Before Superman came along, there was one man whose name was synonymous with Metropolis: Lex Luthor. At least that’s the case in a few versions of the Superman/Luthor rivalry, which has been reinterpreted many times since Lex’s debut. Luthor himself has gone through many incarnations, including devious scientist, corrupt businessman, childhood friend of Superman’s, and even real estate aficionado.
One thing has remained constant, throughout, however, which has been his status as Superman’s arch-foe. Every Luthor is somebody’s favorite, and just as he’s accumulated power and influence over the years, Lex has also garnered no small amount of fan art in his name.
10 “Lex Luthor” By Sally Avernier
Original image from Avernier’s DeviantArt page.
Surrounded by chunks of green kryptonite, the ball is clearly in Luthor’s court and he knows it. While using a handgun on a fully-powered Kryptonian would be ineffective, to say the least, things change when kryptonite is added to the mix. Aside from debilitating Kryptonian beings to the point of death, the element also typically negates their powers for as long they’re exposed to it, including their invulnerability. Meaning that if a Kryptonian should happen to find Luthor waiting for them in a cavern full of kryptonite with a gun in his hand… they had better find a way out fast. Not to mention get really good at finding cover.
9 “Lex Luthor” By Cocoz42
Original image from Cocoz42’s DeviantArt page.
A man so accustomed to power deserves a throne… at least, that’s likely how Luthor sees things. Luthor has often been portrayed as the most influential man in Metropolis besides Superman, having built a large part of it himself; in some instances, he has obtained greater power still by becoming president of the United States. In the 1980s, Luthor even ruled a planet briefly, which was renamed “Lexor” after Luthor had helped its inhabitants with his technology. Thus it’s no surprise that Lex occupies the throne so casually. He even has a rock of kryptonite handy to remind the Super-Family who’s boss.
8 “Lex Luthor” By Erik Von Lehmann
Original image from Lehmann’s DeviantArt page.
Luthor casts a sidelong, menacing look at someone out of sight—perhaps the viewer—while veiled by darkness. Lehmann perfectly captures Luthor’s menace and arrogance, having Lex neck craned slightly upward, as if everything else is pitifully beneath him.
Perhaps the piece’s most distinguishing feature are Lex’s glowing green eyes, perhaps a symbolic representation of his penchant for using kryptonite. Or it could be literal—in the original Superman/Batman series, Luthor managed to combine kryptonite and the strength-enhancing drug Venom into a serum that seemed to lack its usual deadly effect on humans.
7 “DC Antiquity- Lex Luthor” (a.k.a. “Sir Lexington Luthor”) By John Staub
Original image from Staub’s DeviantArt page.
In modern times, Luthor, with his wealth and sway, is an aristocrat in all but name. It’s no shock, then, that Staub would make Lex a literal member of the European aristocracy in his DC Antiquity project, which reimagines DC characters as existing in medieval times. One Elseworlds story did explore what Luthor might be like during that time period, namely Superman: Kal, which portrayed Lex as the cruel baron of the medieval village Lexford. Staub has given several other characters the Antiquity treatment, including Wonder Woman, Batman and, of course, Superman, who has been reimagined as an Arthurian knight.
6 “Lex Luthor” By George Evangelista
Original image from Evangelista’s DeviantArt page.
Enter the Warsuit! Luthor (modelled here off Billy Zane) finally obtained the means to regularly challenge Superman during his time living on Lexor, where he was given his first ever version of his infamous battle armor. Luthor would use the Warsuit for some time, including in the epic series Crisis on Infinite Earths, levelling the playing field between himself and Superman considerably.
In post-Crisis continuity, the Warsuit would first appear in The Man of Steel #5, albeit a flawed version worn by a “former” Lexcorp employee. Some time later, Luthor began using a perfected version himself, and would refine the Warsuit numerous times over the years.
5 "Lex Luthor- Bryan Cranston in DC Filmverse?" By Shaheer Chowdhury
Original image from Chowdhury's DeviantArt page.
Luthor was famously played by Jesse Eisenberg in the DC Extended Universe movies. Yet should an older Lex be required for upcoming films in that world, Chowdhurry offers a possible replacement, namely Bryan Cranston. The actor is certainly no stranger to playing calculating villains, most famously doing so on Breaking Bad as chemistry teacher-turned-drug lord Water White. Several Easter Eggs are on the screen behind Luthor: “Project Red Son” is a nod to Superman: Red Son, and “L.O.D. recruitment” obviously refers to the Legion of Doom, even including an image of their infamous flying headquarters, the Hall of Doom.
4 “Raditz vs Lex Luthor” By Sergio Sierra
Original image from Sierra’s DeviantArt page.
Lex Luthor battles Goku’s infamous brother from Dragon Ball Z, who’s learned to become a Super Saiyan. The fight is notable for a number of reasons: aside from the vast difference in strength between the two characters, Raditz was never able to become a Super Saiyan in Dragon Ball Z, as he was killed off far before he could come close.
While Luthor should be theoretically weaker, his suit definitely appears to be some sort of armor, with a billowing red cape that’s highly reminiscent of Luthor’s archenemy. The domino mask is perhaps meant to conceal Lex’s identity: after all, he is known for dong most of his dirty work in secret.
3 “Lex Luthor As Orange Lantern” By John Amaral
Original image from Amaral’s Artstation page.
Between wanting to rule the world and kill Superman for not being able to control him, Luthor is already a pretty greedy guy. Yet what if Luthor were even greedier? In Blackest Night, Luthor was recruited to the Orange Lantern Corps to fight Nekron, due to his great avarice. Yet his Orange Lantern ring amplified his greed beyond his control, causing him to attack Lanterns from other Corps so he could acquire their rings. Amaral has Luthor go even further, likely having dismantled the power batteries lying around him so he’d have no competition. A full gallery of Orange Lantern Luthor pictures can be found on Amaral’s Artstation page.
2 Lex Luthor By Paul Mcphillips
A fully armored Luthor rests his head on his hand, finger against his cheek, undoubtedly pondering something truly sinister. Luthor’s brilliance is the one character trait nearly all interpretations of him share, whether he’s depicted as a brilliant scientist and inventor, the ultimate schemer, or both, as is often the case in the present day. Lex’s meticulous planning has often made it quite difficult for Superman to pin a crime on him, as Luthor is often too good at covering his tracks. Luthor’s ingenuity has made him a natural fit as leader for groups like the Legion of Doom, the Injustice Gang and the Injustice League.
1 Lex Luthor And Snowbird/Red Daughter By Sarah E. Leuver
Who says Lex doesn’t have a sense of humor? Leuver explores the character’s comedic side by having the Jon Cryer Luthor from Supergirl sing his version of “Mother Knows Best” from the film Tangled. In reality, Luthor’s relationship with the Kara Zor-El duplicate wasn’t too different from Rapunzel’s and Mother Gothel’s, as both Lex and Gothel both posed as mentor figures while using Kara and Rapunzel’s powers for personal gain. While Cryer’s Lex isn’t likely to break out into song of his own volition, he could certainly change his tune if he ran into the Arrowverse version of the Music Meister…