One of Superman’s most dangerous foes makes his return to the DC Universe to rock the Man of Steel’s world forever. As announcements continue to pour out of New York Comic Con, fans are getting a peek at what’s ahead for DC Comics in 2024. Amid a shake-up to Action Comics, Brainiac returns with a new weapon to destroy Superman once and for all.
Brainiac is one of Superman’s most dangerous foes. A ruthless information pirate, the Coluan travels the universe, stealing the knowledge of worlds for himself before destroying them, but not before miniaturizing and bottling a sample city for himself.
It’s been some time since Brainiac has come around to challenge Superman, but his return has been hinted at for a while. The recent Superman 2023 Annual #1 ended with the revelation that Brainiac had a bottled city of Czarnia, taken from the home of the indestructible Lobo. Though Brainiac’s ultimate goal was unclear, he noted that he planned to use his collection of Czarnians to uncover Earth’s greatest secret.
Brainiac Returns in Epic Superman Crossover Event
During DC Comics’ Metropolis All-Stars Event at New York Comic Con, the publisher revealed its new “Superman Superstars” initiative. Throughout 2024, Action Comics will feature rotating creative teams, including Joshua Williamson and Rafa Sandoval, who join the title with Action Comics #1064. Their arc, “House of Brainiac”, crosses over with William’s Superman series and features the Man of Steel and his allies fighting Brainiac and an army of Czarnians. Preview art showcased the epic Czarnian battle as Superboy, Supergirl, Steel, and Super-Man fight the unhinged army. Williamson hyped up the event, calling it a “fun roller coaster ride” and everything he loves about Superman’s mythology “turned up to 11“.
The return of Brainiac has been teased since DC Comics began its Dawn of DC initiative. The Dawn of DC timeline featured in the publisher’s 2023 advertisements featured metallic tentacles and later, a giant skull, both features of Brainiac’s dreaded interstellar vessel. Williamson also set up Brainiac’s comeback at the end of Superman #1 in a teaser where Brainiac ominously warned that the Earth was doomed. Williamson has something big planned for Superman’s alien foe and the “House of Brainiac” seems to be the payoff fans have been waiting for. With Brainiac’s new Czarninan army, will the Super-Family have what it takes to survive the villain’s onslaught?
Brainiac Finally Has the Weapon Needed to Defeat Superman
Czarnians like Lobo are pretty much unkillable, able to regenerate their bodies from mere blood drops. But save for his daughter, Lobo’s been the only Czarnian around for years, and he’s been more of an annoyance for Superman than a legit threat. But an entire army of killers, all with the same god-tier regeneration abilities acting on the orders of a madman like Brainiac? That’s going to be an all-hands-on-deck situation for Superman and his allies. Even if they manage to handle the unchained Czarnians, can they also handle Brainiac and whatever he has planned for Earth? Fans will be able to see the return of Superman’s cosmic enemy in Action Comics #1064 in 2024.
