DC Reveals Brainiac's New Look Ahead of Man of Tomorrow

As the DCU's Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, draws closer to its 2027 release date, DC Comics is ready to tease fans with the villainous Brainiac's latest appearance. A new Supergirl story teases danger ahead for Kal-El and Kara Zor-El, with Brainiac looming on the horizon.

Cover art by Rod Reis for DC Elseworlds' Supergirl: Survive #4 shows Brainiac's new look, which sees the conqueror in the sky with glowing pink eyes and matching cybernetic circular marks on his head. It's a new design that feels right in line with the character's previous looks, but with a modern update that would likely feel right at home in the DCU when the character makes his debut in Man of Tomorrow. Supergirl: Survive #4 will be released on Sept. 2, 2026.

Brainiac Arrives in DC's New Supergirl: Survive #4

Supergirl: Survive is written by Ethan S. Parker (Kill Your Darlings, Marvel Zombies: Red Band) and takes place in DC's alternate histories Elseworlds imprint, which means it is officially separate from the offerings DC Studios uses for its movies and main universe. With that said, Brainiac's return to the realm of comics is almost undoubtedly a precursor to the character's DCU arrival, and his new look and motives are likely to align with what the publisher envisions for him on-screen.

Supergirl: Survive launched with its first issue on June 3rd, telling the seemingly idyllic story of Kara Zor-El, living a life without problems — other than school dances, family issues, and trying to bond with her baby cousin Kal. But when General Zod tightens his grip on Krypton, the planet begins to burn, and Kara and Kal are launched into the stars together in a universe that doesn't care if they live or die.

The second issue, which went on sale July 1, saw Supergirl facing off against a foe that will be familiar to those who watched Milly Alcock's DCU Supergirl movie: the Lobo gang. With Kara and Kal light years from Earth, they seek shelter on a busy spaceport, where the Czarnian bounty hunters immediately take notice of them — though luckily, some Green Lanterns were nearby to help out.

When Supergirl: Survive arrives in September, it will be bringing Brainiac along with it — but DC is keeping his motives in the Elseworlds story under wraps for now. The solicitation for the issue reads: "Kara and Kal experience something they've never felt before ... the restorative power of a yellow sun. But a storm is coming, and with it, a challenge that will push the young adventurers to their very limit. But from the dark clouds comes a helping hand ... but are they friend or foe?"

Lars Eidinger Will Be the DCU's Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow

While DC has yet to share an actual look at Man of Tomorrow's Brainiac just yet, the studio has confirmed which actor will be stepping into the role and shared some information about Brainiac's DCU backstory. German actor Lars Eidinger was confirmed to play the alien android from Colu, with James Gunn revealing some of the inspiration behind Brainiac's silver screen characterization.

Gunn reportedly read "most" comic book storylines featuring Brainiac, incorporating aspects from multiple threads of the character to create the DCU's upcoming version. Those that were specifically named as inspiration for Man of Tomorrow include Otto Binder's 1950s Brainiac, Marv Wolfman's run with the character, as well as his animated appearances and the AI version from DC's recent Absolute Universe.

Supergirl: Survive #4 goes on sale Sept. 2 from DC Comics.