Review – Absolute Superman #7: The Many Minds of Brainiac
Ray: The Absolute titles have developed a very distinct visual sense, and the artists are all top-tier, so it's a very smart move that when one of them needs a break, the writers bring in a pinch-hitter for a very specific type of story. Most include flashbacks and major reveals about side characters – and they're just as brilliant as the main story. That's definitely the case for this villain-centric one-shot, which takes us behind the scenes with Brainiac, the hyper-intelligent being doing the tech work for Lazarus Corp. So far, Brainiac has seemed brilliant and manipulative, but maybe not quite as evil as Ra's Al Ghul and the Peacemakers. Yeah, you can throw that out the window, because behind the scenes, this is one of the most disturbing comics I've read in a long time, and this Brainiac is one of the most evil characters I've ever read in fiction, and it all starts with his twisted treatment of a unique victim – himself. Hunted. Via DC Comics.
When we meet Brainiac in this world, he's in the middle of an obsessive search for Superman – torturing a man he's experimenting on and destroying whole cities when they lack the information he needs. A flashback shows that most of Brainiac's victims are in fact other Brainiacs – he's cloning himself constantly, using his clones for menial labor, and disposing of them when they wear out. And we follow one clone, whose job is cleaning up other dead clones, as he slowly gains more awareness, and then finds himself in a surprising position of power – one that makes him maybe the most disturbing Brainiac ever. After all, one of the defining characteristics of Brainiac is his obsession with rationality. What happens when all that power and intelligence winds up in the hands of someone who's already had their mind shattered? It's a terrifying concept, and one that's executed brilliantly here.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
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