Before Green Arrow and Black Canary knew it, they found themselves in a ship unlike anything they had ever seen before. It was hard for the married couple to even comprehend the interior of this ship. It was coated in gray and purple, and covered in some kind of wires that were connected to almost every system. There were also strange symbols on the ground, symbols Canary and Arrow couldn't even begin to recognize.

Instinctively, Green Arrow and Black Canary reached for each other's hands. As capable as they were, neither knew what their odds were.

"Ollie…" was all Black Canary could say as she continued to let the appearance of the ship sink in.

"I, uh…I got nothing." and Green Arrow meant it. He had no quips or remarks regarding this ship, for it was too bizarre and foreign.

"Your victory over Doctor Fate warrants further study."

That deep and somewhat dry voice alarmed Arrow and Canary, with the former nocking an arrow in preparation. Their attention was taken when they saw a strange shape emerge from the ship's floor. It was a number of mechanical tentacles, covering something – or someone. The tentacles began to unfold on themselves, revealing a humanoid donned in silver armor with purple highlights, his bald head colored a lime green.

"Green skin? Smart money's on alien." Green Arrow was finally able to get a remark in, while Black Canary couldn't help but think of their old friend, the Martian Manhunter.

"A Martian? Like J'onn J'onzz?"

Green Arrow and Black Canary wouldn't be in the dark for much longer. "My point of origin was a thousand years removed from Mars, on the planet Colu. I am…Brainiac."

Brainiac extended his arms out, and from his back emerged two gigantic tentacles – one grabbed Black Canary by the wrist, and the other latched onto Green Arrow's bow. Green Arrow tried to fight it, but it was no use. His bow flew out of his hand, and the tentacle gripped his wrist as well. Arrow and Canary were both dragged away. As the tentacles raised them up in the air, Black Canary let out a Canary Cry in a desperate attempt to escape. In response, Brainiac unleashed another tentacle, one that held a tight grip on Black Canary's throat.

Green Arrow reached his arm out towards Black Canary, as the sight of her being chocked helplessly was too much for him to bear. "Stop, please!"

Brainiac did not care about Arrow's concern. "Cause and effect. Resistance begets violence."

Deep down, Green Arrow felt ashamed for backing down like this. But his wife was about to get choked to death, and there was no way either of them could fight back at the moment. "Then we won't resist! Please, just stop!"

Brainiac retracted the tentacle that was strangling Canary, and all she could do was let out a heavy breath and cough.

Brainiac walked towards the window of his ship, where the Earth was visible in all its glory. As Green Arrow studied Brainiac, he thought about what Doctor Fate had told him and his wife…and he put two and two together. "You're the grave crisis we were warned about. What do you want?"

Brainiac briefly turned to glance at the archer before turning back to face the Earth. "I seek the one you call Superman. For years, I believed I had destroyed Krypton and all its remnants. Superman's survival is an oversight I must correct."

Even now, when she was being held captive by a threat she had never encountered before, Black Canary couldn't stand to hear that name. "Superman's no friend of ours."

"I am aware. But your planet has also piqued my interest. Its many contradictions are fascinating." There was something odd about the way he said 'fascinating' but Arrow and Canary ignored it.

"We'll never serve you." Black Canary replied defiantly.

There was a brief pause before Brainiac spoke. "Serve? I am no petty despot. I collect worlds, preserving their essential knowledge to enhance my intellect." He turned to face Green Arrow once more. "And then I discard the remnants."

'Well…that's a new one' Green Arrow thought to himself. He thought he had seen every possible scheme and motivation, but Brainiac had him wrong. "Why?"

Brainiac had his tentacles move the heroes so that they faced him directly. "Your species values precious metals. Arbitrary symbols of status." He looked at his hand and formed a fist. "I value knowledge. And like your metal trinkets, knowledge is more valuable when it is rare."

He walked away from the window and towards the corridor, and though he wasn't proud of it, Green Arrow gulped. Neither he nor Black Canary would admit it, but they were afraid as to what kind of wrath this 'Brainiac' would unleash upon the world.


Before anyone knew it, the meteors came down. And from the meteors emerged Brainiac's robotic minions. The world had calmed after Superman's Regime was toppled, so no one woke up expecting an invasion of global proportions. As the robots made themselves known, people began running desperately for their lives. It was a futile effort for some, who were taken by the hooks the robots could fire out from their hands.

Bruce Wayne, at the moment, was unaware of the carnage that had just struck the Earth, and had gone to Brother Eye to check up on Harley, Arrow, and Canary.

"Brother Eye, give me an update on the team at Gorilla City"

Ever since he began his career, Bruce Wayne had garnered a reputation for preparing for even the most unlikely of scenarios. However, nothing could've prepared him for what was to come next.

"I cannot do that, Bruce Wayne of Earth" Brother Eye replied, to which Bruce was left dumbfounded. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Why not?"

"Because I am not Brother Eye." the computers and monitors all began to glitch up, and all Bruce could do was jump out of his seat. After a few seconds, only one face was on the monitors.

"I am Brainiac."

Bruce didn't bother trying to talk to Brainiac – all he did was type in a desperate, and unsuccessful, attempt to regain control of Brother Eye.

"You cannot regain control." Brainiac hammered in, though Bruce was not to be deterred. "Over the past few days, Brother Eye has been absorbed into my neural network. It is now an extension of my mind."

The letters on the keyboard turned into some form of alien code, the likes of which Bruce had never seen before. He had to accept it – creating Brother Eye had just bit him in the ass.

"You, a fragile human, captured and imprisoned a fully developed male Kryptonian."

"Maybe I'm not so fragile." was all Bruce could say. He was beginning to wonder – of what importance was Superman to this alien? What was Brainiac going to do with this?

"To prevail, you harnessed advanced sciences. Nano-technology, satellite communication, interdimensional transits…I am taking these tools from you."

Bruce was only further confused. "Why?"

"The Kryptonian belongs to me. And soon, so will your planet."

Even though the keypad was completely foreign, Bruce tried to see if he could do…well, anything. But he couldn't even begin to decipher it. Brother Eye was gone, a new threat currently plagued the world…and there was only one person Bruce could go to for questions. He had to swallow his pride, just this once.


Through a mystical orb, Black Adam and Wonder Woman were able to get a look at Brainiac's ship, with concern plain as day on their faces. They felt they were on track to freeing Superman and restoring the Regime, and this was an unforeseen complication.

"Great Hera. Where else besides Metropolis?" Wonder Woman asked, continuing to be puzzled by this new threat.

"Gotham, Detroit, Beijing, Moscow…So many cities, all at once."

While Black Adam and Wonder Woman were merely concerned, Supergirl was completely horrified. From her perspective, it hadn't been that long since Brainiac brought ruin and destruction to Krypton…and now the collector of worlds was already back in her life. She resisted the strong urge to panic and scream – all she would allow herself to do was widen her eyes.

"It's him…"

Wonder Woman turned her attention to Supergirl and began walking towards the Kryptonian. "Who, Kara? Who is it?"

Supergirl was silent for a moment, as she could only perpetuate that look of horror, before gaining the courage to speak. "We need to get Kal. Now!"


The Lex Luthor Prison for Metahumans had been Superman's jail for the past five years. All he had seen these last few years were a gray metallic background with the red sunlight generator shining on top of its head, as it always did. Superman merely sat there in his prison uniform – he had gotten used to just sitting there and thinking for days at a time. He was always thinking about what he was going to do when he got out – even as the years passed by, he wouldn't give up. He knew he would be let free one day.

Superman's attention was turned towards sound from behind, and he turned his head to see his former friend Bruce, all dressed up in his Batman outfit.

"You're wearing the suit. Am I in trouble again?"

Batman felt it was best to simply cut to the chase and not waste time arguing with the Man of Steel. "Brainiac. What can you tell me?"

Though he tried his best to hide it, Superman's heart skipped a beat. Nothing had made him tense up like this since Doomsday. He walked up to Batman, desperate to know how he learned who that was. "How do you know that name?"

Superman still tried to hide it, but Batman knew him well enough. He could see that the Last Son of Krypton was…fearful. Superman was trying to hide his fear, but little could get past the Dark Knight. "You're afraid of him…" Batman decided it was best not to dwell on that. "He's invading. He says you belong to him"

"Brainiac killed my parents….he blew up Krypton…"

"…You never mentioned that before" For all the many things he had prepared himself for, this was something that really took Batman by surprise – though like Superman, he tried his best to hide it. He simply pondered as to why Superman never told him about Brainiac. The vigilante could just barely believe that Superman would hide this from, say, Hal or Barry, but with how close he and Superman once were, he was surprised at being left in the dark as well.

Again, Batman decided not to dwell too much on it, given the gravity of the current crisis. "…How do I beat him?"

"…You can't. Not without me."

No. Batman refused to go that far. Brainiac was a dire threat, but nothing could be enough to free Superman. Batman felt bad that this trip was for naught, but he had to find another way to take down Brainiac.

"I'll find a way."

Batman turned around and walked away, and all Superman could do was bang his arm on the glass. "This is my fight, Bruce! You need me! Bruce! Bruce! Bruce…"

Superman gritted his teeth as he saw Batman exit the room. Superman had finally been granted the opportunity to confront the man who took his world away, and Batman was taking that away. He walked around his prison – he was more desperate than ever to escape his prison, something he didn't think was possible. First, he would take out Brainiac – and then, with the help of his followers, the Man of Steel would make sure the Dark Knight could never get in his way again.