Comic Title: Superman Vs. Brainiac TPB
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 2009
On Sale Date: November 5, 2008 Direct Market Date November 5, 2008
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Direct Market Date October 29, 2008
Source: Previews, #238

Cover Price: $19.99
Page Count: 192
Editor: Bob Joy

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "The Team of Luthor and Brainiac"
Pages: 27

Feature(s):
Superman (of Earth-1)

Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: George Klein

Reprinted From:
Superman #167 (1964)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Superman #170; next appearance in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #47)

Supporting Character(s)

• Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in Superman #170; next appearance in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #47)

Villain(s)

• Lex Luthor (last appearance in Action Comics #309; next appearance in Superman #168)
• Brainiac (last appearance in Action Comics #280; next appearance in World's Finest Comics #144)
• Master Computer One and the Computer Tyrants of Colu (appear in flashback; no further appearances)
• Jax-Ur (last appearance in Action Comics #307; next appearance in Action Comics #309)
• Two unnamed Phantom Zone criminals (no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Superman Emergency Squad (last appearance in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #73; next appearance in Superman #179)
• Nor-Kann (last appearance in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #69; next appearance in World's Finest Comics #143)

Other Character(s)

• Brainiac II (appears in flashback; no further appearances)
• Coluans (Var-Don named; appear in flashback; no further appearances)
• Citizens of Kandor (no further appearances)
• Citizens of planet Lexor (Tharla named; last appearance in Superman #164; next appearance in Superman #168)

Flashback Appearance(s)

• Brainiac (origin revealed; next appearance in Superman #141)

Comments:
Part 1: "The Deadly Duo"
Part 2: "The Downfall of Superman"
Part 3: "The Hour of Kandor's Vengeance"

Beginning with this story, Brainiac has been changed to be a robot computer. As explained further on the letters page, the "personality" change was made in deference to the Brainiac Computer Kit which pre-dates Brainiac's first appearance. Only Brainiac himself has knowledge of his computer origins.

This is the first team-up of Luthor and Brainiac.

The origin of Brainiac is revealed in this story. Brainiac's home planet Colu is not named. Brainiac is said to have 10th level intelligence like his creators, until Luthor modifies him to increase it to 12th level.

Brainiac was given a humanoid son from the population of Colu. His son, Brainiac II, is the ancestor of Brainiac 5 of the Legion of Super-Heroes, as explained in a footnote.

Brainiac's prison is made of Supermanium, an indestructible metal.

Synopsis:
Luthor escapes from jail and decides to enlist the aid and intelligence of a partner to help him defeat Superman. Luthor uses a Time-Space Thought-Scanner to learn Brainiac's origin. He learns that Brainiac is a humanoid computer created by Computer Tyrants of another planet. After viewing Brainiac's history, Luthor frees him from a prison planet constructed by Superman.

Together Luthor and Brainiac roam the galaxy gathering elements necessary to build a weapon to defeat Superman. Their quest takes them to the red sun world where Luthor is a hero and also to Brainiac's home planet. Luthor increases Brainiac's intelligence, but double-crosses his partner by building in a shut-down switch.

When Superman finally locates the pair, his powers are removed, he is reduced to tiny size, and imprisoned inside a cage. While Luthor and Brainiac develop a scheme to kill him, Superman escapes and alerts the Kandorians to his capture. Meanwhile, Brainiac has double-crossed Luthor to remove the shut-down switch.

Luthor and Brainiac then recapture Superman and use a coma-ray on him. The Superman Emergency Squad arrives and apprehends the villains. They are taken to Kandor for trial. Brainiac is convicted, but bargains for his release by removing Superman from the coma. Brainiac and Luthor are then allowed to leave Earth as part of the agreed upon bargain.