Superman: Brainiac

Superman Brainiac is the perfect Superman story. It captures that optimistic Christopher Reeve and Richard Donner aesthetic flawlessly while grounding the narrative in real, terrifying stakes. It honors the lineage and legacy of the comics while remaining incredibly accessible to new readers. Most writers fundamentally misunderstand how to handle an invincible god-like being, but Geoff Johns proves once again that he is the definitive Superman storyteller.

The book opens with a brutal sequence that immediately establishes the villain's threat level. We witness the historical attack on Kandor. Brainiac injects his cybernetic probes directly into the brains of the population before encasing the entire city in a force field and shrinking it down into a bottle. The script then seamlessly transitions to Earth, giving us a masterclass in establishing a supporting cast. We get a Daily Planet roll call under Perry White. We see Cat Grant as the gossip reporter, Steve Lombard as the boorish sports columnist, Ron Troupe as the intellectual deep diver, and Jimmy Olsen as the bumbling photographer. It grounds Clark Kent in a living, breathing workplace full of distinct personalities and gives a perfect intro for new readers.

The action escalates methodically. A Brainiac drone enters Earth's atmosphere, scuffles with Clark, and then self destructs after phoning home. Johns brilliantly juxtaposes this galactic threat with peaceful, quiet shots of Jonathan and Martha Kent living their lives on the farm, even as a weather vane hints that the winds are rapidly changing.

When Kara learns that Brainiac is coming, her reaction is pure PTSD. Her fear is palpable. She explains the true history of Kandor, hinting that it was never destroyed, but stolen. So, if Kandor is still around, there are potentially a hundred thousand Kryptonians trapped inside that bottle. What exactly happens to global geopolitics if an entire city of supermen is suddenly released under Earth's yellow sun? (Spoiler: don't worry, we have a chance to find out in later arcs).

Knowing the threat level, Clark goes on the offensive. He tracks Brainiac into deep space, fails to prevent another alien city from being bottled, and gets pulled into Brainiac's ship. The reveal of the real Brainiac is stunning. We see his massive shadow rise up and tower over Clark through highly cinematic paneling. The script then cuts back to Jonathan Kent looking up at the sky, telling Martha that their baby bird has flown away but they raised him well. A bird suddenly dies and falls to the earth, signaling the tragedy to come.

Inside the ship, Brainiac restrains Clark and coldly dismisses Earth and its primitive, messy culture. Brainiac believes he is above society and biology. But Clark hears Lois declare her love for him from Earth, which gives him the emotional shot in the arm to snap his restraints. In a homage to War of the Worlds, the invader is ultimately brought down by Earth's basic microbes. It makes sense that a sterile, cybernetic being who spends his centuries isolating and preserving sterile environments would have immunity. Especially after hybernating for 3 decades.

But a cornered villain always strikes last. Brainiac launches a desperate final attack on the Kent farm, which triggers a massive heart attack in Jonathan Kent. Clark successfully restores the bottled city of Kandor, but his moment of triumph is instantly shattered. He realizes what is happening and flies home, but no matter how fast he travels, he is simply not fast enough. Pa Kent succumbs. Johns delivers a harsh, grounded lesson. Just because Superman is physically invulnerable does not mean he cannot be hurt. Superman can fly faster than light, but he cannot stop a heart attack.

The epilogue is a gut punch as Clark cycles through anger, fear, and profound sadness. Lois grounds him by reminding him to never forget what Jonathan taught him. The story closes with the Man of Steel sitting alone, grieving on the dirt floor of the family barn.

This is Geoff Johns delivering his magnum opus. It is the gold standard and the measuring stick for all Superman stories. Combined with Last Son of Krypton, this arc perfectly encapsulates the character, grounds his world, and sets the stage for the massive New Krypton saga to follow.