PKJ Action Comics Discussion and Spoilers

[OpaqueGiraffe17]

I noticed over at the Batboards that a common complaint with the Mr. Freeze character is that he has a singular motivation. He either wants to save his wife via crime, or he's angry about his wife for some reason. Kinda also applies to Brainiac, no? He wants to collect and destroy. Its not that they aren't good characters, but you can see how limited they are.

[Myskin]

The main problem with Brainiac is that - somehow similarly to Superman - he has been used in the wrong way, or in a very limited way.
I remember that in the old Superman TAS - where Kandor as we know it in the comic books does not exist - had been merged with Eradicator and they had given him slightly different, and more interesting motivations: there is at least one episode in which he offers Superman to join him, and in one JL episode he reveals that he is trying to recreate organic life from scratch.
Sure, you can't make him interact with Superman as casually as the Penguin with Batman - Penguin can be a villain, or somehow an anti-hero (in Pain and Prejudice), or Batman's informer - but maybe it's for the same reasons Superman is a one-note character these days.

[Vordan]

I noticed over at the Batboards that a common complaint with the Mr. Freeze character is that he has a singular motivation. He either wants to save his wife via crime, or he's angry about his wife for some reason. Kinda also applies to Brainiac, no? He wants to collect and destroy. Its not that they aren't good characters, but you can see how limited they are.

It’s similar but not quite the same. Mr. Freeze’s problem is that he’s a sympathetic villain whose motivation is easily solved by Batman. His wife has a terminal disease that he wants to cure and his employer caused the accident that turned him into who he is, so he wants revenge. Batman could easily fund scientists to keep studying Nora to cure her, and he could also investigate and bring Freeze’s employer to justice. So Freeze doesn’t really need to keep being a villain to get what he wants, so outside that “Heart of Ice” story you can’t really use that version without breaking him. If he keeps killing after Batman offers to help, he’s no longer sympathetic.

Brainiac isn’t quite the same. He doesn’t really have a sympathetic backstory. What he has however is a problem of motivation. He’s terribly one minded and doesn’t really do much beyond trying to bottle Metropolis and kill/collect Superman. He’s a good antagonist for Superman in the most basic way, he’s the scary alien alien as opposed to Clark’s humanity, but they haven’t really brought that to its full potential. I’ve got my own take on what to do with him, it’s rooted in how he’s used in Morrison Action, Johns Action, and Red Son, need to find the time to write a post on tumblr about it.

But if PKJ is sending Supes out to the stars, bringing in new alien races, and exploring the SUPER side of Superman than I think Brainiac is a great fit and might shine. He’s a prominent member of the spread ad along with Mongul (the first arc villain of Action) and Lex (who hasn’t shown up yet) so I gotta think he’ll be playing a role.

[manwhohaseverything]

I liked Rebirth a lot, but the quality is spotty at best. Each era of Superman has stuff to like. Enjoy what you do, bud. I found most of New 52 pretty awful save Morrison's run, and even then I don't worship it as much as others do.

I find morrison's superman to be the best.Even all star superman doesn't crack it for me.For me,superman is the guy the jeans and tshirt.That's what pulled me in and moore ofcourse.All Bronze and silverage wack stuff just doesn't interest me as much.I want some bite in my characters.Male or female or other.

[kalai]

The old joke is that the only villains DC knows about for outside comics are Joker, Luthor, Darkseid, Brainiac... and Superman . He’s been used a lot but really only in the most basic kind of way. He shows up on Earth, tries to claim Superman/Metropolis, gets beaten, and then imprisoned. Basically rehashing Johns arc. I’m looking for the next Brainiac story that goes beyond that beat. Setting a Superman vs. Brainiac story outside of Earth might be key.

I don't know about you guys,
but I find Morrison's take of Brainiac collecting the worlds to protect them from 5th Dimensional Fiend kind of interesting.
Even though I really dislike the design of Brainiac in Morrison's run,
the idea of Brainiac also trying to protect the worlds seem to reflect on Red Son,
why don't you put the world in the bottle?
Brainiac is someone who would actually do that,
maybe for peace, or for knowledge, or to restore his home world in the Silver Age first appearance.
And Superman is someone who would NOT do that, it speaks volume about Superman's character.

[sifighter]

Thought today’s issue was at least a decent wrap up of the two parter from Superman, I actually like that they touch on Waller and put her in Clark’s sights.

Also I guess a nice tease for Warworld.

[DragonPiece]

Thought today’s issue was at least a decent wrap up of the two parter from Superman, I actually like that they touch on Waller and put her in Clark’s sights.

Also I guess a nice tease for Warworld.

I agree, I felt this issue focused in more on the plot rather which helped the book actually feel like more was going on compared to the first part of the story. The scene with Clark and his dad was great also and I'm really intrigued about this warworld story.

[Hypo]

Bleeding Cool: DC Comics To Send Replacements For Yesterday's Action Comics #1029

[Vordan]

Action was pretty good, but the two parter was basically just set up for the runs proper starting next month. I’m unsure if that was the right call, might’ve been better to just dive in right away. Still I liked those Mongul minion designs, looks like PKJ is committed to fleshing out Mongul which I’m excited about. Glad to see him getting more development. Can’t wait to see how Sampere draws Mongul.

[Frontier]

It’s similar but not quite the same. Mr. Freeze’s problem is that he’s a sympathetic villain whose motivation is easily solved by Batman. His wife has a terminal disease that he wants to cure and his employer caused the accident that turned him into who he is, so he wants revenge. Batman could easily fund scientists to keep studying Nora to cure her, and he could also investigate and bring Freeze’s employer to justice. So Freeze doesn’t really need to keep being a villain to get what he wants, so outside that “Heart of Ice” story you can’t really use that version without breaking him. If he keeps killing after Batman offers to help, he’s no longer sympathetic.

Brainiac isn’t quite the same. He doesn’t really have a sympathetic backstory. What he has however is a problem of motivation. He’s terribly one minded and doesn’t really do much beyond trying to bottle Metropolis and kill/collect Superman. He’s a good antagonist for Superman in the most basic way, he’s the scary alien alien as opposed to Clark’s humanity, but they haven’t really brought that to its full potential. I’ve got my own take on what to do with him, it’s rooted in how he’s used in Morrison Action, Johns Action, and Red Son, need to find the time to write a post on tumblr about it.

But if PKJ is sending Supes out to the stars, bringing in new alien races, and exploring the SUPER side of Superman than I think Brainiac is a great fit and might shine. He’s a prominent member of the spread ad along with Mongul (the first arc villain of Action) and Lex (who hasn’t shown up yet) so I gotta think he’ll be playing a role.

I thought Brainiac was pretty effectively utilized on the Krypton show and he was decidedly not sympathetic.

Of course I also remember that Lego animated movie where he was turned into a comic book collector .

[Superlad93]

Cover for issue 32



And just in case anyone was wondering, yes, it is a homage....

[Man_of_Tomorrow]

I feel like PKJ is using Mongul as a Darkseid pastiche.

[Vordan]

I feel like PKJ is using Mongul as a Darkseid pastiche.

I’m fine with using Mongul now the way Darkseid was used during the 00s. Darkseid is frankly too big a character to be throwing down with Supes every other month, and I think Mongul has enough clout to still be a big threat without readers asking why the rest of the League isn’t pitching in.

[sifighter]

I’m fine with using Mongul now the way Darkseid was used during the 00s. Darkseid is frankly too big a character to be throwing down with Supes every other month, and I think Mongul has enough clout to still be a big threat without readers asking why the rest of the League isn’t pitching in.

Yeah, plus Mongul should be a much bigger threat kind of like how he was written in Young Justice. This is a guy who not only has a mobile weaponized planet where he holds gladiator fights but he’s also incredibly strong himself that he nearly overthrew the sinestro corps.

[kalai]

I get the feeling that the minions of Mongul are a younger version and an older version of himself.
Like the one in the tube can be a baby Mongul and the one with the cane is a old man Mongul.