“House of Brainiac” barrels forward this week with part 3 in what is becoming an exciting blend of high stakes and surprising team-ups. Superman and Lobo are rising towards Brainiac’s ship to save Superman’s kidnapped family members, while the thought-dead Czarnians rise up and create havoc in the universe. It’s just another day for Superman, but something about Brainiac’s motives seems extra scary. This issue hints at what is to come.
Action Comics #1065 opens on Brainiac’s ship. Lex Luthor is helping Brainiac, and while we know he’s doing the heroic thing deep down, it’s crummy that he’s helping this supervillain. Superman’s family is trapped, save for two who are out of their cage but are powerless and super tiny. Meanwhile, Lobo and Superman are being chased by Czarnians in space.
After these short scenes, which help recap where key characters are, the story’s first half focuses on Superboy and Supergirl getting an edge while also being very small and without powers. Given the choice to team up with some bad guys and, paired with Lex, aiming to do a double cross, one can see the lines are blurred during this war regarding heroes and villains. Given all of Earth is in danger, and they’re facing an army of Brainiacs, it’s the least they can do.
There’s some epic art in this issue.
Credit: DC Comics
The second half of the issue helps set up where the story goes from here. Writer Joshua Williamson introduces a few often underused characters as well as a key location called Hardcore Station. Given this location and what Brainiac does with a city, some wow moments in this issue open up the space side of the DC Universe. There’s a nice bit of wonderment with great use of colors and details to make them alien and unfamiliar. This is a space adventure we don’t normally see Superman or his super-family on, further cementing this as a unique and worthy adventure to check out.
This issue is drawn by Rafa Sandoval and Miguel Mendonca, and it’s impossible to tell who is drawing what. This is always a plus, with comics drawn by multiple artists. The details are quite something up there with the best superhero artists today. This issue manages to stuff in great double and full-page splashes that add a lot of drama and dynamic range to the visuals. You’ll never be bored with the art in this comic.
One downside of a multi-part story like this is all the setup, and this issue has a bit too much for its own good. It gets characters from point A to point B but spends too much time with Supergirl getting an edge while stuffing in some quick twists to get Lex to a specific destination. The action involving Superman is great, but it also feels a bit circular, given where it ends in the issue. The plotting could have been more economical.
There’s also a backup story by Williamson and Mirko Colak that delves into something quite personal for Brainiac. Props for bringing to the forefront a key character who is adding a human element to Brainiac’s ongoing troubles, whatever they may be. Colak’s art is dark, ominous, and steeped in shadows, which gives the Brainiac side of the story a scary tone.
Action Comics #1065 further proves that “House of Brainiac” is a great superhero adventure worth checking out. Combining the space opera with action works wonders to keep readers entertained with a story they’ve never seen before.
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