Brains of the Gang (Supergirl enemy) (DC Comics)

Brains

(The Gang)


Context

The Gang are minor Supergirl enemies, seen in her 1982 The Daring New Adventures Of Supergirl series. They are convenient as small villain-ish team.


Background

  • Real Name: Unrevealed.
  • Marital Status: Unrevealed.
  • Known Relatives: None.
  • Group Affiliation: The Gang.
  • Base Of Operations: Chicago.
  • Height: 5’6” Weight: 120 lbs.
  • Eyes:  ? Hair: Blonde


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Powers and Abilities

Brains has not evidenced any superhuman ability. But she is smart, eloquent, well-read and a capable leader.

Brains keeps at least half her Hero Points  to bolster the Gang through Leadership. This makes her team more dangerous than it should be.


History

The Gang was a tight group of four children, living in a particularly bad neighbourhood in the South Side of Chicago. While constantly mocked as freaks they stuck together, avoiding both drug addiction and common crime. They craved a way out and wealth, but were aware that common methods toward that would fail them.

Instead, they develop their knacks, which actually seemed to be superhuman, powers. Brains clad everyone in colour-coded uniforms, called them the Gang, and found employers such as the villainous Council (no relation).

Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All Here

In their first public mission, they invaded an aerospace show and walked away with an invaluable satellite. Supergirl attempted to stop them, and didn’t find them to be much of a threat… until Ms. Mesmer froze her. Mesmer then cleverly hypnotized her following instructions from Brains.


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The gang then went after one of Linda Danvers’ neighbours, Johnny Ostrander (no relation  ?). This amateur courier had been unknowingly hired to deliver their pay but had neglected to do so. During the fight, Supergirl had to retreat due to Ms. Mesmer’s suggestion, leaving them free to interrogate Ostrander.

The courier had forgotten his package at an audition. But things went wrong there. A cop shot Ms. Mesmer in the shoulder, and Supergirl finally overcame her mesmerism-induced fear of the Gang. She punched Bulldozer out, and forced Kong and Ms. Mesmer to surrender. They then agreed to remove the hypnotic suggestion so Ms. Mesmer would be taken to an hospital.

Only Brains escaped, stealing a powerboat and fleeing across Lake Michigan.

Are you thinking what I’m thinking, Pinky ?

Although she escaped Supergirl, Brains was forcibly taken to the Council bunker on the floor of Lake Michigan. While there, she came across the powerful robot Matrix-Prime, who had just returned from a fight with Supergirl.

The Gang - DC Comics - with Matrix Prime - Supergirl enemies

Kong, Bulldozer, Matrix-Prime, Brains, Ms. Mesmer.

Brain used an electronic tiara to take direct control of Matrix-Prime. From there, she succeeded in having Matrix-Prime deliver a telling blow to Supergirl. However, Supergirl then used her full power against Matrix-Prime, taking it out. Cyber-feedback sent Brains into a coma.

Yet this feedback also created a permanent telepathic link with Matrix-Prime. See the Matrix-Prime writeup for more detail and Brains’s subsequent history.

Post-Crisis

The Gang hasn’t been seen since. But a post-Crisis version might exist, and would likely have fought Power Girl.

They could prove a credible threat against a small group of low-powered heroes. And there’s always the nostalgia value, of course.


Description

Brains’ hair always behaves weirdly. It usually looks more like a silky tail swaying on its own than real hair. It remains in a single mass, and billows as if it was blown by strong winds.

It wasn’t rare for Infantino to draw hair in this style back then, but this seems more marked here.


Personality

Brains is articulate and polite. She’s the initiative of the Gang, coming up with plans and countermeasures within seconds. She’s keen about their “no killing” rule, and orders the men to back down from deadly violence when necessary.

Brains is terrible at following rules set by an outside authority. This is even worse than for the other Gang members, as she’s usually smarter than people trying to tell her how she should behave.


Quotes

“May I have your attention, ladies and gentlemen ! I realize you all have business to conduct here at the Aerospace Technologies Show, so we shan’t take up much of your valuable time. All we ask is that you remain calm where you are, and no one will be hurt.”

The Gang - DC Comics - Supergirl enemies - Wall bursting

“I suggest you cease these antics, my friends. Enjoyable though they may be, we did not allow for them on our timetable !”

“Farewell then friends. I apologize for any inconvenience… but then, perhaps you’ll consider yourselves privileged to have witnessed the premiere outing of The Gang ! Till we meet again… parting is such sweet sorrow !”



Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG

Tell me more about the game stats

Brains (The Gang)

Dex: 03 Str: 02 Bod: 03 Motivation: Mercenary
Int: 07 Wil: 07 Min: 05 Occupation: Criminal
Inf: 06 Aur: 05 Spi: 04 Resources {or Wealth}: 005
Init: 016 HP: 040

Powers:
Recall: 07

Bonuses and Limitations:
Brains reads a lot, and her Recall will usually be used to draw information from that.

Skills:
Charisma (Persuasion): 06, Scientist: 05

Advantages:
Leadership.

Connections:
The Gang (High).


Metal is better than meat

Once she developed a mind bridge with Matrix-Prime, Brains acquired 4 APs of Personality Transfer Power, with the Limitation that :

  1. It only worked on the Matrix-Prime robot (-2).
  2. Her body was left behind (-3).

She could switch at will from one of her bodies to the other, but felt she was far more efficient when taking direct control of the Matrix-Prime body. See the Matrix-Prime robot profile for details about this powerful robot.


Design Notes

Some extrapolation in the stats due to the lack of material.


Game Stats — DC Adventures RPG

Tell me more about the game stats

Brains (The Gang) — Averaged PL3

STR STA AGL DEX FGT INT AWE PRE
00 01 00 01 01 04 03 02

Combat Advantages

Close Attack 2, Defensive Roll 1, Improved Trip, Seize Initiative.

Other Advantages

Eidetic Memory, Inspire, Leadership, Well-Informed.

Skills

Athletics 1 (+1), Deception 5 (+7), Expertise (General science) 6 (+10), Insight 5 (+8), Perception 6 (+9), Persuasion 2 (+4)

Offense

Initiative +0
Unarmed +3, Close, Damage 0

Defence

Dodge 03 Fortitude 03
Parry 02 Toughness 01*/02
Will 05

* Without Defensive Roll

Complications

  • Hail hail The Gang’s member protect each other, and strive to improve their lot through amoral means.

Powers Levels

  • Trade-off areas. Attack/Effect PL 2, Dodge/Toughness PL 3, Parry/Toughness PL 2, Fort/Will PL 4.
  • Points total 54. Abilities 24, Defences 8, Skills 13, Powers 0, Devices 0, Advantages 9. Equiv. PL 4.

Metal is better than meat

The mind bridge with Matrix-Prime is a one-point Feature, about the same as Senses 1 (Mind link). Brains could switch her consciousness back and forth between the Matrix-Prime robot and her body, but felt far more efficient when taking direct control of the Matrix-Prime body.

By Sébastien Andrivet.

Source of Character: Daring New Adventures of Supergirl (DNAOS) comics.

Helper(s): Roy Cowan, Darci.