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| As a result of the New 52 in 2011, the entire line of DC characters was relaunched, incorporating properties belonging to the company's imprints: Wildstorm, Milestone, and Vertigo. As such, elements of this character's history have been altered in some way from the previous incarnation. For a complete list of all versions of this character, see our disambiguation page. |
So instead of walking into the unknown ... I didn't do anything. [...] I never again let the fear of failure stop me. 
- — Lex Luthor src
History
Alexander Luthor was raised in Kansas with a sickly sister, Lena, who he promised to cure.
As an adult, Lex Luthor moved to Metropolis and set himself up as a troubleshooter. When he began intercepting signals from an alien craft that called itself the "Brain Inter-Acting Construct", he set up a dialogue, trading data about Earth for alien scientific knowledge. Through a strange benefactor, he was recruited into an alliance of convenience with General Lane of Project: Steel Soldier, and Glen Glenmorgan, the corporate master of Metropolis, against Superman. It was his plan to strike Superman with a train that brought him down, and he was gleeful for the opportunity to study this new biology. However, Luthor double-crossed the other Lane and Glenmorgan. He stole kryptonite from the government for his private use. At the same time, under the alias "Icarus", he leaked Glenmorgan's criminal secret to a low-level reporter, hampering his operations.[1]
He attempted to aid Brainiac during the shrinking of Metropolis, but in the aftermath there was no evidence and so the government was forced to let him go. He spent the next five years turning his advantages to the task of filling the spot so recently vacated by Glenmorgan.
Around four years after the formation of the Justice League, he instigated the American invasion of Qurac so that he could sell his super-weapons to the army. That was also the year that he personally faced Superman for the first time, a confrontation that ended with Luthor suffering significant facial scarring and being put in a special prison. These events may be related.
Luthor spent a year in prison, during which Superman would sometimes visit to ask his opinion of a particularly troubling scientific disaster.
Forever Evil
While he was being counseled by his lawyers, Lex was reading a newspaper about Dr Light's murder by Superman, suspecting the Man of Steel was set up for a fall. Then, Lex is visited by Pandora, a mysterious woman who believes he can open her box with the darkness of his heart, but a group of heroes led Wonder Woman break into Lex's cell in an attempt to seize the box.[2] After a small confrontation, the heroes leave the prison.[3] Some time later, Luthor was released from prison and had his facial scars removed.[4]
Later, Lex takes an helicopter ride with Thomas Kord to his penthouse and attempts to persuade him to sell his company to Luthor, who casually threatens Kord's family if he does not comply. In that moment, a city-wide power blackout causes the helicopter to crash into the penthouse. As Kord falls to his death, Lex watches Ultraman break into Lexcorp and consume the piece of Kryptonite in his safe-box. Later, Luthor watches from a TV screen as the Crime Syndicate announce their conquest of the world, Ultraman's blocking of the sun with the moon and the revelation of Richard Grayson's secret identity.
Determined to stop the Crime Syndicate, Lex goes to one of his secret labs, where he meets one of his security guards, Otis. In the lab, Lex chooses to awaken "B-0", an imperfect Superman clone. As B-0 awakens, Lex orders it to kill Otis, and the clone complies. Satisfied, Luthor puts on his most recent warsuit.[5] Both unlikely heroes explore the destroyed Metropolis, they come across Black Manta, who is carrying an injured Black Adam, and Captain Cold. All of them had reason to fight the Crime Syndicate, so Luthor proposes an alliance.[6]
The group goes to an appliance store, where Lex uses electricity to resuscitate Black Adam while Cold reconstructs his cold gun. Later, they travel across the sewers to prevent the Crime Syndicate from picking up their trail. When B-0 shows signs of being afraid of the dark, Lex tells him a fake story about how he could not save his sister Lena because he was afraid of failure. B-0, calling himself "Bizarro", accepts to obey Luthor and the group arrive at Wayne Enterprises. There, they encounter Batman and Catwoman, but are attacked by a group led by Power Ring, followed by Sinestro.[7]
While Sinestro kills Power Ring, Luthor and Batman agree to put aside their differences to stop the Syndicate. Also, Lex convinces Deathstroke to join their side by promising him a huge reward.[8] The group infiltrates the Crime Syndicate's headquarters, the crashed Justice League Watchtower, and find an injured Richard Grayson tied to an apparatus set to explode if Grayson is taken off the machine. Luthor deduces the only way to stop the bomb is if Grayson's heart stops, so he suffocates him. Enraged, Batman attacks Lex.[9]
After calming Batman down, Lex resuscitates Grayson with a shot of adrenaline while Cyborg arrives. Luthor goes to confront the Syndicate, but not before stealing Batman's Kryptonite Ring. A new enemy, Mazahs, Lex's Earth 3 analogue, attacks Luthor and his allies, killing Bizarro. Enraged, Lex kills Mazahs and confronts Ultraman, who nearly kills Luthor until Black Adam and Sinestro end the solar eclipse. Weakened, Ultraman begs Luthor to kill him but Lex simply lets Ultraman live in perpetual weakness. Meanwhile, the Justice Leagues are freed from their imprisonment. Superman has been infected with Kryptonite, but Lex removes the Kryptonite from Superman's body.
In the aftermath, Luthor offers amnesty to his fellow villains, but Sinestro and Black Adam decline and take their leave. He also begins the lengthy process of recreating Bizarro and allows Ted, Thomas Kord's son, keep his family's company. Also, Luthor discovers Batman and Bruce Wayne are one and the same.[10]
Justice League
In the wake of the invasion, public opinion of Lex Luthor was incredibly favorable, and he decided that he liked it. In an effort to continue being regarded as a hero, he tried to convince the Justice League to recruit him, but was initially unsuccessful. The Justice League eventually talked about how Luthor was going to keep on his crusade with or without the help of the Justice League. They let Luthor join the Justice League knowing he could find out information that could put all of them in danger, but Batman figured at least they could keep a close watch on Luthor and LexCorp.
After opening up LexCorp for an open house on his company, Luthor was attacked by an assassin named Neutron. Though Luthor and the Justice League repelled Neutron, the assassin accidentally released LexCorp's secret project - the Amazo Virus - that turned all of Metropolis into a quarantine zone. [11] Luthor and the League worked together to contain the virus and heal all the infected. [12]
Darkseid War
Main article: Justice League: Darkseid War
During the conflict between Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor, Lex traveled with the Justice League to the planet Apokolips. After Darkseid's death, a large amount of energy from the Anti-Life Equation was released, giving Lex and the rest of the League all-new special abilities. Luthor, absorbing a large amount of Darkseid's energy, was deemed the "God of Apokolips" and became the new Darkseid.
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Rebirth
Main article: DC Rebirth
Lex Luthor, the new Superman
Lex returned to earth, becoming bored of Apokolips, needing to check in on his comatose sister. After interfacing with a motherbox, she is unable to wake up, even by means of Lex's own motherbox. He shortly after learns of Superman's death, and became inspired to become a hero that his sister could be proud of when she awakens. He quickly bought out the Daily Planet to retrieve Superman's cape, and declared himself the new superman.[13]
The next day, he went public by stopping a robbery and hostage situation on live television. However, the New Earth Clark Kent, who had arrived in our universe after the events of Convergence, was watching, and donned his superman uniform, believing that Luthor was the same evil mastermind as his Luthor. Superman quickly showed, attempting to "stop" Luthor, unknowingly activating his warsuit's self defense protocols, starting a fight. However, before the fight could escalate any further, a captive Doomsday appeared, which was the target of the robbery.[14]
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Powers and Abilities
Powers
Abilities
- Genius Level Intellect
- Business Management: As the CEO of LexCorp Lex has great Business Management skills.
- Political Science
- Science
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)
Weaknesses
Paraphernalia
Equipment
Weapons
Notes
- Luthor was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, first appearing in Action Comics #23. However, in the Prime Earth continuity, Luthor first appeared as part of the New 52 DC Universe in Action Comics (Volume 2) #1 by Grant Morrison and Rags Morales.
- Alexander Luthor (Prime Earth) appears as Lex Luthor (Prime) a playable character in the Infinite Crisis video game.
Related
- 453 Appearances of Alexander Luthor (Prime Earth)
- 211 Images featuring Alexander Luthor (Prime Earth)
- 57 Quotations by or about Alexander Luthor (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Alexander Luthor (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
- ↑ Action Comics (Volume 2) #8
- ↑ Justice League of America (Volume 3) #7
- ↑ Justice League Dark #23
- ↑ Action Comics (Volume 2) #23.3: Lex Luthor
- ↑ Forever Evil #2
- ↑ Forever Evil #3
- ↑ Forever Evil #4
- ↑ Forever Evil #5
- ↑ Forever Evil #6
- ↑ Forever Evil #7
- ↑ Justice League (Volume 2) #35
- ↑ Justice League (Volume 2) #39
- ↑ Justice League (Volume 2) #51
- ↑ Action Comics #957
- ↑ Justice League (Volume 2) #50
  This character has been primarily an enemy of Superman in any of his various incarnations, or members of the Superman Family. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Superman Villains category." |
 This character is or was primarily an enemy of the Justice League, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Justice League Villains." |
 Injustice League member |
 This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats. |
 A.R.G.U.S. member |
 Superman Family member |
 Daily Planet Staff member |