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He isn't the first of his kind, but he's become the archetype of the evil super-genius. Luthor first appeared in Action Comics #23 and in his first few appearances, he had a full head of red hair. Then, due to an artist's mistake in the Superman newspaper strip, he was depicted as totally bald, which became a signature look that has endured the test of time.
In his first appearance, Luthor had taken control of several European nations and was attempting to bring two other countries into conflict, until Superman intervened.
Over the next few years, Luthor would become Superman's nemesis. Using his super-genius to counter the Kryptonian's super-powers. For many years, whenever we saw him, Luthor wore lab coats or prison grays, but, eventually, it was decided that Luthor -now Lex Luthor- needed a colorful outfit of his own. A mistake, I think, partly because it was so bloody awful.
He's Lex Luthor! Why is he wearing the common super-villain color scheme??? That's the Luthor I grew up with, mostly. Green and purple tights, ankle-jets, and some truly goofy super-genius plots. Once in awhile, though, a writer would do something interesting with Luthor, as Elliot S! Maggin did with him in the novel "Last Son of Krypton". Then came the 1980s, and editorial policy changed at DC and suddenly Luthor needed to be edgier, more powerful. This led to the suit of powered armor, designed by George Perez, if my memory serves. Not a bad design, unless you want to turn your head. Continues the green and purple color scheme from the tights, but he was still no physical match for Superman. Seems to me, all attempts to have Luthor and Supes duke it out miss the point of Luthor. Unless he's somehow powered Superman down to human level, then I can see it.
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, during the "Rebirth Era", Luthor was reborn in the "Man of Steel" mini-series. This time, he was a heavy-set middle-aged man, a self-made billionaire, whose business interests extend to all levels of Metropolis, high and low. He is depicted as the 80s stereotype amoral CEO who thinks the law is only for the little people. I got sick of it real fast. This Luthor always worked through intermediaries, henchmen, and lackeys. For a man who is shown to be blinded with rage, at times, his attacks on Superman had such an element of detachment that I couldn't see him being satisfied.
And then there's the clone...
At one point, Luthor suffered kryptonite poisoning, from long-term exposure to a piece of green K set in a ring he liked to taunt Superman with, and so he had a clone grown, to carry on his business empire. Luthor faked his death and had his brain transferred to a cloned body (stealing a page from Superman's original bald super-genius nemesis, the Ultra-Humanite). There were problems with the clone, apparently with all clones in the DCU at that time, they don't last. To save his life, Luthor sold his soul to Neron and survived, but lost his hair, again.
Over the years since Man of Steel, Luthor has slid more and more into the super-villain role, though he still seems to retain his vast fortune, possibly due to a lack of asset forfeiture laws in the United States of the DC Universe, I dunno.
Of course, there are other versions of Luthor we haven't explored. He's appeared in movies and TV shows based on the Superman mythos, most recently by Kevin Spacey in Superman Returns, Michael Rosenbaum on Smallville and voiced by Clancy Brown on the Superman animated series and Justice League/Unlimited. Spacey plays a mean-edged Luthor, hardened by prison time, in Superman Returns. Rosenbaum's Lex Luthor is the most sympathetic portrayal of the character that I've ever seen. He doesn't seem to want to be a bad guy. As the voice of Luthor on the various animated series, Clancy Brown's Luthor was tough and cool. The writers of those cartoons have got to do more comics, they managed to distill the various versions of the DCU characters down to their essence, incorporating elements from each incarnation into an interesting whole. It should be no surprise that I frequently run through those old cartoon episodes from time to time. Great stuff.
Lex Luthor's been the victim of as many changes in the last 25 years as any comic character and it's time to get back to basics. I say, pick one, either he's the armored powerhouse fighting Superman with technology beyond the cutting edge, or he's the super-genius fighting Superman with technology beyond the cutting edge, from a safe distance! Is he the general or is he the captain? Is he the guy who formulates the plans or is he the guy with mud on his boots who executes the damn things? And, wouldn't it be nice if we could find a simple explanation why he hates Superman with such blind ferocity? Is it simply a case of just another damaged kid responding disproportionately to some imagined slight? Was he bullied in school by caped athletes? Does he have an irrational fear of tights? There's got to be a writer out there with the insight into abnormal psychology to come up with a sensible, working motivation for his hatred. Hate isn't rational, I know, but there's got to be something.
Anyway, here are my proposals for updated Luthor. I personally prefer the lab coat and slacks. I imagine this Luthor being hidden behind layers of false fronts and holding companies that nobody knows who he really is. Lex Luthor is a name he chose, an internet handle, maybe.
And then there's the armored guy. This Lex Luthor is still a genius, but his genius is tactics and strategy. He's made his billions in a branch of the arms trade...the soldier for hire branch. His multinational corporation is a front for his paramilitary aspirations. When negotiations get too tough, he goes in and sets up a new, friendlier gov't to work with.
Either one of these guys would make a good opponent for the Man of Steel.
Now, if we could just get a few more decent Superman villains. I'd give anything for a Superman movie without Luthor, but we've seen what happens when you let Hollywood work without a net . . . Superman III. >shudder< I'd just like to see a real super-villain go up against the big blue boy scout.
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Copyright © 2009 Joe Singleton
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