Superman: Brainiac

June 1, 2009 | Trades

Superman: Brainiac
Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, Jon Sibal
DC Comics
$22.99/$19.99 US (Hardcover)
**** 1/2 (out of five)

The greatest collector in the universe is headed to Earth and he’s going to take something irreplaceable away from Superman.

In one of the most engaging and emotional Superman stories ever put to print, star writer Geoff Johns puts the Man of Steel on a collision course with Brainiac, a long-time nemesis whose true face is finally revealed.

Superman quickly discovers the villain — the real one, not one of the many doppelgangers the hero has faced over the years — has been miniaturizing and collecting cities from hundreds of planets and then destroying the worlds they came from. Now the hero must find a way to keep Metropolis — and all of his friends, including his wife, Lois Lane — out of a jar and the Earth from getting roasted like a weenie over a campfire in a battle against an alien foe who is nearly his physical equal.

Johns’ plot and words receive immeasurable support from the stunning art of Gary Frank, whose homage to the classic Superman films gives us a Man of Steel that looks so much like Christopher Reeve that it will send chills up your spine and whose ability to portray action is among the best in the business.

Superman and Brainiac; Johns and Frank. That’s two of the best one-two punches you’ll likely ever find in comics.

You must be logged in to post a comment.