Warning: SPOILERS for Supergirl #36
The "Year of The Villain" event has spread through DC Comics to claim its strongest victim yet, as Supergirl faces off against Superman's ruthless foe, Brainiac. Only this time the showdown takes a more definitive turn... now that the Girl of Steel is infected with evil.
This form of Brainiac, also known as 'Vril Dox,' is a legacy character infused with an alien computer intelligence from the planet Colu. With his vast technological resources and cold indifference to organic life, he's largely considered one of Superman's most iconic villains. However, Brainiac apparently never calculated for a scenario in which Joker infects DC's most powerful superheroes, making him wish he was dealing with Superman. Instead, Brainiac faces a version of Supergirl uninterested in the moral questions, or peaceful desires of her upstanding Kryptonian cousin.
For those not yet familiar with The Batman Who Laughs' master plan, the Joker's trademark brand of infectious madness has found a new usage. Despite Batman and Superman's best efforts, the villain's 'Dark Multiverse' corruption has already converted Hawkman into Sky Tyrant, Blue Beetle into The Scarab, Donna Troy into Deathbringer, Billy Batson into the evil King Shazam, and even venerable old Jim Gordon has adopted a darker identity, The Commissioner. The Joker-possessed brigade just needs one more Kryptonian recruit to form the so-called "Secret Six."
The issue which ends with Supergirl vs. Brainiac opens with Kara held captive inside her cousin's Fortress of Solitude by the villain's current incarnation (if there's one thing Brainiac never lacks, it's alternate bodies). Brainiac is attempting his own form of mind control to subjugate the powerful Kryptonian. But with an assist from the loyal Super-Dog Krypto, Supergirl breaks free to find Batman and Superman fighting their former friends Sky Tyrant, Scarab, and Deathbringer. Seeing Scarab hurl an Infected Batarang at Superman, Supergirl flies in to intercept... taking the poison-laced Nth metal Batarang herself.
The weapon instantly infects Kara, causing her to vomit green gunk, and overwhelming the nanobots which were trying to take over her mind just a few pages previous. Supergirl steps into her new persona, and with a Joker-esque maniacal laugh, speeds off to settle her business with Brainiac. Faced with a suddenly-unhinged Supergirl, the normally-emotionless Brainiac admits that he feels scared. Kara responds to the confession without hesitation... annihilating Brainiac with her deadly heat vision. The final page shows the new 'Supergirl Who Laughs' in all her glory, with a distraught Krypto in pursuit, as she flies away in search of "fun."
Superheroes turning evil is almost always an entertaining trope, especially when the switch comes with a cool variant codename and a chaotically-distressed costume. Specifically, Superman and his ilk have been going rogue in various ways for years, from Superman III to Injustice to Infinite Crisis. Probably the best thrill in Supergirl #36 comes in the revelation that the Joker's lacerating laughter can disturb even a metallic misanthrope like Brainiac. Fans can read on for the full synopsis for the issues, teasing the fact that this evil Supergirl is just getting started.
Supergirl-the infected! Brainiac-1 attempts to contact Supergirl at the Fortress of Solitude, but for what nefarious purpose? No matter what he has planned, things are about to go from bad to worse as Supergirl heads on a collision course with the Batman Who Laughs! He's targeted Superman as part of his plan to infect heroes and transform them into their twisted Dark Multiverse counterparts-but Supergirl gets caught in the crossfire, and the Year of the Villain stakes get even higher!
Supergirl #36 is on sale now.