The Greatest Criminal Mind Of Our Time: an all-encompassing LEX LUTHOR discussion

[Deniz Camp]

I recently saw a film called "The Double", starring Eisenberg. In it he plays a Michael-Cera style loser and his double, which is meant to be charismatic, confident, cocky.

I gotta say, while he played the former quite convincingly, I did not feel he had the spark for the second role. It's a controversial choice and it may work out, but my initial reaction is that he doesn't have it in him to hold an audience with his menace.

[daBronzeBomma]

Yep, that sounds about right:


by boxheadstudio

[Doctor Know]

http://comicbook.com/blog/2014/08/29...-luthor-story/

I know this is an old article and it's status of being factual is dubious, but having recently read "900 Miles". I think this would be a great scene to be included in Dawn of Justice.

[Deniz Camp]

Here's the thing about '900 mi' - it's a great scene about a guy who loves tormenting the little people. If your viewing of Lex Luthor is that he's an aristocrat who fundamentally loathes the plebes, then it's a great story to illustrate that.

But if you don't see Lex Luthor that way, if you don't see him as this comically cruel, mustache twirler who takes free time to grind nobodies into nothing, then I don't think it's a very good Lex Luthor story. I think he very self consciously hates weakness and infirmity, but I don't think he goes out of his way to expose it. I don't think he concerns himself much with the common man at all, one way or another.

This would have been a great scene for, I don't know, Mephisto. But it's just too cruel for Lex Luthor, too random, too much without purpose.

[Doctor Know]

Here's the thing about '900 mi' - it's a great scene about a guy who loves tormenting the little people. If your viewing of Lex Luthor is that he's an aristocrat who fundamentally loathes the plebes, then it's a great story to illustrate that.

But if you don't see Lex Luthor that way, if you don't see him as this comically cruel, mustache twirler who takes free time to grind nobodies into nothing, then I don't think it's a very good Lex Luthor story. I think he very self consciously hates weakness and infirmity, but I don't think he goes out of his way to expose it. I don't think he concerns himself much with the common man at all, one way or another.

This would have been a great scene for, I don't know, Mephisto. But it's just too cruel for Lex Luthor, too random, too much without purpose.

Good points. However I think it fits in to Byrne's interpretation of the character. As the rich business man, who thought he could buy everyone. Recall Byrne's Lex tried to put Superman on his payroll in their first meeting during Byrne's MOS run. I see Lex as a twisted version of Jay Gatsby. A man from poor beginnings who fashioned himself in to one of the richest men in the city. Both have the touch with the common man and feel threatened by people who they perceive as better than them (Tom Buchanan, Superman). I think Lex would keep his word have and paid Jenny that million dollars he promised her. It's cruel because Lex sees himself as the most ambitious person. He looks down on others for not taking the chances to better their position in life; for settling for less than what they are worth. Playing that scheme on different people is a way to plague those he proposed with lingering doubt of how all their dreams were only 30 days and a couple hundred miles out of their reach.



For all those who have not read 900 miles
You can read "900 Miles" here if you haven't read it. For some reason it was not included in volume 5 of Man of Steel trade paperback.

http://quick-stop-clerk.tumblr.com/p...metropolis-900

[Deniz Camp]

Good points. However I think it fits in to Byrne's interpretation of the character. As the rich business man, who thought he could buy everyone. Recall Byrne's Lex tried to put Superman on his payroll in their first meeting during Byrne's MOS run. I see Lex as a twisted version of Jay Gatsby. A man from poor beginnings who fashioned himself in to one of the richest men in the city. Both have the touch with the common man and feel threatened by people who they perceive as better than them (Tom Buchanan, Superman). I think Lex would keep his word have and paid Jenny that million dollars he promised her. It's cruel because Lex sees himself as the most ambitious person. He looks down on others for not taking the chances to better their position in life; for settling for less than what they are worth. Playing that scheme on different people is a way to plague those he proposed with lingering doubt of how all their dreams were only 30 days and a couple hundred miles out of their reach.

I can definitely see it working in the context of Byrne's Lex; I just view Lex as a different animal entirely, I guess. I liked Business Lex as one facet of the character, not the entirety of it. Subsequent stories have painted Lex in a more sympathetic - albeit narcissistic - light, and I've much preferred it. I simply prefer the Lex of Grant Morrison, Brian Azzarello, and Mark Millar (I like Scott Lobdell's Lex for what he was, but he wasn't much of a character, more just a generic super genius).


You can read "900 Miles" here if you haven't read it. For some reason it was not included in volume 5 of Man of Steel trade paperback.

http://quick-stop-clerk.tumblr.com/p...metropolis-900[/QUOTE]

[Doctor Know]

I can definitely see it working in the context of Byrne's Lex; I just view Lex as a different animal entirely, I guess. I liked Business Lex as one facet of the character, not the entirety of it. Subsequent stories have painted Lex in a more sympathetic - albeit narcissistic - light, and I've much preferred it. I simply prefer the Lex of Grant Morrison, Brian Azzarello, and Mark Millar (I like Scott Lobdell's Lex for what he was, but he wasn't much of a character, more just a generic super genius).

Yeah Morrison, Azzerello and Millar paint Lex with a different brush. You get an intimate understanding the the man's psyche and his motivations. I don't think Snyder and co will be reusing Luthor as a recurring villain in the later MOS sequels. They are probably going for the most accessible version the audience can digest and a version who has shades of complexity that will ignite debates about the portrayal of Luthor going forward. In the MOS sequels had more time with Lex I think we could get more fully developed character a la Morrison, Azzerello and Millar.

[Deniz Camp]

You're probably right in regards to what they'll be looking for out of their Lex Luthor.

Having said that, I don't believe you're correct that they'll never use him again. From what I can see, Lex Luthor will simmer in "Batman vs Superman", and come to a boil in subsequent, Superman-centric sequels.

[daBronzeBomma]

To me, Lex Luthor should be the most complex super-villain ever, all the while staying firmly and clearly in the villainous range.

That "900 Miles to Metropolis" story is an absolutely classic Luthor story. But I feel that should be the hard limit in terms of how needlessly dickish Lex can be to non-combatants.

Lex wouldn't waste his time with something like that ... unless the yokel had somehow offended him, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Because Luthor is nothing if not petty.

[fmvgamer]

The silver age Lex Luthor....

[daBronzeBomma]

The silver age Lex Luthor....




[/img]

Words can't express how much I dig those pages of Lex Luthor beating down Batman, even if it is Silver Age and not Modern Age. What issue is this from?

[fmvgamer]

[The World]

Dude, what the hell Lex.

[fmvgamer]

Lex is not a fan of children I guess but he loves cakes.

[manofsteel1979]

Lex is not a fan of children I guess but he loves cakes.

I've always loved the "And that's terrible" part.