Superman's Nemesis Lex Luthor

Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor is the archenemy of Superman. Lex Luthor was created by Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.



Throughout the Golden Age, Luthor was only referred to by his surname. In his first three comic book appearances, Luthor was depicted as a middle-aged man with a full head of light red hair. The first Luthor story appeared in Action Comics #23 (April 1940), published on February 23, 1940. In his first encounter with Superman, Luthor is a genius with advanced technology. The villain operates from a giant floating city. Luthor attempts to trigger a global war and become the "supreme master of th' world."

The second Luthor story appeared in Superman #4 (Spring 1940), with a sale date advertised as February 15, 1940. Superman described Luthor as "The mad scientist who plots to dominate the Earth!" Luthor next appeared with gray hair in various panels of Superman #5 (Summer 1940).

Luthor first appeared on a trading card in the 1940 Superman Gum series produced by Warren Bowman's Gum, Inc. "Superman's Arch Enemy" was illustrated by Fred Ray. A red-haired Luthor blasts Superman with a "high-frequency atomic deteriorator which was capable of hurling 1,000,000 volts of electricity."

Luthor first appeared bald due to a mistake by artist Leo Nowak in the November 15, 1940, Superman daily newspaper strip. The bald character and laboratory jacket resemble early depictions of the Ultra-Humanite. The strip established that Luthor and Superman "have clashed on many occasions."

Although Luthor and Superman were now considered to be archenemies, Luthor was not featured in the The Adventures of Superman radio shows broadcast from 1940–1951.



The "sinister ultra-scientist" was next depicted as bald  in his first Sunday newspaper strip appearance published on February 9, 1941. The artwork was penciled by Wayne Boring.

Leo Nowak illustrated Luthor as bald for his fourth comic book appearance in Superman #10 (May–June 1941). Luthor operates a large laboratory in the center of a mountain below "The Cave of the Winds." Luthor ultimately escapes in a flying ship that dematerializes.

The first comic book cover appearance of Luthor is Action Comics #47 (April 1942). The cover was illustrated by Fred Ray.

Luthor first appeared on film in the 1950 Columbia Pictures serial Atom Man vs. Superman. Lyle Tablot stars as Luthor and the alter-ego of Atom Man. Tablot previously portrayed Commissioner Jim Gordon in the 1949 film serial Batman and Robin.

Luthor creates a synthetic kryptonite from plutonium, radium, and other elements. Luthor studied Krypton for years, piecing together data from astronomers. Before the planet was destroyed, Jor-El transmitted distress messages that were later deciphered by Luthor. After being exposed to the artificial kryptonite, Superman is captured and teleported to an early Phantom Zone known as "The Empty Doom."

The origin of Luthor was retconned by creator Jerry Siegel. The name Lex Luthor first appeared in Adventure Comics #271 (April 1960). The Silver Age Lex Luthor was a farmboy in Smallville before becoming an aspiring scientist. Young Lex idolized Superboy and saved his life from a kryptonite meteorite. While attempting to create an antidote for green kryptonite, a fire engulfs Lex's laboratory. Superboy extinguishes the flames with super-breath, but the resulting fumes cause Lex's hair to fall out. Lex blames Superboy for the destruction of his research and baldness, thus triggering the archrivalry.