The Braniac Trilogy part 2
Occasionally, post-Crisis Superman continuity would amazingly run weekly through the Superman books while at the same time each series would tell its own independent stories. The Braniac Trilogy was one such example of this non-crossover storytelling.
Superman goes back to the circus where he first encountered Braniac and finds a new sideshow still using the name of Braniac.
No longer being researched at Cadmus, Jimmy Olsen is now going bald and goes back to see Professor Hamilton. The Professor concludes that Cadmus has indeed repaired Jimmy's DNA and the balding is a similar effect to chemotherapy. Due to a storm, the power goes out while the Professor is experimenting and without explanation Jimmy Olsen is replaced by one of the aliens he encountered in the Middle East (back in Adventures of Superman #443). The storm creates a gigantic tidal wave that floods Metropolis, and Superman is too preoccupied with the disaster to address the disappearance of Jimmy Olsen.
After Superman rescues people from the flood, Clark Kent rushes to the Daily Planet where Alice is pulling out old typewriters for the staff due to the power outage. She's relieved that Clark doesn't try to go into the store room, and we'll find out her secret in the next issue. Colin Thornton finally finds Clark Kent and offers him a job, but he politely says he would have to consider it.
Superman goes back to Professor Hamilton's lab to find Jimmy Olsen is missing. The Professor brings up the Eradicator but Superman can't seem to remember anything about it now. After showing him a picture of the device, Superman's memory is restored and he rushes back to the Antarctic to find out what happened there. The mysterious tower he saw in the last issue is now emitting energy so hot that it's melting the ice, which is what's been causing the storms and rising seas. Superman dismantles the tower and flies back down the Kryptonian fortress below the ice, where he passes through a dimensional gateway and encounters a ghostly museum of forgotten Kryptonian technology and a phantom recording of the Eradicator's inventor, Kem-L. Kem-L explains that the Eradicator is going to transform Earth into a New Krypton unless Superman stops it. Kem-L tells the Last Kryptonian that he must perform a Kryptonian rite of passage, and venturing deeper into the Phantom Zone, Superman finds himself on Krypton with Jor El and Lara, moments before their world's destruction. His father agrees to complete his sons rites and places a ceremonial headband (hey, it's still the 80's) on Kal El. Kal has a strange vision of a prehistoric Kryptonian being defeated by a modern, soulless Kryptonian. Awakening from his vision, Jor El explains that the rites may take days to show visible results. Superman wants to save his parents from Krypton's destruction, but Jor El advises against trying to change the past. Superman starts to fade and the planet explodes, destroying the gateway and any possibility of returning. Back on Earth, Superman regains consciousness to discover the robots have built him a Fortress of Solitude out of the Kryptonian artifacts that also passed through the gateway.
The Braniac Trilogy resumes with a recap of Metallo's storyline from Superman #1 to the present. If you'll recall, he was abducted by Lex Luthor just as he was about to defeat Superman, so his grudge against Luthor is very similar to Braniac's.
An army of Metallo robots attacks the Lexcorp tower in Metropolis. While Superman fights them, the real Metallo hides behind a human disguise and locates a Dr. Augustine, who he forces to take him inside a secret project he co-founded: Cadmus. Dubbilex senses Braniac's presence in the building and sends out distress signal while the Guardian attempts to stop Metallo. Superman answers the call and burns off Metallo's robotic appendages. Lex Luthor rushes to the facility where he's been holding Braniac, but discovers he's too late. The entire staff, now under mind control, point their weapons at Luthor as Braniac celebrates his victory.
In pre- and post-Crisis continuity, Braniac was an inconsistent character. His post-Crisis appearances so far haven't been very impressive, but the trilogy is a step in the right direction.
Superman #38
No longer being researched at Cadmus, Jimmy Olsen is now going bald and goes back to see Professor Hamilton. The Professor concludes that Cadmus has indeed repaired Jimmy's DNA and the balding is a similar effect to chemotherapy. Due to a storm, the power goes out while the Professor is experimenting and without explanation Jimmy Olsen is replaced by one of the aliens he encountered in the Middle East (back in Adventures of Superman #443). The storm creates a gigantic tidal wave that floods Metropolis, and Superman is too preoccupied with the disaster to address the disappearance of Jimmy Olsen.
Adventures of Superman #461
Superman goes back to Professor Hamilton's lab to find Jimmy Olsen is missing. The Professor brings up the Eradicator but Superman can't seem to remember anything about it now. After showing him a picture of the device, Superman's memory is restored and he rushes back to the Antarctic to find out what happened there. The mysterious tower he saw in the last issue is now emitting energy so hot that it's melting the ice, which is what's been causing the storms and rising seas. Superman dismantles the tower and flies back down the Kryptonian fortress below the ice, where he passes through a dimensional gateway and encounters a ghostly museum of forgotten Kryptonian technology and a phantom recording of the Eradicator's inventor, Kem-L. Kem-L explains that the Eradicator is going to transform Earth into a New Krypton unless Superman stops it. Kem-L tells the Last Kryptonian that he must perform a Kryptonian rite of passage, and venturing deeper into the Phantom Zone, Superman finds himself on Krypton with Jor El and Lara, moments before their world's destruction. His father agrees to complete his sons rites and places a ceremonial headband (hey, it's still the 80's) on Kal El. Kal has a strange vision of a prehistoric Kryptonian being defeated by a modern, soulless Kryptonian. Awakening from his vision, Jor El explains that the rites may take days to show visible results. Superman wants to save his parents from Krypton's destruction, but Jor El advises against trying to change the past. Superman starts to fade and the planet explodes, destroying the gateway and any possibility of returning. Back on Earth, Superman regains consciousness to discover the robots have built him a Fortress of Solitude out of the Kryptonian artifacts that also passed through the gateway.
Action Comics #648
An army of Metallo robots attacks the Lexcorp tower in Metropolis. While Superman fights them, the real Metallo hides behind a human disguise and locates a Dr. Augustine, who he forces to take him inside a secret project he co-founded: Cadmus. Dubbilex senses Braniac's presence in the building and sends out distress signal while the Guardian attempts to stop Metallo. Superman answers the call and burns off Metallo's robotic appendages. Lex Luthor rushes to the facility where he's been holding Braniac, but discovers he's too late. The entire staff, now under mind control, point their weapons at Luthor as Braniac celebrates his victory.
In pre- and post-Crisis continuity, Braniac was an inconsistent character. His post-Crisis appearances so far haven't been very impressive, but the trilogy is a step in the right direction.
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