Blog

Vril Dox (a.k.a. Brainiac 2)

First Appearance: Superman #167
Created By: Edmond Hamilton, Cary Bates, and Curt Swan.

Today, Touring the Cosmos takes us into some lesser known parts of the DCU, with a look at Vril Dox.

Vril Dox’s history lies within the tales of L.E.G.I.O.N. and R.E.B.E.L.S., but his lineage may be familiar to some readers, being the son of Brainiac, the infamous Superman villain.

Dox comes from the planet Colu. Coluans value science above all else, and take pride in their superior inventions. Dox’s father was the lead scientist of his home world, but this position turned sour, and his consciousness was expelled from his Coluan body, and found its way to Earth. The mind of Vril Dox 1 inhabited the body of a powerful psychic, and became the tyrant known as Brainiac, who constantly plagues Superman and the residents of Earth.

Now, as for Vril Dox 2 (a.k.a. Brainiac 2), he was born and raised in a test tube. He is a 12^th level intellect, which is very high, even for Coluan standards (average Earth intellect is only 6^th level). Having been advanced in age without life experience, Dox lacks moral codes and understanding of societal values. Needless to say, he started his own peacekeeping corps, name the Licensed Extra-Governmental Interstellar Operatives Network, L.E.G.I.O.N. for short. Dox and his L.E.G.I.O.N. are not to be confused with Brainiac 5 or the Legion of Superheroes of the 31^st century, although both are related and direct descendants.

Dox created L.E.G.I.O.N. when he and a group of rag tag aliens had escaped from a prison camp, run by the Dominators. Having escaped, and sensing a new purpose in life, L.E.G.I.O.N. was created to be a for-profit organization, that provided protection for its clientele. Dox employed his constantly rotating membership to keep the peace within his jurisdiction.

Dox sparked a relationship with fellow team member Stealth. Little is known about Stealth’s background, which is why it may not be so peculiar that she forced Dox into mating with her, which may have been a ritual native to her land, or a psychological defect. Eventually they had a son named Lyrl. Lyrl was born with his father’s intelligence, and managed to take over as leader of L.E.G.I.O.N., albeit forcefully.

Dox subsequently created the Revolutionary Elite Brigade to Eradicate L.E.G.I.O.N. Supremacy (R.E.B.E.L.S.). He took with him members that wanted to stay loyal, and battled his son, Lyrl, and his L.E.G.I.O.N. Characters such as Lobo and Captain Comet aid Vril and serve as members of R.E.B.E.L.S.

When Vril regains control of his L.E.G.I.O.N., Vril and company fall off the map of comics continuity, making short appearances in other comics…

…which leads us to the most current R.E.B.E.L.S. series, where Vril again loses control of L.E.G.I.O.N. Vril had transformed the L.E.G.I.O.N. from humanoid peacekeepers to robotic legions controlled only by himself. Never believing that anyone could again usurp control of his L.E.G.I.O.N., Dox was surprised when his robotic force was taken over.

Now just ending his battle with the forces of Starro and regaining control of L.E.G.I.O.N., it is a new age for Vril Dox.

Mike Parente
mike@comicattack.net