Alternate versions of Lex Luthor

As a fictional character, Lex Luthor has appeared in a number of media, from comic books to films and television series - always an enemy of Superman. Each version of the work typically establishes its own continuity, and sometimes introduces parallel universes, to the point where distinct differences in the portrayal of the character can be identified. In addition, the has been rewritten a number of times, establishing further versions of the character. This article details and lists various versions of Lex Luthor from depicted in works including DC Comics multiverse, Elseworlds, television and film.

DC Comics

In mainstream comic continuity

  • Alexei Luthor is an inhabitant of Earth-Two. His appearance is similar to the character's first appearance in the Golden Age (known only as "Luthor"), without his trademark bald head. The character had a full head of red hair. As Superman (Kal-L)'s arch nemesis, they met as adults and had many encounters until his death at the hands of Earth-One's Brainiac during Crisis on Infinite Earths.
  • The Silver Age Lex Luthor met Superman in his youth as Superboy. They both grew up in Smallville, and their rivalry continued as adults. This version of Lex Luthor is a classic mad scientist and a widely known super villain and criminal. He frequently joined forces with Brainiac and eventually donned green battle armor to be able to physically engage Superman.
  • The Man of Steel is the 1986 reboot of Superman continuity which introduced the Machiavellian version of the character. A self-made billionaire, the majority of Metropolis works for Lex Luthor in one way or another. His vast resources keep him one step ahead of Superman, and he almost never answers for his crimes. He eventually is elected President of the United States, with Pete Ross as his vice president. His origin is revised in Superman: Birthright and Infinite Crisis, keeping the corporate aspect of the character, but once again placing his childhood in Smallville with a young Clark Kent.
  • Lex Luthor II is a clone of Lex Luthor. He is taller, more athletic, with a full head of hair as specified by Luthor, who was dying of cancer. After faking his death, he had his brain removed from his dying body and placed in The New cloned body. Lex Luthor II was introduced as Lex's Long Lost Son from Australia. His new appearance was alarmingly similar to Supergirl's creator from another dimension. He used this advantage to seduce her and they began to date. Eventually, his true identity was discovered which led to the destruction of Metropolis.
  • Alexander Luthor of Earth-Three is the only hero on a world of super-villains. Earth-Three is controlled by the Crime Syndicate of America. The only challenge to their power is Alexander Luthor. Earth-Three was destroyed by an anti-matter wave during Crisis on Infinite Earths. A similar Alexander Luthor resurfaced, along with the Crime Syndicate, in the anti-matter universe in JLA: Earth 2.
  • Alexander Luthor, Jr. is the son of Earth-Three's Alexander Luthor. Before his world was destroyed, he was sent to the monitor where he rapidly aged to adulthood. Along with Kal-L, Lois Lane, and Superboy-Prime, he saved the newly formed merged universe before disappearing into a paradise dimension. They later returned as the antagonists of Infinite Crisis.

Elseworlds

  • Kingdom Come presents a possible apocalyptic future. An elderly Lex Luthor brings a cadre of supervillains and brash young generation of superheroes together to form the Mankind Liberation Front, a group allegedly devoted to protecting mankind from the superpowered population. In reality, the goal of the MLF is to provoke a war between the U.N and the superhumans, allowing Luthor to seize control once both sides wipe each other out. Luthor also brainwashes Captain Marvel, who has grown to hate those with superpowers, and has renounced his hero identity. The MLF runs counter to the reformed Justice League, led by Superman, who comes out of retirement.
  • Superman: Red Son showed a Superman that landed in Stalinist-era Russia and became the symbol (and eventual leader) of the Soviet Union. Doctor Lex Luthor, an egotistical but ultimately benevolent super-genius employed by the American government, becomes his nemesis and CREATES a number of enemies for the Man of Steel to fight (including Bizarro, the Atomic Skull, and Doomsday). Later, Luthor is elected President of the United States (as in mainstream DC continuity), and masterminds an economic miracle which rapidly rejuvenates the impoverished and divded country. After Superman seemingly dies and the Soviet Union collapses, Luthor's influence sweeps the world and ushers in a golden age of humanity under a benign one-world government.
  • Superman: Speeding Bullets told the story of Superman if he was adopted by Thomas and Martha Wayne, and he grew up to become Batman. Without Superman to oppose him in Metropolis, Luthor easily takes over. He relocates to Gotham City for a new challenge, but he has an accident that gives him pale skin and permanent smile, like the Joker.
  • Superman: The Feral Man of Steel features an upper-class Victorian Lex Luthor who is a bigoted, opportunistic gentleman explorer, contemptuous of women and non-Caucasians. He has an entire African village slaughtered to obtain a unique meteoric crystal (kryptonite); upon discovering its effect on The INDIAN jungle Superman, Luthor takes him prisoner and tries to force him into assassinating Queen Victoria, clearing the way for Luthor to seize power. This Luthor is eventually killed by Sir Richard Francis Burton, whom he had previously betrayed and left for dead in India.

Film and television

  • Superman and its sequels presented Lex Luthor as a criminal mastermind and egomaniac. He is obsessed with real estate and his plans usually involve him stealing large amounts of property and land because it is a commodity that will always be in demand. He causes an earthquake on the East Coast in the first movie, negotiates with General Zod for Australia in Superman II, and in Superman Returns he tries to create a new continent.
  • Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman presents the CEO version of Lex Luthor from The Man of Steel in live media for the first time.
  • Superman: The Animated Series was created by picking and choosing various aspects of Superman's many incarnations. The Machiavellian Luthor is also used as the main antagonist for Superman. He also appears in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited.
  • Smallville begins with a teen Clark Kent saving Lex Luthor. His father Lionel Luthor has most of the personality and ruthlessness of Lex in the comics as an analog of what Lex will become. In the series, kryptonite is not only harmful to Clark, but it gives humans superpowers. During the kryptonite meteor shower that brought Clark to Earth, Lex lost his hair, but gained a super-immune system. Clark and Lex start out as friends. As the series sees Clark ascend to the hero he appears destined to become, it also shows Lex's descent to the villain he will become.

See also