Lex Luthor

A major super-villain, and an enemy of Superman.

## Description

### Appearance

**Lex Luthor** is the most frequently seen villain in the series. He is shown as a mature, tall, well built adult with a slightly tanned complexion and his characteristic bald head. Despite the latter, he tells us that he is naturally red-haired.

### Personality

He is talkative in a well-spoken accent, cultured (he likes to drink tea) and has a good sense of humor, but has a fanaticism that leads him to seek to destroy Superman and other superheroes. Luthor is self-centered which leads him to be dismissive towards everyone else but his belief in his own superiority blinds him to his own limitations, and although he works with other villains (Joker, Chronos, Circe), he is always a treacherous partner. In his desire for world domination, he is prepared to develop weapons of mass destruction or start a nuclear war, but he can have pangs of conscience which make him abandon such actions. He has a brilliant technological mind and uses it to develop the weapons needed to deal with his enemies but, although he must have financial resources, we are never shown him in charge of a company as elsewhere (like LexCorp). Indeed, he is frequently seen to be in jail.

### Equipment

Luthor uses technology to counteract the powers of his superhero opponents and carries weapons at least partly created by himself but often making use of stolen technology (S.T.A.R. Labs is a favorite source). These are usually designed to bring down Superman and can take the form of a kryptonite ray gun or infectious microscopic machines ('nano-bots'). Luthor can use the latter to enhance his own abilities by generating a strong repulsive force and so become the purple-suited villain called **Repulse**.

In combat he usually wears a bronze-and-black 'battle suit' (or 'war suit') that covers the whole body but leaves his head exposed. The suit is said to be "powered up" (it can have an 'on/off' button on the back) and is made of smooth, hard plates that have an 'L' symbol on the chest. The suit provides Luthor's ability to fly which is made possible by the jets that shoot from the soles of his boots.

Wonder Woman tells us that the suit is invulnerable, but his bare head appears to be able to absorb blows too, and in addition the suit can be surrounded by a green force field to deflect gun shots. While wearing it, Luthor has super-strength and can rip off and buckle a heavy steel door before throwing it through the air. The 'L' symbol can light up and give off a blast to knock over surrounding opponents, and the forearm plates can extend outwards causing Luthor's gloves to glow green before shooting a green ray blast.

The color of these blasts might suggest a connection with kryptonite, particularly as they can knock down Superman. Metal objects gripped with the gloves can be made to heat up and melt. The suit also carries other weaponry and tools such as bombs, rockets and grappling hooks. Luthor also has a gray-and-black suit that can shoot red-sun ray blasts, and a purple-and-black one developed with the help of Chronos that can control speed and time.

### Residences

Various bases and hideouts of unknown location are maintained by Luthor that are packed with technology and are where he keeps his battle suits.

## Appearances

12. Repulse!
16. Luthor in Paradise
21. Inside Job
33. Best Day Ever
36. Superman Red vs. Superman Blue
39. The Brain Buster
45. Race Against Crime
Short 5. It's a Trap!
Short 15. Plastic Man of Steel

## Notes

* Lex Luthor usually wears green and purple armor. This version wears gold and black and also has a variety of different suits.