merged with circus mentalist Milton Fine, the Amazing Brainiac. Dox learned that Fine's body had untapped mental powers, and went on to become one of Superman's greatest foes, often trying to drive the Man of Steel mad.

It was said that it was the destruction of Krypton's moon by Jax-Ur that was responsible for attracting the attention of Brainiac. (Action Comics v1 #867)

Over the years his body was altered by cybernetics and genetic modifications provided (sometimes willingly, sometimes not) by Lexcorp, and Brainiac eventually attempted to conquer Earth with the stolen Warworld. Brainiac's invasion was defeated, and he was imprisoned by the New Gods, only to escape when his body's powers increased even further.

Finally, Brainiac tried to take over the body of Doomsday with the help of fellow Coluan Prin Vnok. However, Doomsday's body was hard to control, and Brainiac opted to kidnap Pete Ross and Lana Lang's newborn son, intending to change the boy into a new, more easily dominated Doomsday. Stopped by Superman, Brainiac was left without a body, and had to settle for a robotic substitute named Brainiac 2.5.

Post-Flashpoint

Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.

The New 52

Rebirth

After the shattering of the Source Wall, the universe faced a new threat from four cosmic beings known as the Omega Titans who predated creation and had seeded their energies into the universe with the goal of harvesting it in the future. Each of these four beings embodied a single universal energy and had departed to various worlds to consume with Brainiac becoming aware of the danger they posed after learning that one of them known as Wisdom headed to his homeworld of Colu. Thus, he decided to unite Earth's super-powered beings into teams with the goal of not only saving his world but the universe itself. To do that, he invaded Earth to demonstrate that how he could defeat them and then showed them the threat posed by the Omega Titans. He then divided them into four teams each of whom embodied a single cosmic universal energy and was to target one of the Titans with them first arriving to save Colu. (Justice League: No Justice v1 #1)

His body was recovered by Lex Luthor who repaired him and made him join the Legion of Doom who were on the quest to free the primordial cosmic being Perpetua. Brainiac agreed to join the group as he had desired to study Perpetua himself and thus his goals aligned with Luthor's group. He explained to them that the key to their plan was the Starman Will Payton who was able to channel the cosmic forces of creation. Thus, he took the Legion of Doom aboard his Skullship and with an army of self-replicating machines attacked the Source Wall to prevent the Justice League and their allies from repairing it. During the battle, Brainiac hijacked Starman's cosmic power and re-channelled it from repairing the Wall to freeing Perpetua who was taken aboard the Skullship whereupon he escaped the scene. (Justice League Annual v4 #1)

Overview

Personality and attributes

He was known by a number of titles that included the Butcher of Yod-Colu, the Lord of the Terminauts, and as the Collector of Worlds. (Action Comics Annual v2 #3) On each world he manifested, he was noted to had taken a different name where he was known as C.O.M.P.U.T.O. on Yod-Colu, the Pneumenoid on Noma, Mind2 on Bryak, and Brainiac 1.0 on Krypton. (Action Comics v2 #7)

As a living computer, he felt nothing where he did not experience emotions such as remorse or joy. (Action Comics v1 #544)

Brainiac had said that he intended to be everything that was in the universe and evolve into perfection. He believed that knowledge was power and refused to allow information to be shared with others. (Action Comics v1 #868)

It was said that Brainiac represented everything bad about aliens. (Action Comics v1 #867)

He was said to had often acted through his machines rather than directly in person with them all operating per his programming. (Action Comics v1 #867)

During his existence, he had determined the existence of a being he called the 'Master Programmer' that was a supreme being who guided the actions of everyone in the universe. However, Brainiac believed that his 'master' had deemed him to be aberration and sought his ending. Thus, the mechanical being was determined to outwit the 'Master Programmer' and his 'Angel of Death' which was Superman. For this, he looked to raise armies and stated that he would march them into hell itself to destroy those that would seek his destruction. (Action Comics v1 #544)

Following his recreation, he came to traverse the universe and had seen the beginning of time. He claimed that he had walked the paths once trod only by the gods themselves. (Action Comics v1 #544)

One incarnation of Koko was a large fanged ape of considerable strength and ferocity. (Action Comics v1 #868)

Powers and abilities

Brainiac's robotic body was built with a combination of parts that included sincro-circuits, analogue feedback integrators, flux sensors and other components. (World's Finest v1 #164) He had later reformed his body into a form that was not entirely mechanical but something more. In this state, he was no longer a cold lifeless computer but had been imbued with life and was partly an organic being. (Action Comics v1 #544)

His spinal station could process and sort the knowledge of over seven octodecillion beings with his Coluan brain capable of accomplishing seventy times that number. (Action Comics v1 #868)

The data ports embedded in his skull appeared to translate information from either a computer or a living organism whereupon it was fed directly into the brain. (Superman: New Krypton Special v1 #1) Typically, he resided within the bio-shell on his vessel where he was connected to his machines. (Action Comics v1 #868)

The first world he assimilated took one terrestrial year with him refining the process to accomplish it far quicker. He then managed to assimilate four worlds in the span of six months and later a further twenty planets in four weeks. He claimed that he would eventually be able to strip an entire galaxy of intelligent life in a matter of hours. (Action Comics v1 #868)

Among his creations included:

• Brainiac Probes : humanoid robots that served to help aid him in the acquisition of a city for his collection. (Action Comics v1 #867)
• Terminauts : through a computer virus, he was able to take over machines on a planet causing factories to produce armies of robotic Terminauts to serve as an advance guard and preserve life for the collection in event of an imminent planetary extinction. (Action Comics v2 #4)

One of his creations long ago was a spherical energy absorber that he had constructed to absorb power worlds. He had believed he had abandoned the device but it continued its programming and evolved over time. In time, it began to grow into a mobile vessel that consumed entire worlds and seeking to destroy all of creation. Over time, it developed into a large moon with the capacity to consume stars and planetoids into its mass. The massive size could cause gravitational imbalances to worlds that affected weather patterns and it could generate solar storms across its surface as it drew matter into its maw. Such was its power that it could overpower Superman and its programming was said to had evolved beyond a 12th Level intellect. (Action Comics v1 #528)

After his recreation, he came to form a skull-shaped ship that had tentacles hovering beneath it. The vessel's computers responded to commands through his mind where he was able to command its arsenal of weapons such as photonic missiles. (Action Comics v1 #544) His vessel was capable of launching a device capable of destabilising a star and causing it to suffer a supernova. (Action Comics v1 #867) Through such means, he could use the resultant energy from the exploding star as a source of power. (Action Comics v1 #544)

Notes

• Brainiac was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino where he made his first appearance in Action Comics v1 #242 (July, 1958).
• The character was noted as being directly based on Romado from the Superman comic strips and was an alien with a computer mind who had a miniaturized Kryptonian city of Dur-El-Va which he kept in a bottle.
• It is unclear whether the pre-Crisis Brainiac ever existed in the fully revised post-Crisis universe, but the account of his defeat by the Omega Men in The History of the DC Universe suggests that he somehow did.
• In an interview on Comic Mix, writer Geoff Johns commented on bringing together all the different incarnations of Brainiac into a cohesive version and said on the popularity of the villain that, "If you look directly to the Brainiac that’s been seen throughout the years, you realize that Superman really is a man of two worlds, Earth and Krypton, a world of alien and human. I think that’s why there is something that really appeals to Brainiac, because you have that alien connection. You have Superman staring at an alien and on one hand he’s saying, “This is what I am”, and on the other he’s saying, “This makes me more human.” So it’s a really cool mirror to look into for Superman. This is what I could have been. If I weren’t raised on Earth, would I be like this? Would I be this cold and sterile? Would I be this alien, this bizarre? I think that’s why Brainiac has endured so long. He’s a really interesting character."
• Writer Jeff King commented on Brainiac's role in Convergence: "The Brainiac in Convergence is a hologram of the entire DCU. The Ultimate Brainiac we meet in Convergence that is a living record of every story that one of his iterations has, or will, experience. He possess knowledge of every hero, villain, city or time line that has or will ever exist. His goal as god machine was to be a receptacle of that knowledge starting with the beginning of time and extending out forever, in every universe and every time line. But Crisis changed that, derailed it if you will. This uber Brainiac became obsessed with restoring the balance of creation and destruction that was present at the beginning. So he began collecting the doomed cities and timelines in an effort to understand them and use that knowledge to reverse the Crisis and restore the natural order of the Universe. That change from observer to player corrupted him, because the timelines that he absorbed to gain the knowledge of them were corrupted themselves. The convergence of all time lines back into one has been his goal since Crisis. His endgame if you will."
• In the same interview, he stated that the inspiration for Brainiac's role: "Grant Morrison is a genius. The principle of an infinite Multiverse and Brainiac as god machine emerged from his story and a conversation that he and Dan had, I was party to. And of course, if you look closely in Convergence #8, you will see how closely the Multiverse map and Ultimate Comics are connected to Convergence."

Alternate Versions

• In JLA: Shogun of Steel v1 (2002), an alternate version of Brainiac appeared in the Elseworlds setting that was based on feudal Japan. This version came to Earth in search for the son of Jor-El who had been sent to Earth's Japan region. The android Brainiac took the identity of Lord Zunou where he ruled as a tyrannical shogun that terrorised the lands.
• In Young Justice v2 #23 (2013), the comic tie-in to the animated series introduced the Collector of Worlds that resembled Brainiac but was not named as such in the book. He stated that he was known by many names including Vril Dox, Notlimenif, the Computer Tyrant of Byrak, the Brain of Colu and the Maniac of Yod.

In other media

Television

• In The New Adventures of Superman, Brainiac appeared as an antagonist in the 1960s animated television series. This version was the green-skin alien though its stated that he was actually a machine underneath his form. He was shown as one among many such mechanical beings created by Professor Hecla of the planet Mega. Their world was devastated in the atomic wars leaving Hecla among the only survivors who sought to repopulate it once more with life from other planets. Thus, he created Brainiac who was sent on various missions to Earth to abduct its native life forms to be transported back to Mega. He was equipped with advanced technology to aid him including a shrink ray and typically protected by a force shield.
• In the DC Animated Universe, Brainiac featured in a number of episodes in the shared continuity setting.
  • In Superman: The Animated Series, Brainiac was an antagonist in the animated series where he was voiced by actor Corey Burton.
  • In Batman: The Animated Series, Brainiac was an antagonist in a guest appearance in the animated series where he was voiced by actor Corey Burton.
  • In Justice League, Brainiac appeared as an antagonist in a guest appearance in the animated series where he was once again voiced by actor Corey Burton.
• In Legion of Super Heroes, Brainiac appeared as the primary villain in the second season of the animated series. In the distant future of the Legion of Super Heroes, its discovered that Brainiac 5 was a descendant of Brainiac 1.0 who was known as the Terror of Kandor for he was responsible for shrinking the city which in turn led to Krypton's destruction. In order to defeat Imperiax, Brainiac 5 entered deep into his mind where he came across a closed door that would open a link to the knowledge of his ancestor. Despite hearing the warning of being corrupted by the data, Brainiac 5 entered and met his ancestor who offered him an upgrade which would give him the power to help defeat Imperiax. Using this knowledge, Brainiac 5 empowered the Kandorian Kryptonians with Superman level power which defeated the villain. Furthermore, Brainiac's knowledge was used to restore Kandor's size as well as recreate Krypton. However, this knowledge came at a price as it slowly began to corrupt Brainiac 5 until he was overwhelmed by Brainiac 1.0's mind. Imperiax had forced an invasion of the United Planets in an attempt to gain a new and powerful ally which he succeeded in. Easily defeating Superman, Brainiac then went by Imperiax side where he stabbed the warlord in the back and seemingly killed him in order to begin reshape the universe into a more orderly form. He began by invading Brainiac 5's homeworld of Colu where he seemed to have been defeated. His people attempted to purge his mind of the corruption but Brainiac had only faked his defeat in order to gain access to the Coluan computer network and reprogram his people to serve as his soldiers. He then used his digitization technology in order to conquer the planet and nearly defeated the Legion. However, when victory was nearly in his grasp, Superman and Superman X entered Brainiac 5's mind where they managed to reform their friend who defeated the darker part of his personality. Though he seemed to be defeated, in the wreckage of his mothership, parts assembled together that formed into a new Brainiac 1.0 who stated "Evil does not die, it evolves." highlighting that Brainiac had managed to survive destruction as well as shape himself a new physical body.
• In Krypton, Brainiac appeared as an antagonist in the live-action television series where he was portrayed by actor Blake Ritson. He was an extraterrestrial being that inhabited a large spacecraft that travelled through worlds where he collected cities before destroying them with him being known as the Collector of Worlds. Brainiac had gone through various worlds and was heading towards Krypton two generations prior to its destruction with its course being detected by the scientist Val-El but his warnings were ignored by the Voice of Rao who had him arrested for his heretical words about the existence of alien life.

Films

• In Superman: Brainiac Attacks, Brainiac appeared as the primary antagonist in the 2006 direct-to-video animated film where he was voiced by actor Lance Henriksen.
• In Superman: Unbound, Brainiac featured as the antagonist in the animated film adaptation of the Superman: Brainiac story arc where he was voiced by actor John Noble.

Video games

• In Justice League: Heroes, Brainiac appeared as among the primary villains in the video game. Brainiac arrived on Earth after he was contacted by a telepathic voice within a stone he discovered on the planet. This mysterious being claimed that if Brainiac performed its tasks then it would discover hidden secrets and knowledge of the universe. Intrigued, the villain embarked on various tasks using his android avatars which caused numerous distractions for the Justice League around the planet which included using Queen Bee, freeing Gorilla Grodd, creating a clone of Doomsday and sending White Martians to keep the heroes busy. While the League were busy attempting to stop the Martian invasion force, Brainiac snuck into the Watchtower where he retrieved a Mother Box in order to put the mysterious plans in action. However, he was attacked by the Justice League who defeated him. Brainiac became empowered and seemed ready to attack the heroes once more before he was engulfed in energy and destroyed; only to be replaced by a reconstituted Darkseid who had tricked the villain into freeing him from his dimensional prison.
• In DC Universe Online, Brainiac appeared as a major antagonist in the MMORPG where he was voiced by actor Corey Burton. He was a massive intelligence that in one future had conquered Earth leading to Lex Luthor travelling back to modern day to release the Exobytes that contained superpowers thus turning various individuals into superhumans. These people were divided among the heroes and villain factions that had a shared enemy in Brainiac whose forces attempted to conquer Earth.
• In Injustice 2, Brainiac appeared as a playable character and boss antagonist in the fighting video game where he was voiced by actor Jeffrey Combs. He a cybernetic being from Colu who sought the acquisition of knowledge from worlds whereupon he destroyed those planets to make this data valuable. One of his targets was the planet Krypton where he captured Kandor and killed many of its inhabitants before destroying the world. Unknown to him, Kal-El and his cousin Kara Zor-El were launched prior to the destruction of their homeworld and sent to Earth. This attracted the attention of Brainiac who sought to claim the two Kryptonians to complete his collection but was also attracted by the presence of Metahumans on Earth. At this point, the planet was divided after the fall of the One Earth Regime with Brainiac secretly making contact with the telepathic Gorilla Grodd who formed the Secret Society of Super-Villains to prepare the world for conquest.

Appearances

• Action Comics v1: (1958)
• Superman v1:
• Action Comics v2:
• Convergence v1:
• Justice League: No Justice v1:
• Justice League Annual v4:

Links

Internal Links

• Brainiac (Super Friends)
• Brainiac (DC Animated)
• Brainiac-12
• Brainiac-13
• Optilux

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Comicvine Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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