The Official Brainiac Thread

[Jimmy, GL]

Well, that's the direction that both Pre and Post Crisis Brainiacs were heading in when they both ditched the green humanoid look and went fully robotic (Silver Age Brainiac losing the shruken cities motif, and Modern Age Brainiac leaving behind the psychic powers). With a few cosmetic differences, B-13 and Pre-Crisis Robot Brainiac are basically the same thing, so I'd be happy with either one of them, or a combination, being in the movie.

Visually, I think they're both interesting (Brainiac 13 should lose the shorts, though), and the fact that they both have emotions that other characters can play off of definitely puts them above S:TAS's bland version. Without emotions, you can't have such precious moments as Brainiac mocking Superman's punches, saying "I'm sorry, was that supposed to hurt? I'm comprised of a hundred trillion nano-computers. We don't bruise." Still cold and calculating, but his lines wouldn't have to be a boring monotone string of exposition.

And if they could squeeze Lena Luthor somewhere in the movie, incorporating her into the Brainiac plot, then that would be great as well. She made for an iconic moment for both Lex and Brainiac's characters at the conclusion of Y2K, which would more than make up for the lack of depth to Lex in SR, while also giving him the corporate powerbase that most modern audiences associate Lex with.

I think the S:TAS Braniac would be good. He wasn't just the Eradicator though. They showed off more of the evil take over the world kind of program that he was on "Static Shock." Braniac took control of Static's friend and began using the kid's heightened intelligence to scan and digitize parts of earth that seemed unfit. Static's friend could do nothing but watch.

 

[The Overlord]

Well, that's the direction that both Pre and Post Crisis Brainiacs were heading in when they both ditched the green humanoid look and went fully robotic (Silver Age Brainiac losing the shruken cities motif, and Modern Age Brainiac leaving behind the psychic powers). With a few cosmetic differences, B-13 and Pre-Crisis Robot Brainiac are basically the same thing, so I'd be happy with either one of them, or a combination, being in the movie.

Visually, I think they're both interesting (Brainiac 13 should lose the shorts, though), and the fact that they both have emotions that other characters can play off of definitely puts them above S:TAS's bland version. Without emotions, you can't have such precious moments as Brainiac mocking Superman's punches, saying "I'm sorry, was that supposed to hurt? I'm comprised of a hundred trillion nano-computers. We don't bruise." Still cold and calculating, but his lines wouldn't have to be a boring monotone string of exposition.

And if they could squeeze Lena Luthor somewhere in the movie, incorporating her into the Brainiac plot, then that would be great as well. She made for an iconic moment for both Lex and Brainiac's characters at the conclusion of Y2K, which would more than make up for the lack of depth to Lex in SR, while also giving him the corporate powerbase that most modern audiences associate Lex with.

I wouldn't mind if Brainiac had a slight sense of humour, as long as he reamined mostly cold and logical. I liked some of lines he had JLH:

Brainiac: A gift, in response for your services.
Gorilla Grodd: Fool! With this helmet, your will is mine! Free me!
Brainiac: Say 'please'.

Anyway the biggest pitfall with not using STAS Brainiac is the origin. STAS Brainiac's origin was far less convoluted then the comics Brainiac. I mean Post crisis Brainiac's origin was a mess and pre Crisis brainiac's origin was a tad convoluted as well. They would have to stream line things for a film.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

I knew this was going into the S:TAS Braniac fanclub direction. I would gamble that 95% of Superman fans have S:TAS as their directional platform for how Brainiac should be portrayed.

 

[Jimmy, GL]

I knew this was going into the S:TAS Braniac fanclub direction. I would gamble that 95% of Superman fans have S:TAS as their directional platform for how Brainiac should be portrayed.

The reason they do is because in essence this version of Brainiac is almost a polar opposite to Superman. He has no feelings and no reaction to what he does. He just does it without caring or feeling. Superman on the other hand cares for all human kind nad makes careful to know what his actions will produce.
Superman = feelings, Brainiac = no feelings.

 

[mego joe]

I think if we got a Silver Age style city-shriniking and stealing Brainiac that would be cool and an exciting scenario for a SUpreman moive.

Imagine BRainiac coming to Earth, shrinking and capturing Metropolis. SUperman has to recover the city from Brainiac's ship and in the course finds the Bottled City of Kandor. It's a classic Superman comic reference that would undoubtedly look really cool. It would provide Superman a connection to Krypton and again portray him as Earth's protector while giving him a new and formidable oponent. It would encorporate some of the science fiction aspects of classic Superman stories as well.

Oddly enough I just re-read Superman: THe Earth Stealers and it gave me this idea for an approach for Brainiac.

 

[cryptic name]

there's no way they're going to do a story that involves an alien robot actually shrinking cities and stealing them. that's ridiculous.

 

[dark_b]

I think if we got a Silver Age style city-shriniking and stealing Brainiac that would be cool and an exciting scenario for a SUpreman moive.

Imagine BRainiac coming to Earth, shrinking and capturing Metropolis. SUperman has to recover the city from Brainiac's ship and in the course finds the Bottled City of Kandor. It's a classic Superman comic reference that would undoubtedly look really cool. It would provide Superman a connection to Krypton and again portray him as Earth's protector while giving him a new and formidable oponent. It would encorporate some of the science fiction aspects of classic Superman stories as well.

Oddly enough I just re-read Superman: THe Earth Stealers and it gave me this idea for an approach for Brainiac.

how old are you?

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

there's no way they're going to do a story that involves an alien robot actually shrinking cities and stealing them. that's ridiculous.

Exactly, and the city-shrinking Brainiac is not something i particularly want to see either, it just would be TOO comic-booky. A robotic, cold Brainiac who wants to take over the earth and digitise it or make it like Krypton would be much better.

And i dont want Superman communicating with shrunken Kandorians either!

 

[Spike_x1]

I think the S:TAS Braniac would be good. He wasn't just the Eradicator though. They showed off more of the evil take over the world kind of program that he was on "Static Shock." Braniac took control of Static's friend and began using the kid's heightened intelligence to scan and digitize parts of earth that seemed unfit. Static's friend could do nothing but watch.

That behavior seems really uncharacteristic of STAS Brainiac and much more along the lines of the comicbook; so which iteration are you saying that you prefer here?

I wouldn't mind if Brainiac had a slight sense of humour, as long as he reamined mostly cold and logical. I liked some of lines he had JLH:

Brainiac: A gift, in response for your services.
Gorilla Grodd: Fool! With this helmet, your will is mine! Free me!
Brainiac: Say 'please'.

Exactly.

Anyway the biggest pitfall with not using STAS Brainiac is the origin. STAS Brainiac's origin was far less convoluted then the comics Brainiac. I mean Post crisis Brainiac's origin was a mess and pre Crisis brainiac's origin was a tad convoluted as well. They would have to stream line things for a film.

Which is why I suggested that they just outright skip the Milton Fine character and go straight to being a kickass robot out to conquer the universe.

 

[Superfreak]

I think Brainiac should operate like Jor-El, perhaps only once taking humanoid form at the very end of the film. The Eradicator should be his messenger, of sorts, with a concentration on some external human threat that just elevates the cluster-****.

silver surfer it sounds like.


I'd rather that Brainiac be new krypton (like the TAS brainiac, brainiac being the AI that controls the Jor'el hologram), with the eradicator as the physical embodiment of Brainiac, and in the universe, would be crystal like (much like the ice mask that Jor'el turns into at the end of his monologue in STM).

this I like.

(and other details i would personally like: that brainiac is a minion of the already defeated Zod. And that Brainiac also wants to kill Jor'el and his heirs. Moreover, I want Jason to be killed by Brainiac in front of the last remaining monument to Zod, the former Mt. Rushmore. It's that whole kneel before Zod bit. It's so good, it could be reused to set up Brainiacs hatred for superman, and his son)

 

[GhostPoet]

I er...like the Brainiac from the Superman animation. He's cold, calculating. And even has a cold sense of humor.

 

[The Overlord]

That behavior seems really uncharacteristic of STAS Brainiac and much more along the lines of the comicbook; so which iteration are you saying that you prefer here? Exactly.Which is why I suggested that they just outright skip the Milton Fine character and go straight to being a kickass robot out to conquer the universe.

But where would this robot conqueror Brainiac come from? I don't want to use the whole time travel origin that B13 had in the comics, that is too way convoluted for a film.

 

[Jimmy, GL]

That behavior seems really uncharacteristic of STAS Brainiac and much more along the lines of the comicbook; so which iteration are you saying that you prefer here? Exactly.Which is why I suggested that they just outright skip the Milton Fine character and go straight to being a kickass robot out to conquer the universe.

I prefer the version that appeared in the Static Shock episode actually. And since this is the case I guess i like the comic version better. Wierd how that works. Or maybe even a combo of both types.

 

[Spike_x1]

But where would this robot conqueror Brainiac come from? I don't want to use the whole time travel origin that B13 had in the comics, that is too way convoluted for a film.

The time travel aspect can be simplified for audiences easily enough. And that part of B-13's story was actually pretty simple right from the start. He's just the future version of himself come back in time to kill a less experienced Superman where he also ended up battling his past-self. It's not exactly rocket science in terms of superhero/science fiction movies. What's so convulted about that?

Generally, most people think that the comic book Brainiac's numerous upgrades are what makes his character confusing, but B-13 skipped right over the details of his upgrades, so I don't see what's confusing at all about him. Hell, they don't even need to ever refer to him as "Brainiac 13" in order to avoid audiences asking dumb questions, like "so was there a Brainiac 10?" You could just call one of them "Future Brainiac" and the other "Vril Dox." Or something more creative to differentiate them.

 

[The Overlord]

The time travel aspect can be simplified for audiences easily enough. And that part of B-13's story was actually pretty simple right from the start. He's just the future version of himself come back in time to kill a less experienced Superman where he also ended up battling his past-self. It's not exactly rocket science in terms of superhero/science fiction movies. What's so convulted about that?

Generally, most people think that the comic book Brainiac's numerous upgrades are what makes his character confusing, but B-13 skipped right over the details of his upgrades, so I don't see what's confusing at all about him. Hell, they don't even need to ever refer to him as "Brainiac 13" in order to avoid audiences asking dumb questions, like "so was there a Brainiac 10?" You could just call one of them "Future Brainiac" and the other "Vril Dox." Or something more creative to differentiate them.

I don't think that will work in the silver screen, you want to skip over Milton Fine Brainiac so how do introduce present brainiac? How does future brainiac make any snese if present Brainiac isn't around? Also if you have present Brainiac and future brainiac, you are really crowding the movie here, which already has to deal with Richard, Lex, Jason, how Superman will get with Lois etc. I don't we have the time to develop two completely different Brainiacs in the film, plus the general public doesn't know who Brainiac, introducing two versions will just be confusing and a future Brainiac makes no sense without a Brainiac.

The best way to Brainiac 13 is to cut time travel aspect and just make Brainiac 13 the present Brainiac, Brainiac 1 if you will. We don't have room for a time travel plot line, when there are many plot lines that need to developed in the film in the present. Just make a simpiflied version of his origin either pre or post crisis, so can have the character hit the ground running, instead of having to introduce and develop two versions of him. Either you can make him an aI system that enslaved its home planet Colu and either destroyed it or was banished from Colu (similar to his pre crisis origin where Brainiac was a robot that at first served the computer tyrants of Colu, then worked for himself) or he is a scientist named Vril Dox who was excuted by the computer tyrants of Colu, but before he deied he infected the computer tyrants with a computer virus based on his own mental pathways and this virus took control of said computers and allowed him to build a Brainiac 13 style body for himself. I kind of like the firsty origin better, Brainiac's Pre crisis origin was ultimately way less convoluted then his Post crisis origin.

 

[Spike_x1]

I don't think that will work in the silver screen, you want to skip over Milton Fine Brainiac so how do introduce present brainiac? How does future brainiac make any snese if present Brainiac isn't around?

I didn't say Present Brainiac wouldn't be around.

I just said skip Milton Fine and go straight to a robot body, but not B-13. There's your present day Brainiac. Maybe the modern Brainiac could be the pre-crisis robot while B-13 is... Brainiac 13. Whatever.

Also if you have present Brainiac and future brainiac, you are really crowding the movie here, which already has to deal with Richard, Lex, Jason, how Superman will get with Lois etc. I don't we have the time to develop two completely different Brainiacs in the film, plus the general public doesn't know who Brainiac, introducing two versions will just be confusing and a future Brainiac makes no sense without a Brainiac.

I know that there's already all of these plotlines going around, but nowhere did I say that both the regular Brainiac and B-13 would have to be squeezed into a single film. The way I pictured it would have the sequel featuring Present Day Brainiac as mostly a behind-the-scenes villain, perhaps supplying Lex with the means to create something like Metallo, the Parasite, or whatever. And in the third film, we're introduced to B-13.

Because Brainiac's origin (whatever it may be) would've already been explained in the 2nd movie, you don't need anymore than perhaps two minutes of exposition in order to explain that B-13 is the future version of the already-established villain. There'd be plenty of time left over for Richard, Jason, and whoever else that needs the available screentime.

The best way to Brainiac 13 is to cut time travel aspect and just make Brainiac 13 the present Brainiac, Brainiac 1 if you will. We don't have room for a time travel plot line, when there are many plot lines that need to developed in the film in the present.

I disagree.

Just make a simpiflied version of his origin either pre or post crisis, so can have the character hit the ground running, instead of having to introduce and develop two versions of him. Either you can make him an aI system that enslaved its home planet Colu and either destroyed it or was banished from Colu (similar to his pre crisis origin where Brainiac was a robot that at first served the computer tyrants of Colu, then worked for himself) or he is a scientist named Vril Dox who was excuted by the computer tyrants of Colu, but before he deied he infected the computer tyrants with a computer virus based on his own mental pathways and this virus took control of said computers and allowed him to build a Brainiac 13 style body for himself. I kind of like the firsty origin better, Brainiac's Pre crisis origin was ultimately way less convoluted then his Post crisis origin.

A simplified origin is exactly what I've been suggesting over and over again with the whole "skip the green humanoid part of their story."

As long as we leave that part out and just show the character as a robot or what have you (and later on, as a more advanced-looking robot for B-13), then I don't see what's really convulted about either of them.

 

[The Overlord]

I didn't say Present Brainiac wouldn't be around.

I just said skip Milton Fine and go straight to a robot body, but not B-13. There's your present day Brainiac. Maybe the modern Brainiac could be the pre-crisis robot while B-13 is... Brainiac 13. Whatever.I know that there's already all of these plotlines going around, but nowhere did I say that both the regular Brainiac and B-13 would have to be squeezed into a single film. The way I pictured it would have the sequel featuring Present Day Brainiac as mostly a behind-the-scenes villain, perhaps supplying Lex with the means to create something like Metallo, the Parasite, or whatever. And in the third film, we're introduced to B-13.

Because Brainiac's origin (whatever it may be) would've already been explained in the 2nd movie, you don't need anymore than perhaps two minutes of exposition in order to explain that B-13 is the future version of the already-established villain. There'd be plenty of time left over for Richard, Jason, and whoever else that needs the available screentime.I disagree.A simplified origin is exactly what I've been suggesting over and over again with the whole "skip the green humanoid part of their story."

As long as we leave that part out and just show the character as a robot or what have you (and later on, as a more advanced-looking robot for B-13), then I don't see what's really convulted about either of them.

The general public has no idea who Brainiac is, so introducing future Brainiac 13 here and introducing present Brainiac later will be confusing for them. That is far too convoluted for the silver sceen, this film series should have one version of Brainiac, I don't want several different versions of Brainiac appearing across this film series. Again time travel does work here, because a futre brainiac would make nos ense if Superman never met present brainiac, the audience would feel like something is missing.

 

[Hugebear]

I think if we got a Silver Age style city-shriniking and stealing Brainiac that would be cool and an exciting scenario for a SUpreman moive.

Imagine BRainiac coming to Earth, shrinking and capturing Metropolis. SUperman has to recover the city from Brainiac's ship and in the course finds the Bottled City of Kandor. It's a classic Superman comic reference that would undoubtedly look really cool. It would provide Superman a connection to Krypton and again portray him as Earth's protector while giving him a new and formidable oponent. It would encorporate some of the science fiction aspects of classic Superman stories as well.

Oddly enough I just re-read Superman: THe Earth Stealers and it gave me this idea for an approach for Brainiac.

Actually, it would be cool if they could pull it off, but there would have to be some changes and some ideas added from the S:TAS and Brainiac 13.
Brainiac 1 deserves a chance.
But the bottled city of Kandor would be removed from the story because it might be hard to explain why it would still be there, considering it happened a long time ago. The battle between SUperman and Brainiac needs to take place in the large Metropolis, so no shrinking that city till the end.

 

[Jochimus]

Now that I'm back in the RIGHT thread...

I want THIS on the outside -

- and THIS on the inside.

And if you wanna shove Vril Dox and/or Milton Fine in there somewhere, go right ahead; I'm cool with that.

 

[Andy C.]

Pre-Crisis robot Brainiac was freakin' awesome (the creepy skeleton look, the whole obsession with the "Master Programmer," the badass head-ship), so if we get Brainiac, that's the one I want to see.

 

[Spike_x1]

The general public has no idea who Brainiac is, so introducing future Brainiac 13 here and introducing present Brainiac later will be confusing for them.

What? That's not at all what I suggested. In fact, it's the exact opposite:

I know that there's already all of these plotlines going around, but nowhere did I say that both the regular Brainiac and B-13 would have to be squeezed into a single film. The way I pictured it would have the sequel featuring Present Day Brainiac as mostly a behind-the-scenes villain, perhaps supplying Lex with the means to create something like Metallo, the Parasite, or whatever. And in the third film, we're introduced to B-13.

That is far too convoluted for the silver sceen, this film series should have one version of Brainiac, I don't want several different versions of Brainiac appearing across this film series. Again time travel does work here, because a futre brainiac would make nos ense if Superman never met present brainiac, the audience would feel like something is missing.

Did you actually read my previous post?

 

[The Overlord]

What? That's not at all what I suggested. In fact, it's the exact opposite: Did you actually read my previous post?

I still think it is bad idea to have different versions of Brainiac in this film series, that seems convoluted and would confuse the audience. Besides we know if Brainiac is going to be the film series as the main villian, it will likely be the sequel, not the movie after that. That's one we should have one version of Brainiac for the whole film series.

 

[bosef982]

I think if we got a Silver Age style city-shriniking and stealing Brainiac that would be cool and an exciting scenario for a SUpreman moive.

Imagine BRainiac coming to Earth, shrinking and capturing Metropolis. SUperman has to recover the city from Brainiac's ship and in the course finds the Bottled City of Kandor. It's a classic Superman comic reference that would undoubtedly look really cool. It would provide Superman a connection to Krypton and again portray him as Earth's protector while giving him a new and formidable oponent. It would encorporate some of the science fiction aspects of classic Superman stories as well.

Oddly enough I just re-read Superman: THe Earth Stealers and it gave me this idea for an approach for Brainiac.

I don't mean to be a prick, but you lamblast SR all the time and then offer up an idea like that??? I mean...Holy Lord, you really want that? That's just plain idiotic!

 

[bosef982]

silver surfer it sounds like.


I'd rather that Brainiac be new krypton (like the TAS brainiac, brainiac being the AI that controls the Jor'el hologram), with the eradicator as the physical embodiment of Brainiac, and in the universe, would be crystal like (much like the ice mask that Jor'el turns into at the end of his monologue in STM).

this I like.

(and other details i would personally like: that brainiac is a minion of the already defeated Zod. And that Brainiac also wants to kill Jor'el and his heirs. Moreover, I want Jason to be killed by Brainiac in front of the last remaining monument to Zod, the former Mt. Rushmore. It's that whole kneel before Zod bit. It's so good, it could be reused to set up Brainiacs hatred for superman, and his son)

Go to the SHould THe Eradicator be a Woman thread and you'll see I was talking about your ideas last week. I don't feel like re-writing it here but if you're interested, go check it out. IT talks about a lot of what you're saying and perhaps will give you a better idea on why the SIlver SUrfer wouldn't be an accurate analogy for what I was saying

 

[Spike_x1]

I still think it is bad idea to have different versions of Brainiac in this film series, that seems convoluted and would confuse the audience. Besides we know if Brainiac is going to be the film series as the main villian, it will likely be the sequel, not the movie after that. That's one we should have one version of Brainiac for the whole film series.

I disagree.