Superman Villains Appreciation 2021

[Gaius]

I liked Conduit as well. But he’d have to be revamped heavily in every aspect to work nowadays:



The basic color scheme I actually like, black and yellow isn’t that widely utilized for villains I don’t think, but the costume needs a redesign. As for the background and motivation, current Clark wasn’t a football star, so that would have to change. Also if I recall correctly his powers were mainly Kryptonite based, he was kinda Kryptonite Man-ish if I recall. I’d change his powers and while this might be a controversial take, I’d base them off of the Dark Multiverse. Stuff from that place can hurt Kal and I think a villain who can literally draw power from a dimension based around people’s fears, going up against Superman, that would have a lot of potential.

Also it would justify the Conduit name lol.

I came across one fan proposed revamp of Conduit once where they tied him to Intergang, so his suit was Apokolips-tech.

Thought that could maybe work.

[Vordan]

How come this guy was never revived?

Don’t know, would’ve rather Conduit came back over Hank Henshaw. Jurgens created Conduit so I’m kind of bummed he never did anything with him when he got his second chance with Rebirth.

[Prime]

Don’t know, would’ve rather Conduit came back over Hank Henshaw. Jurgens created Conduit so I’m kind of bummed he never did anything with him when he got his second chance with Rebirth.

Idk I like Henshaw

[Robanker]

Don’t know, would’ve rather Conduit came back over Hank Henshaw. Jurgens created Conduit so I’m kind of bummed he never did anything with him when he got his second chance with Rebirth.

As with all things in comics, you just need the right pitch and design.

[Thor-Ul]

As with all things in comics, you just need the right pitch and design.

You are right on that point. But about Conduit, youmust keep the idea he don't hate Superman, but he hates Clark Kent.

I remember Lightning from the Superman DCAU series, who was a guy who hated Lois Lane and Superman was an obstacle against the person who he really hated. It is not something you usually see often.

[Vordan]

You are right on that point. But about Conduit, youmust keep the idea he don't hate Superman, but he hates Clark Kent.

I remember Lightning from the Superman DCAU series, who was a guy who hated Lois Lane and Superman was an obstacle against the person who he really hated. It is not something you usually see often.

I like that concept for sure, especially if it’s because Lois and/or Clark ruined their schemes via exposing them.

[Hypestyle]

has there ever been a villain who can summon random kryptonite for attacks, but cannot control the exact form they end up with?

[Vordan]

has there ever been a villain who can summon random kryptonite for attacks, but cannot control the exact form they end up with?

Nope. That would work for Kryptonite Man though. I think Metallo once had every type of Kryptonite available to him, he used them all in Johns Last Son of Krypton iirc.

[Gaius]

The best Brainiac

[Vordan]

I know the New 52 version was drawing on a Silver Age Brainiac drone (or at least I think that was the inspiration), but it also felt like an attempt to merge the robot and organic Brainiac while also making him more “alien”.


I still like the Frank designed Brainiac the best, but I prefer we keep the Manupal creepy eyes:


I’m also rather found of the Doc Ock tentacles in the I2 design, this design was a good merge of all the mainstream Brainiac designs imo:

[Prime]

I know the New 52 version was drawing on a Silver Age Brainiac drone (or at least I think that was the inspiration), but it also felt like an attempt to merge the robot and organic Brainiac while also making him more “alien”.


I still like the Frank designed Brainiac the best, but I prefer we keep the Manupal creepy eyes:


I’m also rather found of the Doc Ock tentacles in the I2 design, this design was a good merge of all the mainstream Brainiac designs imo:

Wasn't that just a drone send by Brainiac?

[Vordan]

Wasn't that just a drone send by Brainiac?

That was the retcon and they went back to the Frank design because the Morales design wasn’t popular:


But there was nothing in Morrison’s Action to make it seem like it was just a drone I believe. I loved Kaiju Brainiac from Convergence, pity such a cool design was wasted on such a terrible story:

[Doctor Know]

[Thor-Ul]

Maybe could be good to leave Brainiac rest for a time. He seems overexplotated.

A guy I would like to see (reinvented) could be Grax. At least, visually, he seems interesting.

[Vordan]

Confession time: It took me a long while to realize that Union Jack was a tattoo and not a t-shirt. Really loved how Sook has it glow purple when Black is using his powers, I’d like to see that become a thing. Also he needs to keep the purple hair, no clue why Gleason covered up the tattoo and purple hair for Black Dawn, but that was a mistake. The purple hair and tattoo help give him that angry immature rebel vibe that I consider essential.

Maybe could be good to leave Brainiac rest for a time. He seems overexplotated.

A guy I would like to see (reinvented) could be Grax. At least, visually, he seems interesting.

It’s weird because in the comics he isn’t. He’s like Zod, he’s always popping up in the outside media, but it’s been ages since he was the sole focus of a Superman story. I think the last one was Doomed? Yet he’s become the default bad guy for a lot of DC media: Injustice 2, DCUO, Krypton (that one fits), still never showed up in the movies though.

I expect he’ll play a part in PKJ’s Action book, or at least I hope so. He was in the spread cover, and since Mongul was there and is going to be the first villain, I think Brainiac will follow soon after. Brainiac is the perfect fit for cosmic hero Superman, and he needs another comic story with him and Superman going at it in Superman’s solo book. Otherwise you risk editorial poaching him for JL so Batman can hack his computers, and Supes needs to protect his villains since he doesn’t have enough great ones to lose even a few.