The queen of the planet Almerac, Maxima came to Earth seeking Superman as a mate and was enraged when he rejected her. She became a powerful enemy with her formidable mental powers, but departed nonetheless, only to return as a pawn of the invading Brainiac. Her pride was deeply wounded by this, and once she had broken free of his control, she joined Earth's Justice League to atone for her crimes, and to get closer to Superman. She served on this group for some time, but eventually returned to Almerac, from time to time causing further trouble for Superman. Witnessing her planet's demise at the hands of Imperiex, Maxima became a key part of the alien alliance which stood against him, sacrificing her life to secure victory.