Actions
 BRAINIAC (Vril Dox I)CHRONOLOGY 
Created by Otto Binder

The Original Universe

CHRONOLOGY

Brainiac first appeared in (historical): Action Comics #242 (July 1958); (canonical): Adventures of Superman #438 (March 1988).

Below is the definitive list of appearances of Brainiac in chronological order. Flashback sequences or story entries will be followed by a [Flashback] note. Stories that for some reason are no longer part of current continuity will have a comment saying this in a note following the entry.

Follow the links for a complete index of the issue, including story and creator info as well as full character chronology and in some cases story synopses.

The chronology list can also be sorted according to Comic book title. Please note: If you want to go back to the chronological listing after having used the sorting tool you have to reload the page.

To go to the Brainiac (Vril Dox) biography click here.


Brainiac Chronology

Click to list by alphabetically by title
L.E.G.I.O.N. '89 #1 (February 1989): "Homecoming" [Flashback]
L.E.G.I.O.N. '91 #23 (January 1991): "I, Durlan" [Flashback]
Adventures of Superman #438 (March 1988): "...The Amazing Brainiac"
Adventures of Superman #445 (October 1988): "Headhunter"
Adventures of Superman #447 (December 1988): "Over the Edge"
Superman Vol. 2 #25 (winter 1988): "Head Trips"
Adventures of Superman #448 (winter 1988): "The Ledge"
Superman Vol. 2 #26 (Holiday 1988): "...It's Just a Shot Away!"
Superman Vol. 2 #27 (January 1989): "Of Course, You Know, This Means War!"
Superman Vol. 2 #28 (February 1989): "Superman in Exile"
Superman Vol. 2 #30/2 (April 1989): "King of All He Surveys"
Superman Vol. 2 #31/2 (May 1989): "Hostile Takeover, Part III: Poison Pill!"
Superman Vol. 2 #33 (July 1989): "Two Destinies"
Adventures of Superman #456 (July 1989): "Redemption!"
Superman Vol. 2 #35 (September 1989): "Visions of Grandeur"
Action Comics #647 (November 1989): "Brain Drain" [Flashback]
Action Comics #646 (October 1989): "Burial Ground"
Action Comics #647 (November 1989): "Brain Drain" [Flashback]
Action Comics #647 (November 1989): "Brain Drain"
Action Comics #648 (December 1989): "Body and Mind"
Adventures of Superman #462 (January 1990): "Home for the Holidays"
Action Comics #649 (January 1990): "Man and Machine"
Adventures of Superman Annual #2 (1990): "Quest for Vengeance"
L.E.G.I.O.N. '90 Annual #1 (1990): "Childhood's End"
Action Comics #674 (February 1992): [8] "The Past is Prologue"
Superman: The Man of Steel #9 (March 1992): [9] "Panic in the Sky! First Strike: Power Breakfast"
Superman Vol. 2 #65 (March 1992): [10] "Panic in the Sky! Second Strike: Head Man"
Adventures of Superman #488 (March 1992): [11] "Panic in the Sky! Third Strike: Counter Strike!"
Action Comics #675 (March 1992): [12] "Panic in the Sky! Fourth Strike: Divide and Conquer"
Superman: The Man of Steel #10 (April 1992): [13] "Panic in the Sky! Fifth Strike: Tidal Wave!"
Superman Vol. 2 #66 (April 1992): [14] "Panic in the Sky! Final Strike: Our Army at War"
Adventures of Superman #489 (April 1992): [15] "Panic in the Sky! Epilogue: Hail the Conquering Heroes"
Action Comics #0 (October 1994): [40] "The Yesterday Man" [Behind the scenes]
Superman: The Man of Steel #38 (November 1994): [41] "Illusions" [Behind the scenes]
Superman Vol. 2 #94 (November 1994): [42] "Shadows of the Past" [Behind the scenes]
Adventures of Superman #517 (November 1994): [43] "Death-Trap!" [Behind the scenes]
Superman: The Man of Steel #39 (December 1994): [45] "Life or Death" [Behind the scenes]
Superman Vol. 2 #95 (December 1994): [46] "The Zero Effect"
Action Comics #705 (December 1994): [48] "Bodies & Motion"
Superman: The Man of Steel #40 (January 1995): [1] "Mind Games"
Superman Vol. 2 #96 (January 1995): [2] "Mindscape"
Adventures of Superman #519 (January 1995): [3] "No One Defeats Brainiac!"
Adventures of Superman #536 (July 1996): [26] "Identity Crisis, Ch. 1: Cages"
Action Comics #723 (July 1996): [27] "Identity Crisis II: Keys"
Superman: The Man of Steel #58 (July 1996): [28] "Identity Crisis III: Snares"
Superman Vol. 2 #114 (July 1996): [29] "Identity Crisis IV: Worldwide Web"
Showcase '96 #11 (December 1996): "Brain in Vain"
Showcase '96 #12 (winter 1996): "Roots"
Superman: The Doomsday Wars #1 (1998): "Birth"
Superman: The Doomsday Wars #2 (1998): "Life"
Superman: The Doomsday Wars #3 (1998): "Death"
Superman Vol. 2 #148 (September 1999): [36] "Champions"
Superman Vol. 2 #150 (November 1999): [44] "Earth's Final Hour"
Superman Y2K #1 (February 2000): [7] "The End"
Superman Vol. 2 #154 (March 2000): [10] "Whatever Happened to the City of Tomorrow?" [In the body of Lena Luthor II]
Adventures of Superman #576 (March 2000): [11] "AnarchY2Knowledge" [In the body of Lena Luthor II]
Superman: The Man of Steel #98 (March 2000): [12] "Thirty Minutes To Oblivion..." [In the body of Lena Luthor II]
Action Comics #763 (March 2000): [13] "Sacrifice for Tomorrow" [In the body of Lena Luthor II]

ZZAs Lena Luthor II

Superman Vol. 2 #171 (August 2001): [30] "Of Course, You Know This Means Warworld"
Action Comics #780 (August 2001): [33] "The End of the Beginning"
Superman: The Man of Steel #116 (September 2001): [36] "Chest Deep in Heroes' Blood"
Adventures of Superman #595 (October 2001): [39] "Escalation"
Superman: The Man of Steel #117 (October 2001): [40] "Total Abandon"
Action Comics #782 (October 2001): [41] "Trial by Fire"

ZZAs Brainiac

Birds of Prey #70 (Late September 2004): "Between Dark and Dawn, Part Two: Huntress/Prey" [Behind the scenes]
Birds of Prey #71 (Early October 2004): "Between Dark and Dawn, Part Three: Insanity Defense" [Behind the scenes]
Birds of Prey #72 (Late October 2004): "Between Dark and Dawn, Part Four: Material Girl"
Birds of Prey #73 (Early November 2004): "Between Dark and Dawn, Part Five: Blood and Circuits"
Outsiders Vol. 3 #24 (July 2005): "The Insiders, Part Two"
Teen Titans Vol. 3 #25 (August 2005): "The Insiders, Part III"
Outsiders Vol. 3 #25 (August 2005): "The Insiders, Part Four"
Superman/Batman #35 (July 2007): "Metal Men, Part 2: B.I."
Superman/Batman #36 (early August 2007): "Metal Men, Part 3: Computer Crash"
Action Comics #866 (August 2008): "Brainiac, Part 1: First Contact"
Action Comics #867 (September 2008): "Brainiac, Part 2: Hide and Seek"
Action Comics #868 (October 2008): "Brainiac, Part 3: Greetings"
Action Comics #869 (November 2008): "Brainiac, Part 4: Mind Over Matter"
Action Comics #870 (December 2008): [Brainiac, Finale]
Superman: New Krypton Special #1 (December 2008): "New Krypton"
Action Comics #871 (January 2009): "New Krypton, Part 2: Beyond Doomsday"
Action Comics #872 (February 2009): "New Krypton, Part 7: Brainiac Lives"
Action Comics #873 (March 2009): "New Krypton, Part Ten: Birth of a Nation"
Adventure Comics Vol. 3 #2 (November 2009): "Superboy, The Boy of Steel, Part Two"
Adventure Comics Vol. 3 #3 (December 2009): "Superboy, The Boy of Steel, Part Three"
Adventure Comics Vol. 3 #6 (March 2010): "Superboy, The Boy of Steel, Part Five"
Superman: World of New Krypton #12 (April 2010): "World of New Krypton, Finale"
Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #1 (May 2010): "Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton, Part One: Invaded"
Supergirl Vol. 5 #51 (May 2010): "Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton, Part Two: Leaders"
Superman Vol. 1 #698 (May 2010): "Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton, Part Three: Destiny"
Adventure Comics Vol. 3 #9/2 (May 2010): [35] "Unity"
Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #2 (Early June 2010): "Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton, Part Five: Bottles and Battles"
Adventure Comics Vol. 3 #10 (June 2010): [38] "Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton, Part Six: Divided, Conquerable" [Behind the scenes]
Supergirl Vol. 5 #52 (June 2010): "Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton, Part Seven: Distractions"
Superman Vol. 1 #699 (June 2010): "Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton, Part Eight: Irony in Ire"
Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #3 (Late June 2010): "Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton, Part Nine: This is the Way the World Ends"
Adventure Comics Vol. 3 #11 (July 2010): [43] "Superman: The Last Stand of New Krypton: The Epilogue Is the Future"
R.E.B.E.L.S. #18 (September 2010): "Sons of Brainiac, Part 1: Brainchild"
R.E.B.E.L.S. #19 (October 2010): "Sons of Brainiac, Part 2: Name and Number"
R.E.B.E.L.S. #20 (November 2010): "Sons of Brainiac, Part 3: Brain-Drain"
Action Comics #898 (April 2011): "The Black Ring, Part Nine"
Action Comics #899 (May 2011): "The Black Ring, Part Ten"
Action Comics #900 (June 2011): "The Black Ring, Finale: Reign of Doomsday"

ZZPost-Flashpoint

Threshold #4 (June 2013): "Small Wonders"
Threshold #5 (July 2013): "Small Wonders, Part 2"
Threshold #6 (August 2013): "Strange Bedfellows"
Superman Vol. 3 #23.2 (November 2013): "Recollection"
Supergirl Vol. 6 #22 (September 2013): "Close To Home"
Supergirl Vol. 6 #23 (October 2013): "Out of the Past"
Superman Vol. 3 #30 (June 2014): "All Good Things Must End"
Superman: Doomed #1 (July 2014): "Superman Doomed, Part 1" [Behind the scenes]
Superman Vol. 3 #31 (July 2014): "Lockdown"
Action Comics Vol. 2 #33 (September 2014): "Superman Doomed: Superdoom, Part 1: Unbound"
Superman/Wonder Woman #10 (September 2014): "Superman Doomed: Superdoom, Part 2: Distance"
Action Comics Annual Vol. 2 #3 (September 2014): "Superdoom, Part 4: My Body is a Cage"
Superman/Wonder Woman Annual #1 (September 2014): "Superdoom, Part 3" [Behind the scenes; During Action Comics Annual Vol. 2 #3]
Action Comics Vol. 2 #34 (October 2014): "Superman Doomed: Last Sun, Part 1: Assimilation"
Superman/Wonder Woman #11 (October 2014): "Superman Doomed: Last Sun: Assimilation, Part 2"
Superman: Doomed #2 (November 2014): "Superman Doomed: Last Sun, Part 4: Evolutions"
Convergence #0 (June 2015): "The God Machine"
Telos #1 (December 2015): "My Enemy's Enemy"
Telos #3 (February 2016): "Hiraeth"
Telos #4 (March 2016): "Full Gambit"
Telos #6 (May 2016): "Reversal"
Teen Titans Vol. 6 #19 (June 2018): "It Ain't Easy Being Green, Finale"
Justice League: No Justice #1 (July 2018): "No Justice"
Justice League Vol. 4 #13 (February 2019): "Legion of Doom, Part Three"
Justice League Annual Vol. 4 #1 (March 2019): "Multiversal Meltdown!" [Flashback]
Justice League Annual Vol. 4 #1 (March 2019): "Multiversal Meltdown!"
Justice League Vol. 4 #17 (April 2019): "Old Frontier"
Justice League Vol. 4 #18 (April 2019): "Legion of Doom, Part Four"
Justice League Vol. 4 #19 (May 2019): "The Sixth Dimension, Chapter 1"
Justice League Vol. 4 #20 (May 2019): "The Sixth Dimension, Chapter 2"
Justice League Vol. 4 #22 (June 2019): "The First Crisis"
Justice League Vol. 4 #25/2 (August 2019): "The Message" [Flashback]
DC's Year of the Villain Special #1 (July 2019): "Doom"
Justice League Vol. 4 #25/2 (August 2019): "The Message"
Action Comics #1019 (March 2020): "Metropolis Doom!, Part 3" [Flashback]
Action Comics #1018 (March 2020): "Metropolis Doom!, Part 2" [Flashback]
Action Comics #1020 (April 2020): "Metropolis Doom!, Part 4" [Flashback]
Action Comics #1017 (January 2020): "Metropolis Doom!"
Action Comics #1018 (March 2020): "Metropolis Doom!, Part 2"
Action Comics #1019 (March 2020): "Metropolis Doom!, Part 3"
Action Comics #1021 (May 2020): "Metropolis Doom!, Conclusion"
Superman Vol. 5 #18 (February 2020): "Truth"
Justice League Vol. 4 #54 (December 2020): "Doom Metal, Part Two" [Behind the scenes]
Justice League Vol. 4 #55 (December 2020): "Doom Metal, Part Three"
Justice League Vol. 4 #56 (January 2021): "Doom Metal, Part Four"
Dark Nights: Death Metal Infinite Hour Exxxtreme! #1/3 (January 2021): "Lobo Land"
Dark Nights: Death Metal #7 (March 2021): "Death Metal - An Anti-Crisis, Part VII: A Slap in the Face"
Superman and the Authority #3 (November 2021): "Grimdark!"
Superman and the Authority #4 (December 2021): "Widescreen"
Superman 2023 Annual #1 (October 2023): "The City of Secrets"
Superman Vol. 6 #7 [850] (December 2023): "Chapter Seven: The Chained, Part Two"
Titans: Beast World Tour: Metropolis #1/3 (February 2024): "Don't Stop, A Tale from Beast World"
Superman Vol. 6 #12 [856] (May 2024): "Chapter Twelve: Lex's Truth"
Action Comics #1064 (June 2024): "House of Brainiac, Part One: Brainiac Attacks!"
Superman Vol. 6 #13 [857] (June 2024): "House of Brainiac, Part 2: Last Sons"
Superman: House of Brainiac Special #1 (June 2024): "House of Brainiac, Part 2.5: Chapter One: Secrets of Czarnia"
Superman: House of Brainiac Special #1 (June 2024): "House of Brainiac, Part 2.5: Chapter Three: Signal"
Action Comics #1065/2 (July 2024): "Brainiac and Son"
Action Comics #1065 (July 2024): "House of Brainiac, Part 3"
Superman Vol. 6 #14 [858] (July 2024): "House of Brainiac, Part 4: Last Sons"

ZZChronology Uncertain

It is currently uncertain where these stories fit into the character's internal chronology.

Trinity #29/2 (February 2009 [December 17, 2008]): "Not On My Watch"
Trinity #30/2 (February 2009 [December 24, 2008]): "This is What We Need to Know"
Trinity #34 (March 2009 [January 21]): "The Depth Beyond the Depths"
Trinity #38/2 (April 2009 [February 18]): "The Last Stand"
Trinity #39 (April 2009 [February 25]): "Metropolis"
Trinity #41 (May 2009 [March 11]): "Our Rightful Realm"