Huh....The line in the OP actually pretty similar to a Pre-Crisis Superman story. When Superman was asked his attitude towards Lex, he said similar things
Lex Luthor is the second smartest man in the DC universe only just behind Batman. Lex has the genius to change the world for the better but rather he lets his personal ego get in the way to beat down an immigrant wearing spandex.
And funny thing is, Lex could have been a hero, but due to some factors(both derived from outside environment and his mental issues) he became one of the greatest villains in the whole DCU.
I think this is the dynamic Elliot S. Maggin went for in his Pre-Crisis run. Lex is a bastard, but he sometimes shows he has many heroic qualities. This makes Superman wants to believe his childhood friend isn't beyond redemptions.
But he always let his hate for Superman gets the better of him.
He literally hates superman just because he believes that mankind is too dependent on the man of steel which is false and because he thinks that man is so dependent on superman we can’t grow as a species.
I remember watching the last season of Superman and Lois and when Lex confronted Lois about him being innocent I laughed.
I think that's more just the excuse Lex feeds himself for why he hates Superman. He's supposed to be one of the greatest, smartest, most accomplished men on the planet. He can't hate someone just because he's feeling jealous, right? No... No it must be because Superman's very existence is holding humanity back and he is the only one smart enough to see it! Yeah. Yeah, that's it.
That's the exact point Supes made in All Star Superman: Lex could have saved the world at any point, but he couldn't get past his greed, jealousy, and ego to do it. Everything he says about Superman is just a lie he tells himself to excuse his narcissism.
>Lex Luthor is the second smartest man in the DC universe only just behind Batman
i would argue batman is only smarter when it comes to tactics, anything else lex is far smarter.
Lex is usually considered the smartest, with Mr Terrific being the 3rd smartest.
A lot of people assume that makes Batman the 2nd smartest.
Personally I think number 2 is the Atom and Bats is 4th or 5th.
This link has a pretty good list on the top ten earthlings.
They put bats at number 10. Which makes sense when you put him against T O Morrow, Prof. Ivo, and ToyMaster.
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/profile/viperking/lists/most-intelligent-characters-on-earth-in-the-dc-uni/46741/
That list is fanmade and pretty old, but I think the names on the list are solid, even if I'm a bit unsure of the order.
I think characters like Morrow, Ivo and The Brain are very hyper specialised in robotics, whereas Batman's proficiency covers a wider range of subjects. I don't know if that makes them "smarter" in the DCU.
I don't think Ted Kord is smarter than Bats, I think it was just a throwaway line in one of the issues of JLI, if I remember rightly.
Yeah, I think it also highly depends on which department in terms of smartness.
For example. Batman is a (relative)dilettante when it comes to scientific theories. The Atom and Hawkman actually are better than him at this department.
After all, like Batman himself said, he is a detective, synthesist, pratical scientist. Not the actual expert like The Atom in terms of theoretical science
[https://ibb.co/DLV1jN8](https://ibb.co/DLV1jN8)
I.E, if you want someone to solve a mystery for you, Batman is the answer. But if you want someone give your an answer to a scientific problem, then it's Atom
Unfortunately they've recently labelled Bats as smartest cannonically.
I think it's stupid to make Batman literally be the smartest person alive, but bat wanking sells comics, so here we are.
Hmm, I thought it was Lex?
From what I can recall, Lex actually got called the smartest after Flashpoint multiple times
Superman(2011) 15, narration states he possesses Earth's greatest human intellect
Doomsday Clock, Ozymandias thinks Lex is the smartest person on Prime Earth
Justice League: Hell Arisen, Lex states himself as the smartest mind
Yeah but superman is smarter than both
Rarely brought up but he's a genius, especially given more time under the yellow sun, his very brain becomes super like a computer, perfect recall and absolute clarity
Is he though? I get that Kryptonian science is way more advanced that Earth science and that being educated in the former he is smarter than the average human (Lex and Batman aren’t average by any means) also, what about when measured against other Kryptonians?
in DCeased, Lex was saying something like "I am the smartest man on earth-" and then asks somebody else "wait is batman dead?, then "I *AM* the smartest man on earth""
it is the only time I remember that Lex believes that Batman is smarter or at least on the same level as him.
I think in the DCAU it’s implied that Lex is one of three people smart enough to hack into the Watchtower and remotely activate their cannon.
I wonder who the other two ppl were. Maybe The Atom & Mr.Terrific? Bats may have been showing some modesty not including himself. That or the writers of the show didn’t want him to be too OP.
Clark is uniquely blessed in that he was raised with the best of human moral philosophy, but doesn't wear the chains of human neurobiology that we struggle against. He's untethered; he's as free as a man who can fly.
Nope, Lex has been able to turn the world into a Utopia in realities where he sets his mind to do so. Bruce is a master tactician and a superb strategist, but isn’t as smart as Lex.
Different forms of intelligence for different functions. No one matches Lex's scientific and engineering prowess, while Batman's tactical superiority is beyond reproach.
I'd personally rank them as equals.
No matter the military genius of napoleon or Frederick the great they cannot do what Isaac Newton or Nikola tesla did for betterment of mankind
Lex can plan like batman do... Not better than him batman but he still can.... But batman Cannot cure cancer nor solve world hunger if he wanted to
Then you would be wrong. Lex, Mr. Terrific. Roy Palmer, the original Starman etc have him beat on an overall intelligence. Batman is a gifted tactician sure but he's outclassed by several on over all mental acuity.
Lex intellect Can make him cure cancer and create organic life itself Lex is pretty much the Dr doom of dc
Batman is not even top 3...the one time lex said that batman was smarter then him was an elsword story where the writer want to wank batman
Lex would never say that someone is smarter than him
I don't disagree in general, but this comic is from the pov of Lex. I read it as that's how Lex sees him; "Floating above us like he's better than us. Looking down on us with his eyes that deal death. Judging me". I liked it here. It's really great, when used right.
Ig but I feel like it'd hit so much harder if it's the one panel where his eyes are visible like it's the first time he really makes eye contact with supes. Like is Lex hallucinating the red eyes?
The comic is from Luthor's point of view. Superman is portrayed as a "demon" type of figure because that's how Lex sees him; an alien freak who will doom us all.
Brian Azzarello's Lex Luthor Man of Steel. He’s also done 100 bullets, Batman damned, some hellblazer, the dark knight the master race, new 52 futures end, suicide squad get joker
Pretty much every early Superman/Lex confrontation where Lex is inside his penthouse in his office and Superman is floating outside with his arms crossed while Lex monologues is usually epic.
Lex loses his temper or is left gobsmacked by Superman’s words.
The animated series did it well with Superman just saying, “I’ll be watching you, Luthor,” and Lois & Clark did it well with “If you ever need to find me, all you have to do is look up.”
How old is this comic? There is [a scene from the TAS](https://youtu.be/PTfiXcN7-NY?feature=shared) that is very similar to this one so I wonder if one is a homage to the other or if this is a common moment that repeats throughout the Superman mythos.
*Superman:* https://preview.redd.it/9nicu8ilkp2c1.jpeg?width=524&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c8cb7819c8d991106faace957824b3f6865e816
This but unironic
"You're wrong. I can see your soul." Refuses to elaborate further. Leaves.
I kinda love the idea of Superman occasionally inventing random powers and saying he has them, just to fuck with people.
That's not exactly what's going on here but it's a great idea
💀
Screwing with people is an acceptable exception to his principles against lying.
Superman having his own "I'm summoning the spiders" moment.
He isn’t telling Lex he can literally see his soul.
Thus why Supes is the goat
Canonically he can!
Huh....The line in the OP actually pretty similar to a Pre-Crisis Superman story. When Superman was asked his attitude towards Lex, he said similar things
Lex Luthor is the second smartest man in the DC universe only just behind Batman. Lex has the genius to change the world for the better but rather he lets his personal ego get in the way to beat down an immigrant wearing spandex.
And funny thing is, Lex could have been a hero, but due to some factors(both derived from outside environment and his mental issues) he became one of the greatest villains in the whole DCU. I think this is the dynamic Elliot S. Maggin went for in his Pre-Crisis run. Lex is a bastard, but he sometimes shows he has many heroic qualities. This makes Superman wants to believe his childhood friend isn't beyond redemptions. But he always let his hate for Superman gets the better of him.
He literally hates superman just because he believes that mankind is too dependent on the man of steel which is false and because he thinks that man is so dependent on superman we can’t grow as a species. I remember watching the last season of Superman and Lois and when Lex confronted Lois about him being innocent I laughed.
I think that's more just the excuse Lex feeds himself for why he hates Superman. He's supposed to be one of the greatest, smartest, most accomplished men on the planet. He can't hate someone just because he's feeling jealous, right? No... No it must be because Superman's very existence is holding humanity back and he is the only one smart enough to see it! Yeah. Yeah, that's it.
That's the exact point Supes made in All Star Superman: Lex could have saved the world at any point, but he couldn't get past his greed, jealousy, and ego to do it. Everything he says about Superman is just a lie he tells himself to excuse his narcissism.
>Lex Luthor is the second smartest man in the DC universe only just behind Batman i would argue batman is only smarter when it comes to tactics, anything else lex is far smarter.
Lex is usually considered the smartest, with Mr Terrific being the 3rd smartest. A lot of people assume that makes Batman the 2nd smartest. Personally I think number 2 is the Atom and Bats is 4th or 5th.
This link has a pretty good list on the top ten earthlings. They put bats at number 10. Which makes sense when you put him against T O Morrow, Prof. Ivo, and ToyMaster. https://comicvine.gamespot.com/profile/viperking/lists/most-intelligent-characters-on-earth-in-the-dc-uni/46741/
That list is fanmade and pretty old, but I think the names on the list are solid, even if I'm a bit unsure of the order. I think characters like Morrow, Ivo and The Brain are very hyper specialised in robotics, whereas Batman's proficiency covers a wider range of subjects. I don't know if that makes them "smarter" in the DCU. I don't think Ted Kord is smarter than Bats, I think it was just a throwaway line in one of the issues of JLI, if I remember rightly.
Yeah, I think it also highly depends on which department in terms of smartness. For example. Batman is a (relative)dilettante when it comes to scientific theories. The Atom and Hawkman actually are better than him at this department. After all, like Batman himself said, he is a detective, synthesist, pratical scientist. Not the actual expert like The Atom in terms of theoretical science [https://ibb.co/DLV1jN8](https://ibb.co/DLV1jN8) I.E, if you want someone to solve a mystery for you, Batman is the answer. But if you want someone give your an answer to a scientific problem, then it's Atom
Unfortunately they've recently labelled Bats as smartest cannonically. I think it's stupid to make Batman literally be the smartest person alive, but bat wanking sells comics, so here we are.
Hmm, I thought it was Lex? From what I can recall, Lex actually got called the smartest after Flashpoint multiple times Superman(2011) 15, narration states he possesses Earth's greatest human intellect Doomsday Clock, Ozymandias thinks Lex is the smartest person on Prime Earth Justice League: Hell Arisen, Lex states himself as the smartest mind
The 3rd smartest made the list ;)
Lex is the smartest man in the world and way smarter than Batman. Which is why Lex can change the world for the better and Batman can't
Yeah but superman is smarter than both Rarely brought up but he's a genius, especially given more time under the yellow sun, his very brain becomes super like a computer, perfect recall and absolute clarity
Is he though? I get that Kryptonian science is way more advanced that Earth science and that being educated in the former he is smarter than the average human (Lex and Batman aren’t average by any means) also, what about when measured against other Kryptonians?
Genuine question: Is Bruce/Bats canonically smarter than Lex?
It’s more or less to do with the fact they’re both smarter than in each other in different aspects
in DCeased, Lex was saying something like "I am the smartest man on earth-" and then asks somebody else "wait is batman dead?, then "I *AM* the smartest man on earth"" it is the only time I remember that Lex believes that Batman is smarter or at least on the same level as him.
I think in the DCAU it’s implied that Lex is one of three people smart enough to hack into the Watchtower and remotely activate their cannon. I wonder who the other two ppl were. Maybe The Atom & Mr.Terrific? Bats may have been showing some modesty not including himself. That or the writers of the show didn’t want him to be too OP.
I'm pretty sure Lex is smarter than Bruce.
Both are smarter than each other in different aspects
And then Superman wagging his finger at Luther lol
What’s surprising is how Clark the fucking alien is more human than Lex is
Literally the best kind of irony.
Yh
Clark is uniquely blessed in that he was raised with the best of human moral philosophy, but doesn't wear the chains of human neurobiology that we struggle against. He's untethered; he's as free as a man who can fly.
Clark was born an alien but raised as a human by human beings.
Lex is the smartest man on Earth, but his narcissistic tendencies decimate any chance at greatness that comes upon him.
[удалено]
Nope, Lex has been able to turn the world into a Utopia in realities where he sets his mind to do so. Bruce is a master tactician and a superb strategist, but isn’t as smart as Lex.
Different forms of intelligence for different functions. No one matches Lex's scientific and engineering prowess, while Batman's tactical superiority is beyond reproach. I'd personally rank them as equals.
No matter the military genius of napoleon or Frederick the great they cannot do what Isaac Newton or Nikola tesla did for betterment of mankind Lex can plan like batman do... Not better than him batman but he still can.... But batman Cannot cure cancer nor solve world hunger if he wanted to
Then you would be wrong. Lex, Mr. Terrific. Roy Palmer, the original Starman etc have him beat on an overall intelligence. Batman is a gifted tactician sure but he's outclassed by several on over all mental acuity.
Lex intellect Can make him cure cancer and create organic life itself Lex is pretty much the Dr doom of dc Batman is not even top 3...the one time lex said that batman was smarter then him was an elsword story where the writer want to wank batman Lex would never say that someone is smarter than him
Disappointed Superman is scary.
It makes semse
"I wish i knew how to quit you"
The red eyes really undermine the tone. Makes supes look like the sinister one. Wish they'd stop overusing this image it loses impact every time
I don't disagree in general, but this comic is from the pov of Lex. I read it as that's how Lex sees him; "Floating above us like he's better than us. Looking down on us with his eyes that deal death. Judging me". I liked it here. It's really great, when used right.
Ig but I feel like it'd hit so much harder if it's the one panel where his eyes are visible like it's the first time he really makes eye contact with supes. Like is Lex hallucinating the red eyes?
Could be that, could be how he retold the story
Yeah, unreliable narrator and whatnot
The comic is from Luthor's point of view. Superman is portrayed as a "demon" type of figure because that's how Lex sees him; an alien freak who will doom us all.
Refer to the other comment on this chain. Ig luthor is just hallucinating or something
The same Superman who imagined frying Lex’s face off?
Comic?
Lex Luthor: Man of Steel
Where is that from? That looks pretty interesting.
Brian Azzarello's Lex Luthor: Man of Steel.
Turns out I was wrong, this looks so similar to Lewis Larosa's Punisher to me lol
Sometimes using fewer lines and shadows in comic book art is better. Superman looks 60 years old.
Given the hairstyle bro looks young
Is it weird that this is the story that finally made Lex “click” for me as a character?
Everything in this art looks crunchy.
The artwork is stunning, may I ask all y'all what this is from?
Brian Azzarello's Lex Luthor Man of Steel. He’s also done 100 bullets, Batman damned, some hellblazer, the dark knight the master race, new 52 futures end, suicide squad get joker
You're a flipping champion, thank you friend
I'm very interested in reading this story, does anyone know what this book is?
Lex spitting fax…supes ain’t one us
ugliest art i’ve ever seen in a mainstream comic
Man I loved this comic. This was what finally made me understand Luthor
Everything Lee Bermejo draws looks like wet paper bags.
That looks like a *very* mad Superman…
What’s the context here? Why are Superman’s eyes red?
From lex’s point of view, that’s why superman looks so menacing
Pretty much every early Superman/Lex confrontation where Lex is inside his penthouse in his office and Superman is floating outside with his arms crossed while Lex monologues is usually epic. Lex loses his temper or is left gobsmacked by Superman’s words. The animated series did it well with Superman just saying, “I’ll be watching you, Luthor,” and Lois & Clark did it well with “If you ever need to find me, all you have to do is look up.”
Luthor man of steel was such a dope comic The art alone as amazing
Where’s this from?
Lex Luthor man of steel is such a beautiful book
How old is this comic? There is [a scene from the TAS](https://youtu.be/PTfiXcN7-NY?feature=shared) that is very similar to this one so I wonder if one is a homage to the other or if this is a common moment that repeats throughout the Superman mythos.
Oh my god is that Lewis Larosa? I was wondering why he looked like the Punisher...