Brainiac first appeared in Action Comics #242, published by DC in 1958. That places it in the Silver Age.
Why this issue matters
An alien android obsessed with collecting shrunken cities, including Superman's own Kandor, Brainiac became one of the Man of Steel's most persistent intellectual threats.
Key facts
Action Comics #242
- Character: Brainiac
- Publisher: DC
- Cover year: 1958
- Era: Silver Age
Before you buy or sell one
- Check it is a first print, not a facsimile or reprint. Newsstand and direct editions are priced differently too.
- Condition decides most of the value. Whether grading is worth it depends on the copy.
Go deeper
Other first appearances from 1958
- Bizarro Superboy #68, 1958
- Adam Strange Showcase #17, 1958
More DC firsts from the Silver Age
- Reverse-Flash (Eobard Thawne) The Flash #139, 1963
- Zatanna Hawkman #4, 1964
- Barry Allen (Flash) Showcase #4, 1956
- Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) Showcase #22, 1959
- Martian Manhunter Detective Comics #225, 1955
- Justice League Brave and the Bold #28, 1960
- Supergirl Action Comics #252, 1959
- Poison Ivy Batman #181, 1966
Got a copy?
I buy key issues and whole collections across the UK, and I will tell you honestly whether what you have is the real first or a later printing. Send me photos of the cover and the indicia and I will come back with a straight answer, and a proper valuation if you want one.