Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Absolute Superman #25The DCU's Man of Tomorrow movie from James Gunn isn't releasing in theaters until next year. However, that hasn't stopped DC Comics from showing just how dangerous the Superman sequel's primary villain can truly be in its most recent issues.
Set in the highly popular Absolute Universe, Brainiac has been a major force to be reckoned with, as seen in the pages of Jason Aaron's Absolute Superman. In this alternate universe, Brainiac was a low-ranking janitor who spent years shoveling the dead bodies of other clones within the greater Brainiac Collective. However, a head injury and decades of isolation drove him mad, leading to his escape to Earth and his work with the Lazarus Corporation. However, he's more recently been working on his own following Superman's defeat of Ra's al Ghul.
Having cloned himself into a literal army of thousands, the new Absolute Superman #25 from Jason Aaron and Juan Ferreyra details the culmination of Brainiac's conflict with Superman, proving just how dangerous and brutal the cosmic conqueror could be, perhaps even in the DCU itself in next year's Man of Tomorrow.
Absolute Superman #25 opens with Brainiac unleashing thousands of clones upon Earth. However, not every Brainiac clone is the same size, and that's by deadly design. This more unhinged version of Brainiac also shrinks cities and keeps them in bottles for his own amusement (much like DC's main Coluan conqueror). However, this issue proves he's not shy about using this same shrinking technology on his own clones (with deadly results).
Some of these Brainiac clones are so small that they're able to enter the bodies of unsuspecting civilians, attacking their organs and violently exploding outward. Simultaneously, other clones are absolutely huge and can take out entire skyscrapers. Referring to this onslaught as a "blizzard," Brainiac confirms he can send wave after wave of clones unless Superman agrees to his terms.
Combined with the threat of shrinking Smallville into "subatomic oblivion," Superman agrees to be subjected to Brainiac's own memories and trauma, as the sadistic Coluan intended to turn Superman into his own replacement. However, the memories of Superman's allies and loved ones keep him grounded and sane, despite Clark being forced to live through decades of Brainiac's origins firsthand. This leads to Brainiac's ultimate defeat following the surprise arrival of Absolute Lex Luthor at the issue's end.
Nevertheless, none of this changes the fact that had Brainiac's priorities been different, he could have easily destroyed and claimed the entire world with his uniquely brutal clone army, making his upcoming DCU debut even more intriguing to think about.
In James Gunn's Man of Tomorrow, it's been confirmed that the first live-action Brainiac featured on the big screen will be played by German actor Lars Eidinger, best known for projects like Babylon Berlin and All The Light We Cannot See. It's also been suggested that the movie will see David Corenswet's Superman and Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor joining forces to take on Brainiac as well, with their uneasy alliance taking a central role in the new movie.
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Keeping that in mind, one has to wonder if Brainiac might implement some of the same tactics we're seeing in the Absolute Universe with his most recent appearance. It'd certainly be a brutal way to showcase just how dangerous a threat he can be to the entire world, prompting such a unique team-up between Superman and Lex.
Whether James Gunn takes a similar approach or not, Absolute Superman #25 is a pretty remarkable and noteworthy Brainiac story all the same, especially with one of Superman's biggest villains finally making his big-screen debut when Man of Tomorrow releases in July of next year.
Absolute Superman #25 is now on sale from DC Comics.
