Brainiac 5's first appearance

[greenygal]

We've seen Supergirl and Brainiac 5's most recent encounter, so here's their first story together, several continuities back, when Brainiac 5 was introduced as one of the Girl of Steel's love interests...



"Supergirl's Three Super-Girlfriends" starts with Supergirl thinking sadly about how, as Supergirl, she can't have female friends with whom she can share her secrets--when who should conveniently appear but Saturn Girl, Phantom Girl, and Triplicate Girl of the Legion of Super-Heroes! To her delight, they explain that they're here because they want her to try out for the Legion. Given that, as detailed in this story, her previous attempt at this ended with her being declared unacceptable because Red Kryptonite had temporarily transformed her into an adult, I don't know how thrilled I would have been about this, but in the Silver Age Superbooks that sort of thing is just par for the course, and they're off for the thirtieth century to try it again.

(And hey, a quick point about this story. It's 1961, this is the Legion's sixth appearance ever, and they have three female characters in their roster as the story starts. You know how long it took the JLA to get to that point? Seventeen years. Not that any of them really do anything in this story, despite the title, but still, they're there.)

Supergirl is introduced to the other applicants, one of whom seems oddly familiar...



I've always been a little skeptical about this "woe, my evil ancestor was evil!" thing. I mean, it's been a thousand years! At some point surely you get to stop feeling deep, personal shame over your unfortunate relatives? But then again, in this story he's trying to court a girl for whom that guy is the only Brainiac she knows, so it's understandable if he makes something of a production of it.



Man, as supervillain demises go, that is just embarrassing. Also, that whole "Superman has a unbreakable code against killing" thing? Propaganda, clearly. I mean, he doesn't even try to save the monkey.



Sweet as this is, I never fail to start giggling at this point. It's a thousand years later and the Kryptonite is still falling. Directly onto the only Kryptonian on the planet. It has a mission!

(Reluctant though I am to admit it, this scene would make a lot more sense if Brainy had set the whole thing up to impress Kara. I mean, it's very convenient, isn't it?)



And there you have the pre-Crisis Brainiac 5/Supergirl relationship in a nutshell: "You're wonderful and I love you madly!" "You are cute, but I have to go now. Maybe later?" We'll see how it goes this time around...

Suggested tags: char: supergirl/kara zor-el, char: brainiac 5/querl dox, group: legion of super-heroes, publisher: dc comics

Comments

[thandrak]

Ah, Koko. One of my favorite parts of the Moy era was the return of that little monster.

[lieut_kettch]

And that fact that he called Bart by the same name.

[jlroberson]

Look at his approving look as Brainiac explains his plans. He's not just a monkey, not just an alien, he's an EVIL ALIEN MONKEY!

In the world of Julius Schwartz, that's like a trifecta.

[nezchan]

I love the fact that he carries a placard with his name on it with him, just to make sure she understands.

[jlroberson]

"Wait, wait, look at this before you punch my head off! FIVE! FIVE!"

[psychopathicus_rex]

I think the implication is that all Legion applicants have one which they put in front of them so the judges... Idaknow... won't have to ask them their names, I guess. It's weird, but whatever. She probably has one, too.

[retro_nouveau]

If Brainiac 5 is the grandson of Brainac 3, then just add two greats to get to Brainiac (1) instead of four?

The Clubhouse has to be the cheeziest base ever. Perfect for the Substitutes.

[psychopathicus_rex]

It does make one wonder - if Brainiac 5 is the great-great-great-great grandson of the current Brainiac, then when are we going to see some of his initial offspring in the present-day? Where's Brainiac 2?

[wasabi.livejournal.com]

"I quickly adjusted the controls to your vibrational rate"

I used to work in an adult toy store and I'm pretty sure we used to sell something for couples like this...

[jlroberson]

In the DC SIlver Age, everything was about vibration. It was the basis of the structure of the multiverse itself.

So we know the truth: Crisis on Infinite Earths began with a sex toy gone horribly wrong.

[silverzeo]

Wow, what a daring move for the writers? Where did they got the idea of "Lets have the descendant of one of Superman's enemies work for the Legion." ?

[bluepard]

So he's handsome, smart, and selfless? For all that, I think I'd put up with the purple pjs.

[jcbaggee]

I'd like to see a story where Supergirl returns to being Superman's emergency weapon; operating under a civilian ID, waiting to be called into action when Supes needs help. Not a permanent status quo, but it'd be fun to see her cope with that.

[magnetic_regina]

Dawww, that was really cute.

[icon_uk]

I've always been a little skeptical about this "woe, my evil ancestor was evil!" thing. I mean, it's been a thousand years!

Yeah, but that's only five generations to Coluans, who clearly live somewhere in the region of 200 years plus. Add in the fact that Brainiac was one of the worst, most galactically feared criminals of his time, and it's more understandable. My Great great grandparents were around in the early 20th century, so their actions would still be on record if I went looking.

[greenygal]

No, I get that, but it's still an awfully long time, even if there are fewer generations involved. Humans aren't generally this worked up about things their great-great-grandparents did, and that takes place over a much shorter timespan.

(Also, while this can be rationalized in various ways, the immediate question that comes to mind on hearing Brainy's story is "So if you and all your ancestors were so deeply shamed by Brainiac's actions, why are you still using his name?)

[thosefew]

"Quick! let me put this on you, Supergirl!"

So her inherent distrust of Brainiac was overcome by her instinct to accessorise?

[cainofdreaming]

"You're wonderful and I love you madly!" "You are cute, but I have to go now. Maybe later?"

"... I'll have to return to the time where I'm under-appreciated, where my cousin treats me more like an appliance than a person and... actually, do you know where I could crash until I can find an apartment of my own?"

[jlroberson]

Is it only me that sees Brainiac and Koko here and can't help thinking of the Grinch?

Leading me to the perverse notion, "What if Dr. Seuss had worked for DC," but i imagine one could do a whole website around that theme...

[jelly_ace]

Coincidentally, I just watched the JLU episode where Supergirl gets stuck in the future because of Brainy.

I am rather curious how that pairing goes.

[cleome45]

At least we got a happy ending in ONE reality. :/

[jkcarrier]

Why do I get the feeling that Koko sabotaged that force-shield deliberately? Come to think of it, he does look a little like Nibbler from Futurama...

[bradygirl_12]

Oh, Brainy! In the Silver Age, he's smitten with Supergirl. In the Legion animated series a few years ago, it was Superboy! ;)

Okay, technically, it was Superman, but that was because of legal issues, I believe. It was really SuperBOY! ;)

[icon_uk]

And the Superman attraction was a lot more plausible and healthy for him too! :)

[grazzt]

I wonder if the author planned that Sun Boy and Bouncing Boy would be added to the Legion later, or if he didn't have any ideas for new Legionnaires and used old rejects.

[greenygal]

Can't speak for his motivations, but Shrinking Violet is also an applicant. They all become Legionnaires within a couple of years.

[jaybee3]

Braniac 5 was always my favorite Supergirl boyfriend, in any incarnation. There's something about the "Supergirl from Kandor" and the descendant of the villain (who lives 1000 years in the future) who bottled Kandor being a OTP that's wacky and touching at the same time.

[galateus]

Supergirl isn't from Kandor though, she's from Argo City.

[tacobob]

See, this is my problem. When I introduce myself I don't have a little white sign with my name on it. I'm sure it's a CARDBOARD SIGN FROM THE FUTUREEEEEEEEE!

I gotta get me one of those.

Now Try To Look At Brainiac Without Hearing Colbert's Voice

[jlroberson]

Wait a second, Superman threw Brainiac into his own beam, which he'd shot out, and he goes like Reducto?(oh wait, he got hit by a bus)

Superman is faster than light? Oh, Silver Age.

Re: Now Try To Look At Brainiac Without Hearing Colbert's Voice

[galateus]

Well of course! How else would he and Supergirl break through the time barrier?