Braintrust

Braintrust made their entrance into Kurt Busiek and Brent E. Anderson's richly layered Astro City universe in 2007, stepping onto the page amid the morally complex, street-level drama of Astro City: Dark Age / Book Two. A Modern Age creation published under DC, this character shares their world with a compelling cast that includes Clayton Rhodes, Encephalon, and "Energy" Brown — the kind of company that signals a story with real texture and weight. With appearances stretching across sixteen years and collected in the sprawling Astro City Metrobook, Braintrust may be a rare presence in the catalog, but in Astro City, even a brief appearance carries the hallmark of Busiek's meticulous, character-first storytelling — well worth seeking out for any fan who loves superhero fiction with genuine depth.