Superman #15 review

So there. I was yesterday, moaning about the surfeit of purple tones on House of Brainiac covers, and here’s one blazing with green. And I love it, Rafa Sandoval’s simple image of an intense Superman in the face of the computer tyrant’s dying spacecraft is a winner. It helps that the white and green logo combo is one of my all-time favourites.

It’s the end of the crossover that’s been running between Superman and Action Comics, with a special thrown in along with a couple of Power Girl issues (undoubtedly anything but special).

So yes, the ship on which Brainiac has been holding stolen, miniaturised cities, their power helping to create his Brainiac Queen, is exploding. Plugged into its hive mind, father and daughter Lex and Lena Luthor are using their own massive brainpower to short circuit its systems. But a greater effort is needed.

In physical reality, Superman, Supergirl and Lobo struggle to hold back the hordes of Brainiac, including his possessed wife and children. If only the cavalry were over the hill…

Hurrah! With the addition of Metropolis heroes and villains Superwoman, Silver Banshee, Parasite, the Super-Man of China, Livewire, the Super-Twins and Mercy Graves, freed from imprisonment by Superboy, the tide is turned.

Lex’s assault on the hive mind starts deleting Brainiac’s intellect, humbling the monster.

The mass murdering android asks Superman for a favour – save the last of his people. Given the Man of Steel has already asked his partners to save every shrunken city in the ship, it’s hardly a request that needs to be made, but it shows how little Brainiac understands compassion.

As Superman concentrates on rescue and retreat, Brainiac gathers his damaged Queen and, well, I suppose we’d say he does a Jor-El and Lara.

I pity the simple farming couple who find that nightmare in their cornfield.

And after that, it’s epilogue time back in Metropolis, where we learn that Lobo, having managed to shrink the already shrunken cities further to make them more portable, has handed them over to Brainiac’s no-longer-controlled clan.

I tend to agree with Lobo here – never mind Colu 2.0, that looks like a new Warworld. Still, I always liked the patchwork planet idea – I wish DC would reprint that old Green Lantern: Mosaic series, but I get why they won’t – so hopefully we’ll get some good stories out of it.

The epilogue also includes a hug from Lois, a friendly farewell with Lobo and an interesting turn with Lex. I like that there’s not a sniff of the upcoming Absolute Power event, even though solicitations tell us that’s where the Brainiac Queen is showing up very soon. Well, this week I think, as there’s an AP book in the line-up.

One thing I enjoyed in Joshua Williamson’s script is the implication that Brainiac has always had emotions, but they’ve been crushed by his ever-rising brainpower. And when they rise to the surface, he can’t cope. I wonder how much more formidable a foe he’d be were he to tap into emotional and intellectual intelligence at the same time.

And Williamson continues to give us a recognisably admirable Superman, righteously angry at Brainiac’s sins, but never losing control, always looking for some good in his foes, however small. It’s that attitude that has made not only made villains willing to fight by his side, but also helped reform some. Heck, at this point I’m even buying that Lex does want to be a better person.

At the start of this storyline we were told Superman and Lois’s son Jon was off with the Titans (he’s not actually a member). He’s not mentioned at all in the epilogue, which is surprising; given what his parents have been through – I can only guess that he’s been so tweaked as a character (as good as aged up overnight, randomly made bisexual, turned super-earnest) that Williamson just doesn’t want to touch him.

Rafa Sandoval, who’s drawn most of House of Brainiac, is back for the conclusion and the art is fantastic. The intensely busy compositions amp up the sense of threat while the drama is also evident in the more conversational moments. Big credit for finding a way to make heat vision look exciting, I’m so tired of Burning Red Eyes Superman.

The almost abstract Superman head and waves of power remind me of Gene Colan, Tony DeZuniga and Carl Gafford’s visuals on the Phantom Zone mini-series… if you’ve never read that Steve Gerber-written classic, seek it out.

And how about those colours, Alejandro Sánchez does a tremendous job of selecting and blending hues. Compare this to the drab tones suffered by so many Marvel strips, it’s night and day. The letters are the work of Ariana Maher and they’re consistently sharp and accurate, just great.

I’m gushing now, so it’s probably time to pack this review in. House of Brainiac part six is a satisfyingly solid wrap up that leaves a thread or two open for further dramatic development. All the creators are on top form and they’re well and truly stuck the landing, one arm outstretched to the floor. I hope you’ve enjoyed this story as much as I have.