Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice – Who Is Lex Luthor, Jr.?
By Steve Lam
Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Created by George Pérez, Jerry Ordway, and Marv Wolfman, the character of Alexander Luthor, Jr. made his first appearance in Crisis on Infinite Earths #1 (April 1985). The son of Earth-Three’s Lex Luthor, who was a hero in his universe, and Lois Lane was sent to Earth-One by his parents via an experimental device. Arriving at the headquarters of the Justice League through an anti-matter storm, Alexander would gain powers allowing him to control matter and anti-matter and also age to maturity at an accelerated rate. After the death of the Monitor, Alexander leads the heroes and villains against the Anti-Monitor.
After the Anti-Monitor’s defeat, Alexander, Kal-L (Earth-Two’s Superman), Earth-Prime’s Superboy (a.k.a. Superboy-Prime), and Earth-Two’s Lois Lane retreat to a paradise dimension which was accessed via Alexander’s remaining powers. Through the years, Alexander ages to his thirties and becomes much more callous and distant. Through manipulation, Alexander convinces Superboy-Prime to help him the paradise dimension. Successfully breaking through the barrier wall, the two created a chain of events that eventually led to the Infinite Crisis story arc.
Alexander later impersonates Earth-One’s Lex Luthor and forms the Society of Super-Villains with the goal of merging Earth-One and Earth-Two, with Earth-Two’s attributes becoming the more dominant one. Lex Luthor disguises himself with the secret identity Mockingbird and creates the Secret Six. He finally finds Alexander in the arctic and confronts him. Upon meeting Lex, Alexander says these famous words to him: “I’m you. Only better.” Alexander reveals that the reason for creating the Society of Super-Villains was to use them to construct a giant dimensional tuning fork device which used heroes and villains from both Earths as part of its architecture.
To get energy for the device, Alexander tricks the Spectre into destroying magic which left a raw form of magic that could be used as fuel. Alexander then gave Brother Eye sentience so that the satellite could direct the device’s energy and map the new multiverse. Alexander’s ultimate goal was to split the universe back into the multiverse and take desirable elements of each Earth to create one ultimate Earth.
As Alexander is about to succeed, Firestorm converts the energy from the device into raw positive matter. Superboy-Prime fights with Conner and their battle destroys the device, causing the multiple Earths to collapse into one New Earth. Failing, Alexander’s new plan was to take Earth by force and mold it to his vision. After being defeated in ensuing battles, Alexander would eventually flee.
Lex Luthor and the Joker later find Alexander hiding in Gotham City. After severely disfiguring Alexander’s face with acid, the Joker shoots him in the head with a shotgun. Lex’s words to his once impostor are “Now who’s stupid?”
In Death of The New Gods (2008), this continuity is given a subtle retcon in that it’s suggested that Alexander was twisted into the acts of Infinite Crisis by the Source.
In the Blackest Night (June 2009 – May 2010) story arc, it’s learned that Alexander is entombed below the Hall of Justice. Resurrected by a Black Lantern, Alexander, gathering other Black Lanterns, travels to Earth-Prime with the sole mission of killing a now insane Superboy-Prime. Seeing his impending defeat, Superboy-Prime surrenders to the Black Lantern ring and puts it on. However, an unintended consequence was the ring’s reaction to Superboy-Prime’s scattered emotions. This resulted in the destruction of Alexander and his Black Lanterns.
In Justice League of America Vol. 2 #53 (January 2011), Alexander’s corpse is stolen by the Crime Syndicate of America and Doctor Impossible for the purpose of resurrecting him in the Chamber of Resurrection. However, Doctor Impossible betrays the Crime Syndicate and, instead, uses himself to resurrect Darkseid. But things go wrong and a new villain is created — Omega Man. Alexander, though, is temporarily resurrected by a Green Lantern from DC Comics’ Tangent Comics imprint. Alexander, seeking redemption, goes on to defeat Omega Man and the Crime Syndicate of America.
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