Mother Brain

Mother Brain is the villainous mastermind from Nintendo's Metroid universe, transplanted into comics as the chief antagonist of the Nintendo Comics System line. A massive, jar-encased brain creature, she schemes to dominate Zebes and beyond, menacing heroes across Captain N and related titles.

Few villains made the leap from pixels to panels with quite the menace of Mother Brain, who crashed into comics with Nintendo Comics System #1 in 1990, right at the dawn of the modern age of gaming-inspired storytelling. Published by Acclaim/Valiant during a brief but beloved run from 1990–1991, she haunts the pages of Nintendo Comics System, Captain N: The Game Master, and Adventures of the Super Mario Bros., making her one of the most recognizable antagonists in this quirky corner of comics history. She shares her issues with heroes like Kevin Keene, Princess Lana, Captain N, and Kid Icarus — a colorful cast that speaks to just how wild and wonderful this video-game universe translation really was. With 18 catalog appearances across some of the most nostalgic titles of the era, Mother Brain is a genuine time capsule of a villain, and tracking down her issues is a treat for any collector with a soft spot for the golden age of Nintendo.