Page 2 of 23 FirstFirst 12345612 ... LastLast
Results 16 to 30 of 343
  1. #16
    Legendary Member daBronzeBomma's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Usually at the End of Time
    Posts
    4,586

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by llozymandias View Post
    I imagine that Lex's fortune would have several legal & quasi-legal sources. His inventions, both the patented ones & the secret ones. For example: Lexoil is earth's largest energy company. On the one hand he uses patented tech to enable him to use oil wells that were previously "tapped out". Otoh he uses a secret instant synthetic oil process to insure that Lexoil always has the biggest market share ever. As well as keep the world market price for oil so low, that next to nobody could afford to compete with him.
    I feel part of the problem with people not giving Lex his financial due is where a lot of the Lex's real-world perception problems lie:

    Richard Donner and Gene Hackman (and Bryan Singer and Kevin Spacey).

    Thanks to Donner and his accused protege Bryan Singer, too many people still see Lex Luthor as a cartoonish buffoon obsessed with land, and not a cunning, murderous self-made billionaire in his own right.

    To me, Luthor should the legally richest man in the world (and in the running for illegally richest man in the world alongside Ras al Ghul and Vandal Savage and their immortal ilk).

    Take the fortunes of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg at their respective peaks, and Lex Luthor's legal wealth should still be more than theirs combined.

  2. #17
    Ultimate Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    12,602

    Default

    Well Zack Snyder has describe his Lex as being "Bill Gates levels of rich" if not more so. And given how much Lexcorp was teased in MOS, I'm betting that we're finally going to get brilliant businessman Lex on film.

  3. #18
    Fantastic Member llozymandias's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    444

    Default

    Among the sources of Lex's fortune would be salvaging & mining. I imagine that Lex has scanning devices that can easily locate mineral deposits anywhere on earth. Or sunken treasures anywhere on earth's seabeds & ocean floors. Also I think he would have machines that can easily extract minerals (like gold) from seawater.
    John Martin, citizen & rightful ruler of the omniverse.

  4. #19
    Legendary Member daBronzeBomma's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Usually at the End of Time
    Posts
    4,586

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Punisher007 View Post
    Well Zack Snyder has describe his Lex as being "Bill Gates levels of rich" if not more so. And given how much Lexcorp was teased in MOS, I'm betting that we're finally going to get brilliant businessman Lex on film.

    I guess this points to the greater power and influence of cinema over TV and comics.

    Lex Luthor became a multi-billionaire in the comics with the Iron Age John Byrne-penned MAN OF STEEL miniseries in 1986.

    Lex Luthor became a multi-billionaire on animated television with Ruby-Spears produced SUPERMAN cartoon in 1988.

    Lex Luthor became a multi-billionaire on live-action television with the John Shea-starring LOIS & CLARK show in 1993.

    Lex Luthor was re-established as a multi-billionaire on animated television with the Clancy Brown-voicing SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES in 1996.

    Lex Luthor was re-established as a multi-billionaire on live-action television with the Michael Rosenbaum-starring SMALLVILLE in 2001.

    Lex Luthor was re-established as a multi-billionaire in the comics with the Electronic Age Mark Waid-penned BIRTHRIGHT miniseries in 2003.

    Lex Luthor became a land-obsessed wanted criminal in the Kevin Spacey-starring feature film SUPERMAN RETURNS in 2006.

    Lex Luthor was re-established as a multi-billionaire in the comics with the Electronic Age Geoff Johns-penned SECRET ORIGINS miniseries in 2009.

    Lex Luthor was re-established as a multi-billionaire in the comics with the Modern Age Grant Morrison-penned ACTION COMICS VOL. 2 series in 2011.


    While I'd love to blame SUPERMAN RETURNS for the current lack of financial recognition that Lex continues to get despite being a multi-billionaire for the last 27+ years, maybe I need to remember that for the first 45+ years of his existence (1940 -1985), Luthor WASN'T a multi-billionaire ... or even particularly rich. 45 does trump 27.

    Wait a minute, by my calculations 1940 - 2015 ... wow, next year is Lex Luthor's 75th anniversary!

  5. #20
    Astonishing Member Adekis's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    2,889

    Default

    So I know I might be alone in my camp, but I really don't like the way Lex is portrayed most of the time. A power-mad, petty minded lunatic? Please. I read an issue recently of Adventures of Superman where Lex brings some guy who's worked for him for years up to his office just to fire him in person. Are you kidding me? Lex isn't just some *******!

    In the Bronze Age, Lex Luthor was a man who lived by his own moral code. He knew that without Superman, he, Luthor, would have been Earth's greatest Hero! Never settling to be second best at anything, he defined himself against Superman as Earth's greatest Criminal Mastermind! However, Pre-Crisis Lex Luthor's moral code shined through often, leaving you with the impression of a man who should have been a hero, and maybe would be one day. Thus:

    Forget the power-suits and the business suits! I like my Lex Luthor in slacks and button-downs or prison togs.
    (Of course, though Luthor became a criminal in opposition to Superman the hero, Superman thought Luthor's deeds would have surpassed his own either way. Luthor didn't buy it. Who was right? The world may never know.)

  6. #21
    Legendary Member daBronzeBomma's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Usually at the End of Time
    Posts
    4,586

    Default

    Nothing wrong with that version of Luthor. It's a legitimate interpretation, IMHO.

    Not surprisingly, Luthor is never funnier than when he has a semblance of a conscience (a la Elliot S! Maggin).

    But my own deal is that if Superman is the greatest superhero of them all, then his arch-nemesis has to be greatest super-villain of them all. And that requires Lex to be ultimately be an outright evil villain, not a roguish anti-hero. We've lost too many memorable villains to anti-heroism already (Magneto, Venom, etc), no way should Lex join their ranks.

    I want Lex to be shown as complex with a total willingness to sacrifice others in pursuit of his greater goals. If Superman is genuinely selfless, then Luthor must be genuinely selfish.

    Luthor should have already secretly invented/discovered the cure for cancer on his own, and then withholds it because he knows Lexcorp's healthcare division wouldn't reap as much profit if it were publicly known there was a cure available. Or something.

    Luthor is a very human kind of evil (as opposed to Joker or Darkseid or Brainiac ... various degrees of inhuman kinds of evil).

    Although, I do like the deluded messiah complex he has, especially when he decks himself out in all white:


    Lex from SMALLVILLE tv series


    Lex from DOOMSDAY animated movie
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #22
    Astonishing Member Adekis's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    2,889

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by daBronzeBomma View Post
    Nothing wrong with that version of Luthor. It's a legitimate interpretation, IMHO.

    Not surprisingly, Luthor is never funnier than when he has a semblance of a conscience (a la Elliot S! Maggin).
    Man, Maggin writes my favorite Luthor.

    But my own deal is that if Superman is the greatest superhero of them all, then his arch-nemesis has to be greatest super-villain of them all. And that requires Lex to be ultimately be an outright evil villain, not a roguish anti-hero. We've lost too many memorable villains to anti-heroism already (Magneto, Venom, etc), no way should Lex join their ranks.
    I don't think he's an anti-hero. I think he's an anti-villain. An anti-hero is someone who commits heroic actions but has villainous tendencies, always sort of threatening to turn them into a villain. An anti-villain is someone who commits villainous actions but has heroic tendencies, always threatening to turn them into a hero. Magneto, I would argue, is more of an anti-hero who has tipped into being a villain. Pre-Crisis Luthor, on the other hand, can only be an anti-villain and attempts to make him a full villain are misguided.

    Part of the problem I have with the modern Luthor is how often he's written as either an anti-hero, or as someone who thinks he's an anti-hero. All this stuff about wanting to free the world from Superman's secretly evil alien tyranny- I just don't buy it. Lex isn't dumb like that. He knows Superman is sincere about his desire to do good- though I am willing to give him a "Must There Be a Superman?" motive about Kal-El holding back social growth. Of course, he would take a very long time to come around to realizing that Superman does not hold back social growth just because he's so arrogant he probably wouldn't even consider that he's wrong.

    I want Lex to be shown as complex with a total willingness to sacrifice others in pursuit of his greater goals. If Superman is genuinely selfless, then Luthor must be genuinely selfish.

    Luthor should have already secretly invented/discovered the cure for cancer on his own, and then withholds it because he knows Lexcorp's healthcare division wouldn't reap as much profit if it were publicly known there was a cure available. Or something.

    Luthor is a very human kind of evil (as opposed to Joker or Darkseid or Brainiac ... various degrees of inhuman kinds of evil).
    I don't see why Luthor needs to be the opposite of Superman to be his greatest challenge. Obviously, there are versions of the characters like that, who would cure cancer and then go back to make sure it isn't freely available or whatever- I even like some of those characters. For example, John Byrne's Lex is a very interesting bad guy. He's petty and misogynistic and he thinks he's the center of the universe, without any of the delusions of heroism the character would later develop.

    Deal is, he's an interesting bad guy who I wouldn't want to be called "Luthor" because he doesn't have much in common with my favorite version of the character, and I think far less interesting than Lex was in the Bronze Age. He's just too smarmy, somehow. If we had another character exactly like that, we could bring Byrne Luthor back and call him something else. I would just like to make the claim that this Lex isn't an anti-villain or an anti-hero at all. He's just a straight-up villain.

    Also, I don't think I've ever bought that Superman would have that much trouble taking down that Lex. After all, he used to take down guys like that all the time, and the very first thing we see in Action Comics Vol. 2 #1 is Superman putting Glenmorgan on the ropes.

  8. #23
    Fantastic Member llozymandias's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    444

    Default

    Lex's co-creator Jerry Siegel wrote Lex as a super-genius super-scientist who was evil incarnate. And when written by Jerry Lex's main goal was conquest of the world/universe. He hated Superman because Superman was a self-righteous jerk who always stood in Lex's way. The "I hate you because you made me go bald" thing started circa the early 70s.
    John Martin, citizen & rightful ruler of the omniverse.

  9. #24
    Legendary Member daBronzeBomma's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Usually at the End of Time
    Posts
    4,586

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Adekis View Post
    Man, Maggin writes my favorite Luthor.

    I don't think he's an anti-hero. I think he's an anti-villain. An anti-hero is someone who commits heroic actions but has villainous tendencies, always sort of threatening to turn them into a villain. An anti-villain is someone who commits villainous actions but has heroic tendencies, always threatening to turn them into a hero. Magneto, I would argue, is more of an anti-hero who has tipped into being a villain. Pre-Crisis Luthor, on the other hand, can only be an anti-villain and attempts to make him a full villain are misguided.
    This concept of "anti-villain" intrigues me. But, I feel that since Superman is not an "anti-" anything, neither can his arch-nemesis be one.


    Part of the problem I have with the modern Luthor is how often he's written as either an anti-hero, or as someone who thinks he's an anti-hero. All this stuff about wanting to free the world from Superman's secretly evil alien tyranny- I just don't buy it. Lex isn't dumb like that. He knows Superman is sincere about his desire to do good- though I am willing to give him a "Must There Be a Superman?" motive about Kal-El holding back social growth. Of course, he would take a very long time to come around to realizing that Superman does not hold back social growth just because he's so arrogant he probably wouldn't even consider that he's wrong.
    There is no way I can express just how much I disagree with the bold statement. Lex Luthor would never believe Superman is truly altruistic.


    I don't see why Luthor needs to be the opposite of Superman to be his greatest challenge
    Yikes. I think you and I have very different ideas of what the definition of "arch-nemesis" is.


    Also, I don't think I've ever bought that Superman would have that much trouble taking down that Lex. After all, he used to take down guys like that all the time, and the very first thing we see in Action Comics Vol. 2 #1 is Superman putting Glenmorgan on the ropes.
    The more powerful Superman is, the less he can be seen taking the law into his own hands.

    Why? Then the more he feeds into the people's fears that this guy needs to be checked in case he ever goes rogue because he's already blatantly violating the laws of the land. The less powerful Superman is (and he was so de-powered in the beginning of Morrison's ACTION run), the more the public would put up with it without quickly turning on Supes.

    And there is no comparing Luthor to Glenmorgan.

    Luthor, in my opinion, should what happens when supreme genius, drive and pride are not tempered by ethics.

    Last edited by daBronzeBomma; 05-15-2014 at 11:29 AM.

  10. #25
    Ultimate Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    12,602

    Default

    I like Lex when his motivations are multi-faceted:

    1. He's jealous of Superman. I Lex's mind, he EARNED his wealth and power through his own brilliance, cunning, ruthlessness, and charisma. Superman, on the other hand, got his godlike power simply because he was lucky enough to land on a planet with a yellow sun (at least that's how Lex sees it).

    2. Lex genuinely believes that Superman is standing in the way of humanity's evolution/progress/advancement/etc.

    3. Lex believes that HE should be humanity's savior. That with his genius and nearly-unlimited resources, he could solve all of humanity's problems. However, in his mind, that "alien" is standing in his way and robed him of his rightful place as humanity's golden boy.

    In Superman vs. Batman, I can see Lex using his fortune to rebuild Metropolis after Zod's attack in MOS. He also turns it into the "city of tomorrow" and makes himself extremely popular with the general public. He also uses the media to smear Superman and try and turn the public against him.

  11. #26
    Legendary Member daBronzeBomma's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Usually at the End of Time
    Posts
    4,586

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Punisher007 View Post
    I like Lex when his motivations are multi-faceted:

    1. He's jealous of Superman. I Lex's mind, he EARNED his wealth and power through his own brilliance, cunning, ruthlessness, and charisma. Superman, on the other hand, got his godlike power simply because he was lucky enough to land on a planet with a yellow sun (at least that's how Lex sees it).

    2. Lex genuinely believes that Superman is standing in the way of humanity's evolution/progress/advancement/etc.

    3. Lex believes that HE should be humanity's savior. That with his genius and nearly-unlimited resources, he could solve all of humanity's problems. However, in his mind, that "alien" is standing in his way and robed him of his rightful place as humanity's golden boy.

    In Superman vs. Batman, I can see Lex using his fortune to rebuild Metropolis after Zod's attack in MOS. He also turns it into the "city of tomorrow" and makes himself extremely popular with the general public. He also uses the media to smear Superman and try and turn the public against him.
    +3

    I agree with every point you just made on the character and hope you are right about the BvS plot.

    Last edited by daBronzeBomma; 05-15-2014 at 11:33 AM.

  12. #27
    Incredible Member megaharrison's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    521

    Default

    My favorite Luthor is the one in Forever Evil. Least favorite is Eisenberg baby Luthor for the upcoming movie, it's enough knowing who will be playing it.

  13. #28
    Ultimate Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    12,602

    Default

    That's just ridiculous. Incredibly so.

  14. #29
    Legendary Member daBronzeBomma's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Usually at the End of Time
    Posts
    4,586

    Default

    Here's the rest of the SUPERMAN'S NEMESIS, LEX LUTHOR miniseries' covers:








    Did anyone read this 4-part miniseries starring Lex? Was it any good?

  15. #30
    Incredible Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    551

    Default

    b09478631c2ee239c4d39572622f3006.jpg Member of the Justice League!

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •