elliot s maggin (one of the main pre-crisis superman writers, and if you’re not familiar with him i beg you to track down some of his work) has a quora account where he answers questions about his opinions on comics and superheroes and god, i love hearing him talk about lex luthor.
a few highlights:
the idea that “no one is truly irredeemable, even the worst of villains” is frankly incredibly radical even by current day standards — grown adults couldn’t handle that shit in steven universe, a literal show for children — but it should be a core tenet of the superman mythos and that is a hill i will die on.
I think about these THREE almost constantly. I want drama and I want chaos. Something like Lex gets Superman into bed while thinking about Clark, MEANWHILE Lois gets Clark into bed thinking about Superman. (Meanwhile Lex and Lois have casual sex casually which they won't tell anyone else.)
Lex will be like I'm NOT thinking about my childhood acquaintance...whom I don't remember.
Lois will be like I'm NOT thinking about the city hero...whom everybody says I'm obsessed with.
Clark himself will be slowly losing his mind between these two crazy persons.
personally i'd like to think that lex's politician personality like being charming and being manipulative is what he learned to do since he is a learner and a genius. essentially he is very human very emotional very tempted to strangle everyone who pisses him off. it's obvious in the origin stories where he appeared in clark's childhood completely unlike his adult self public image. (and of course clark saw who he was then decided right away hello aren't you my new bff?)
my favorite thing about Superman: Birthright is that it is a story closely tied to the exploration of extraterrestrial life. young lex found smallville because of young clark's secret. lex revealed superman's origin in order to destroy him. he discovered kryptonite and named kryptonite. he showed a civilization sublime until its demise. he said to the last son: you are completely, utterly alone in this universe (just like myself!). it had to be this hateful person who brought the birthworld, who brought “that's me KAL-EL”, who brought everything through a homemade wormhole.
still this was not merely out of mania, obsession, or spite. he was futilely trying to communicate with another world's past, trying to communicate to the last, because—
I want to preface this by saying that I haven't read every comic in which Lex has ever appeared, and most of what I've read has been from the last two decades or from the Bronze Age; I am still working my way through most of his post-crisis/pre-flashpoint content.
These are also recommended based on how much I personally enjoyed them, so there is a bit of subjectivity here. However, if I think a comic is particularly important to Lex’s canon and/or objectively well-written, I will try to make note of it, even if it doesn’t suit my own tastes.
Stuff listed as “further reading” is content I have more mixed feelings about or that features Lex less prominently, but still think is worth a read if you want to dig a little deeper.
There are a few things I recommend avoiding unless you really, really want to read it for historical reasons (often because the comics include triggering content), and I've tried to make note of these as well.
⭐️ = most important for current continuity
💜 = personal favorites
Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid ⭐️
Generally considered the definitive retelling of the Superman origin story, and the comic that reintroduced the idea of Clark Kent and Lex Luthor growing up together in Smallville to the mainline canon after it was written out during Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Further Reading
↳ Superman: Secret Origin (alternate telling from Birthright)
↳ Action Comics Special #1 - "The Last Will & Testament of Lex Luthor"
↳ Superman: American Alien (Superman origin story that actively contradicts Superman: Birthright, but has some fun Lex moments)
Lex Luthor: A Celebration of 75 Years 💜
Not a single comic, but rather a historical account of Lex through the ages. Rather than featuring entire arcs, it tends to feature a single issue that showcases the Lex of each era, so it's a good read to figure out what versions of Lex you personally enjoy.
Some of the stories in this collection are included elsewhere on this list.
JLA: Rock of Ages by Grant Morrison (JLA 1998 #10-#15)
Lex and the Injustice Gang take on the Justice League! I really like Lex's characterization here because it really shows how Lex thinks, and it does a great job showing that despite being a villain, Lex does have standards and tries to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
Salvation Run by Bill Willingham & Lilah Sturges 💜
A villain vs villain story, featuring most of the DCU's villains being stranded off-world together and comparing Lex's style of leadership with the Joker's. Probably one of the best examples I've ever read of exactly how competent Lex is, and seeing him go head-to-head with the Joker is a delight.
Superman: The Black Ring by Paul Cornell (Action Comics #890-#900)
Might be a little hard to follow if you're not familiar with Green Lantern lore, but the arc does a great job with balancing Lex being villainous with still feeling fun and flawed and human. Not a lot of interaction with Superman until the very end, but there is a lot of Lois in this one. (Sort of. You'll see.)
Further Reading
↳ President Luthor: Secret Files and Origins
↳ Superman's Nemesis Lex Luthor
↳ Lex Luthor: Man of Steel
↳ Superman: Last Son
↳ Superman: Unchained
Forever Evil by Geoff Johns ⭐️
The start of Lex's "hero" arc, which spans from the end of n52 until 2018. Functions as a bit of a reset for his character and sets the tone for everything from here on in Lex’s continuity. It gives some insight into Lex’s relationship with Lena post-reboot, and has a very sweet take on his relationship with Bizarro.
Justice League (2011) by Geoff Johns ⭐️ (Lex appears in #30-52, though you can start at #24 if you’re interested in the setup for Forever Evil)
Follows up on the events in Forever Evil and kickstarts Lex’s several years’ long time as a formal part of the Justice League. I really enjoy his dynamics with each of the Trinity here, particularly with Diana. I would recommend the Darkseid War arc in particular (especially if you’re a Clex shipper), but the whole thing is enjoyable. Lena also appears here!
Read Justice League: The Darkseid War - Lex Luthor between #45 and #46.
Action Comics: Path of Doom & Men of Steel, by Dan Jurgens ⭐️ (#957-962, #967-970)
Continues on with the “Super-Lex” arc teased at the end of the previous Justice League arc. This is also where Jon Kent (Clark & Lois’s son) is introduced. There’s a lot more Clark & Lex interaction here than most of the other comics in Lex’s hero era, and you do get the sense that he is genuinely trying to do the right thing, even if his motivations for doing so are a bit…self-centered.
Superman: Imperius Lex, by Patrick Gleason & Peter Tomasi ⭐️ (#33-36)
The end of the Super-Lex arc, though not technically the end of Lex’s time as a hero. Make sure to read the n52 Justice League: Darkseid War arc first, since it references the events heavily. Great Clark & Lex content, including a scene of them being stranded on a red sun planet together.
Justice League: No Justice, by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, & Joshua Williamson
The official end to Lex being a hero and a member of the Justice League, as well as the setup for the Legion of Doom & Year of the Villain arcs. Imo, his reason for becoming a villain again is pretty contrived and frustrating, but it does set up what will end up becoming a very important dynamic between Lex and the Martian Manhunter in the next arc.
⚠️ Note: Superwoman (2016) issues #1-8 feature both Lex and Lena and follow up on what was set up in Forever Evil and Justice League (2012), but the writing around Lena’s disability is extremely ableist. It does feature a lot of Lena and expands more on the backstory set up in Forever Evil, and there are a few good character moments for Lex, but Lena's treatment is pretty bad, so read with caution. ⚠️
Justice League (2018) by Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV (#1-39)
Lex’s return to classic villainy, along with the Legion of Doom. The arc is a little weird in places and I’m not crazy about some of the choices made, but his dynamic with the other villains is fun, and I enjoy his relationship with the Martian Manhunter. I personally like both Snyder and Tynion as writers enough to power through the general weirdness of this arc, but your mileage may vary. It’s pretty dense and hard to follow at times and I felt like it didn’t really hit its stride until about issue #8, so you might need to power through a bit at the beginning.
Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen by James Tynion IV
Follows up the “Year of the Villain” plot set up in Justice League. It’s weird as hell but it does have some good character moments for him, and more importantly, features the conclusion of the arc.
Further Reading
↳ Justice League Annual #1
↳ DC’s Year of the Villain Special #1
↳ Year of the Villain: Lex Luthor 💜 (Features an alternate universe where Lex is married to that universe's Kal-el. No, really.)
↳ Dark Nights: Death Metal
↳ Action Comics #1000 (special anthology issue)
Superman: Son of Kal-El (Annual #1) by Tom Taylor
I don’t have strong enough feelings about Lex in Son of Kal-El for me to recommend the whole series for him alone, but his interactions with both Clark and Jon in the annual are very enjoyable. (If you like the annual and you enjoy Jon, Lex is a recurring character in SoKE, and the series is a pretty quick read.)
Batman: The Abyss, by Joshua Williamson 💜 (Batman (2016) #118-121)
Technically a Batman story, but a very short one. Superman is currently off-world, so naturally Lex needs to find another hero to menace. Williamson is the current writer on the mainline Superman book and imo he is THE best Lex writer at DC. He really captures the way Lex earnestly views himself as a hero while doing the most unhinged bullshit you have ever seen. Worth a read if only to watch Lex take Bruce on the worst date of his life.
Action Comics #1050, by Joshua Williamson, Philip Kennedy Johnson, & Tom Taylor ⭐️
Provides context for the current Superman run. You could technically skip it, but with Williamson as a co-writer, I have no idea why you would want to. Lex is truly a mess in the most enjoyable way here.
Superman (2023), by Joshua Williamson ⭐️
The holy grail, the crown jewel, THE comic to read if you’re a Lex fan. The comic is only a few issues in as of writing this list, but Williamson really hits the perfect balance of making Lex funny and charming while still kind of being an asshole. (Updates monthly, though July-August won’t have new issues while the Knight Terrors arc is coming out.)
Further Reading
↳ Superman: Son of Kal-El
↳ Superman: Kal-El Returns
↳ Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen (2019)
↳ Lazarus Planet: Assault on Krypton
↳ Action Comics: The Rise of Metallo
The Last Days of Lex Luthor, by Mark Waid 💜
Written by the same author as Superman: Birthright. This comic is a Black Label comic, which means it’s not part of the mainline continuity and is more “adult oriented” than the mainstream books, so the writer has significantly more freedom and it shouldn’t take a lot of prior knowledge. In this comic, Lex is dying, and Superman is trying to find a way to save him. (The comic will be 3 issues long, released every other month.)
I would strongly recommend reading Superman: Birthright first, though it's not mandatory.
Smallville: Season 11, by Bryan Q Miller 💜
The S11 comic is a little bloated with random cameos from other DC characters and the art is pretty inconsistent at times, but there are some really nice moments in it if you want more Smallville Lex. You can skip the Titans & Lantern arcs if you’re not interested in the extended Smallville universe, but the rest of the comic features Lex pretty heavily. Prepare yourself to cry over Otis.
If you read nothing else, read Smallville: Alien, particularly if you're a Clex shipper.
Batman: Last Knight on Earth, by Scott Snyder 💜
A post-apocalyptic/dystopian future story, following Batman as he attempts to make his way back to Gotham. Lex only appears in issue #2, but Scott Snyder really loves his villains unhinged and psychosexually obsessed with their heroes. Lex’s fate in this might make you tear up. ⚠️ Character death warning. ⚠️
Clark & Lex: A Young Superman Graphic Novel, by Brendan Reichs
Young Clark Kent enters a competition to win an internship at Luthorcorp, where he meets and befriends a young Lex Luthor. Heavy Smallville influence is present here! This novel is marketed as the first in a series, so we'll hopefully see more in the future.
Further Reading
↳ All-Star Superman (widely considered one of the best Superman stories ever written, but I would not recommend if you’re new to Superman)
↳ DC Bombshells
↳ Injustice: Gods Among Us / Injustice 2 / Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent (would not recommend these if you’re new to DC)
Prior to the changes made to Lex's lore in the wake of "Crisis on Infinite Earths", Lex had been a mad scientist first and foremost, and had generally been portrayed as fairly human and flawed. This version of Lex grew up in Smallville alongside Clark Kent, though in the 80s and beyond this would be written in and out of his continuity several times.
These can be a little campy and goofy at times, since the comics were still being marketed toward children and were largely episodic, but there are some truly excellent bits of characterization for Lex within the pre-crisis canon, and it really is a treasure trove of Clex content if you're into that.
How Luthor Met Superboy, by Jerry Siegel (Adventure Comics #271)
The original story of Lex and Superboy (Clark) meeting for the first time. Eventually retooled slightly for Elliot Maggin's "The Luthor Nobody Knows" and then massively overhauled for Superman: Birthright, but this is the original, and while a bit corny and dated, some parts of it still hold up!
The Showdown Between Luthor and Superman, by Edmund Hamilton (Superman #164)
Lex and Superman face off on a red sun planet in an attempt to prove once and for all which of the two of them is stronger. The start of the short "Lexor" arc wherein becomes a hero on another planet.
Luthor Unleashed!, by Cary Bates 💜 (Action Comics #544)
The conclusion of the Lexor arc (mentioned above). Lex has a wife and child on Lexor, and considers that he might even be able to let himself be truly happy there. Unfortunately for him, his obsession with Superman wins out.
The Luthor Nobody Knows, by Elliot S! Maggin 💜 (Superman #292)
This story is somewhat of a retelling of "How Luthor Met Superboy", but told via flashback from the perspective of Superman. It's a bit more introspective than the original Silver Age story, with Clark reminiscing on his relationship with Lex.
The Einstein Connection, by Elliot S! Maggin 💜 (Superman #416)
Long before Smallville decided to make Lex an Alexander the Great fanboy, pre-crisis Lex uphold Albert Einstein as one of his heroes. A great character study on pre-crisis Lex, and in general a great example of the more "frenemy"-esque dynamic that Maggin wrote Clark and Lex with.
The Ghost of Superman Future, by Elliot S! Maggin (Superman #416)
A story set in the far future, with an elderly Superman recounting his life, including his friendship with Lex Luthor and all of its many ups and downs and complications.
Contains the first-ever reference to the idea of Lexcorp, though it would not be fully incorporated into the mainline canon until post-crisis when Byrne revamped the character.
** If you like this story, I would strongly recommend reading Elliot S! Maggin's short story "Luthor's Gift", as it delves further into the dynamic between Clark, Lex, and Lois and presents a very bittersweet story of the end of Lex and Lois's lives. **
Further Reading
↳ Luthor -- Super-Hero! (Superman #168)
↳ Lex Luthor -- Super Scalp-hunter! (Superman #282)
↳ The Parasite's Power Play (Superman #286)
↳ Seven-foot-two... and Still Growing! (Superman #302)
↳ Welcome to Luthorcon III! (DC Comics Presents: Annual #4)
There are some I would personally recommend only reading for historical purposes, as they do not have a lot of connection to Lex's current characterization and have largely been retconned. These contain some pretty triggering content and I will try to warn for it where appropriate.
Superman (1986) and The Man of Steel (1986) by John Byrne
John Byrne was tasked with rebooting the Superman franchise after Crisis on Infinite Earths and made a lot of sweeping changes to the Superman lore at the time. One of the changes made was to switch Lex from a mad scientist who grew up in Smallville and was friends with Clark Kent as a child to a corrupt billionaire who grew up in Metropolis. A lot of the emotional complexity and depth of the pre-crisis version of Lex was stripped away into making him more unambiguously villainous.
The Lex of the Byrne era is... to put it delicately, very predatory and abusive to the women in his life. John Byrne is also a far-right conservative and his politics in general bleed through a lot into his work, so I don't recommend it on... pretty much any level.
Lex Luthor: An Unauthorized Biography by James D. Hudnall
This comic contains Lex's Metropolis-based origin story, which would be his accepted origin from Crisis on Infinite Earths through the publication of Superman: Birthright. On top of lacking most of the aspects of Lex that most people who like him actually appreciate, this comic continues the Byrne-era trend of Lex being sexually predatory and physically abusive to the women in his life. You've been warned.
whoever firstly decided lex luthor should be more donald trump (and gained the evil presidency way before the latter) than loser genius mad scientist i WILL haunt you
