What's Brainiac's best design? Out of all media.

[daBronzeBomma]

Out of all the previous Brainiac designs, definitely the all-metal skullface robot. I feel the explicitly bald* flesh designs make Brainiac look either too much like Lex Luthor or too much like Darkseid or Mongul. That robotic Visage is his/it's most unique presentation.

EDIT: that's another thing: Luthor, Brainiac, Darkseid, Mongul, Parasite, Doomsday, Mxyzptlk ... they're all bald or balding, while Kal has a perfect coiffure of locks. That is some serious ... hairism? Baldism? Whatever, some serious prejudice against the follicularly disadvantaged. What? Why Yes, I do shave my own head ... why do you ask?

[Sacred Knight]

Dan Turpin represents the good guy balding faction. Is Bibbo bald? He's always wearing the hat so I forgot...

[Jim Kelly]

Isn't Bibbo really just Captain Strong who is Popeye? And Popeye is--ah--a handsome fellow. (Don't want to provoke the sailor--he has a bit of a temper.)

[Ascended]

I gotta agree with those saying that none of the versions of Brainiac "feel" definitive. They all have some nice aspects but none of them feel like the real, ultimate deal. But I do think the skull-faced robot and its matching ship are the most iconic as far as raw visuals go. But even then I feel like it's missing something. It'd be pretty easy to confuse that Brainiac with Ultron, or the Terminator, or any number of the evil robots fiction has given us over time.

The Collector of Worlds had a great design but it wasn't something that you could throw on t-shirts and have non-fans recognize. It didnt stand out enough. And I think that's the flaw most designs have, they don't stand out from the pack. The ones that do are often still forgettable and bland, or worse yet, too ridiculous to be seen as a viable threat (I'm looking at you, Milton Fine!)

Johns' version was absolutely great until Brainiac stepped out in person. I appreciated the Matrix flavoring sprinkled into the designs, though they were out-dated even then. If Johns had left it at Brainiac's weird green head (with the weird ports) staring out of a sleek black mechanical body, that might have become the villain's most iconic and powerful look.

However, Johns took it too far and ended up just giving us a Hulked-out Lex Luthor with some USB ports in his skull.

[Jim Kelly]

There is one thing I wonder about in terms of Brainiac . . .

As I explained on my blog a few years ago: An agreement was reached between National Periodical Publications and the maker of the Brainiac Computer Kit . . . whereby National shared the trademark with the manufacturer. As a quid pro quo, they made their Brainiac a kind of computer, as well, to promote the Brainiac product.

Here's a scanned excerpt that I used for my blog, from the letter column in SUPERMAN 167 (February ’64),



And here are images of the kit, the Brainiac K 30 from 1959,





So if NPP (DC) shared the trademark with the Brainiac Computer Kit, how does that stand now? Is the deal they brokered still in effect? And if DC were to make their Brainiac not a walking computer--wouldn't that violate the agreement that allowed them to share the trademark?

It might all be moot. The trademark on Berkeley's Brainiac may have expired--I don't know. So it could be that DC has the trademark full and clear now. Although, if that were true, I think it kind of sucks.

Berkeley clearly held the trademark. And while National Periodical might have been unwitting, they still had no right to the Brainiac brand. They're just lucky the manufacturer was willing to play ball and agree to the cross-promotin of computer kit and computer villain. Otherwise, National would have had to give their villain another name.

Or maybe, as Brainiac has seeped into the English language, it's become a generic name. That might explain why certain creators keep trying to rename the computer villain.

[JBatmanFan05]

There is one thing I wonder about in terms of Brainiac . . .

As I explained on my blog a few years ago: An agreement was reached between National Periodical Publications and the maker of the Brainiac Computer Kit . . . whereby National shared the trademark with the manufacturer. As a quid pro quo, they made their Brainiac a kind of computer, as well, to promote the Brainiac product.

My god Jim, I never ever knew this about Brainiac. You need to get this on Brainiac's wikipedia, because this seems like a big fundamental-ish moment in his publication history and wikipedia usually has more detailed comprehensive stuff on the biggest mainest comic villains, which Brainiac is IMHO.

So if NPP (DC) shared the trademark with the [Berkeley] Brainiac Computer Kit, how does that stand now?

Tis a good question. With absolutely no evidence and just thinking how a well-resourced smart DC might move strategically over a long time, I imagine they would have prioritized dealing Berkeley out by now in terms of money or waiting him out or some other arrangement that we will perhaps never know the details of. At some point, DC would realize that Brainiac would have a multimedia future and try to limit any risks/uncertainties there.

[HandofPrometheus]

I've never come across just one Brainiac design that is definitely the best. There's always at least 2 or 3 equal-ish bests. The best designs are always lacking in some way. Not enough green. Too hokey. Too little classic elements. Or some inarticulable something.

So I guess I'm saying I'm waiting for "the best" to emerge. Some design to come along and say it covers the past and can cover the future of Brainiac appearances in comics (even though I think he benefits some from a variety of looks).

This pic here is a really good (the best) version of the STAS Brainiac design.
http://www.deviantart.com/art/Brainiac-1-0-98001556

This art made this design look really good.

[GreenLanternRanger]

I like the Convergence Brainiac & Superman TAS designs the best.

[Jim Kelly]

My god Jim, I never ever knew this about Brainiac. You need to get this on Brainiac's wikipedia, because this seems like a big fundamental-ish moment in his publication history and wikipedia usually has more detailed comprehensive stuff on the biggest mainest comic villains, which Brainiac is IMHO.

When I was writing my previous post, I was looking at Wikipedia, because I thought I had read about this on their Brainiac article a few years ago when I was doing my blog. But I couldn't find that info there this time, so maybe it's been edited out. But this time around, I did find other pages on the web that mention the deal. The computer kit is kind of important--people are interested in the development of modern home computers and Brainiac played a part.

[Doctor Know]

Quick question:

Why do the computer lords of Colu and or other members of Brainiac's race do nothing about his universal conquests and genocide on various species?


Seem they just turn a blind eye to his doings, but record the name Brainiac as the scourge of their race. All the way to Brainiac 5's time and beyond.

[RedWhiteAndBlueSupes]

best brainiac: pre crisis honorable mention: Geoff Johns New Krypton Brainiac

[Steven Kaye]

The best Brainiac design? Hmmm. I think I'll have to go with the one that looks just like James Marsters.

[Jim Kelly]

I have to ask, has anything been done with Grax recently?

It seems to me that Grax is essentially a version of the original humanoid alien Brainiac--and he's handy to be used as your standard cosmic mastermind without needing to get into the complexities of Brainiac, Mongul or Darkseid. In other words, he's good for fun stories.

Grax has a twentieth level intelligence compared with Brainiac's paltry twelfth level. And he's got four arms--so he can multi-task. Why Grax is always bested by the Man of Tomorrow is a mystery, given his superior intelligence. Maybe being smart isn't all it's cracked up to be and it's better to be lucky.

[RedWhiteAndBlueSupes]

I have to ask, has anything been done with Grax recently?

Not that I know of, I don't think he even made a post-crisis appearance, I think he definitely needs to reappear though

[Grim Ghost]

Have they ever done a story where Brainiac 5 has to deal with his evil ancestor?