It’s 1066 but it’s not the Battle of Hastings, it’s the Battle of Brainiac as Superman, Superboy, Lobo and Silver Banshee fight for survival against the computer tyrant of Colu and his latest creation…
… the Brainiac Queen. She’s just killed and eaten Brainiac’s army of Czarnians and now has her eye – and tongue – on the Super Family and friends. She needs power to evolve into her final form. And to help with that project, Brainiac has drafted Lex Luthor’s exceptionally intelligent daughter, Lena.
Of course, the assignment will kill her.
The savagery of the Brainiac Queen’s attack prompts Superboy to try something new.
It’s fair to say Kon-El gets Brainiac’s attention as he short circuits the Bride of Brainiac (I think we all got the hiss reference) and all hell breaks loose.
As we race to the conclusion of this chapter Lex and Supergirl return from their mini-adventure and Lex explains that he’s known what Brainiac is up to all along, but had to go along with him to protect daughter Lena. All of which leads to a new look for the bald boffin.
House of Brainiac part 5 continues the quality we’ve seen so far in this serial that’s been going back and forth between Action Comics and Superman. Joshua Williamson’s script and pacing are first rate, with moments for all the main Super Family members (I’ve given up on the Super-Man of China ever getting anything to do). I’ve every confidence Williamson is going to stick the landing.
Rafa Sandoval and Miguel Mendonça share the illustration assignment, but as with 90 per cent of DC’s books that use more than one artist, the editors don’t say who does what. Paul Kaminski and Jillian Grant, please sort it out. I could try guessing – Sandoval’s lady hair is pretty distinctive – but colourist Alejandro Sánchez does a tremendous job of giving the pages a unified feel. Suffice to say both artists are on top form, with my favourite images being the Luthor headset reveal, Lena in the hive mind and Superboy letting loose. Every panel contributes to the storytelling, though – this storyline will make for a good-looking collection.
Kudos, too, to letterer Dave Sharpe for his fine font choices and perfect balloon placement.
There’s a back-up which follows straight on from the main story, showing us what’s going on in Lex and Lena’s shared headspace, reminding us of the latter’s tangled past and illuminating Lex’s attitude to his girl. If you’ve been rooting for Lex’s recent rehabilitation to take you’ll likely like this as much as I did.
The interlude doesn’t last, though, with Lex and Lena soon menaced by Brainiac once more…
It’s a terrific short by Williamson, again showing how well he does character work, with lovely art by Laura Braga and colourist Prasad Rao. Dave Sharpe is back on letters.
Sandoval and Sánchez‘s cover isn’t the best this storyline has had, I’m a bit purpled out. Overall, though, I enjoyed this issue hugely. Bring on Superman #15 and the conclusion – and in a triumph of wonky scheduling, said finale is out this very week. Scuse me…
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 
I dunno. I found it as empty as a summer blockbuster and expect it have as much lasting effects. The Brainiac Queen is ridiculous. She’s a horror cliche and an old one. It makes zero sense too to have all the knowledge is the universe be basically a mindless sci fi cannibal. I would have bought into the ‘turns on creator’ trope much more easily than this and that one was moldy before we were born.
And I’ve hit on why Luthor’s redemption arc is a such a dud. It balances no scale. It’s as ridiculous as Darth Vader being redeemed by saving his son after he’s murdered children and then whole planets. A few good deeds does not mean you’re not a despicable piece of shit with oceans of blood on your hands. Only a death that saves many, many innocent lives would work, and that is impossible to do in comics because of how temporary death is. (and as to Vader, I argue he was protecting his property rather than being a good father for one minute in his evil, miserable life)
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Hey Martin, so is “Our Worlds At War” still in continuity? Recently re-read that epic from 20 years ago and really enjoyed it. Also that era of Superman – when Lex was elected president – while seeming so absurd at the time sadly makes all the sense in the world these days given Donald Trump. But it was a decent way for the writers to try and “redeem” Luthor in a way by making him, at least in the public eye, a leader/hero, although his actions while in office/during “Our Worlds at War” were self-serving and far from heroic. – Brian
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