Editing Lex Luthor (section)

==== Post-''Crisis'' ====
As part of the continuity changes which followed ''The Man of Steel'' and ''Superman: Secret Origin'', Alexander "Lex" Joseph Luthor is a corrupt businessman profiting from many hidden criminal operations. This Luthor grew up a poor child alongside [[Perry White]], later causing his parents' death via a car accident so he can inherit their life insurance and create a better life for himself, creating LexCorp. He marries and divorces several times and desires a romance with Lois Lane. When Superman appears, Luthor takes advantage of a terrorist attack to see the hero in action and then attempts to make him an employee. But the Man of Steel, acting as a special deputy of Metropolis, arrests him for endangering people by not warning authorities of the impending terrorist attack. Humiliated, Luthor swears revenge, repeatedly letting Superman know about his criminal schemes but never leaving him enough evidence to bring the man to justice again. Luthor becomes obsessed with Superman and gathers all information on him and his associates, leading a computer analysis to conclude Clark Kent and Superman are the same person. Unable to believe someone as powerful as Superman regularly hides his powers and pretends to be average, as that is something he would never do himself, Luthor dismisses the computer's findings and concludes both the machine and its programmer are at fault.<ref>''Superman'' (vol. 2) # (February 2, 1987)</ref>

As a nod to the previous continuity, Luthor has his lab create high-tech armor that resembles the Lexorian warsuit. Rather than act directly, he has an employee don the armor and attack Superman for him. The man is defeated and cannot testify against Luthor because the armor's neural control unit destroys his mind. Along with this, Luthor participates in the creation of two ''Superman'' villains, [[Parasite (comics)|Parasite]] (indirectly) and [[Bizarro]] (a failed attempt by Luthor's scientists to clone Superman).

[[File:Teamluthor.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Cover of ''Supergirl and Team Luthor'' #1 (April 1993), art by Kerry Gammill]]
When Superman fights the [[cyborg]] [[Metallo]], Luthor intervenes. In ''Superman'' (vol. 2) #2, discovering Metallo is powered by a 'heart' of [[kryptonite]] that can hurt and potentially kill Superman, Luthor steals it and a creates a kryptonite ring for himself. He wears the radioactive ore around his finger as a symbol that he is untouchable, causing the Man of Tomorrow pain and weakness whenever he approaches. Not realizing humans can be affected by severe or long-term meteoric [[Radiation poisoning|radiation exposure]], Luthor eventually suffers from Kryptonite poisoning.<ref>''Action Comics'' #600</ref> He had his right hand [[amputation|amputated]] to prevent the cancer's spread,<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = [[John Byrne (comics)|Byrne, John]]|penciller = [[John Byrne (comics)|Byrne, John]]|inker = [[John Beatty (illustrator)|Beatty, John]]|story = The Power That Failed!|title = Superman|volume = 2|issue = #19|date = July 1988|publisher = [[DC Comics]]|page = 12}}</ref> and not long afterwards, said kryptonite ring (which he kept in cold storage prior to the surgery) would be stolen.<ref>''Superman'' (vol. 2) #44</ref> Eventually coming into the possession of Superman, who in turn entrusts it to Batman, tasking the Dark Knight to use it if the Man of Steel ever becomes corrupt or falls under the control of another.<ref>''The Adventures of Superman'' #467</ref><ref>''Action Comics'' #654</ref> But removing the tainted limb was a mere half measure, as his affliction had already [[Metastasis|metastasized]] rendering Lex's condition terminal.<ref>''Action Comics'' #656</ref><ref>''Superman'' (vol. 2) #48</ref><ref>''Action Comics'' #660</ref>

Luthor fakes his death in a plane crash in the [[Andes]] and secretly has his brain transferred to a [[Human cloning|cloned]] body, one younger, taller, with full hair, and more physically fit. With aid from trusted assistants, the now physically 21-year-old Luthor presents himself to the world as his own hitherto unknown, illegitimate son and heir from [[Australia]], '''Lex Luthor II''', who only wishes to do good and can't be judged by the actions of his father.<ref>''Action Comics'' #670</ref> He quickly manipulates and recruits the new [[Supergirl]] (a [[protoplasm]]ic being), who falls in love with him due to his resemblance to her lost love and creator, the Luthor of a parallel Earth.<ref>''Action Comics'' #677</ref> When Superman is seemingly killed by the living weapon [[Doomsday (DC Comics)|Doomsday]], the genetic research facility [[Project Cadmus]] creates a seeming clone of the hero called [[Superboy (Kon-El)]]. As Earth science cannot perfectly replicate Kryptonian DNA, Superboy is a purely human clone with genetic modifications that mimick Superman's powers.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kesel |first=Karl |title=The Adventures of Superman |publisher=DC Comics |year=1993 |pages=15–17 |issue=506}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kesel |first=Karl |title=Superboy |publisher=DC COmics |year=1994 |pages=19 }}</ref>

Luthor's clone body eventually begins to deteriorate, causing him to lose his hair and age at an accelerated rate, a side-effect of a disease affecting all clones. Lois Lane discovers proof of Luthor's clone harvesting and false identity and exposes him with help from Superman.<ref>''Superman'' (vol. 2) #77</ref> Desperate to evade arrest, Luthor activates technology left on Earth by Brainiac, destroying large sections of Metropolis in the process. In the end, Luthor becomes a prisoner in his own body, unable to move or even blink, internally swearing vengeance on Superman. During the crossover ''[[Underworld Unleashed]]'', the demon-lord [[Neron (character)|Neron]] offers Luthor full health and vitality in exchange for services and his soul. Not believing in the existence of souls, Lex agrees and is restored, regaining the physical fitness of his Lex II body but again lacking head and facial hair, and is physically approximately in his true age.<ref>''Superman: The Man of Tomorrow'' #3</ref> His soul is later restored after Neron is defeated by Captain Marvel and the Trickster.<ref>''Underworld Unleashed'' #5</ref> Returning to Metropolis, Luthor submits to a trial. He claims all his crimes were committed by a violent clone created by renegade scientists from [[Cadmus Labs]] who secretly held the true Luthor hostage. Luthor is acquitted of all charges.<ref>''Action Comics'' #737</ref> He later arranges to reacquire his old kryptonite ring.

When Superman and others form a new, powerful version of the Justice League of America, Lex decides this is Superman's direct challenge to his own power, so he creates a new Injustice Gang in response. Along with his new teammates, Lex acquires a powerful artifact known as the Worlogog, which can warp space and time. The Injustice Gang kills several people while attacking the League then lures the heroes into a trap, but then is defeated. The Joker gains control of the Worlogog, but is then telepathically attacked, becoming temporarily sane and remorseful. Before the killer's mind reverts, Luthor has Joker use the Worlogog to revise history so that those killed no longer died. With the deaths removed and little physical evidence linking him to any wrongdoing, Luthor is free to go. While Batman concludes Luthor simply used Joker to avoid murder charges, Superman believes it is a sign Luthor does not truly desire the deaths of innocents and still has the potential to be a good man.<ref name="JLA #11-15 1997"/>

Luthor marries Contessa Erica Alexanda Del Portenza, a near-immortal and formidable woman with her own agenda. After the birth of their daughter Lena, Luthor attempts to raise the girl without her interference. After several clashes, Luthor has Contessa seemingly killed by a missile barrage. Later on, the time-traveling villain [[Brainiac 13]] infuses Metropolis with technology from the future while his ancestor Brainiac, in need of a new physical vessel, mentally inhabits young Lena's body. Brainiac 13 offers Luthor control of the technology if Luthor turns over Brainiac and hands over his daughter. He later tells Superman that he has a "kingdom" now as a result of his deal, adding "As for my princess... I can always make another."

===== President of the United States =====
[[File:Lex2000.jpg|right|thumb|upright|''Lex 2000'' #1, featuring Lex Luthor as President of the United States, cover art by [[Glen Orbik]]]]

Deciding to turn to politics, Luthor becomes [[President of the United States]], winning the election on a platform of promoting technological progress. His first action as president is to take a proposed moratorium on fossil-based fuels to the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]]. On the night of the election, Batman threatens that Luthor can keep the kryptonite ring or the White House but not both. Later on, Superman, Batman and Lois Lane seemingly try to steal the ring only to be thwarted. In actuality, they manipulated Luthor into retrieving a fake while Batman keeps the actual ring. Superman, upon learning that Lex Luthor was about to be elected president, flew off in a fit of rage and split one of Saturn's small moons in half with one fly through.<ref>''Lex Luthor 2000'' #1</ref>

Before he takes office in the [[White House]], Luthor cuts ties with his company LexCorp, turning over leadership to [[Talia al Ghul]]. Luthor's popularity is assisted by the extreme unpopularity of the previous administration's mishandling of the [[Gotham City]] earthquake crisis (as depicted in the ''[[No Man's Land (comics)|No Man's Land]]'' storyline in the Batman titles), and his own seemingly heroic efforts to rebuild Gotham before it rejoins the United States. [[Batman]] learns Luthor attempted to take control of Gotham by forging deeds for its lands in his own name. This results in Bruce Wayne severing all commercial ties between the U.S. government and his company, [[Wayne Enterprises]]. In response to Wayne Enterprises severing ties with his government, Luthor arranges the murder of Wayne's lover, [[Vesper Fairchild]], and frames Wayne for the murder (as seen in ''[[Bruce Wayne: Fugitive]]''), the plan being more successful than Luthor anticipated when his chosen assassin of [[David Cain (comics)|David Cain]] realizes Wayne's identity as Batman and sets up a complex frame.

Soon after Luthor discovers evidence that leads him to conclude Clark Kent is Superman, [[Imperiex]] destroys [[Topeka, Kansas]]. Luthor is warned of the impending attack beforehand but alerts no one so Earth can enter a great war and he can prove his leadership to the world. Luthor coordinates the U.S. Army, Earth's superheroes, and a number of untrustworthy alien forces to battle the main villain of the story arc. Although Lex Luthor is able to devise a plan to destroy Imperiex's body, the plan is subsequently hijacked by Brainiac 13, requiring Superman to propose a new plan where Darkseid and Luthor coordinate their efforts to defeat Imperiex by sending him back in time. Following the battle, Superman retrieves Lena and returns her to Lex, advising Luthor to stop trying to be a god and just be a man. Soon afterward, Superman confronts [[Manchester Black]]. Realizing Superman is a true hero and therefore true heroism is possible, Black repents for his actions against Superman by removing Luthor knowledge of Superman's secret identity.

====== Presidential appointees ======
;Cabinet officials
{{Infobox U.S. Cabinet
|align = none
|Name = Luthor
|President = Lex Luthor
|President start = 2001
|President end = 2003
|Vice President = [[Pete Ross]]
|Vice President start = 2001
|Vice President end = 2003
|State = 
|State start = 2001
|State end = 2003
|Treasury = 
|Treasury start = 2001
|Treasury end = 2003
|Defense = [[Sam Lane (comics)|Sam Lane]]
|Defense start = 2001
|Defense end = 2001
|Justice = 
|Justice start = 2001
|Justice end = 2003
|Interior = 
|Interior start = 2001
|Interior end = 2003
|Commerce = 
|Commerce start = 2001
|Commerce end = 2003
|Agriculture = 
|Agriculture start = 2001
|Agriculture end = 2003
|Labor = 
|Labor start = 2001
|Labor end = 2003
|Education = [[Black Lightning|Jefferson Pierce]]
|Education start = 2001
|Education end = 2003
|Housing and Urban Development = 
|Housing and Urban Development start = 2001
|Housing and Urban Development end = 2003
|Transportation = 
|Transportation start = 2001
|Transportation end = 2003
|Energy = 
|Energy start = 2001
|Energy end = 2003
|Veterans Affairs = 
|Veterans Affairs start = 2001
|Veterans Affairs end = 2003
|Chief of Staff = 
|Chief of Staff start = 2001
|Chief of Staff end = 2003
|Joint Chief = Gen. [[Sgt. Rock|Frank Rock]]
|Joint Chief start = 2001
|Joint Chief end = 2003
}}

;Other appointments
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
|-
|United States Secretary of Metahuman Affairs
|[[Amanda Waller]]
|2001–2003
|-
|[[White House Press Secretary]]
|[[Cat Grant]]
|2001–2003
|}

===== Revised backstory and removal from office =====
Following the publication of ''[[Superman: Birthright]]'' in 2003–2004, Luthor's history is altered (and the new canon is quickly referenced in both Superman comics and the series ''[[Superman/Batman]]'' that begins in 2004). In the new history, Luthor is only a few years older than Clark Kent and his family moves to Smallville when he is a teenager. Possibly abused by his father Lionel, and alienated from others by his intelligence and his ignorance of certain social cues and behaviors (he does not understand why gifts are given on birthdays without a promise of payment of some kind), Lex only finds friendship with Clark, impressed by the young man's knowledge though also finding him naive. Luthor discovers [[kryptonite]] meteors in Smallville and uses the radioactive mineral as a power source for his experiments. When Clark sees the machine and feels ill from proximity to kryptonite, Luthor mistakes his reaction to mean the young man doesn't believe in the experiment, that he also thinks Lex is lying or "crazy" as others do. The machine then explodes and Luthor survives but loses his hair as a result of radiation. Years later, his scientific research, largely based on his ideas about alien life, results in a small fortune that he uses to create LexCorp. When Superman appears in Metropolis, Lex is angered the man won't bow to his control and takes it personally that a powerful alien, the kind of companion Luthor had often hoped for and believed would see him as a peer, instead looks on him with disapproval and moral judgment. This, along with Superman interfering with his criminal agenda and openly disrespecting Luthor in front of the media, motivates Lex to humiliate and destroy the alien hero.

The initial story arc of the ''[[Superman/Batman]]'' ongoing series depicts the fall of Luthor's reign as U.S. president before he finishes his first term of office. In "The World's Finest" (more commonly referred to as "Public Enemies"), a kryptonite asteroid threatens Earth. Luthor has been secretly injecting himself with a new version of the "super-[[steroid]]" Venom (a chemical associated with the Batman villain [[Bane (comics)|Bane]]) mixed with liquified synthetic kryptonite. While increasing his physical strength and speed, it starts making him irrational and more prone to aggression. Seeing an opportunity with the appearance of the asteroid, Luthor decides to finally end Superman and tells the media that he has evidence the Man of Steel himself is drawing the meteorite towards Earth. He offers a billion-dollar reward for Superman's capture. As these efforts fail and the meteorite is destroyed, an enraged Luthor decides to fight Superman directly, injecting himself with more Venom and donning a high-tech warsuit.

Maddened by the Venom, Luthor admits during the battle that he has no real proof Superman is the cause of the deadly asteroid heading to Earth and reveals he traded [[Doomsday (DC Comics)|Doomsday]] to [[Darkseid]] in return for technology. After Superman damages his warsuit, Luthor retreats to LexCorp HQ only to discover that Talia has sold the entire company to the Wayne Foundation. Without resources and realizing his confession to criminal acts and conspiring with a hostile power was recorded and broadcast, Luthor flees, now a wanted fugitive. Vice President [[Pete Ross]] briefly assumes his place as president. While on the run, Luthor takes a renewed interest in his "son" Superboy, hoping to corrupt him into being his soldier.

In 2009, the ''Public Enemies'' story arc was adapted as a [[direct-to-video]] [[animated film]] entitled ''[[Superman/Batman: Public Enemies]]''.

===== ''Infinite Crisis'' =====
[[Alexander Luthor Jr.]] (the son of Earth-Three's version of Luthor) returns to the DC Universe along with other survivors from ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' as part of a scheme to replace it with a perfect Earth. He masquerades as the mainstream Lex Luthor and creates a new [[Secret Society of Super Villains]]. In response, the real Luthor takes on the identity of '''[[Mockingbird (DC Comics)|Mockingbird]]''' and forms the third incarnation of the [[Secret Six (comics)|Secret Six]] to counter the Society. The two have a confrontation during the main ''[[Infinite Crisis]]'' story and the mainstream Lex Luthor helps Earth's heroes locate young Alexander Jr. After ''Infinite Crisis'' ends, Luthor oversees Alexander's execution at the hands of the [[Joker (character)|Joker]] in Crime Alley.

===== ''52'' =====
[[File:52weekthirtynine.jpg|thumb|upright|''52'' Week 39, cover art by J.G. Jones]]

In the 2006 – 2007 series [[52 (comics)|''52'']], Lex takes advantage of the presence of Alexander Jr.'s body. He convinces the public that it was not him who committed crimes and fled the White House but rather this man, a Luthor from a parallel Earth who masqueraded as him.<ref>''[[52 (comics)|52]]'': Week 3</ref> While some in the public don't believe this, it is enough to provide reasonable doubt and clear Lex of all charges again. With Superman now missing (due to losing his powers at the end of ''Infinite Crisis''), Luthor pursues a new agenda. He creates the Luthoran Church and becomes spokesman for the Everyman Project, which offers [[Superpower (ability)|superpowers]] to ordinary citizens through artificial [[Metahuman|metagene]] treatment. With several Everyman volunteers (including [[Natasha Irons]], niece of [[Steel (John Henry Irons)|John Henry Irons]]), Luthor forms his own team of superheroes, the new [[Infinity Inc.]] When the team battles the villain [[Blockbuster (DC Comics)|Blockbuster]] (whom Luthor empowered as well), Lex demonstrates he can 'shut off' the powers of any of his Everyman agents; this results in the death of his [[Speedster (comics)|speedster]], Trajectory.<ref>''52'': Week 21</ref>

At the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, Luthor sets in motion a calculated plot to discredit [[Booster Gold#52 and Supernova|Supernova]], a new hero defending Metropolis in Superman's absence. Luthor triggers a mass-shutdown of the powers of everyone who has undertaken the Everyman program, except for the members of Infinity Inc, causing widespread death, injury, and millions of dollars worth of damage. Luthor's plot ultimately fails when Supernova is able to minimize the disaster with a spectacular rescue.<ref>''52'': Week 35</ref>

While investigating Luthor, Natasha Irons discovers he has experimented on himself with artificial [[metagene]] treatment.<ref>''52'': Week 39</ref> After developing nearly all of Superman's powers himself, Luthor considers conquering Earth and renaming it Lexor. However, Natasha triggers an electromagnetic pulse which shuts down the synthetic metagene and her uncle Steel knocks Lex out.<ref>''52'': Week 40</ref> Publicly disgraced, Lex faces indictment for over 120 criminal counts relating to what is now called "the New Year's Eve massacre", ranging from [[malfeasance]] to first-degree murder. The full nature of his crimes are brought to public attention through various articles written by Clark Kent.

===== ''One Year Later'' and ''Countdown'' =====
One year after the events of "Infinite Crisis", weeks after the New Year's Eve Massacre, Luthor is cleared of all criminal charges in the "[[One Year Later]]" storyline. Despite this, his public image is ruined and, thanks to the machinations of the villain [[Doctor Sivana]], he has lost most of his wealth and had no control over the newly reformed LexCorp, now being run by [[Lana Lang]]. He blames Clark Kent for swaying public opinion and pledges vengeance on Metropolis after an angry mob jeers him. Amassing large quantities of kryptonite and kidnapping the super-villains [[Metallo]] and the [[Kryptonite Man]], Lex uses them to power a Kryptonian warship controlled through a "sunstone" crystal.<ref>''Action Comics'' #839, DC Comics</ref> Having recently regained his powers, Superman destroys the kryptonite-powered ship and confronts Lex with the fact that, despite his claims that Superman is what prevents him from helping humanity, the only thing he accomplished during the Man of Steel's absence was to cause pain and acquire a machine that could cause more destruction. Enraged, Lex manages to escape custody yet again.<ref>''Action Comics'' #840, DC Comics</ref>

Lex Luthor continues his open campaigns against Superman and Earth's heroes, working with Bizarro, a new [[Superman Revenge Squad|Revenge Squad]], and the Kryptonian [[General Zod]]. Alongside Joker and [[Cheetah (comics)|Cheetah]] III, Luthor (once again wearing his warsuit) organizes a new [[Injustice League]] to help destroy the reformed Justice League. During this period, he creates the third [[Shaggy Man (comics)|Shaggy Man]] and the third [[Blockbuster (DC Comics)|Blockbuster]].

Luthor plays a large role in the ''[[Countdown to Final Crisis]]'' tie-in series ''[[Salvation Run]]''. Exiled to a distant planet along with many of Earth's villains, Lex quickly assumes command and convinces many to follow him as he finds a way home. He is opposed by those who join forces with Joker and [[Gorilla Grodd]]. Eventually, the villains are attacked by [[Parademons]]. Luthor manages to get the villains off the planet with a makeshift teleporter, using the villains [[Neutron (DC Comics)|Neutron]], [[Aryan Brigade (comics)|Heatmonger]], [[Plasmus]], [[Warp (comics)|Warp]], and [[Thunder and Lightning (comics)|Thunder and Lightning]] as unwilling power sources. When called a "monster" by Thunder, Luthor claims the ones who exiled them are the real monsters and he is the hero. He sets the teleporter to self-destruct after he uses it, killing the Parademons as well as his living batteries.

===== ''Final Crisis'' =====
{{Main|Final Crisis}}
In the ''Final Crisis'' crossover, Luthor joins the Inner Circle of [[Libra (DC Comics)|Libra]]'s [[Secret Society of Super Villains]]. After learning Libra is a prophet of Darkseid, Lex Luthor opposes him, unwilling to be a mindless slave while Earth is largely destroyed. Working with [[Doctor Sivana]], Luthor seemingly destroys Libra and overrides the [[Anti-Life Equation]] being broadcast into the helmets of the Justifiers, humans forced to obey Darkseid.<ref>''Final Crisis'' #6</ref> Luthor subsequently assists Superman in leading the assault against Darkseid's forces, noting that Superman can consider this a legendary first team-up between "good" and "bad." Luthor joins those assisting Superman and his remaining allies in constructing the Miracle Machine, which is later used to reset the universe without Darkseid's presence.<ref>''Final Crisis'' #7</ref>

===== ''New Krypton'' =====
{{Main|Superman: New Krypton}}
Luthor is finally found guilty for his crimes. Rather than spend life in prison, he is recruited by General [[Sam Lane (comics)|Sam Lane]] to serve out his sentence by working for the secretive Project 7734, accessing the knowledge stored within the captured [[Brainiac (character)|Brainiac]].<ref name="ac871">''Action Comics'' #871 (January 2009)</ref> Luthor successfully accesses Brainiac's brain, using it to activate the villain's ship and robotic drones. Luthor is then tasked with studying the genetic potential of the seemingly dead body of [[Doomsday (comics)|Doomsday]].<ref>''Action Comics'' #873 (March 2009)</ref>

Luthor later manages to use Brainiac's ship to kill the soldiers assigned to watch him. Brainiac frees himself from Luthor's control and the two make their escape.<ref>''Adventure Comics'' #0</ref> Forming an alliance, Brainiac promises Luthor can have Earth when he is done with it. Lex returns to Smallville, where it is revealed his sister Lena is alive, physically and mentally handicapped, and living with her daughter Lori. In an effort to prove his abilities to Superboy, Lex manages to counter Lena's disabilities, allowing her to walk and regain greater mental awareness, then quickly reverses the process, leaving her completely catatonic. Luthor then informs Superboy that so long as Superman is alive, he will never reveal how he helped Lena. Seeing Superboy now as a failed experiment due to having 50% "wrong alien DNA", Luthor and Brainiac create another binary clone with their own genetics.<ref>''Adventure Comics'' #5–6</ref>

===== ''Last Stand of New Krypton'' and ''War of the Supermen'' =====
{{Main|Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton|Superman: War of the Supermen}}
As part of his participation in Project 7734, Luthor sends a robot double of himself with Brainiac on a mission to attack New Krypton. While there, the Luthor robot tampers with the body chemistry of the previously captured villain [[Reactron]].<ref>''Supergirl'' (vol. 5) #52 (June 2010)</ref> Reactron then kills himself, initiating a chain reaction which destroys New Krypton and all but a handful of its 100,000 Kryptonian inhabitants. Supergirl's mother [[Alura (DC Comics)|Alura]] is among the casualties.<ref>{{Cite comic|Writer = [[James Robinson (comics)|Robinson, James]] and [[Sterling Gates|Gates, Sterling]]|Title = Superman: War of the Supermen|Volume =|Issue = #1|Date = May 2010|Publisher = DC Comics}}</ref> Since Earth is at war with New Krypton at the time, Luthor is praised for this action and receives a [[presidential pardon]] for all his past crimes.<ref>{{Cite comic|Writer = [[James Robinson (comics)|Robinson, James]] and [[Sterling Gates|Gates, Sterling]]|Title = Superman: War of the Supermen|Volume =|Issue = #3|Date = May 2010|Publisher = DC Comics}}</ref>

===== ''Blackest Night'' =====
During the ''[[Blackest Night]]'' storyline, when the public learned that everyone who has died are rising as undead [[Black Lantern Corps|Black Lanterns]], Luthor isolates himself in his safehouse in fear that ''all'' the people he has murdered over the years will reanimate and seek revenge.<ref>''[[Blackest Night]]'' #4 (November 2009). DC Comics</ref> Several victims, including his deceased father, arrive but he escapes after receiving a [[Orange Lantern Corps|power ring]] fueled by the orange light of avarice, becoming an Orange Lantern deputy. Luthor arrives at [[Coast City]] and joins the battle against the Black Lantern Corps, fighting Black Lantern versions of Superman and Superboy.<ref>''Blackest Night'' #6 (February 2010)</ref> Luthor is quickly overwhelmed by his greed and sets out to steal the rings of his fellow inducted Lanterns, taking [[Scarecrow (DC Comics)|Scarecrow]]'s yellow fear-powered ring before being held back. [[Wonder Woman]] restrains Luthor with her magic lasso and under its spell of truth he confesses he secretly wants to be Superman.<ref name=":0">''Blackest Night'' #7 (February 2010), DC Comics</ref> When [[Nekron]] is defeated, Larfleeze the Orange Lantern takes Luthor's ring, as there can only be one avarice-powered ring.<ref>''Blackest Night'' #8 (March 2010), DC Comics</ref>

Still craving the power of the orange light, Luthor recovers and operates on the remains of Black Lanterns. He is visited by Larfleeze, who demands to know what is important to the people of Earth. Luthor responds with "power" (which Larfleeze already possesses) and "land" (which intrigues the alien).<ref>''Green Lantern'' (vol. 4) #53 (April 2010), DC Comics</ref>

===== ''Superman: Secret Origin'' Revision =====
The 2009-2010 mini-series ''[[Superman: Secret Origin]]'' alters Lex's history again. He now grows up in Smallville with his younger sister Lena and abusive, alcoholic father. He meets Clark Kent on a few occasions but is defensive and insulted when he realizes Clark desires a friendship. While in high school, Lex arranges for his parents to die in a car accident, after which he uses the money to travel the world. ''Action Comics'' Annual #13 in 2011 reveals that after leaving Smallville, Lex spent some time studying under [[Ra's al Ghul]] and later spent time working as a weapons maker for Darkseid, learning the technology of [[Apokolips]].

Lex's scientific work and other factors lead him to create a fortune and found LexCorp. Luthor's public relations paints him as a savior to Metropolis, which suffers greatly from crime, and he makes a display of regularly granting good fortune to a random citizen. When Superman appears, Luthor's secret criminal operations are threatened and Luthor is no longer considered a great savior or power in the city, particularly after the hero tells the public that they should look to themselves to be heroes and not look to others to be their saviors. Luthor begins a quest for vengeance, aiding (indirectly and directly) in the origins of Parasite and Metallo.<ref>''Superman: Secret Origin'' #1-6</ref>

===== "The Black Ring" =====
After the conclusion of the ''New Krypton'' event, Luthor became the lead character in ''[[Action Comics]]'' until issue No. 900.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2010/06/22/paul-cornell-on-action-comics-890-and-beyond/|title=Paul Cornell on Action Comics #890 and Beyond @ DC's The Source|publisher=Dcu.blog.dccomics.com|date=June 22, 2010|access-date=December 25, 2010}}</ref> Written by [[Paul Cornell]], the first storyline "The Black Ring" explores Luthor's new desire to locate the energy of the [[Black Lantern Corps]].<ref>{{Cite comic|Writer = [[Paul Cornell|Cornell, Paul]]|Title = [[Action Comics]]|Volume =|Issue = #890|Date = June 2010|Publisher = DC Comics}}</ref> Aiding him in this quest is a robot duplicate of Lois Lane. To distract Superman and his closest allies from interrupting him, Luthor releases several [[Doomsday (comics)|Doomsday]] duplicates.

Luthor's quest involves a conversation with [[Death (DC Comics)|Death]] herself and finally leads him to face a powerful and deadly entity released from the Phantom Zone. Luthor infuses himself with Kryptonian technology and grapples with the creature. The two fuse and Luthor learns it evolved in the Phantom Zone and now seeks to escape, driven mad by sensing the grief and anger of the Zone prisoners. With the creature's power at his command, Luthor draws out Superman to him and attempts to drive the hero mad by forcing him to experience real human emotions, believing that Superman only fakes humanity to be trusted. The ploy fails and Luthor's new abilities reveal that Superman is really Clark Kent, a well-meaning man raised by Earth people who loved him and who still mourns the loss of [[Jonathan and Martha Kent|Jonathan Kent]]. Luthor is enraged by how this upbringing and emotional nature clashes with his own motivations, unhappy childhood and anger towards his own father.

It becomes clear that the Phantom Zone entity has the power to create a feeling of peace and bliss throughout the entire universe, at the cost of never allowing him to cause any harm to another being. Superman appeals to Luthor to make this a reality, thus giving the universe a gift and achieving something beyond the Man of Steel's abilities. Unwilling to create a universe of bliss when it would mean Superman would also be rewarded instead of suffering, Luthor loses his connection to the entity and its power, as well as his memory of everything he learned merged with it. The entity departs for another reality and Lex falls into a Phantom Zone portal.<ref>''Action Comics'' No. 900</ref> Shortly afterward, the [[Flashpoint (comics)|''Flashpoint'']] timeline is created and the DC Universe rebooted.<ref>'' [[Flashpoint (comics)|Flashpoint]]''</ref>