is luthor the WORST arch-enemy ever?

hey gang,

ya kow, i can't help myself. when i think superman, i think lex luthor. but a case could certainly be made that luthor is nowhere near superman's arch-enemy. darkseid, maybe? doomsday?

so i want to hear some thoughts on luthor as a character. did you like him better when he wore the armor and was an actual physical match for superman? is he lame because he always requires a plot device to win? because all superman needs to do is breathe on him to kill him? does anyone actually LIKE luthor, or view him as a real threat?

let's talk lex! 😄

Luthor is a GREAT archnemesis. Actually, in a way, he really sets the standard for all arch-rival villains everywhere. Because he is Superman's thematic, character, and power opposite.

Symbollically speaking, Superman is a heavenly being or a sort of archangel. He came to us from above, protects us from on high, and stands for an ideal of righteousness that humans have to fight every day of their life to attain.

Luthor, on the other hand, is symbollically the best and worst of humanity rolled into one person. He's ingenious, ambitious, clever, and bold. He's also proud and vain, greedy and totally amoral. He stands, in a lot of ways, for the modern Übermensche of Nietzche's writings. And he is the ultimate iconoclast--unable to stand the thought that there should be anything in the universe more powerful, or more admired than HIM.

That's why they're the perfect pair of rivals in my opinion.

Originally posted by Piedmon
Luthor is a GREAT archnemesis. Actually, in a way, he really sets the standard for all arch-rival villains everywhere. Because he is Superman's thematic, character, and power opposite.

Symbollically speaking, Superman is a heavenly being or a sort of archangel. He came to us from above, protects us from on high, and stands for an ideal of righteousness that humans have to fight every day of their life to attain.

Luthor, on the other hand, is symbollically the best and worst of humanity rolled into one person. He's ingenious, ambitious, clever, and bold. He's also proud and vain, greedy and totally amoral. He stands, in a lot of ways, for the modern Übermensche of Nietzche's writings. And he is the ultimate iconoclast--unable to stand the thought that there should be anything in the universe more powerful, or more admired than HIM.

That's why they're the perfect pair of rivals in my opinion.

a truly EXCELLENT post, my friend. one of the best i've read on this site. for the record, i agree -- i actually like luthor as well . . .

very well said. 😉

Wow. You come up with that yourself Pied? Either way, Helluva post.

Originally posted by Piedmon
Luthor is a GREAT archnemesis. Actually, in a way, he really sets the standard for all arch-rival villains everywhere. Because he is Superman's thematic, character, and power opposite.

Symbollically speaking, Superman is a heavenly being or a sort of archangel. He came to us from above, protects us from on high, and stands for an ideal of righteousness that humans have to fight every day of their life to attain.

Luthor, on the other hand, is symbollically the best and worst of humanity rolled into one person. He's ingenious, ambitious, clever, and bold. He's also proud and vain, greedy and totally amoral. He stands, in a lot of ways, for the modern Übermensche of Nietzche's writings. And he is the ultimate iconoclast--unable to stand the thought that there should be anything in the universe more powerful, or more admired than HIM.

That's why they're the perfect pair of rivals in my opinion.

😈

who invited you? 😛

😈
I go where the wind blows.

Zod is the best arch enemy of Superman.

I was RIGHT! 😈

zod is a good one, and an oldy too. why don't we ever see so much of the other 2?

I'm not very sure. Probably because of how powerful Zod was, and the fact he could actually beat Superman......

......

..

Eh. Superman beat Zod's ass last time they fought.

Worst? I thot he's the baldiest of arch-enemies...

Fear the baldy!!

I understand the opposites idea about Luthor, and as a kid I always accepted it, I suppose. But it's always kind of irksome to see a being with herald-level power having to spend time matching wits with an ordianry human. Darkseid, at his best, is always the character I like to see him against.

it proves that brawn always beats brains

yeah if they actually took Darkseid seriously he would be the best arch-enemy for Supes ever. He's got the brains, power, resources, and pure-evil

Originally posted by Piedmon
Luthor is a GREAT archnemesis. Actually, in a way, he really sets the standard for all arch-rival villains everywhere. Because he is Superman's thematic, character, and power opposite.

Symbollically speaking, Superman is a heavenly being or a sort of archangel. He came to us from above, protects us from on high, and stands for an ideal of righteousness that humans have to fight every day of their life to attain.

Luthor, on the other hand, is symbollically the best and worst of humanity rolled into one person. He's ingenious, ambitious, clever, and bold. He's also proud and vain, greedy and totally amoral. He stands, in a lot of ways, for the modern Übermensche of Nietzche's writings. And he is the ultimate iconoclast--unable to stand the thought that there should be anything in the universe more powerful, or more admired than HIM.

That's why they're the perfect pair of rivals in my opinion.

What he said.

though i like lex, i can't help but think that he has not been used to his fullest. how long has it been since anyone's read a great luthor/superman arc where lex posed a clear threat to superman?

anyone?

Originally posted by leonidas
though i like lex, i can't help but think that he has not been used to his fullest. how long has it been since anyone's read a great luthor/superman arc where lex posed a clear threat to superman?

anyone?

ahhhh . . . that is waiting for me in a box at my local comic shop! i hope you're right. it would be good to see lex in some real action. last time i think i read a good luthor arc was the ww3 arc in jla, but he was basically a monkey for meggadon most of that series. (though early on in that arc he WAS shown to be an ultimate mastermind . . .)

It's a great issue. Double the Luthor's = Double the fun! 😱

heheh. can't wait . . .droolio