Brains

Background

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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.

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.”

“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 !”

By Sébastien Andrivet.

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

Helper(s): Roy Cowan, Darci.