Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor is a fictional supervillain appearing in publications by the publisher DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor is said to have first appeared in both / either Action Comics #23 (April 1940) and Superman #4 (Spring 1940) and has since endured as the archenemy of Superman.

Originally introduced as a mad scientist whose schemes Superman would routinely foil, Lex's portrayal has evolved over the years and his characterisation has deepened. In contemporary stories, Lex is portrayed as a wealthy, power-mad American business magnate, ingenious engineer, philanthropist to the city of Metropolis, and one of the most intelligent people in the world. A well-known public figure, he is the owner of a conglomerate called LexCorp. He is intent on ridding the world of the alien Superman, whom Lex Luthor views as an obstacle to his plans and as a threat to the very existence of humanity. Given his high status as a supervillain, however, he has often come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe.

Article Courtesy of Wikipedia.