Alternate versions of Lex Luthor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 DC Universe 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.
Contents |
[edit] DC Comics
[edit] 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 due to his massive wealth and connections.
- Lex Luthor II was a new guise for the mainstream Luthor, using a new cloned body. He was taller, more athletic, with a beard full head of red hair (as specified by Luthor) and an Australian accent. Dying of cancer, Luthor faked his death, had his brain removed from his dying body and a new cloned body grown around it. In this new identity as "Lex Luthor II", Luthor passed himself off as his own 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 near-destruction of Metropolis. His beard and shaggy locks may have been the inspiration for the appearance of Smallville 's original character Lionel Luthor.
[edit] Superman: Birthright
In Mark Waid's version of Superman's origin in Superman: Birthright, Lex is shown to be roughly five years older than Clark. Waid felt the current incarnation of Lex was "ineffectual" as a businessman, and he is portrayed closer to his Silver Age roots of a mad scientist.[citation needed] Like in the TV series Smallville, his father Lionel is pompous, arrogant, and somewhat distant towards his son. Being an outcast in Smallville, Clark befriends him, but they separate as Lex gets further obsesses with contacting alien civilization. When Clark feels sick due to the Kryptonite being used in his plan, Lex banishes him from his lab and ends up disfiguring himself in an explosion. All of his hair is burned off, and Lionel is killed in the ensuing fire. Years later, Lex comes into conflict with Superman, as he attempts to recreate the accident that cost him his hair to contact extraterrestrials.
[edit] Earth-Three
In much the same way that Superman and other heroes have evil analogs on the parallel world of Earth-Three, Luthor had a heroic counterpart there; he reluctantly decides to adopt a heroic identity to combat the evil Crime Syndicate of America. Alexander, who eventually married the Lois Lane of Earth-Three, dies in Crisis on Infinite Earths, but is survived by their son, Alexander Luthor, Jr., the future antagonist of Infinite Crisis
In the JLA: Earth 2 graphic novel, an updated version of Earth-Three and its version of Luthor were reintroduced to the post-Crisis DC Universe. Unlike the pre-Crisis version, this Luthor does not sport a goatee, resembling more in appearance to the pre-Crisis Earth-One version from the 1983s Action Comics (including the green battlesuit). In this version of events, the heroic Luthor traveled from his Earth (located in the anti-matter universe rather than being an alternate positive-matter one) to the mainstream DC Earth, posed as his villainous counterpart, and subsequently asked the Justice League to help him rebuild his world. However, since "evil always wins" in this alternate world, the attempt failed, and Luthor resigned himself to being the only noble character on his Earth, although the Syndicate Rules story arc in JLA featured another group of heroes named the Justice Underground; there was also a mention of the Luthor of Earth Two awaiting a mock trial before his public execution. At the end of the story, the JLA released all the CSA's prisoners before returning to Earth One. It is not known, although very probable, that Luthor was among the released prisoners.
- 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.
[edit] Elseworlds
- In Superman & Batman: Generations, Luthor appears in 1939 as Ell, a henchman to the Ultra-Humanite, wearing a red wig. After the Humanite's rocket explodes, his brain is destroyed but his body is intact, the exact opposite of the Humanite (who's body was destroyed). Ultra has his brain placed in Luthor's body, and forty years later kills Lois Lane and arranges for Superman's powerless son to kill his sister, via the use of an unstable serum which kills the boy soon after. Completely and utterly enraged, Superman spends a decade looking for "Luthor". When he finally finds him, Ultra reveals his true identity. When he tries to drain Superman's powers, Superman unintentionally kills him.
In the sequel, a cloned version of Luthor's brain is transfered into a robot. Luthor, initally shocked at how long he has been out of action, is quickly brought up to date by his new body, and proceeds to take on the name Metallo. He is defeated by Knightwing, Cyborg, the fifth Flash and Hal Jordan
- 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, unaware his goal would lead to Armageddon. 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. Post-Infinite Crisis, this has become Earth-22.
- 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 divided 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. Post-Infinite Crisis, this has become Earth-30.
- 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.
[edit] Film and television
- Superman and its sequels presented Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) 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 West Coast in the first movie, negotiates with General Zod for Australia in Superman II, and in Superman Returns (in which he is portrayed by Kevin Spacey), he tries to create a new continent.
- Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman presents the CEO version of Lex Luthor (John Shea) 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 (voiced by Clancy Brown) 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 (Michael Rosenbaum). 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, exposure to kryptonite can give 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.
