Comic Title: Superman:The Man of Steel Vol. 3 HC
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 2021
On Sale Date: June 1, 2021 Direct Market Date June 2, 2021
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Direct Market Date June 1, 2021
Source: DC Connect, #9

Cover Price: $49.99
Page Count: 464
Editor: Reza Lokman

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "...the Amazing Brainiac"
Pages: 22

Feature(s):
Superman (Post-Crisis)

Writer: John L. Byrne
Penciller: Jerry Ordway
Inker: John R. Beatty
Letterer: Albert Tobias De Guzman
Colorist: Anthony Tollin

Reprinted From:
Adventures of Superman #438 (1988)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Superman #15; next appearance in Action Comics #598)

Supporting Character(s)

• Lois Lane (last appearance in Superman #15; next appearance in Action Comics #598)
• Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in Superman #15; next appearance in Action Comics #598)
• Catherine Grant (last appearance in Superman #13; next appearance in Action Comics #598)
• Adam Morgan (last appearance in Superman #10; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #439)
• Jerry White (last appearance in Adventures of Superman #434; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #440)

Villain(s)

• Brainiac (Vril Dox; first post-Crisis appearance; last appearance in L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #1; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #441)
• Milton Fine (first appearance; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #441)
• An animal trainer (next appearance in Superman #38)

Other Character(s)

• Ron Chin (last appearance in Adventures of Superman #434; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #441)
• Janet Jones (Milton Fine's assistant; last name not given in this story; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #441)
• Mr. and Mrs. Chin (Ron's parents; no further appearances)
• Various circus performers (Selena named; no further appearances)
• Doctor Howard (Milton Fine's doctor; not named in this story; next appearance in Superman #20)

Comments:
This story introduces the post-Crisis Brainiac, Vril Dox, who takes psychic possession of Milton Fine.

Synopsis:
Clark Kent visits the circus with Jimmy Olsen and Cat Grant. When an elephant breaks loose and threatens the crowd he goes into action as Superman. The Man of Steel stops the elephant and scolds the trainer for mistreating the animal. After he slips away to resume his Clark Kent identity, Cat and Jimmy talk to the ringmaster to ensure that the trainer will be fired.

Cat and Jimmy then meet Milton Fine, the Amazing Brainiac, the circus mentalist. Milton suffers from frequent and powerful headaches. When one of them strikes him, Clark Kent can feel his psychic pain from elsewhere on the circus grounds. Clark becomes Superman and locates Fine.

The mentalist claims to be possessed by Vril Dox, a scientist from Colu. Dox, using Fine's body, attacks the Man of Steel. He uses psychic blasts as well as telekinesis against Superman, but he is eventually defeated. Fine is then placed in a mental institution where the doctors are convinced that the Vril Dox persona is merely a symptom of Fine's own psychosis.